Great Helm - Contemporary Reenactors

Contemporary Reenactors

The great helm is today especially popular amongst live-action role players and in medieval re-enactment such as the Society for Creative Anachronism. It is inexpensive, easy to manufacture with even rudimentary equipment (metal scissors, drill, rudimentary anvil, rivets and hammer), and provides good protection for the head against both sharp and blunt weapons. Its biggest drawbacks are poor ventilation and air circulation, especially if worn with closed-cell foam padding, making it very hot in warm weather.

Modern reenactment versions of great helms weigh 1.5 to 3 kg. For safety reasons, they are made from thicker steel than medieval originals but are not overly heavy, cumbersome, or uncomfortable. Although visor slits are usually only some 20–30 mm wide, they do not greatly restrict the field of vision as they are very close to the wearer's eyes.

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