S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 Headgear Guide

Headgear is more than armor

A good helmet stops a headshot, but the best ones also protect against psi from Controllers and Poltergeists. The psi protection page covers the threat; a psi-resistant helmet is what keeps a Controller from ruining your stalk.

Match it to the armor

Your helmet and suit should cover the same gaps. The armor guide covers the suit; pair a helmet that adds what the suit lacks, whether that is psi resist or raw protection.

Upgrade when you can

Better headgear appears as you progress and can be upgraded at technicians. The armor upgrade page covers the system; a tuned helmet extends the life of an otherwise good suit.

Do not skip protection for weight

A light helmet saves carry weight but leaves you exposed. Balance it against the artifacts you are hauling, because a dead stalker’s artifacts are nobody’s.

Psi is the real threat

Some helmets block psi from Controllers and Poltergeists, and that protection matters more than a few points of bullet defense in the late Zone. The psi protection page covers the threat, and the armor guide covers the suit you pair it with. A psi-resistant helmet keeps a Controller from ending your stalk.

Upgrade at a technician

Better headgear appears as you progress and can be upgraded, so do not stay in the starter helmet once the mutants get psychic. The armor upgrade page covers the system.

Headgear is psi insurance

In the Zone the right helmet protects against psi as much as bullets, so match it to the anomaly you enter. The psi protection page covers the threat. A bare head in a psi field is a quick death.

Related guides

• STALKER2 Armor Guide
• STALKER2 Armor Upgrade
• STALKER2 Psi Protection