Best Full-Face Helmets: TFX vs G35 vs G4
Three helmets come up again and again when skydivers ask what full-face helmet to buy: the Tonfly TFX, Cookie G35 and Cookie G4. Here is the honest version — comfort decides everything.
Skydiver and SkydiveShop gear specialist based at Skydive Spain. This guide is based on years of jumping, fitting helmets, selling gear, and hearing what actually annoys people after they have lived with a helmet for a while.
Which Skydiving Helmet Should You Choose First?
The best full-face skydiving helmet is the one you fit in well, like wearing, and forget about during the jump. That sounds too simple, but it is the truth. A helmet can look amazing and have every feature you want — if it crushes your chin, lifts in freefall or annoys you in the plane, you will hate it.
So this is not a catalogue comparison. TFX, G35 and G4 are all good helmets. The real question is which one fits your head, your jumping, your tunnel/camera habits and your taste. It is like clothes: technically fitting is not enough — you also want to feel good wearing it.
My actual recommendation
If I had to simplify it, I would try to make either the TFX or G35 work first. If neither fits right, that is where the G4 still makes a lot of sense.
Premium/custom feel, open chinbar, and made-to-order fit. Best if you can wait.
Modern Cookie choice. Easier for everyday use, camera/tunnel changes and less waiting.
Do not force the other two. If G4 sits better on your head, choose the G4.
Short version: TFX for premium/custom, G35 for practical modern everyday use, G4 when fit or protection feel wins.
What Should You Look for in a Skydiving Helmet?
I do not start with the spec sheet. I start with the things you notice when you actually jump the helmet all season.
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Can you wear it all day without pressure points?
A helmet that hurts your forehead, jaw or chin is the wrong helmet, even if it looks perfect.
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Can you communicate in the plane and on the ground?
This is where the TFX chinbar feels genuinely nice when it fits your face.
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Does it stay quiet and stable in freefall?
A helmet that lifts, whistles or shifts around becomes annoying fast.
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Does it suit how you actually jump?
If you change between normal fun jumps, coaching, busy training days or different disciplines, small practical details matter.
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Do you actually like wearing it?
This is skydiving gear, but it is still like clothes. If you never feel good in it, you picked the wrong one.
How Do the TFX, G35, and G4 Compare?
Prices checked today in our shop. This is the quick version: what each helmet is actually good at.
Tonfly TFX
Premium- Custom-fit / made-to-order route.
- Quiet, premium feel when the fit is right.
- Chinbar opens — nice for talking in the plane/on the ground.
Cookie G35
Modern- Lighter/smaller feel than G4/TFX.
- Utility top plate makes camera cutaway easy.
- Photochromic visor option is genuinely useful.
Cookie G4
Protection- Bigger than the G35 - more protection padding inside.
- More helmet around the back of your head.
- Best if it simply fits your head better than TFX/G35.
Is the Tonfly TFX the Best Premium Full-Face Helmet?
The TFX is the helmet I would describe as “premium, but only if it fits your face.” When it fits well, it feels really nice: quiet in freefall, comfortable, clean-looking, and more personal than an off-the-shelf helmet.
The small everyday thing people do not talk about enough is the opening chinbar. In the plane, on the ground, between tunnel rotations, or when you just want to talk without taking the helmet off, it is genuinely nice. You can open the front, breathe, speak normally, and not feel like you are sealed inside a fish bowl.
The catch is also very real: some people with a more pronounced chin struggle to close the chinbar comfortably. If your chin touches or gets pushed by the chinbar, this is not a “break it in” problem — it can become uncomfortable fast and it is not what you want in an impact. Also, if you jump camera and then go to the tunnel, TFX can be annoying because many camera mounts are stick-on. You cannot just swap to a clean plate the way you can with a G35 utility setup. Choose camera mount wisely.
If you love the TFX, you usually love it because it feels like your helmet. It looks good, it feels refined, and the chinbar makes normal dropzone life easier. But I would never push somebody into a TFX without checking the chin/face fit properly. If the chinbar does not close naturally, move on. The best-looking helmet is not worth being uncomfortable every jump.
Is the Cookie G35 the Best Everyday Skydiving Helmet?
The G35 is the helmet I would show to a jumper who wants a modern Cookie helmet that is practical every week, not just pretty in the box. It feels more compact than the G4, keeps the Cookie ecosystem, and gives you a lot of useful ways to personalize it without going full custom like Tonfly.
The big everyday win is the utility top plate setup. If you jump camera, you can use Cookie’s original camera mounting system with a cutaway handle. That matters because camera snag/entanglement risk is not a joke. It also makes life much easier when you want to go to the tunnel: swap from camera setup to a clean plate instead of fighting with a permanent stick-on mount.
Another underrated option is the photochromic visor. Classic tinted visors look cool, but they can be annoying when the light changes or when you are trying to communicate. A visor that darkens in strong sun and clears up in darker conditions is genuinely useful. Add colored side plates and the G35 can feel surprisingly premium, even if it is not as wildly customizable as a TFX.
The G35 is probably the easiest helmet here to live with if you funjump with a camera, sometimes go to the tunnel, and still want the helmet to look good. It is not the protection-first Cookie option — that is the G4 — but as an everyday sport-jumping helmet, the utility plate and visor options make a lot of sense.
Is the Cookie G4 Still Worth Buying?
The G4 is not here because it is the newest or most exciting helmet. It is here because for some people it simply fits better, and because it is still the clear Cookie choice when you want the protection-first option.
Compared with the G35, the G4 feels taller and heavier. You notice that. Some jumpers do not like the extra bulk; others like the feeling of more helmet around the back of the head. This is exactly why I do not like absolute helmet rankings. If TFX presses your chin and G35 does not fit your head shape, but G4 sits perfectly, then G4 is the best helmet for you. End of argument.
The G4 is the “boring but correct” option for some jumpers. Not everyone wants the lighter/newer G35 feel or the custom TFX route. Some people put on a G4 and it just works. If that is you, do not let a ranking talk you out of comfort.
Why Does Comfort Beat Brand Arguments?
The perfect helmet choice is simple: you fit in it well, and you like it. That is the combination. Some people cannot fit in a G35. Some cannot close a TFX comfortably. Some find the G4 bulky, while others fit it perfectly. Comfort is the first filter. After that, you still need to like the helmet, because in the end it is like clothes — you want to feel good wearing it.
If your forehead hurts
Do not “just break it in” forever. Some liner settling is normal, but a helmet that creates real pressure points is probably the wrong shape or size.
If it moves in freefall
A loose helmet can get noisy, let wind in, shift around your eyes and feel sketchy. Secure fit matters more than buying the size you wanted to be.
If you wear audibles
Check audible pocket position and comfort before you commit. The G35 pocket can feel tighter than the G4’s with some bigger audibles, so do not assume your old setup will feel exactly the same.
What Do Jumpers Actually Notice After Buying?
Real helmet feedback is messy because real heads are messy. One jumper puts on a TFX and it feels perfect. Another cannot close the chinbar comfortably. Someone else tries the G35 and loves the compact feel, while the next person only feels good in a G4. That is useful, because it tells us what a product page cannot.
TFX: loved, but not magic
People like the TFX fit system, front opening, quiet feel and protection story. But it is not automatically the largest/easiest helmet for every big head. Long head shapes can still have chin-contact problems. Small people can feel a lot of drag (specially in the tunnel).
G4: protective, but chunky
G4 gets respect because it feels like the more protective Cookie. The tradeoff is size and weight: it is taller, heavier and feels like more helmet around your head.
G35: modern, but know the tradeoffs
G35 is smaller/lighter than G4, closer to G3 shape, and has the clever interchangeable top plate plus optional tunnel skid/utility plates. But it is not the protection-first Cookie option.
Do not force it. Several jumpers mentioned Bonehead Aero as the helmet they tried when the usual Cookie/Tonfly options did not work for large or unusual head shapes. This article is about the main three helmets, but your head does not care about our article scope. And some people... will only fit an open face due to their head shape.
Which one should you buy?
Buy TFX if…
You want something fancy, safe and are willing to wait for premium.
Buy G35 if…
You want an easy life with a compact-feel full-face, a good visor view and loads of accessory options. Usually arrives within 4-5 weeks, if not in stock.
Buy G4 if…
You want the bigger, more protective-feeling Cookie helmet and it fits your head better than the slimmer options.
What Questions Do Buyers Ask Most Often?
What is the best full-face skydiving helmet?
For most buyers comparing these three, the best full-face skydiving helmet is the one that fits correctly. The Tonfly TFX is the premium custom-fit pick, the Cookie G35 is the modern everyday Cookie option, and the Cookie G4 is the established protection-first Cookie helmet.
Is the Cookie G35 better than the G4?
The G35 is newer, more compact and very attractive as an everyday Cookie full-face helmet. It feels smaller/lighter than the G4 and is not the protection-first Cookie option. If you want compact, modern and camera/tunnel practicality, look at G35. If you want the more protection-focused Cookie, look at G4.
Is the Tonfly TFX a protective helmet?
Yes. The TFX is Tonfly’s serious full-face helmet, not just a pretty custom shell. For day-to-day choosing, I care more about fit, chinbar clearance and comfort than legal-looking certification codes. Always check whether your country federation requires an impact-rated helmet for skydiving.
Can I mount a camera on these helmets?
Of course. Some you will drill, some stick. There are aftermarket/3D printed mounts. Additionally each manufacturer has their own mounts for GoPro cameras, and sometimes others. Note that camera mounts change the snag risk. If you are unsure, ask your instructor, S&TA, rigger or the manufacturer rather than copying a random setup from Instagram.
Should a beginner buy a full-face helmet?
Maybe, but ask your instructor or dropzone first. Some programs prefer open-face helmets at the beginning because they make communication easier. In Skydive Spain, only licensed skydivers are allowed to jump with full face helmets. Same in Britain. Once you are cleared to use a full-face helmet, fit and visibility should guide the choice.
Which helmet is best for tunnel?
All three are used for sky/tunnel style flying, but the best tunnel helmet is still the one that fits securely, does not fog badly, and follows the tunnel’s rules. The G35 is especially practical here because you can swap plates. With TFX, a stick-on camera mount can make tunnel days more annoying. You might also want to look into Skyhelmets; they fit great and are well known among tunnel flyers.
Where Can You Find the Official Helmet Manuals?
This article is based on my experience with these helmets. If you want the manual/legal details, use the current manufacturer pages below.
What Is the Final Verdict?
If you want the premium custom-fit helmet, choose the Tonfly TFX. If you want the newer everyday Cookie full-face, choose the G35. If you want the bigger protection-first Cookie answer, choose the G4. Ask your DZ buddies to try on their helmet to see the fit/sizing. If one fits your head beautifully and another feels like punishment, stop arguing with the internet and buy the one that fits.
