West Lion Tactical was forged under the punishing heat of an Iraqi summer. Founder Adam Bender, serving as a C16 gunner, sat exposed in the hatch of his tactical vehicle, baking in the relentless sun. In that moment — tired, sweating, and wishing for even a sliver of shade — the idea sparked. "I’d spent my career adapting gear, shaving ounces, sewing better attachments, and customizing kit that actually worked in the field," he thought. That day was no different. In an early attempt to solve the problem, Adam tried rigging up a makeshift cover using Hesco barrier mesh — it provided some shade, but it wasn’t tactically sound. The solution came from a piece of kit Adam remembered from his days in the IDF: the mitznefet, a camouflaged helmet scrim. But this needed to be different — functional, durable, and adaptable for modern warfare. It had to be easily removed to accommodate night vision systems, yet robust enough to stay put when it mattered most.
From that need, the first prototype of our tactical helmet brim was born. It’s gone through countless evolutions since — shaped by real-world feedback from fellow operators, veterans, and front-line professionals.