Last Updated on by Samuel Franklin
This tier list details the best Tarkov helmet to maximise protection at different Rouble costs for your raid loadout. Considering each armour class, cost, protection area, ricochet chance, conflicting items and ergonomic penalties players can find the ideal helmet for their budget, preferences and raid objectives.
Tarkov Helmet Tier List
The following helmets are the best in their respective armour classes due to their cost, availability, armour coverage and lack of significant penalties. This helmet tier list includes armour class level 3, 4 and 5 in order that can be regularly acquired from traders or the Flea Market for all budgets.
| Helmet (Armour Class) | Armour Areas | Headset | Trader Availability | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 SSh-68 steel helmet (3) |
Head top, Nape, Ears | Limited | Ragman Level 1 | The basic helmet for efficient raids this is cheap, readily available and has limited ergonomic penalties. The major trade off is that it is only compatible with the GSSh-01 active headset which is considered a weaker headset option. |
 6B47 Ratnik-BSh helmet (3) |
Head top, Nape, Ears | Yes | Prapor Level 2 | The second staple helmet of the Tarkov meta this one has full headset availability and also supports Night vision with the PNV-10T.
This helmet is only slightly more expensive than the SSh-68 so will generally be the helmet used once available. |
 HighCom Striker ACHHC IIIA helmet (4) |
Head top, Nape | Yes | Ragman Level 3 | A large majority of class 4 helmets in Tarkov are similar with only a small number of the expensive options including ear protection.
For this reason nearly any tier 4 helmet will work which means bargains can be found on the Flea Market compared to trader purchased options although stick to green and darker colours to blend into your surroundings. If there are no bargains the HighCom series from Ragman 3 is the accessible budget option. |
 ZSh-1-2M helmet (4) |
Head top, Nape, Ears, Face shield (optional) | No | Ragman Level 2 | One of the earlier sources of a face shield (class 3) this is not a helmet you will use regularly but can serve a purpose on the smaller maps like Factory or Ground Zero while providing some protection against basic bullets and Scavs.
It’s particularly useful if you’re slightly ahead of the average player pool as they may struggle to defeat the class 3 armour constantly. |
 HighCom Striker ULACH IIIA helmet (4) |
Head top, Nape, Ears | Yes | Ragman Level 4 (Tan)
Ref Level 3 (Black) |
A notable class 4 with ear protection that is readily available from late game Ragman but also occasionally from the Flea Market as there is a large number of colour variants sold there.
This is a commonly used helmet when unlocked for the extra protection but the cost increase is significant for that ear protection. |
 Team Wendy EXFIL Ballistic Helmet (4) |
Head top, Nape, Face shield (optional brown helmet only) | Yes | Peacekeeper Level 4 | A powerful late game helmet with optional ear covers and tier 3 face shield this helmet can do it all with the included mount.
For day and night the Wendy EXFIL will do the job if you have the Roubles to maintain its cost. |
 Altyn Bulletproof Helmet (5) |
Head top, Nape, Ears, Face shield (optional) | No | Ref Level 4 | The classic tier 5 helmet that removes some vision and restricts headsets and is harder to obtain in modern Tarkov. If you can acquire these or the similar variants though they are perfect for kill quests on map like Factory where the class 5 face shield can save your PMC. |
Helmets not listed on the tier list above are generally not worth using unless required for a particular quest or listed cheaply on the Flea Market. The selections are based on the following:
- Price and Availability : Purchase price is an important consideration in your loadout with the best budget helmets offering high protection to price efficiency.
- Ricochet Chance: A percentage chance to avoid damage through a bullet ricochet. This chance is often the majority of protection as most Tarkov ammos will easily penetrate class 3 and class 4 helmets.
- Headset Option: Certain helmets limit your ability to use an active headset which makes them difficult to use as you’ll be at a severe hearing disadvantage. For this reason the best helmet with headset compatibility is important although the helmets without headsets generally have additional armour or face shields to offset the loss of hearing.
- Armoured Zones: Helmets and face shields protect different areas of your head with the relevant hitboxes being top, nape, ears, eyes and jaws.
- Penalties: Penalties to player statistics like movement speed, turn speed and ergonomics.
