Abstract: A hard hat suspension which includes a group of highly curved, narrow and transversely thick suspension legs and a second group of slightly curved, wide and transversely thin suspension legs in angularly spaced relation, arranged so that the more yieldable highly curved suspension legs are initially distended and come into operation upon the application of external force to the hat shell, as by impact from a falling object, before the less yieldable, slightly curved suspension legs come into operation. While the instant suspension is of normally elastic plastic material, which materials become brittle at low temperatures, the highly curved suspension legs are capable of straightening or "uncoiling" even when brittle without breaking to absorb energy and spread load between the highly curved legs without effective operation of the slightly curved legs.