A complete riot kit is more than a suit and a helmet. The accessories an officer carries into a deployment, gloves, shields, batons, gear bags, replacement parts, determine how effective they are when things get real. Over the years, a handful of Haven Gear accessories have consistently shown up in nearly every department order we fill. Here is what departments keep coming back for and why.
Riot Helmets with Bubble Face Shield
The bubble face shield helmet has become our single most-requested item. It gives officers noticeably better peripheral vision than a flat shield, which matters when you are trying to track movement on your flanks without taking your eyes off what is directly in front of you. It also fogs less in cold conditions because of the air gap between the face and the lens, which is something officers who have worked winter deployments in flat-shield helmets feel immediately the first time they try a bubble configuration.
Available in a full size range including Jumbo, which more departments need than typically plan for. Available with straight shield configuration as well for agencies that have a preference. Browse helmets →
Hard Knuckle Tactical Gloves
The Hard Knuckle glove is the most versatile glove in our lineup and the one most departments default to when they do not have a specific use case driving them elsewhere. The rigid polymer knuckle inserts add real impact protection in the area most exposed during physical contact with a crowd, while the overall construction is flexible enough that officers can still run equipment, operate radios, and manage their baton without taking the gloves off.
Departments that have switched from standard patrol gloves to Hard Knuckle frequently report that officers stop removing their gloves mid-incident, which was the baseline problem with most previous gear. View all gloves →
Polycarbonate Riot Shield, 24" x 36"
The standard 36-inch polycarbonate shield is the right size for the majority of riot deployments. Light enough to carry for extended periods without creating fatigue at the shoulder, large enough to provide meaningful coverage for an officer in a line formation. Departments ordering shields for the first time frequently ask whether they should go with the larger 48-inch, and the honest answer is: for most roles, the standard configuration is the one officers will actually use. The 48-inch has its place for officers who specifically need lower-body protection coverage, but the 36-inch is what ends up in most hands.
We build ours from 4mm riot-grade polycarbonate, which is meaningfully different from the material used in cheaper shields. It deflects rather than transmits impact, and it holds up to repeated deployment in ways that thinner material does not. View shields →
28" Straight Baton with Wrist Lanyard
The 28-inch length covers the widest range of deployment contexts: general riot operations, vehicle-staged response, and foot formations alike. Long enough to provide standoff distance in a line situation, short enough to be managed in tighter environments. The wrist lanyard is not optional from our perspective; it keeps the baton in the officer's possession during physical contact without having to maintain a death grip on it.
For departments that need extended reach in line formations, the 34-inch version covers that role. For vehicle-staged or correctional officers who need something more compact, the 24-inch tonfa is the right tool. Most departments end up with a mix. View batons →
Riot Gear Bags
This one surprises people. A good gear bag determines whether officers actually arrive to a deployment with everything they need or spend the first ten minutes of an incident staging equipment that should have been ready to go. Haven Gear bags are sized for full kit, with compartmentalization that keeps helmet, gloves, and suit components accessible without digging through a pile.
For departments that stage gear in vehicles, organized storage is the difference between donning time measured in seconds and donning time measured in minutes. View bags →
Replacement Parts
Face shields, foam inserts, chin straps, and closure hardware wear out before the rest of the equipment does. Departments that buy gear without thinking about replacement parts end up either replacing complete kits when only a component has failed, or running officers with degraded equipment because the part they need is not in stock somewhere.
Haven Gear maintains parts inventory specifically so that replacement is straightforward. When a face shield takes a hit that leaves internal crazing, you should be able to swap it out that week, not wait months for a procurement cycle. View replacement parts →
Putting a Kit Together
Most departments reach out to us when they are missing something specific: a new glove to replace worn-out stock, shields for a unit that previously did not have them, or batons that can hold up to regular use. If you are starting from scratch or filling gaps in an existing inventory, we are happy to talk through what makes sense for your deployment context before you order.
There is no one-size configuration. A department with a primary riot team and a larger pool of patrol officers has different needs than a corrections facility equipping an extraction team. Get in touch and we can figure out the right mix for your situation.