How to Choose a Medieval Helmet: Norman, Great Helm, Bascinet, Sallet & More

Choosing a medieval helmet starts with one question: what period and type of medieval character are you recreating?

An 11th-century Norman warrior, a 13th-century knight, a 14th-century man-at-arms and a 15th-century soldier would not normally wear the same style of head protection. Medieval helmets developed considerably over the centuries as armour, weapons and battlefield requirements changed.

The best medieval helmet is therefore not simply the most impressive-looking design. It is the one that matches your historical period, region, character, armour kit, intended use and head size.

In this guide, we compare the major medieval helmet types—including Norman and nasal helmets, kettle hats, great helms, bascinets, sallets and barbutes—and explain what to look for when buying a helmet for reenactment, LARP, historical display or collecting.

Quick answer: For an 11th-century Norman impression, start with a Norman or nasal helmet. For a 12th- or 13th-century knight, consider a great helm. For many 14th-century knightly impressions, a bascinet is a strong choice. For a 15th-century knight or soldier, look at sallets, while a barbute is particularly appropriate for an Italian late-medieval or early Renaissance impression.

Which Medieval Helmet Should You Choose?

Start with the historical period, not the appearance of the helmet alone.

These are broad periods rather than rigid dates. Medieval helmet designs overlapped, evolved gradually and varied by region. Surviving museum examples are therefore more useful than treating a helmet name as an exact date.

For example, The Metropolitan Museum of Art has a surviving European nasal helmet dated to the late 12th–early 13th century, a bascinet dated to about 1325–1350, and sallets from the later 15th century. The Metropolitan Museum of Art+2

Norman Helmet

The Norman helmet is one of the most recognisable forms of early medieval head protection.

It is commonly associated with rounded or conical helmet bowls and a nasal guard protecting the nose. For an 11th-century Norman or early Anglo-Norman impression, this is one of the first styles to consider.

The helmet should be considered as part of the complete kit. A Norman-style helmet combined with later plate armour, late-medieval footwear or a 15th-century shield can create a historically inconsistent appearance.

Best uses for a Norman helmet

A Norman helmet can work particularly well for:

• 11th-century Norman impressions
• Early Anglo-Norman kits
• Early medieval reenactment
• Living-history displays
• Norman-inspired LARP characters
• Historical collections

What to look for

If historical accuracy matters, pay attention to the shape of the bowl, nasal guard, construction and overall proportions rather than buying any helmet marketed simply as "Norman."

Armor Arena currently offers a Norman Conical Helmet as one option for this type of early-medieval-inspired kit. Armor Arena UK

View Armor Arena's Norman Conical Helmet range

Nasal Helmet

A nasal helmet is identified by the projecting metal bar that protects the nose.

Nasal helmets were widely used in medieval Europe, although individual designs varied considerably over time and between regions. A surviving European example in The Met's collection is dated to the late 12th–early 13th century, demonstrating that the nasal form continued into the high-medieval period. The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The open face gives a nasal helmet a very different character from later enclosed helmets.

Best uses for a nasal helmet

Consider this style for:

• Early medieval reenactment
• Norman-inspired kits
• Anglo-Saxon-inspired impressions
• Viking-era-inspired equipment
• Historical displays
• Medieval LARP

For an historically accurate impression, however, compare the exact helmet shape with examples appropriate to the date and region you are recreating.

Spangenhelm as an early-medieval alternative

A related early-medieval option is the Spangenhelm, which uses a framework-and-plate construction.

Armor Arena's Spangenhelm is offered in several mild-steel gauges, with selectable internal circumference and finishes. The product is marketed for LARP, historical events, character portrayal and collecting. Armor Arena UK

See the Armor Arena Spangenhelm

Kettle Hat

The kettle hat is recognisable by its broad brim extending around the head.

Unlike a great helm or fully enclosed bascinet, the kettle hat leaves much of the face open. Different forms appeared across multiple periods, making the exact design more important than the name alone when establishing historical accuracy.

Kettle hats were particularly useful for soldiers and infantry because the design could provide substantial overhead and side protection without completely enclosing the face.

Best uses for a kettle hat

A kettle hat can be a strong choice for:

• Medieval infantry
• Soldiers and men-at-arms
• Military living history
• Reenactment
• Late-medieval impressions
• Medieval LARP characters

Why choose a kettle hat?

The main advantage for a modern wearer is the relatively open face and resulting visibility compared with an enclosed helmet.

If you expect to spend several hours outdoors, visibility and ventilation can become just as important as historical appearance.

Great Helm

The great helm is perhaps the most recognisable helmet associated with the popular image of the medieval knight.

Its enclosed construction covered the head and face and became particularly characteristic of the 12th and 13th centuries, although great helms remained in use later as well.

Royal Armouries notes that great helms were common among cavalry at the beginning of the Hundred Years' War and that examples continued into the 14th century. As the bascinet became increasingly useful in combat, great helms became more strongly associated with tournament use. Royal Armouries

Great helm advantages

A great helm offers:

• Extensive head coverage
• Enclosed facial protection
• A distinctive high-medieval knightly appearance
• Strong visual association with Crusader-era and high-medieval armour

Great helm disadvantages

The enclosed design also creates practical considerations.

Royal Armouries highlights limited vision, ventilation and weight as disadvantages of great helms compared with later helmet forms. Royal Armouries

That matters if you intend to wear one for long periods.

Best uses for a great helm

Consider a great helm for:

• 12th-century knight impressions
• 13th-century knight impressions
• Crusader-inspired kits
• High-medieval displays
• Tournament-inspired characters
• Medieval LARP knights

Important: don't assume every great helm is exclusively a 12th- or 13th-century helmet. Surviving 14th-century examples demonstrate that the form continued beyond the high medieval period. Royal Armouries

Bascinet

The bascinet became one of the major helmet forms of the later medieval period.

Unlike the relatively uniform image of a great helm, "bascinet" covers a wide family of designs. Bascinets could have different bowl shapes, attachment systems and visor arrangements.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has a bascinet dated to approximately 1325–1350, while Royal Armouries describes the bascinet as increasingly preferred for combat during the Hundred Years' War. The Metropolitan Museum of Art+1

Pig-face or hounskull bascinet

One of the most recognisable later forms is the pointed pig-face, also called hounskull or dog-face bascinet.

The pointed visor helped create a distinctive profile and could incorporate breathing openings and eye slits. Royal Armouries describes this form as replacing the great helm as a preferred battlefield helmet because of its flexibility and defensive qualities. Royal Armouries Museum Shop

Best uses for a bascinet

A bascinet can be appropriate for:

• 14th-century knight impressions
• Early 15th-century armour
• Later medieval reenactment
• Heavily armoured characters
• Historical collections
• Medieval LARP

Armor Arena offers bascinet styles including full-visor and houndskull designs. Armor Arena UK+1

Explore Armor Arena's medieval bascinet helmets

How to choose a bascinet

Don't choose a bascinet based only on the name.

Look at:

• Visor shape
• Bowl profile
• Neck protection
• Aventail compatibility
• Date being recreated
• Regional style
• Complete armour harness

A 14th-century bascinet and a later hounskull-inspired design can produce noticeably different historical impressions.

Sallet

The sallet is one of the defining helmet types of the 15th century.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art describes the sallet as one of the two basic helmet types used during the fifteenth century, alongside the armet. Its examples show how sallets could provide protection while being less confining than fully enclosed head armour. The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Some sallets have a relatively open face, while others provide more extensive facial protection.

Why choose a sallet?

A sallet can provide a distinctive late-medieval appearance while allowing a different wearing experience from a fully enclosed great helm.

Royal Armouries also notes the development of sallets with extended rear protection during the 15th century. Royal Armouries

Best uses for a sallet

Consider a sallet for:

• 15th-century knight impressions
• Late-medieval soldiers
• Gothic armour
• Late-medieval reenactment
• Historical armour collections
• Early Renaissance military impressions

If the rest of your armour belongs to the 15th century, a sallet will generally create a more coherent impression than an earlier Norman helmet or great helm.

Barbute

The barbute is another distinctive late-medieval helmet, particularly associated with 15th-century Italian armour.

Its open face and characteristic shape distinguish it from the fully enclosed great helm and many visored bascinets.

A barbute is therefore particularly useful when the objective is to recreate an Italian or early Renaissance-inspired military appearance.

Armor Arena currently lists a Barbute Helmet within its helmet range. Armor Arena UK

Explore the Armor Arena helmet collection

Best uses for a barbute

• 15th-century Italian impressions
• Late-medieval reenactment
• Early Renaissance military kits
• Historical armour collections
• Renaissance-inspired LARP

Medieval Helmet Comparison

Historical dates should be treated as approximate because helmet forms evolved gradually and overlapped. Museum collections are particularly useful when researching the exact shape appropriate to a specific decade. Royal Armouries+3

How to Choose a Medieval Helmet for Reenactment

For reenactment, begin with the historical impression, then choose the helmet.

1. Identify the century and region

Ask:

• What century am I recreating?
• Which country or region?
• Am I portraying a knight, soldier, archer or infantryman?
• What type of armour would accompany the helmet?

An 11th-century Norman impression should not normally be built around a 15th-century sallet.

Likewise, a 14th-century knight's harness should be considered separately from a 13th-century Crusader kit.

2. Check the helmet's exact design

The word "medieval" covers hundreds of years.

A helmet being historically medieval does not automatically make it historically appropriate for your particular impression.

Compare:

• Bowl shape
• Visor
• Nasal guard
• Brim
• Neck protection
• Rivets and fittings
• Finish
• Decorative details

3. Measure your head correctly

Never rely solely on your normal hat size.

Follow the seller's measurement instructions and compare your head measurement with the helmet's stated internal circumference or sizing chart.

A helmet that is too loose can move while worn. One that is too small can create pressure and become uncomfortable during a long event.

Armor Arena products, for example, can offer selectable internal circumferences on some helmet models. Its Spangenhelm lists sizes from 55 cm through 65 cm. Armor Arena UK

4. Check the interior

Look for information about:

• Padding
• Lining
• Suspension
• Chin straps
• Aventail attachment
• Internal clearance

A helmet's exterior appearance tells you only part of the story.

5. Consider visibility

Helmet design has a major effect on field of view.

A kettle hat or nasal helmet leaves much more of the face open than an enclosed great helm. Visored bascinets provide another compromise between facial protection and visibility.

For reenactment, this can make a substantial difference over several hours.

6. Consider ventilation

Enclosed helmets can become hot, particularly during summer outdoor events.

Check the design's ventilation openings and consider the environment where you will wear the helmet.

Historical appearance is important, but practical wearing conditions matter too.

7. Check the event rules

This is essential.

Different reenactment and LARP organisations can have different requirements for:

• Steel thickness
• Padding
• Edges
• Chin straps
• Visors
• Visibility
• Weight
• Construction
• Materials

Do not assume that a helmet advertised as "battle ready" automatically complies with the rules of your particular organisation.

How to Choose a Medieval Helmet for LARP

LARP gives you more creative freedom, but the event's rules should still come first.

For a heavily armoured knight character, a great helm or bascinet immediately establishes the intended silhouette.

For a soldier, guard or mercenary character, a kettle hat may be a better visual fit.

For a late-medieval or Renaissance-inspired character, consider a sallet or barbute.

Before buying, check the specific LARP's requirements for armour construction, padding, visibility, edges and permitted materials.

Historical accuracy may not be mandatory for fantasy LARP, but choosing a historically inspired helmet can make a character's appearance considerably more convincing.

What Makes a Good Medieval Knight Helmet?

The best knight helmet is one that makes sense alongside the rest of the armour.

For example:

• Norman helmet: early medieval/Norman kit
• Great helm: high-medieval knight
• Bascinet: many 14th-century knightly harnesses
• Sallet: many 15th-century knightly and military kits
• Barbute: 15th-century Italian or early Renaissance kit

The same principle applies to your gambeson, mail, shield, footwear and other equipment.

A helmet can look excellent by itself, but a consistent period style makes the entire kit much more convincing.

How Much Should You Spend on a Medieval Helmet?

Price should be considered alongside construction, fit, finish and intended use.

When comparing medieval helmets for sale in the UK, check:

• Material
• Steel gauge or thickness where provided
• Construction
• Historical design
• Internal circumference
• Padding or lining
• Weight
• Finish
• Visor construction
• Chin strap or retention
• Intended use
• Event requirements

For a display piece, historical appearance and finish may be your main priorities.

For reenactment, fit, construction and event compliance become more important.

For LARP, the event's rules should be checked before choosing based on appearance or price.

The most expensive medieval helmet is not automatically the best helmet. The better purchase is the one that matches the period, purpose and fit you actually need.

Medieval Helmet Buying Checklist

Before ordering, check all of the following:

• Period: Does the helmet belong to the century you are recreating?
• Region: Does the design suit the historical region?
• Character: Does it make sense for a knight, soldier or infantryman?
• Construction: Are the materials and construction clearly described?
• Steel: Is the gauge or thickness stated where relevant?
• Size: Does the manufacturer's sizing match your measurement?
• Fit: Will the helmet sit securely?
• Padding: Is padding included?
• Retention: Does it have an appropriate strap or fastening system?
• Visibility: Is the field of view suitable?
• Ventilation: Is it practical for extended wear?
• Weight: Can you comfortably wear it for your intended activity?
• Compatibility: Does it work with your existing armour?
• Finish: Does the finish match your historical impression?
• Event rules: Does it meet the requirements of the organisation?
• Purpose: Is it intended for display, LARP, reenactment or collecting?

Which Medieval Helmet Is Right for You?

If you are still unsure, use this simple guide:

For an 11th-century Norman impression

Choose a Norman or nasal helmet with a shape appropriate to the period.

For an early medieval warrior

Consider a nasal helmet or Spangenhelm-style design, depending on the specific historical impression.

For a medieval infantry impression

A kettle hat can be an excellent choice, particularly where an open face and broad brim suit the character.

For a 12th- or 13th-century knight

A great helm provides the classic high-medieval knightly appearance.

For a 14th-century knight

Look at bascinet designs, paying particular attention to the visor and exact period.

For a 15th-century knight or soldier

A sallet is one of the key helmet styles to consider.

For a 15th-century Italian impression

A barbute can provide a particularly strong historical and visual match.

For LARP

Choose according to the character and event rules. Historical accuracy can be flexible, but fit, comfort and compliance remain important.

Medieval Helmets at Armor Arena UK

At Armor Arena UK, choosing the right medieval helmet starts with the period and purpose of your kit.

The range includes helmets suitable for different historical and fantasy-inspired impressions, including early medieval designs, bascinets and other later medieval styles.

For example, the Spangenhelm is available with different mild-steel gauges, finishes and internal circumferences, making it possible to select options according to your requirements. Armor Arena UK

The Gjermundbu Helmet is another early-medieval-inspired option, based on the famous Norwegian helmet and offered in multiple steel gauges and internal circumferences. Armor Arena UK

Shop Armor Arena medieval helmets

When building a complete historical kit, consider your helmet alongside your gambeson, mail, armour, shield, footwear and other equipment rather than choosing every item independently.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best medieval helmet?

There is no single best medieval helmet. The correct choice depends on the period, region, character and intended use.

For an early medieval impression, consider a Norman or nasal helmet. For a high-medieval knight, a great helm can be appropriate. For many 14th-century impressions, look at bascinets, while sallets and barbutes are strong options for later medieval and early Renaissance kits.

What helmet did Norman warriors wear?

Norman warriors commonly used rounded or conical helmets, often incorporating a nasal guard. A Norman-style helmet is therefore an appropriate starting point for many 11th-century Norman and early Anglo-Norman impressions.

The exact design should still be matched to the historical period and region being recreated.

What is the best helmet for medieval reenactment?

The best reenactment helmet is one that matches your historical impression, fits correctly and complies with the rules of your event.

Period accuracy should come before appearance alone. After choosing the period, compare construction, sizing, visibility, ventilation and padding.

What helmet did knights wear in the 14th century?

There was no single 14th-century knight's helmet.

Bascinets became increasingly important, while great helms and other designs continued to be used. Royal Armouries documents the changing relationship between great helms, bascinets and sallets during the Hundred Years' War. Royal Armouries

What is the difference between a great helm and a bascinet?

A great helm is a more enclosed helmet offering extensive coverage of the head and face.

A bascinet is generally closer-fitting and could incorporate a movable visor and, in many examples, an aventail protecting the neck.

Royal Armouries notes that the bascinet gradually became preferred for combat while great helms became increasingly associated with tournament use. Royal Armouries

What is a sallet helmet?

A sallet is a major late-medieval helmet type associated particularly with the 15th century.

The Met describes the sallet as one of the two basic helmet types of the fifteenth century and notes that its less-confined design made it attractive to light cavalrymen and foot soldiers as well as men-at-arms. The Metropolitan Museum of Art

What is a barbute helmet?

A barbute is a late-medieval helmet particularly associated with Italian armour. Its open face and distinctive profile make it a strong choice for many 15th-century Italian and early Renaissance impressions.

Are medieval helmets comfortable?

Comfort depends on the helmet's size, shape, weight, padding and ventilation.

A helmet that fits incorrectly can become uncomfortable quickly, particularly during a full-day reenactment or LARP event.

How do I measure my head for a medieval helmet?

Follow the measurement method specified by the seller and compare your result with the helmet's sizing chart.

Do not rely solely on your normal hat size. Medieval-style helmets can have substantially different internal dimensions depending on their construction.

What steel thickness should a reenactment helmet have?

There is no single thickness that is appropriate for every helmet or every reenactment organisation.

Requirements vary according to the organisation, combat rules and helmet design. Always check the specifications of the individual helmet and the rules of the event where you intend to use it.

Can I use a medieval helmet for LARP?

Potentially, but it must meet the requirements of the specific LARP event.

Check rules concerning padding, construction, edges, visibility, weight and permitted armour before purchasing.

Where can I buy medieval helmets in the UK?

Armor Arena UK offers a range of medieval and historical helmet styles, including early-medieval helmets and later medieval designs.

Browse Armor Arena UK's medieval helmets

How do I choose between a Norman helmet, great helm and sallet?

Start with the date.

• Norman helmet: generally best for early medieval/Norman impressions
• Great helm: strongly associated with high-medieval knights
• Sallet: primarily a 15th-century choice

Then match the exact design to your region, character and complete armour kit.

Sources & Further Reading

For historical research, museum collections are more useful than relying solely on modern product descriptions.

Recommended references include:

• The Metropolitan Museum of Art — Nasal Helmet: a surviving European example dated to the late 12th–early 13th century. The Metropolitan Museum of Art
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art — Bascinet: an example dated to approximately 1325–1350. The Metropolitan Museum of Art
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art — Sallet: a 15th-century helmet and discussion of the sallet's role in medieval armour. The Metropolitan Museum of Art
• Royal Armouries — The Hundred Years' War, 1337–1453: useful background on great helms, bascinets, sallets and the changing requirements of medieval warfare. Royal Armouries

Historical dates should always be treated as approximate unless referring to a specific surviving example. Armour developed continuously, and terminology can cover several related forms.

Final Thoughts

The best medieval helmet is not necessarily the largest, heaviest or most elaborate.

Choose your period first, then your region and character. After that, compare the helmet's historical design, construction, fit, visibility, ventilation and intended use.

For early medieval and Norman impressions, look toward Norman and nasal helmets. For high-medieval knights, the great helm remains an iconic choice. For many 14th-century kits, a bascinet provides a more period-specific direction, while the sallet and barbute become increasingly relevant for 15th-century and early Renaissance impressions.

Once you have chosen the helmet, build the rest of the kit around the same historical period.

Explore Armor Arena UK's medieval helmet collection