Types of Medieval Helmets: A Guide for LARP Players

Medieval helmets changed more than any other piece of armor. In about a thousand years, the simple segmented cap of the early Middle Ages turned into the fully enclosed steel helmets of the Renaissance knight. Each step answered a real problem: new weapons, new ways of fighting, new ideas of what a warrior should look like.

For a LARP player, these historical types are more than names in a museum catalog. Each shape tells other players something about your character before you say a word: a nasal helmet says early medieval warrior, a great helm says crusader, a sallet says late medieval soldier, a morion says Renaissance guard. In this guide, we walk through the main types of medieval helmets, compare them side by side, and explain which ones work best in LARP and why.

Medieval Helmet Types at a Glance

The dates below are approximate. Helmet types overlapped, and older forms stayed in use long after new ones appeared, especially among common soldiers.

Early Medieval Helmets

Spangenhelm

The spangenhelm, or segmented helmet, was the most common helmet design in Europe by the 6th century. Its name is German. The bowl was built from several metal plates joined by riveted bands, which made it strong and relatively easy to produce. Its weaknesses were partial head protection and the many joints in its construction. It was later replaced by helmets with one-piece skulls, such as the nasal helmet.

In LARP: a spangenhelm suits northern warriors, tribal chiefs, and early medieval characters. It leaves the face free, which is good for roleplay and for seeing the battlefield. Search interest in the spangenhelm is growing fast, so it is a good choice if you want a look that stands out from the usual knight. Read more in our spangenhelm guide.

Nasal Helmet

The nasal helmet is a conical helmet with a bar that protects the nose. It is often called the "Norman helmet" because most Norman men-at-arms on the Bayeux Tapestry wear it. In fact, the type was already worn by Viking warriors before they settled in Normandy, and nasal helmets appear in depictions of men-at-arms from most regions of Europe between the 11th and 13th centuries.

In LARP: the nasal helmet gives you a clear early medieval silhouette with almost full vision. It works well for Norman knights, northern raiders, early crusaders, and any character from a rough, early medieval world. Pair it with a mail coif or a medieval hood to protect the neck and complete the look. Read more in our nasal helmet guide.

High Medieval Helmets

Great Helm

The great helm, also called pot helm, bucket helm, or barrel helm, is a helmet of the High Middle Ages that arose in the late 12th century in the context of the Crusades and remained in use until the 14th century. It encloses the whole head, with narrow eye slits and small breathing holes. Over time its top became rounded or conical to deflect blows. By the 14th century it was used mostly in tournaments, and knights often wore a smaller helmet, the bascinet, under it.

In LARP: the great helm is the classic crusader look, and it is still very popular with LARP players and reenactors. It is perfect for knightly orders, paladins, and silent, faceless champions. The downside is clear: limited vision and hearing, and it gets warm. If you play a lot of roleplay scenes, choose a version you can take off quickly. Learn more about the knights who wore it in our articles on crusader knights and the knightly orders. Read more in our great helm guide.

Kettle Hat

The kettle hat, also called war hat, chapel de fer, or Eisenhut, is a helmet in the shape of a brimmed hat. Its wide brim protected against blows and against projectiles from above, which made it useful in sieges. Unlike closed helmets, it did not interfere with vision, hearing, or breathing. It was worn mostly by infantry, but also by cavalry and men-at-arms, and it survived in some form for centuries.

In LARP: the kettle hat is the helmet of the common soldier, the militia, and the siege engineer. It is comfortable, open, and easy to recognize. It is a great choice for a whole unit of foot soldiers. Read more in our kettle hat guide.

Late Medieval Helmets

Bascinet

The bascinet developed from the small steel cap worn under the great helm, and by the 14th century it took over as the main knightly helmet in war. From around 1330, a mail curtain called an aventail was attached to its lower edge to protect the throat, neck, and shoulders. Many bascinets also received a movable visor.

The most famous visor is the pointed "hounskull", from the German hundsgugel, "hound's hood", known today as the "pig-faced" bascinet. It appeared in the second half of the 14th century. From about 1410, visors became more rounded, and early in the 15th century plate defenses began to replace the mail aventail.

In LARP: a bascinet with a hounskull visor is one of the most dramatic helmets you can wear: open the visor for roleplay, close it for battle. An open bascinet with an aventail is lighter and suits veterans, sergeants, and knights on campaign. Read more in our bascinet guide.

Barbute

The barbute, or barbuta, is a 15th-century Italian helmet without a visor, often with a T- or Y-shaped opening for the eyes and mouth. Its shape resembles classical Greek helmets. It extends down to cover the sides of the face, and unlike the sallet it was rarely used outside Italy. Some barbutes were covered with rich fabric such as velvet.

In LARP: the barbute has a striking, almost ancient silhouette. It suits mercenary captains, duelists, and characters from Italian-inspired city-states. The narrow opening gives a menacing look but limits peripheral vision. Read more in our barbute guide.

Armet

The armet appeared in the 15th century. The earliest surviving example dates to 1420 and was made in Milan. It was the first helmet of its time to enclose the head completely while being compact enough to move with the wearer. Its cheek plates were hinged and opened to the sides so the helmet could be put on. In Italy, it was the standard helmet of mounted soldiers from about 1410 to about 1510.

In LARP: the armet is the helmet of the noble knight in full plate. It gives the most protection and the most impressive look, at the price of vision and ventilation. Read more in our armet vs close helmet guide.

Sallet

The sallet replaced the bascinet in Italy, western and northern Europe, and Hungary in the mid-15th century, and in Germany it became almost universal. Its typical form has a rounded skull and a long tail that protects the neck. Many sallets had a narrow eye slit or a hinged visor and were worn with a bevor that protected the chin and throat. Later in the 15th century, cheaper, roughly finished "munition" sallets were made in large numbers for growing armies.

In LARP: the sallet is one of the most versatile helmets you can choose. With a narrow eye slit it looks closed and soldierly, without a visor it leaves the face free. It fits soldiers, men-at-arms, mercenaries, landsknechts, and knights alike, and it combines with almost any armor. That is why we make two sallets ourselves: the plain Infantry Armor Sallet Helmet and the floral Flower Knight Sallet Helmet. Read more in our sallet guide.

Renaissance Helmets

Close Helmet

The close helmet developed in the late 15th century from later sallets and the armet. From the outside it looks very similar to the armet. The difference is in how it opens: the close helmet uses a single pivot point for its visor and bevor, while the armet has hinged cheek plates. Close helmets served heavy cavalry and tournament fighters into the 17th century.

In LARP: the close helmet gives a full-plate Renaissance look for commanders and champions. As with the armet, check your event's rules for closed helmets. Read more in our armet vs close helmet guide.

Burgonet

The burgonet appeared early in the 16th century as the successor of the sallet. It has a rounded bowl, a short peak over the eyes, and often hinged cheek pieces. Because its face was open, it was lighter and easier to see and breathe in than a close helmet. A typical 16th-century burgonet with cheek pieces weighed about 1.6 to 2.3 kg / 3.5 to 5 lbs. A version with a permanent face defense is called a closed burgonet.

In LARP: the burgonet suits officers, cavalry, and nobles of a Renaissance-inspired world. It balances protection and visibility very well. Read more in our burgonet guide.

Morion

The morion is an open helmet with a brim and a crest running from front to back. It comes from Spain and was used from the early 16th to the early 17th century. Its shape developed from an older Spanish kettle hat. The similar cabasset was worn at the same time. Both were typical of infantry in pike formations.

In LARP: the morion is ideal for guards, pikemen, explorers, and officers who need to see and speak freely. Our Flower Knight Morion Helmet takes this open shape and adds raised floral ornament for nobles and clerics. Read more in our morion guide.

Comparing Helmets for LARP

In LARP, the best helmet is not always the most protective one. You also need to see the game, hear other players, and wear the helmet for hours. Here is how the main types compare for play:

A simple rule: the more your character talks, the more open the helmet should be. Leaders, officers, and characters with a lot of roleplay are happier in open helmets. Front-line fighters and villains who should look faceless can choose closed ones. Many players own both: an open helmet for the camp and a closed one for the battle.

Steel or Polyurethane: Which Helmet for LARP?

Historical helmets were made of iron and steel, and good reproductions are still made that way. For LARP, though, steel has a few drawbacks:

• Weight. Surviving originals vary a lot: a North Italian barbute in the Cleveland Museum of Art weighs 1.58 kg, a mid-15th-century Venetian sallet in the Fitzwilliam Museum 2.08 kg, and an Italian armet of about 1430 to 1440 in the Metropolitan Museum of Art 4.29 kg. Modern steel reproductions of great helms are often sold at 2.5 to 4 kg.
• Heat and rust. Steel gets hot in the sun and needs regular care against rust.
• Event rules. Steel armor is not allowed in combat at many LARP events.

Our helmets are cast from polyurethane resin reinforced with fiberglass. They look like forged metal, weigh about 1 to 1.5 kg / 2.2 to 3.3 lbs, do not rust, have no sharp edges, and are suitable for battles with LARP-safe weapons. Our customers have worn our armor at large LARP events such as ConQuest and DrachenFest. Rules still differ from game to game, so always check the armor rules of your event, especially for closed helmets. For a deeper comparison of materials, read What Is the Best Type of LARP Armor?

Which Historical Helmet Fits Your Character

• Northman, tribal warrior, early medieval chief: spangenhelm or nasal helmet. See our Barbarian and Northmen collection.
• Crusader, templar, paladin: great helm, or a bascinet for a later period. See our Paladin collection.
• Knight on campaign: bascinet with aventail, or a sallet with a bevor. See our Knight collection.
• Soldier, mercenary, landsknecht: sallet, kettle hat, or burgonet. See our Landsknecht collection.
• Italian-style captain or duelist: barbute or armet.
• Guard, officer, explorer: morion or burgonet.
• Renaissance commander or champion: close helmet or armet.

How Our Helmets Relate to Historical Types

All our helmets are original designs of our team, inspired by history and classic fantasy archetypes, not copies of any game or film. Some follow historical shapes closely, others mix them with fantasy ornament:

• Infantry Armor Sallet Helmet: a plain late medieval sallet with a narrow eye slit.
• Flower Knight Sallet Helmet: the sallet silhouette covered with raised vines and flowers.
• Flower Knight Morion Helmet: an open morion with floral ornament.
• Lion Knight Helmet, Empire Armor Helmet, and Chaos Warrior Helmet: fantasy helmets that borrow from heraldic helms, face guards, and closed battle helmets.

All our helmets are in the LARP Helmets collection, with sizes, padding, and a guide to choosing the right one.

Want a Helmet That Is Not in Our Shop?

If you dream of a great helm with your own crest, a hounskull bascinet, a barbute, or a burgonet in your faction's colors, we can make it. A custom helmet from our workshop is much lighter than a steel one, and you can play with the design: add ornament, change the visor, combine historical shapes with fantasy details. We usually start with a 2D concept, then a 3D sculpt, and then make the mold and the helmet. Tell us your idea on our Custom LARP Armor page. If you equip a whole group, see our Group Orders.

Further Reading

• The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Fashion in European Armor, 1000 to 1300
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Barbute, Milan
• The Cleveland Museum of Art: Barbute from the Venetian garrison at Chalcis
• The Fitzwilliam Museum: Venetian sallet
• myArmoury: Spotlight on the 14th Century Bascinet
• myArmoury: Spotlight on the Burgonet

Want to see how armor developed as a whole? Read The Evolution of Knight Armor: From Mail to Plate.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Are the Main Types of Medieval Helmets?

The main types are the spangenhelm, nasal helmet, great helm, kettle hat, bascinet, barbute, armet, sallet, close helmet, burgonet, and morion. They range from simple open caps of the early Middle Ages to fully enclosed helmets of the Renaissance.

What Is the Best Medieval Helmet for LARP?

There is no single best one. For all-round play, an open sallet, bascinet, burgonet, or kettle hat gives a good balance of look, vision, and comfort. Closed helmets such as the great helm or armet look impressive but limit vision and hearing.

What Helmet Did Medieval Knights Wear?

It depends on the century: nasal helmets in the 11th and 12th centuries, great helms in the 13th, bascinets in the 14th, and sallets and armets in the 15th century.

What Is the Difference Between an Armet and a Close Helmet?

They look similar from the outside. The armet opens with hinged cheek plates, while the close helmet uses a single pivot point for its visor and bevor.

Are Polyurethane Helmets Allowed at LARP Events?

Armor rules differ from game to game. Our customers have worn our armor at large LARP events such as ConQuest and DrachenFest. Always check the armor rules of your event, especially for closed helmets.

Event information is provided for orientation only. LARPSHOPKEEPER is not affiliated with the organizers. Please check dates and details on the official event websites.