I plead the Pith: a History of the Pith Helmet

A symbol of exploration, tropical adventure, and colonialism, the pith helmet has had a long history since its origins as the salakot, a philippine sun hat. Through many iterations, it had become one of the most famous hats out there, a powerful part of popular imagination.
Version française: • Video
The helmets I wear in this video come respectively from a gift from a family friend (so I don't know where it was bought, www.historicalemporium.com/ , and Amazon.com. The red tunic comes from thehistorybunker.co.uk
Title sequence designed by Alexandre Mahler
[e-mail]
This video was done for entertainment and educational purposes. No copyright infringement of any sort was intended.

[@jamesfetherston1190]

I bought a pith helmet a couple years back as a possible costume part, but quickly saw it’s utility and it is my go-to summer yard work cover.

[@oliversmith9200]

I bought one when doing urban field work on the turn of the 21st century and wear one all summer now. There is no better hat in the heat.

[@jamesross1799]

I've got one they are definitely very functional and absolutely do what they were designed to do. If it ain't broke.......

[@johnc2438]

Ditto!@@oliversmith9200

[@stephenlevan6032]

Lup​@@jamesross1799

[@SavageMinnow]

Is that to let all your neighbours know you are a white supremacist?

[@jimkunkle2669]

My grandfather was stationed in Agra India during WW2. The rest of his life he wore a pith helmet when he worked in the yard.

[@ellisandrews440]

My father-in-law served in the Canadian/British Navy during WWII. He spent time in South Africa and was married there during the war. He loved his pith helmet and after the war he wore it during the summer on his motor vessel and gardening. One of his helmets came apart and the inside was made from Calcutta newspaper pages. My daughter still has his last pith helmet in her display case.

[@yoeyyoey8937]

Nice thanks for sharing 🙏

[@cdfilson]

Yes to gardening! They really work. I wore my French style pith helmet (made in Vietnam) for about 15 years. The suspension straps rotted out over time. I’ll either replace the whole hat or re-rig the suspension somehow.

[@ulalaFrugilega]

@@cdfilsonwow if you can refurbish that hat!

[@psychedelic_seth2232]

This channel is what KZbin needs to have more of

[@AnthonySejda]

Ion my bucket list to find

[@resolute123]

I normally associated this head wear with an explorer in some jungle looking for some ancient treasure. LOL.

[@Doge963]

For me i associated this with the 24th ranker

[@jamesross1799]

I think of it as the gallipoli helmet worn at you've guessed it gallipoli by british soldiers in ww1. Probably because I've seen photos of my great grandfather in one.

[@jonathansteadman7935]

You Mean SAS and LRDG, also British Victorian explorers.

[@jamesross1799]

It's actually military issues originally.

[@jamesross1799]

@@Doge963 like hook the "Barrack room lawyer "

[@optorch131]

I picked up a wide brimmed pith helmet when I lived in Morocco. I used it often when I used to walk through the desert in South west Arizona when it was 120 F degrees outside. It worked phenomenally well. I was absolutely impressed with it's ability to provide protection for my head from the sun. The best head protection from the sun I've yet seen.

[@elfpimp1]

Same here. Also the fact that even a slight breeze was channeled such that it would cool ones head! I got mine from my base uniform shop.

[@MisterNineEleven]

Youre from Arizona and have never heard of a cowboy hat?...

[@dannydanny2789]

@@MisterNineEleven yeah, my first thought was that cowboy hats and sombreros are probably superior to pith helmets

[@ice9snowflake187]

Another feature of a pith helmet is that, though it doesn't protect one from blows or bullets, it is very protective of the head when crashing or cutting through brush and jungle, protecting one's head from branches and thorns and such.

[@anthonyeaton5153]

A pith helmet is much more comfortable when you take the pith out of it. Credit; The Two Ronnie's.

[@salvadorvizcarra769]

What? Does the Pith Helmet protect the head from Jungle and Thorns? I didn't know that Jungles and branches with Thorns existed in the UK. Oh! Yes. I already remembered the reason for its use. It is to be used in Invasions of Sovereign Countries that have Jungles, Right?

[@ice9snowflake187]

@@salvadorvizcarra769 Yea, I guess. I'm just thinking of when I was a water meter reader having to crash through bushes in people's yards to get at the water meter covers. A pith helmet would have really helped.

[@kaoskronostyche9939]

@@salvadorvizcarra769 As if the British were the only colonialists. Your name associates you with the massive damage, expropriation and genocide of the Spanish Empire. When it comes to History, anyone who opens their mouth to criticize another merely exposes the MASSIVE hypocrisy of the mouth. The Spanish transported more slaves across the Atlantic than anyone and simply worked them to DEATH and you think you have the currency or credibility to open your mouth? Now comment on the invasion and occupation of Spain by the Islams and tell us that was acceptable and fair ... or STFU. Cheers!

[@jakejanssen4319]

@@salvadorvizcarra769lol stay mad

[@livefree223]

How on earth has my nerdy self never come across this channel yet!?! Instantly subscribed!

[@elfpimp1]

Right?!?! 😁👍

[@martinwarner1178]

Me too, also one day after your good self, must make a wish. Peace and goodwill.

[@billwessels207]

Me too! To all of the above.

[@petargrubanovic]

Me too 😊

[@christopher959]

Nerds! (Says the nerd who hit the subscribe button before watching the video).

[@jamesstafford5199]

Proud owner of one I found at a market today. Thanks to this video, I now know it’s a Wolseley style canvas covered cork. Still with faded manufacturer’s label GP Embelton & Co. Melbourne Australia.

[@widowrumstrypze9705]

30 years ago, when my son was a very pale little infant, we found him the teeniest little pith helmet! His Dad is 6ft 8, and when he'd put our little dude in his hiking carrier, he'd be up WAY high, looking like a tiny adventurer, riding some big animal of transport, it was so cute!

[@ronaldmcdonald8303]

Did you adopt your son? You said you found him, was he abandoned by someone?

[@kit2770]

​@@ronaldmcdonald8303 "We found him the teeniest little pith helmet."

[@ronaldmcdonald8303]

@@kit2770 I see, that sounds cute, I used to have a rabbit that I used to snuggle up to under the duvet. Sometimes I used to wrap her up with the throw, she looked so cute. When I was in my early 20s, I had a little friend, he used to adore me and let me pick him up and kiss his face. My mum told me the reason he loved me so much was that I had always been nice to him. He will be 18 this year. I still remember is cute little face, he was adorable!!!!

[@SamhainBe]

I have a Wolseley Pattern that I often wear in the summer...particularly after listening to Noel Coward's "Mad Dogs and Englishmen" and partaking of a few Gin and Tonics - must take our Quinine you know. All kidding aside, a very practical summer hat and a great conversation starter. Cheers!

[@jcd302]

This is so facinating as a filipino american. Wonderful presentation as well! Thank you

[@stewartmarshall4112]

In wearing a pith helmet any length of time, it is most gratifying to see how little they weigh. Even the big Wolseley pattern is amazingly light. And it has to be remembered that protection of the back of the neck is equally important to that of the top of the head, in combating the effects of sun and heat.

[@julianmorrisco]

You’re takin’ the pith, mate.

[@billwessels207]

Got right to

[@billwessels207]

Got right to the pith of the subject, didn't he!

[@nealcorbett1149]

You beat me to it. Now I'm pithed off.

[@josephjuno9555]

I was in USMC in 1986 we went to Diego Garcia BIOT 15% South of Equater. We actually wore Pith Helmets instead of usual normal Kevlar! Very light and cool!

[@kevinlee9106]

I wear a pith helmet in the bush in summer. The greatest thing about it, is that it can be immersed in a river, and the pith soaks up and fills with water. It then keeps my head cool for a long period, which was the grestest virtue of the pith helmet, which the video failed to mention for some reason. This is why it was a favourite in Africa and India.

[@sebastiandingleswitch3757]

4:18 ...

[@OffGridInvestor]

It was mentioned

[@JH-kw8zy]

It was silly

[@glenwillson5073]

Hat History - I didn't know that I needed to know, but now I do.

[@gerardoramoncesarreynaldo9469]

Very generous and scholarly of you to include the 'salakot' from my country. I didn't know till you mentioned it, that it is the ancestor of the pith helmet. Carry on!

[@garymorris7472]

Salamat.

[@johngorentz6409]

I made a bicycle helmet for myself from a pith helmet of the French Imperialist style. I used screw rivets to fasten a harness of an old bicycle helmet to it. I figured sun protection was getting to be more important to me than crash protection, though I think it does give a bit of crash protection, too. A bonus is that it's much, much cooler for bicycling in 90F temperatures. I have to transfer the bicycle helmet hardness to a new one every 2-3 years. In cooler, cloudy weather when the sun is low in the sky I still wear a regular bicycle helmet. Now that I've watched your video I know that it derived from the Wolseley Pith helmet, but I'll continue to call mine a French Imperialist design. With the broad brim it tends to catch the wind more, so I have to make sure the chin strap is tight on fast, downhill runs. But I'm an old guy who doesn't tend to go fast, so it's not a big issue.

[@Gribbo9999]

Better get a bike helmet designed for the purpose. Yours will be pretty well useless if you land head first after a crash.

[@EpicureanHikers]

Recent research from Imperial university found that even a turban offers a level of protection to cyclists so your pith helmet may not be that bad a choice

[@alexansari2138]

I adopted wearing the Pith, when filming an African Adventure movie in Kenya. I picked it up from our wardrobe department. It was great as it gave me protection from the hot sun. When the director saw me wearing the Pith Helmet he thought of it as funny clownery, but later on he too wore one as he soon realized the advantages it had. Thank you for making this real informative video. Please tell us why Napoleon Bonaparte wore that famous hat of his.

[@dawg065]

My Dad would wear one of these when he was a Mailman in Florida. It's made out of a hard plastic and a light blue color. I still have it. I think it's cool

[@hansoak3664]

I grew up seeing mail carriers wearing pith helmets whilst they were delivering mail in the midwest. Back then, I just assumed it was standard hot weather postal attire and it might have been. Edit: Whoops! I commented too soon. Right after I continued to watch, he addressed that very thing in the video. 😂

[@redtobertshateshandles]

Here in Australia they were made of some type of natural material. Too weird for me, I chose a felt hat.

[@ferretyluv]

Then it’s not a pith helmet if it’s plastic.

[@inregionecaecorum]

I have a picture of my dad wearing one of those back in Egypt.

[@CottonTailJoe]

Finally someone who exists in real life from a subject I always wanted to exist but has not. Thank you for doing what you do.

[@reinaldogarcia70]

Thanks for educating us ❤😊

[@davidkuder4356]

Delighted to find your channel just now!! I "wear a lot of hats," in service to the sartorial philosophy, "Dress to entertain yourself" and various other professional and period attire (chiefly 18th Century American colonial characterization appearances). As a child in western Pennsylvania, I discovered at our local library an amazing Dr. Seuss book called, *The 500 hats of Bartholomew Cubbins*. Set in a medieval European town, quite a celebration of headgear, it further egged me onward. Looking forward to more of your inspiring episodes,

[@billmmckelvie5188]

The Pith helmet was helped on its way to demise by the introduction of the Slouch hat which also appeared at the same.

[@ACDBunnie]

Yay, I'm glad you finally covered this one. Despite its unfortunate past, the pith helmet, specifically the tall kind with the very narrow brim (not the one we see more often in the media that's shorter with a wide brim) in off-white (or black if for police) is my favorite kind of hat

[@hathistorianjc]

Happy to provide!

[@heofonfyr6000]

''unfortunate past'' 😂 what the hell is wrong with you!!!???

[@ianmorris4922]

@@heofonfyr6000 just takin the pith is all

[@heofonfyr6000]

@@ianmorris4922 🤣

[@tjpit]

I still have mine from the Corps. I have never found a hat that keeps you cooler outdoors. Mine is the wide brim disc type, much better than the dome style. They really keep you from getting your head torn up as you push through brush.

[@j2ll1]

I’d say that the spike at top and the long back brim is still a Filipino salakot look. The Filipino salakot also had a spike on top especially the ones by the upper class Indios. The spike seems to have a more Hindu-Buddhist fashion. Interesting is that Europeans still west the pith helmets in ceremonies and everyday police. While in the Philippines where the Pith helmet originated from, it’s largely forgotten and barely being worn.

[@mikeramirez2356]

yeah it's only seen on reenactors of Guardia Civil (Spanish-colonial police, but mostly run by native Filipino cops), and some Filipino Revolutionary reenactors (some in Aguinaldo's army wore them in part because they'd defected from the Guardia Civil or other colonial military).

[@manticore4952]

The Romans and other European armies used spikes on helmets to attach parade decorations.

[@philipmitchell-2262]

Chanced upon your site. Uplifting,informative and engrossing I found. Thank you. 👍

[@shaynebray4085]

Cork sun helmets were issued to some American troops including the models M1880, M1887 and the M1889 which were originally inspired by the success of Prussian arms in the Franco-Prussian War (a similar pickelhaube type helmet covered in felt was adopted for parades in the early 1870s). Some sources state that these sun helmets (which were based on the British model) remained in use by some Army and USMC units through as late as 1909. It was never a popular headdress with the rank and file and disappeared fairly quickly, but seemed to be liked by officers, who purchased theirs privately, and was worn by them in Cuba and during the invasion (or occupation) of the Phillipines. The fiber sun helmet was issued in 1940. Japanese soldiers were also issued with a cork sun helmet known as the "safari" pattern.

[@Halo2nothing11111]

There's one on display at the Fort Davis Historical site in West Texas. I suppose if the US military was going to make use of the helmet, the South West would be the place.

[@spacemanspiff3052]

My Grandfather, a US Navy Submariner, was issued a pith helmet in the South Pacific. The US Postal service uses a plastic version still today.

[@tonycapriglione7402]

My new favorite channel. Thank you. Well written and produced.

[@glencrandall7051]

An interesting piece of history. Thank you for sharing. Have a great day and stay safe.🙂🙂

[@bendenisereedy7865]

Fascinating! I'm so glad I stumbled on this, I love hats and have a small collection of around 30 for different uses and times of year. Living in the Scottish Highlands my waxed canvas squashed trilby is a favourite as the rim sheds rain nicely. I also have a Glengarry, which is still in use especially in militaries and pipe bands around the world and a Balmoral Bonnet, still used here by clan chiefs with eagle feathers to denote seniority. Both types have ribbons flapping untied behind, which I think looks very dashing. I'm also thinking of buying a British Naval rating's cap with the HMS ribbon in homage to my grandpa.

[@NyPer920]

Thank you for your very interesting and informative features!

[@hayden1955]

I have (& very much enjoy wearing) a beekeeping hat. It is very cool with an open weave. Its design very much resembles the pith helmet.

[@UrlagEntertainments]

Very professional and informative post, thank you very much!

[@grisou3871]

This channel is a hidden gem

[@sillysongs19]

I am so glad that this channel exists

[@DAToft]

I had no idea I needed this in my life! I'm happy I came across this video :)

[@SnooperSquirrelFilms]

A very good well done video on the history of this hat / helmet

[@joeblake3423]

Hello! I enjoy watching your videos and admire your passion for hats, and also your bilingual talents. The “Pith Helmet” video was very enjoyable. Tres bien!

[@jeetime9436]

Very well done Chap!! Cheerio and off you go!

[@willardjohnson3832]

As usual, a nice, informative, pithy presentation!

[@2394Joseph]

When anyone walked into the officers' mess with their helmet on, everyone would shout, "Pith off".

[@Ken_oh545]

This was the answer to an Crossword Clue the other day, the pith helmet was indeed also known as the Topi

[@PDOGG9365]

Thank you for this information, I freaking love historical head wear

[@darrenerickson1288]

Thanks - nicely informative!

[@RobbyMcZ]

Instant fan! Great work sir!

[@SOTPOD]

thank you! this was very interesting and informative - subscribed!

[@kevinbuchanan6687]

Very informative, great job!!!!!

[@vicgallimore6756]

SURELY, YOUR TAKING THE PITH. !!!

[@shawngilliland243]

@HatHistorian - Vive le pith helmet! Marvelous presentation; thank you very much!

[@georgelaiacona111]

I have an American version I wore while working on the Puuloa Rifle Range. Thanks for this. Excellent video.

[@charjl96]

I don't usually care about hats, but this is interesting. Bravo.

[@charlietheanteater3918]

Great video, when I played the role of colonel mustard on stage for clue I remember I had to wear a pith helmet. It looked ridiculous, but I guess it was supposed to represent the character in the board game lmao

[@annwagner5779]

A friends of ours in the Washington, DC, area had a pith helmet with a little battery powered fan in it for very hot days. A novelty with practical value!

[@elfpimp1]

As a hat wearer of MANY styles, I approve of this channel. SUBBED!!

[@crazyoilfieldmechanic3195]

Excellent and informative video 👍

[@BIG-DIPPER-56]

Fantastic - Thanks !

[@user-nl7ym7mt7y]

Nice hats, thanks for sharing, quite insightful and entertaining

[@Trey_816]

I've seen my local letter carrier wearing a pith helmet (the shorter, wider design).

[@boredincan]

I don't know how you managed to create a channel around historical hats, but I do tip my hat to you. I also don't know why this year old video was recommended to me, but I am very glad it was. Eloquently spoken, well researched, made the points you wanted quickly and succinctly. Just brilliant. Sub from me

[@fabricio-agrippa-zarate1000]

With my recent interest in hats, this channel is such a wonderful discovery :)

[@patrickmurphy3331]

I’m wearing one right now

[@fredsalfa]

That’s very interesting thank you!

[@DerrickJLive]

Another great video

[@greggusan]

This was great! My first but not list video from this channel. I find hats or headwear so interesting, and often wonder how they developed into the shapes and roles that they have. I've been living in Korea for over 20 years now, and marvel at all the different headwear worn throughout their history. Period dramas are an all-you-can-eat buffet of some of the most unusual, unique pieces to ever adorn a head, each one I'm sure signifying a certain class or role in society. If you haven't done so already, I'd really love to see a vid on this! Or a series, as there are so many, and perhaps have their origins in other neighboring Asian nations.

[@stanpodol8233]

Better late than never, subscribe immediately! Thank you for an excellent performance and super info!

[@stanpodol8233]

Thanks again and greetings from Poland! Now I shall have to catch up with the rest which I sure enjoy like this one.

[@sjTHEfirst]

Great video. But i keep waiting for a knock at the door “Jean, Jean you have to take the trash out” 😂😂

[@vlobo24brasil]

I love this channel and your style of presentation

[@CharlieEcho]

Very interesting. I was issued a pith helmet along with a number of other Marines in the summer of 1970 at the Naval Air Station in Glenview Illinois. We were tasked with judging the national model airplane competition held on the base that year. The pith helmets were to distinguish us as judges apart from regular duty personnel. I still have it and still wear it to keep the sun and the rain off my head and my glasses.

[@alexsuholitko2528]

So cool story. Kudos 🎉

[@louisburke8927]

I always wondered about the sun coverage thanks

[@artemisstrailertrash]

What a cracking niche!

[@sonnyfinch1625]

This channel needs more subscribers!

[@hathistorianjc]

I quite agree, in my unbiased opinion ;p

[@geoffdean3532]

My mother told of local amusement when my father, born 1895, arrived from temperate Adelaide, grandly wearing white suits and white pith helmet (then called a Solar Topee) in tropical Queensland in the mid 1930's, then concidered a primitive backwater by "sophisticated" southern people.

[@markfilippone3845]

Jolly good show, ‘Mate!

[@brisketbaron]

Ripping Yarns. First thing that comes to mind seeing that hat.

[@marcdefaoite]

First vid I've watched here. What a fascinating accent. Your English is excellent. Bravo.

[@andrewlaco1776]

I like Tf 2 and I loved this video. Subbed!

[@Saxonx500]

Some remarkable similarities to my old cork Cromwell fire helmet from the sixties to eighties as well, especially with the helmet that had a ventilation hole!

[@matthysjuys6884]

Thank you interesting! My grandfather had one, in later years I used mine extensively & when migrating to Latin America I took to wearing it again. They are still made in small batches and available at high end outdoor shops in South Africa. They truly keep your head cool.

[@timper4326]

When I was young, we used to call them safari helmets (the low wide brim ones). Very informative video.

[@user-fd7vt5zx7q]

Very interesting.... But leaves me wanting to know more about their construction... i.e. were they woven pith? Or press formed with resin? And was the cloth covering glued on or could it be removed for cleaning?

[@leej350]

I wear one of these for working outdoors in the summer. Not supposed to be protecting from impact, mine helped when I slipped from the bottom rung of a step ladder and my head would have been at least scratched up by some stumps on a bush I fell back into. Good and practical headgear still.

[@That_Freedom_Guy]

You wear the crown as the King of Hats with grace and dignity. 👑

[@Bodkin_Ye_Pointy]

I loved this presentation. I switched from a broad brimmed Akubra felt hat to a Solar Topee for the one advantage you didn't cover. The Akubra was not wearable in high wind. Winds that at the time were particularly devilish in the city streets of the CBD. The ST simply does not blow off. I even had some moron try to flip it off into traffic, but it did not move and he walked away with alacrity. So very stable headwear. A very pleasant side bar is the amount of positive commentary I get for it. The hat gets a lot of love from total strangers who stop to comment, and on some occasion, wax lyrical about their school years. Me, not so much love. In any event, the only time it is not my hat of choice is on very rainy days where I am uncertain of the impact of the water on the hat. But as a resident of Sydney Aust' I have to tell you, it is the perfect accoutrement for the climate here, both in summer, (Very hot and humid), to winter, (Where temp's regularly drop below 10 c and we have to wear long pants).

[@robertevans1719]

At last you have called the pith helmet a solar topee the regulation headgear in the Far East my father was issued along with a spine pad in 1939 Hong Kong. This was similar to my grandfather's solar topee issued to him in the West Indies in 1896 and then India which were soaked prior to wearing in very hot weather - which I still do today with my Akubra when it's scorching. In Hong Kong in the 1950's the broad brimmed solar topee was commonly worn together with white cotton gloves by PWD lorry drivers shifting tons of soil and aggregates on their flatdecks with their gangs of Hakka women labourers to load and unload. The french version was/is common in Viet Minh NVA service.

[@crystalperry6370]

Yes, I find it very interesting. Thank you.

[@davidhardwick3816]

My uncle had an old cork pith helmet. He didn't wear it much and I have no idea what happened to it after he died but, as a kid, I always thought it was a pretty cool hat (pun intended).

[@japhfo]

General Wolseley was in fact one of the early users of what became the Wolseley helmet as shown in photographs from the Nile campaign of 1884-85, just as he was a pioneer of the cork sun helmet, ordered for troops sent to West Africa in 1874 and adopted in 1877. He was "the very model of a modern Major General"

[@TheDeadbone1961]

Well done! Subscribed :)

[@fritzfromsouth5935]

The Brazilian armed forces used it in the early 1900s, and from the 1930s onwards, when the Pickelhaube and the kepi were no longer used by soldiers and corporals, a helmet was developed that mixes the style of the Pith Helmet and the Adrian Helmet, but it reminds more the Pith Helmet, even being made of leather, and over time metal was used, until today it is a symbol of the army and was even used in the 2019 military parade.

[@vulpes7079]

Mano nunca vi esse

[@fritzfromsouth5935]

@@vulpes7079 Em fotografias antigas da era Vargas dá para ver esse capacete.

[@robanze6972]

I have 4 pith hats. 2 Bombay bowlers, a woolsley and a French style. I take them when I vacation in the tropics or on the golf course

[@docM1]

I remember regularly wearing a Pith Helmet in my childhood in the 1950s in India, during the extreme heat of summer time, when going to school. Very many fond memories of this useful headgear. 👍

[@timothyhaverstick8729]

I see you’re a good ol’ boy from Missouri. This was an interesting video. Thanks!

[@hathistorianjc]

Kansas City!

[@RivLoveshine]

I love pith helmets and other clothing items associated with jungle explorers and safaris! I'm glad KZbin recommended this video!

[@JeremiahsFiles]

Many of the Armies In Plastic toy British soldiers I collected wore pith helmets, these soldiers wore these helmets in the Zulu Wars & the Boer War in South Africa, in Egypt & Sudan & in Afghanistan in the late 1800s, & in the Boxer Rebellion in China.

[@jamesross1799]

Right through ww1 and 2 also.

[@Reubenhubert]

In the 60s and early 70s our mailmen wore one during the summer while walking their routes.

[@martinphillips7545]

I wear my US surplus helmet every summer, it works a treat!