10 Responses to “Miller 400 Diving helmet”

1. DALE HARRIS Says:
   July 14th, 2008 at 2:05 am

   I worked in this hat for quite some time. when i had to weld sideways it always slid around and I would have to hold it in place with my free hand. It’s a bit heavy too. But I always felt safe wearing it. Mainly because of its history. Now with dew fairness maybe the hat wasn’t fitted right or my size 7 head should have been at least a size 7 1/2″ or larger. I recently purchased a new Desco. I know I am going to have problems with that one. but try getting a new Kirby Morgan in a week. thats a frickin shame and by god if i had the funds I would DESIGN a new helment and blow KM out of the frickin water.

2. M. Brannan Says:
   August 5th, 2008 at 9:44 pm

   Ben Miller designed and built these helmets for years. It was tough and rugged yet simple. It was and still is a true work horse.The beauty of this helment is that most all the parts you can find at you local hardware store or dive center, unlike most commercial diving helmets that require special parts that always seem to be on the other side of the world when you need them. Bens passing was a huge loss to the commercial diving industry. Ben was truely before his time on many of his inventions.

3. DALE Says:
   September 7th, 2008 at 12:44 pm

   Well see what happens when your up messin around at 2:am. I’m the diver who worked in the Miller and had problems only because it didn’t fit me properly. Just tweek it and it will work. If I had this knowledge 20 years ago I probably would still have my Miller. Like always, experience is the best teacher. Something will have to be adjusted. That’s why so many models are built . KMDSI makes different sized hats because there are differences and therefore require interior air volume modifications. I recently purchased a new Desco Air Hat. I had issues with it at first and recalled the same issues I had with the Miller which, was my first helmet. I took a good long look at the new hat as anyone should do. Plenty of dry runs and tweeking is expected if just to become familiar with any new hat. Once I put the hat on in the shop and it rested on my eyebrows nearly closing my eyes I decided right there and then to make modifications to the head band assembly. After disassembly I realized that there was no vertical adjustment to the hat. I didn’t like the suggestion to ad another chunk of padding to the donut glued to the top of the shell so I purchased a small piece of Lexan about 1/16″ thick and cut out a new head band that would connect to the existing head harness. However I cut slotts in my new piece to provide quick adjustment. I don’t expect to share my hat but it may happen. After a few more dry runs I was satisfied that I had the perfect fit but I could still really feel the weight. A year earlier I found a baseball helmet and placed it on a shelf in the shop for over a year I moved that hat around, constantly threatening to toss it. but stuborn as I may be I insisted it will come in handy someday. You know (PACK RAT) Anyway, I removed the helmet liner cut it to size and installed it into the divers hat. now!!!!!!! totally perfect but The hat band still pushed down on my forehead. I still wasn’t satisfied. I could see that this forward weight was going to be there because of the snout design of the helmet. I had worked in this hat as well on and off over the course of a year or so and squatting down then standing up was a problem when I had my hands full. The jocking strap was a constant issue and demanded constant adjusting. I put the hat on in the shop again just to see what it would take to keep the weight of my forehead. It seemed as though just a small amount of tension on the rear would fix it. Now everyone may be wondering why am I concerned about the weight on deck. Well didn’t you ever have to stand on deck waiting 15 or 20 min. I dont particurally want to stand there holding up the front end of a helmet while I,m waiting or even have to remove the hat. So.. I thought about replacing the jock strap with a front and rear lanyard ( hold down ) but adding a stainless steel spring to the rear lanyard. Each end would be fitted with a quick release device. I bought plastic coated stainless steel cable added the spring and secured it to the harness. Put the hat on again and simply relaxed my head and ALL THE WEIGHT WAS GONE no neck strain the entire weight of the hat was transferred straight down to the frame of my body. I simulated the unlikely event of totally ditching my hat and found that it was actually quicker with my little riggin. I couldn’t wait to work this hat now. During my first dive with this new hat I moved every way bent my head in every concievable way , squatted down and stood up with 0 changes in the fit. Here’s the point of my little story……. I sold my first hat, the MILLER because I didn’t think. A LITTLE TWEEKING GOES ALONG WAY! I am perfectly satisfied with my Desco Air Hat. It fits like it should.

4. Mack Says:
   April 10th, 2009 at 6:37 am

   Why are diving helmets so heavy in construction? Looking for the science as to why.

5. Walter Says:
   August 9th, 2009 at 9:41 pm

   One reason the Miller is heavy is because it is made of Bronze. When you dive the Miller it feels neutral.
   The space in the helmet has air which is buoyant, the bronze helmet counterbalances this.
   If you dive a superlight helmet it tends to be a little buoyant, and pulls up on your chin and jaw all day.

6. Forrest Says:
   August 12th, 2009 at 4:50 pm

   @Walter: They have to be heavy on the surface because once underwater–and filled with air–they become buoyant and try to float off the diver’s head. It’s not practical or comfortable to work that way. The Miller hat is pretty neutral because it is brass. Fiberglass helmets like the Superlites are weighted in order to stay neutral or slightly negative. Free-flow hats like the MkV and Desco are held down by a jock strap which goes between the legs.

7. Barry Says:
   August 19th, 2009 at 11:56 am

   Heavy construction also provides a good bit of protection for a very important organ, your noggin. When Ben was in Morgan City, he use to let potential customers knock a Miller shell around his yard with a 12 pound mall. A crude yet adequate demonstration to prove a point, at least it sold me. After an unfortunate encounter with a rig wrench to the jaw, I was happy to have made the choice I did at the time.

8. Ric Bennett Says:
   October 13th, 2009 at 2:19 am

   I dove in all kinds of helments and masks back in the 70’s.. I had purchased a brand new ben miller gas hat and used it extensively for just about everything.. Of course my neck went from a 16 1/2 to 19 3/4″ al;most over night.. I could eat anything I wanted with no weight gain. Run women all night and dive all day.. Biy those were the days… Now I have a hard time laying on a float in the pool without falling off… When my wife and I moved from one house to another two years ago someone decided they needed it more than I did and it along with a brand new kirby morgan 17 disappeared from our home.. In Orlando Florida… The gas hat was in a custom built mahagoney box with a screwed on lid. Had a plaque on it from my family which I am sure it has disappeared by now.. If someone should run across something that looks fishy drop me an email as I would like to teach my boys how to dredge for gold out west.. It was a kickass job and I loved every minute of it and made great money.. Good luck all you younger guys.. Just do not by a helment with a croch strap it will make yoiu a woman slowly…

9. Adam Says:
   March 17th, 2012 at 5:32 pm

   I recently swapped a kmdsi 77 for a miller 400. i love it. the only question i have is where i can get the parts list, the ORIGINAL parts list of where Ben Miller got his parts. i know the neck ring gasket is from a pressure cookery. but i am trying to find the original parts list. any help would be great

10. Mike Says:
    November 26th, 2012 at 9:40 am

    This is for everyone that has had problems with the Miller Dive Helmet. I run my own dive company and was trying to find a company hat all my divers could wear in any condition. These new guys coming out of school, all they seem to know is the KM hats. Once my divers dive both my Miller 300 and Miller 400, they seem surprised. One of my divers like the Miller 300 the best, I guess because of the fit. I also had to tweak the head band adjustment. Now I use a KM-17 Snoopy to adjust the fit and fill the air space, with no face seal on the inside front of the hat. Works Great! But, now it wll not pass inspection because of my modifications. I could never get the right size face seal from Kirby Morgan (to small) and or have a real good seal with the head band. Now all works well even upside down. Millers are tough and rugged and can be used in any conditions. You can’t say that for most hats out there today. I will dive my Millers with my modifications as long as I keep running my business.

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