Adjustable retention systems for use with protective helmets and helmet and adjustable retention assemblies

A helmet and adjustable retention assembly, comprising:

• a helmet configured to at least partially cover a wearer's head, wherein the helmet includes:
• a helmet shell, the helmet shell comprising:
• a front and a back;
• a left side region and a right side region;
• a first channel, groove, space, conduit, or duct in the left side region of the helmet shell;
• and
• a second channel, groove, space, conduit, or duct in the right side region of the helmet shell;
• and
• an adjustable retention system including:
• one or more retention straps or cables attached to the helmet shell of the helmet and including a chin strap or chin strap cable subcomponent configured to engage a wearer's chin and a fit strap or fit strap cable subcomponent configured to engage a wearer's head;
• a chin strap actuator attached to a first side region of the helmet shell operably connected to the chin strap or chin strap cable subcomponent, and configured to selectively shorten or lengthen the chin strap or chin strap cable subcomponent in order to selectively tighten or loosen the chin strap or chin strap cable subcomponent relative to the wearer's chin;
• and
• a fit strap actuator attached to a second side region of the helmet shell, operably connected to the fit strap or fit strap cable subcomponent, and configured to selectively shorten or lengthen the fit strap or fit strap cable subcomponent in order to selectively tighten or loosen the fit strap or fit strap cable subcomponent relative to the wearer's head, wherein tightening the fit strap or fit strap cable subcomponent urges the wearer's head against a front inner surface of the helmet shell.

An adjustable helmet retention system for use with a protective helmet, comprising:

• a retention strap or cable configured to attach to a helmet shell and secure the protective helmet to wearer's head and engage the wearer's chin and head, the retention strap or cable comprising:
• a chin strap subcomponent configured to attach to the helmet shell, engage a wearer's chin, and having two opposing ends, a first end configured to attach to a left side region of the helmet shell and a second end configured to attach to a right side region of the helmet shell;
• a fit strap subcomponent configured to attach to the helmet shell, engage an occipital region or portion of a wearer's head, and having two opposing ends, a first end configured to attach to the left side region of the helmet shell and a second end configured to attach to the right side region the helmet shell,
• wherein one of the opposing ends of the chin strap subcomponent is connected to one of the opposing ends of the fit subcomponent to form the retention strap or cable;
• and
• an actuator configured to attach to the left or right side region of the helmet shell and be operably connected to the retention strap or cable so that actuating the actuator selectively increases or decreases a length of the retention strap or cable in order to selectively loosen or tighten the retention strap or cable, respectively, relative to the wearer's chin and head.