Awesome! I love painted lids.

Hi it s an amazing helmet

Thanks for the compliments. I have always like painted lids and I try to pick them up when they are cheap enough.

Cool paintings! How should he/she does that??

nkomo wrote: Thanks for the compliments. I have always like painted lids and I try to pick them up when they are cheap enough.

well ... how much cheap??

Any ACH + NVG mount here in Europe will cost about 500$ ... in the GREAT Kentuky?

$60-$200 here in US. Depends on condition and who is selling.

Not exactly the same price in Canada, a little bit more expensive but not the same price as in Europe

ladrang wrote:Not exactly the same price in Canada, a little bit more expensive but not the same price as in Europe

I'm sure you are relieved!

Now I get it why 90% ACH helmets find their ways to Europe. People needs more profits while I need some more. Same thing goes for body armors.

nkomo wrote: Merc is correct on pricing for my area. The helmet in question was 69.95 plus tax. I couldn't pay quick enough and get out the door.

Damn, thats a steal. I rarely find them for that low a price, and I live right outside one of the largest bases in the world!!

VERY COOL LID ARCH........I want it ,I want it now

70 $ for that helmet is indeed a bargain.... conragtulations...

Hi the price is awesome!!!! Good job!!!

The price is awesome & the helmet is awesome!

Mercenary25 wrote:Now I get it why 90% ACH helmets find their ways to Europe. People needs more profits while I need some more. Same thing goes for body armors.

And that's were the second (of three) great irony of ITAR comes into play (the first one beng that the Talibans and bank rupt al Qaeda still can't afford the things regulated by ITAR): Because of the prohibitions concerning exporting body armour and helmets, the prices shoot through the roof in Europe, and that makes attempts to export those things worth it, or more commonly, more worth it for US servicemen stationed in Europe to let them vanish from the books (just a theory of mine though). Works with NVGs and PEQs though, I'll give'em that.

The third irony would be that Western Europe exports military merchandise to the US, but once it's reached its destination it seems to convert itself into H-bombs that can't be sold back under any conditions.

Mercenary25 wrote:

ladrang wrote:Not exactly the same price in Canada, a little bit more expensive but not the same price as in Europe

I'm sure you are relieved!

Now I get it why 90% ACH helmets find their ways to Europe. People needs more profits while I need some more. Same thing goes for body armors.

you've right...and you can't imagine how many helmets come from Germany. They are sold there by soldiers during their return. They make an halt in Germany for refueling or I don't know what else, and soldiers resale their material to german natives. I got my first ACH, my first OTV and my SAPI plates from German sellers...for prices you can't imagine...

Some time ago, they were complete OTV (basic vest + sapis) for less than $300/set on ebay.de...the same sets are sold on ebay.com for more than $500...($250-300 for plates + $150-250 for otv). Prices were less here compared to USA for sapi + OTV !!! Can you believe it ?! (I'm not a lier, maybe Philip will confirm you !).

But well if it makes you feel better, the good thing is that the US military stuff is not used against USA, and no more for criminals acts (terrorism,...) because we can find the same sort of ballistic protective stuff made in europe, for a lesser price. It offers the same level of protection, but it's just cheaper. So, if criminal hands projects to make something wrong, they won't use US stuff because it's too expensive compared to european stuff that offer the same level of protection !

So you can be reassured, I think the US military stuff is never reused against americans (by example by terrorists' sleeper cells here in europe or outside europe) ! The only kind of people that buy US military stuff here in Europe are collectors (like me, Philip, Guilhaume,...) or airsofters.

[I'm tired and I don't know if my explanations are sufficiently clear but well, I only want to say that yes, there's some US stuff outside CONUS, but it's not necessary bad thing because this stuff is not reused for criminal acts or terrorism, but only kept preciously by collectors or airsofters; and this US stuff (body armor, helmets, NVG,...) is not forbidden in majorities of european countries !]

Pierre,

My point wasn't about body armors or helmets can be used against the Americans. Nor was it my concern. My point is the prices for body armors and helmets on ebay have skyrocketed due to european or overseas buyers with deep pockets and not to mention they have a huge advantage of currency value. I need more ACH's to complete my displays but I ain't gonna pay that much for them despite how much I need them.

True story, as most of you guys know I used to be the avid 173rd Airborne Brigade DCU collector. One european collector offered me a really nice grouping to a soldier who made a jump in Iraq. The grouping is for just THREE sets, one modified. Granted, those command for high price. I made an offer, $300, but he countered the offer with about $500!!!! And he insisted the price is firm. So I passed on this nice grouping.

Bottom line, the European market hurt American's market because of huge difference in the market value and currency value.

$500? Damn, I thought $300 was too much for three DCU sets. I'd give $100 at most, seeing as how they're from the same guy, but that's about it. It's not like they were worn by one of the soldiers who captured Saddam.

Concerning painted helmets: I will probably never even consider buying one. It's just a matter of throwing some paint and Velcro on, and voila, the seller can take the price from $200 to $400-$600, and seeing how many helmets are painted by airsofters (a lot, those forums are no pleasent views) it can just as well be an airsofter who's tired of his hobby/in need of money. My bet is there are more painted helmets out there that are painted by airsofters than there are "real" painted helmets for sale.

I totaly agree with you Merk and Kilroy !

For price for his grouping, it's definitely too expensive...I never found a correct grouping here in Belgium, but I'm not ready to pay this price ($500) for a grouping; seller is a thief ! I doubt he'll find a buyer here in europe for his grouping at this price...But well, the main question is how many we are ready to pay for our collection.

DCU and BDU are not very researched here, and moreoften they are sold for around €10-50. At this time, we are only a few serious collectors here in europe that collect this sort of items, other buyer are more often airsofters and they always research the last set (modern) avaiable, and so not the old style uniforms.

But you've right, the US market is invaded by foreign bidder. Another reason is difference of value between dollar and euro. At this time, it's verry advantageous for us to buy items in USA...by example, currently now $200 = €140...there's a big difference in value ! So for the same amount (200), an european pay less for the same item...

and Kilroy, I have the same opinion than you for painted helmets, but I admit a few of them looks completely legit (as the one Nkomo found) and so it can be interesting to collect. The one Nkomo found is simply perfect ! So it depends wich modified helmet and also if we know the story or not...so it's exclude one day I buy one in here Europe, or on ebay because I don't know the history of helmet, but well, if my american friend find me one, then yes, I'll take it !

P-E wrote: So it depends wich modified helmet and also if we know the story or not...so it's exclude one day I buy one in here Europe, or on ebay because I don't know the history of helmet, but well, if my american friend find me one, then yes, I'll take it !

... so the point is : please american guys , if you find it more at the same price CALL US!

So you want we sell you our stuff in Euro and not in USD or CND dollars

Well, we Swedes still have SEK, so if I would buy 140Euro and use it to buy something worth $200, it would be quite a loss. One Euro = ~8SEK, One $ = ~6SEK. If you ask me, Sweden shouldn't even be part of the EU. It's really nice to know that my tax money is used to salvage the screwed up economy of Greece where they insist on keep retiring at 50 (not that the state employees work more than two or three real hours a week anyway), while our government's started talking about rising our retirement age to 75...

I'm still not real happy about painted helmets. It's just a matter of looking at airsoft forums (especially Swedish) to see hove absolutely obsessed some are about having their helmets (real helmets, not just China junk) painted with even the same brand of colour as SF helmets. As far as I'm concerned, unless the helmet was beaten up with 25% of the colour scratched off, smelled basement fifty feet away and would be sold to me directly at a yard sale by a clueless woman who said her husband had it "when he was with those Rambo guys in Afghanistan and now it's been taking up space in the basement for two years" and wanted $35 for it, I'd probably pass.

Well, we've always had the ridicilous shipping prices. Most Americans on Ebay write things like "sure, I can send it overseas but the freight costs will be $76 (!)". And I'm pretty much used to it, as a matter of fact I just received my first DCU (this forum created that interest, and fittingly enough it was from the 1st ID), and the freight costs were twice the price of the DCU. At least the Dollar is back to the old prices now, not very long ago one Dollar would cost 8-9 SEK.

You can't imagine what I paid here in Canada for shipping cost to Europe, it s may be 2 or 3 times more expensive to ship anything in Europe. US postal have better prices than Canada post.