Good News! My Maximilian Armet Helmet just came in and I am simply amazed at the functionality of this helmet.
Upon receiving the package, I opened to my GDFB Maximilian Armet Helmet and inspected the helmet in it's entirety to see how one puts on this Early Renaissance Helmet.
It works in two ways; the first is that the helmet works in the same manner as one would put on a Sallet Helmet. The helmet has inner straps for the head in which to secure the fitting, almost similar how one put's on a bicycle helmet. The pin at the point of the cheek plates adds a more secure fitting and does not pinch at the chin. Rather it adds a secure fit to the chin and room which one can easily talk.
The second way that it works is that it carries the same fashion of Armet Helmets that were in usage in the Late Middle Ages. The Helmet would be valuable for Early Renaissance Re-enactors, Living Historians focusing on the Late Middle Ages or Renaissance who have 24’ heads. I found that putting on the helmet by yourself is half easy and half tricky. It is half easy in that you can easily do the chin straps with ease, how ever securing the pin can be a small problem. You will need a mirror and practice securing the cheek plates. After a few attempts, I found it quite easy afterwards securing the cheek plates.
The vision for this helmet is outstanding! The occulariums allow peripheral vision and frontal vision. The occulariums work similar to binoculars in that if you look in front and focus looking forward, you will not see the small middle bar separating the eye slits.
Breathability for this helmet is not bad! After taking a couple of deep breaths, air flow is quite remarkable in that the fluted visor allows room to allow good air to flow through and bad air is expelled with ease. Breathing in helmets is a slow process of breathing slowing to allow oxygen to pass in while expelling carbon dioxide via the breathing holes.
I did try wearing the helmet with my newly acquired Arming Cap also from GDFB. The Arming Cap by itself fits my head perfectly, but wearing while wearing the helmet was an issue. The Cap made extra room in which my head could fit in when I tried to put the cheek plates together.
Apart from this issue, I deem the Helmet to be a good purchase from KOA. Anyone looking for a good 25” helmet needs to go no further. A historical helmet from the Late Middle Ages to Early Renaissance, this is it. I am in love with this helmet and I don’t think I will be changing my first Kit.
I will keep you posted on when I will be working on my other Kits, but for now I hope you found this review helpful and a surprise that this helmet is quite functional while retaining historical beauty.
