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

A helmet and adjustable fit assembly, comprising:

• a helmet configured to at least partially cover a wearer's head, wherein the helmet includes:
• a helmet shell comprising:
• a front and a back;
• and
• a left side region having a left ear area and a right side region having a right ear area;
• and
• an adjustable fit system including:
• a fit strap or fit strap cable configured to attach to the helmet shell, engage a wearer's head, and having two opposing ends, a first end configured to be received inside the helmet shell at or behind the left ear area and attach to the helmet shell inside the left side region and a second end configured to be received inside the helmet shell at or behind the right ear area and attach to the helmet shell inside the right side region;
• an actuator configured to attach to either the left side region or the right side region of the helmet shell and be operably connected to one of the first or second ends of the fit strap or fit strap cable so that actuating the actuator selectively increases or decreases a length of the fit strap or fit strap cable in order to selectively loosen or tighten the fit strap or fit strap cable, respectively, relative to the wearer's head;
• and
• an anchor sleeve disposed inside one of the left side region or the right side region of the helmet shell and configured to receive another one of the first or second ends of the fit strap or fit strap cable,
• wherein selective tightening of the fit strap or fit strap cable urges the wearer's head against an inner surface of the helmet shell.

A helmet and adjustable fit assembly, comprising:

• a helmet configured to at least partially cover a wearer's head, wherein the helmet includes:
• a helmet shell comprising:
• a front and a back;
• and
• a left side region having a left ear area and a right side region having a right ear area;
• an adjustable fit system including:
• a dual-stranded fit strap cable configured to attach to the helmet shell, engage a wearer's head, and interact with a length-equalizing wheel, the dual-stranded fit strap cable having two ends configured to attach to a same side of either the left side region or the right side region, and wherein the two ends are received inside of the helmet shell at a or behind either the right ear area or the left ear area;
• an actuator configured to attach to either the left side region or the right side region of the helmet shell and be operably connected to one of the two ends of the dual-stranded fit strap cable, with the other end being fixed to the helmet shell at the same left or side region as the actuator, so that actuating the actuator selectively increases or decreases a length of the dual-stranded fit strap cable in order to selectively loosen or tighten the dual-stranded fit strap cable, respectively, relative to the wearer's head;
• and
• the length-equalizing wheel disposed inside the helmet shell on a side opposite the actuator and the two ends of the dual-stranded fit strap cable and interacting with the dual-stranded fit strap cable,
• wherein selective tightening of the first strap cable urges the wearer's head into contact with an inner surface of the helmet shell.