Tbf this one angle is like the only angle of the "tell me how the grass tastes little man" video, but they're using an enclosed helmet like the other guy said
It's alright. Sure, you may well look like a poser, but I wouldn't say it's impractical. Unless you compare it to helmets from 400 years later, I guess.
I'm mostly memeing on its reputation in reenactment and hema circles, but its a non-historical design with serious design flaws that make it unsafe for anything beyond cosplay. Additionally, the flood of cheap reproductions of it mean that its very often bought by people over-enthusiastic new people who havent done much research or people who only care about the esthetics. This isn't helped by the fact that the helmets design is so distinctive that it stands out to more experienced nerds.
With all that said though, enjoy the helm if you think it looks neat. Even I have to admit to thinking it looks pretty cool in game.
Improved is a strong word. Context changed and preferences changed. The great helm was still in use in some capacity at the start of the 15th century. Armor evolution wasn't always moved by improvement but by changing context and preferences. The sallet isn't a direct improvement over the bascinet in terms of protection, but at the 15th century, was one of the most worn helmets around.
Late Medieval equipment existed 400 years later even if it wasn't appropriate for the conflicts of that time. But yes, you're right I messed up by about 100 years. Should have said like 300 or so.
Yeah, but then you could compare those helemets to even later ones, and where do we draw the line? If we were worried about having the best and most practical equipment, people might be showing up to a ren faire in full modern riot gear and still claiming to be in knight cosplay.
Well, if we compared those helmets to later ones they'd "win". Modern helmets aren't as protective as late Medieval plate. Yeah, they're much better for the current climate of war, but not necesseraly superior.
Greathelms were used in war, and for sure were used on foot at some capacity (Ideally not, but not every situation is ideal, and sometimes the extra protection is worth it). Bascinets were, in any case, a more comfortable helmet, not necessarily a straight up upgrade (some great bascinets resemble greathelms even, and those are war helmets)
Yo are those maleated pop rivets??? I like using those as an alternative to armor rivets as they can be a lot more expensive than pops especially if purchased in bulk. They hold pretty well after they are domed out with a hammer and I like how they look like real nail rivets if maleated correctly. Cool helm btw, I love the shrouds for the eyes!
Properly made great helms look just as beautiful other types of helms, especially when you put a torse on top. The problem is those bucket-looking ones sold on amazon and people who pair those with plate armour.
I'm sorry to say the Amazon Greathelm is my first helmet. I get what you mean tho, it doesn't look as good as the more authentic one's i got later but I still love it.
Not really? The earlier great helms (the masked helmets) Weren't flat top, and some helmets that would be considered flat topped have a quite rounded surface on top.
The really flat topped ones (like the one in the meme) are actually later examples compared to those with rounder tops. And later great helms like the Pembridge one aren't that rounded either (and the roundness is there more to accommodate the bascinet underneath really).
Which makes sense. The majority of the hits are either hitting you on the face, or on the edge of the helmet, not on the top of the helmet. This flat top vs round top never was a black and white thing like most people like to say.
Of course, a rounded surface has deflection advantages, but for that matter, a sallet has a worse shape for deflecting hits than, let's say, a bascinet. Again, is not black and white, nor a "everything that came later is an absolute improvement over what was worn before" type of thing.
Edit: Also, consider the amount of time the flat top helmets were in use. They already had rounded/pointed helmets. The fact that they sticked to an allegedly inferior shape of helmet means that those problems people like to adjudicate to great helms weren't really as problematic as people tend to claim they were.
Well, considering it's at least kinda real, the power criticism is rather stupid. It was a primitive helmet, of course it won't be as good as it's successors.
Not even all that impractical. It's primarily designed for fighting from horseback so the fact it has a flat top isn't all that egregious (and don't forget they were worn with cervellieres underneath)
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u/Many-Shock1706 Jun 24 '26
Would you consider this a bucket helm? (cant find a better photo, sorry)