I know there's been handfuls of discussions on here comparing helmets, but I'm only interested in the Gallet or Alpha Eagle and will be using it also at night with NVGs.  Please for those of you only who have used them both and can compare the 2 to each other, which would you prefer and why?  Either route I'm planning on upgrading the liners, getting ANR, and maybe another upgrade or 2 here or there.  

I wore the Alpha for several years, at first without NVGs, and wasn't bothered by anything other than what I considered to be cheap design. I hated the little ear cup straps you pull on to don the helmet. The whole thing just seemed fragile compared to the SPH-5 I had owned and was was used to. When I started wearing NVGs, I found it to be horrible. I had to use so much counter weight to make it wearable that the lightweight design/selling point of helmet was negated. The company then switched to a Paraclete and I found it to be an improvement but still needed enough counter weight that my old man neck was really starting to protest. 

I recently purchased a Gallet from Merit, and so far it is my favorite helmet of the 4. Merit was great at tweaking the fit for my huge head. A new nape pad eliminated the dreaded "hot spot" I was getting. 

My preference from favorite on down:

1) Gallet (only complaint is that the inner shield hits my eyeglasses)

2) SPH-5 (I liked the ear cups set in the fabric, comfortable despite being the heaviest)

3) Paraclete (very close to second, good retention system, poor wiring on volume knob and CEP connections)

4) Alpha Eagle (huge profile, flimsy, not NVG friendly)

I disagree with Farmer. I find the Alpha Eagle (latest edition) to be the best helmet out there. Once you sync down the ear cups it is far quieter than any helmet I have ever owned.

The Gallet is good, lightweight but for me not being able to use the inner visor with my eyeglasses was a no-go.

I started with an SPH4 and have tried all versions of the SPH since and they don't work for me.

Get a skull cap and least try your friends on before you purchase, a lot depends on your head size/shape too

Gotta agree with Farmer!  I've used them all, plus the SPH-4 (yeah, I'm that old) and the HGU-56.  The Gallet is my favorite by far, and the one I use today.  Thwe glasses issue is real, but managable.

The gallet gets my vote and I've had 3 brands in my career. The fit and weight of the Gallet is superior and so is the build quality. My last employer bought the Alpha Eagle because it was the cheapest and you could tell why. The parts felt like super cheap plastic and some of the metal even started to have corrosion on it from the humidity of Louisiana. 

I'm in a Gentex (employer bought) now and contemplating buying the Gallet because it's that much better. 

Hope this helps, cheers...

An HGU-84...

Bought one 14 years ago and will never go with anything else.  Fits perfectly, cut for wide ambient vision, lightweight, comfortable with NVGs, and relatively custom fit to your head...

I tried the Alpha Eagle and Gallet, but for me, not an option.  The SPH-5 is like wearing a bowling ball on your head.  However, it is a robust helmet.

At my age though, my head is most likely hard enough I no longer need a helmet...

v/r

My two cents...

Both are nice, I find the Alpha the easiest to get comfortable consistantly. The ability to make adjustments quickly and easily every time you put it on is nice. Using it with NVG's I didn't necessarily like. I found it to hold the NVG's away from my face further than I would have liked, and it's a bit flemsy. The mounting system is a little funky and by all things HOLY do not manipulate the visors when you have the NVG mount installed if you have gentex pins on it. Say bye bye to your outer lens if you do. I also found the Alpha to be quite bulky and I found myself always hitting my head on things, especially back when I was slinging. Always moving your head inand out of the door I always had to kink my head in a weird way to get it to fit, which is why I bought the Gallet.

The Gallet I find to be significantly more comfortable..... WHEN it is adjusted right. However, getting the adjustment right is a pain in the @ $$. Everything can only be adjusted by velcro which leads to a lot of putting it on, taking it off, adjusting, putting it on, taking it off, adjusting. Etc... The noise reduction seems to be better in the Gallet also which makes sense given the design. It is also quite a bit less bulky. With the NVG's I find it to be quite a bit more solid and you don't have to worry about scrating the ever living *bleep* out of your visors. Another one of our pilots just got a Gallet with the Boise, with leather cups installed and MAN THAT THING IS NICE! feels like a cloud is hugging your head. I think if I purchase another helmet I'll probably go for that option.

The SPH-5 I used to have, honestly was probably the best compromise between fit and function. However the weight was pretty unbareable at times.

I would say if you have the ability to borrow some peoples, try out a couple different ones and see what works best for you. Just putting them on isn't really enough though, you need to really wear it for a couple hours with the NVG's on to really get a feel for them and then you can decide. 

Pilots wear their helmet for a max of like 5 hours a week......

ask a utility guy what helmets the best as they beat theirs up and actually put them thru the gauntlet....

I think both helmets are not bad....  the shape of your head will determine which one is best for you.  I love the Gallet but it dosnt fit my head very well...  The Alpha fits me better.  

Whenever I see helmet posts here, I can't help but think of this classic.  I'm not sure when the original was posted, but I saved it in 2012.  Good for a laugh for sure. 

I don't understand why he was wearing shoulder pads

they all are no bueno