Carrying a helmet without a loop

[M. Demetrius]

Many helmets do not come with the carrying loop attached to the neck guard. Soldiers on the march probably didn't wear their helmets all the time, and we see depictions of them carrying them on their chests while walking along. If there is no loop installed, how would the helmet be suspended from the neck? Surely not by the single rivet that holds the chin string...I peened it well, but that's a lot of stress on a single point, it seems to me.

I'm using a Coolus E, to which I affixed a rivet on the neck piece so I'd have the desirable 3 point suspension. Would it be totally out of reality to simply mount a carrying loop on the top of the neck piece? I wouldn't be surprised if there were no surviving helmet with that fixture, but would it be out of the question to add one?

[Primvs Pavlvs]

David,

I just pull the laces out of the cheek guards and use those as a sling.

[M. Demetrius]

I thought of that. The focala should reduce the "string pressure". Makes sense...and a lot easier than making a loop and installing two more rivets, eh?

[Marcus Mummius]

We always use the lace to fasten the cheekguards. The plate that holds the ring on the neckguard may bend if it's long but we never had one break. This single attachment point seems to be strong enough for me. The helmets rests against the body anyway so some stress get's relieved this way.

vale,

[Matt Lukes]

Or perch it atop the Furca, or a spear- no need to always carry it around the neck... those, especially in wet weather, would do to keep the water out of the lining more too...

[Hibernicus]

We are moving away from thong lacings to close and secure helmets. We have found straps to be superior.

You can lace the strap through a buckle/hinge fitting instead of around your neck.

A couple of use use card woven belts to drape the helmet around our necks. No abrasion! Nice!

[Celer]

Salve,

The other alternative is that helmets were carried in a leather cover which was slung around the neck. Both the Vindonissa and the Deurne helmets were found with at least some traces of leather on the outside. Rather than placing a constant strain on a small wrought iron ring, it would make far more sense to use a leather cover or bag with a sewn-on strap.

Vale,

Celer.

[M. Demetrius]

A good suggestion. So there's another project to add to the list. I store mine in a linen bag right now, but that could easily be retasked to some other storage function once the leather one is made.

Linda! slaughter another goat! No, two! and get those skins tanned before you start cooking....

That's the kinds of words a pre-eunuch utters, eh?

[jvrjenivs]

But I would never drape the helmet (in whatever way) to your neck. I prefer hanging to down on my furca, back of my scutum or mounted onto my segmentata, almost where it should be if it was supported on my neck.

[jkaler48]

Anyone tried slinging the helmet by the crest attachment loops? Also I just finished a Christmas parade where I wound up carrying the cub scout's helmets by the chinstraps. (I upgraded the chinstrap rings to solid ones).
And Yes the local cub scouts parade under arms. Have to enforce
the census orders of Caesar you know.