Headgear in Kenshi isn’t just about stats—it’s about style, survival, and synergy with your build. Unlike other armor slots, sacrificing a bit of head coverage isn’t a death sentence. The head takes fewer hits than other body parts, giving you more room to experiment. In this guide, we walk through every craftable headgear item with protective qualities, ranked and contextualized across categories like leather, chain, and plate.

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Low Coverage, High Style: The Light Options

Hashian / Side-Angle Variant

• Coverage: 45%
• Notable Traits: Humanoid-only, no major perks
• Verdict: Basic. Skip it unless you want a minimal aesthetic.

Santaa

• Acid Protection: 40%
• Pros: High acid resistance + perception bonus
• Verdict: Early-game viable for rain zones. No resistances, but solid utility.

Square Goggles / Ashlander Storm Goggles

• Dust Storm Protection: 100%
• Perception: Good boost
• Verdict: Ashlander variant is better in both style and effect.

Straw Hat

• Perception Boost + Acid Protection
• Verdict: Equip on ranged units. Cheap, stylish, useful early on.

Basket Hat

• Stealth Bonus
• Verdict: Low protection, high aesthetic. For RP purposes only.

Bandana

• Blunt Resistance Only
• Verdict: Lacking. No real advantages beyond a small resistance boost.

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Midweight Leather: Versatile and Desert-Ready

Tassel Must / Turban

• Dust Protection + Damage Resistance
• Verdict: Great general-use headgear in deserts. Balanced utility and aesthetics.

Tri-Corner Hat

• Coverage: 60% + Acid Protection
• Verdict: Surprisingly useful with high drip value. Functional even late-game.

Ashland Hat

• All-Around Weather Resist + Light Weight
• Verdict: Style meets substance. Criminally underrated.

Swamp Ninja Mask

• Gas, Dust, Harpoon Protection + Stealth
• Verdict: Top-tier light option with real defensive value.

Regular Ninja Mask

• Poor Resistances
• Verdict: Style over substance. Use if nothing better is available.

Rattan Hat

• Perception Bonus + Acid Protection
• Verdict: Great craftable income source and surprisingly effective.

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Chainmail Tier: Practical Protection With Flair

Bucket Zukin / Zari Zukin / Karuda Zukin

• Coverage: Solid + Acid/Dust Resistance
• Verdict: Karuda’s armor plates add flavor, but all three are excellent medium options.

Rusty Chainmail Tassel Must / Blackened Chainmail Tassel Must

• Built from base tassel must with better stats
• Verdict: Blackened version edges out slightly, but both offer protection and durability.

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Heavyweight Protection: Plate and Power

Mask Type 3

• Crafted at Heavy Armor Smithy despite being leather
• Verdict: Redundant due to easier-to-get Swamp Ninja Mask

Spiked Helmet

• Found on early Dust Bandits
• Verdict: Decent RP aesthetic, but quickly outclassed

Armored Face Plates

• Damage Resistance: High, No Debuffs
• Verdict: Solid all-rounder. No frills, no penalties.

Armored Hood

• Better Coverage + Some Weather Resist
• Verdict: One of the most balanced helmets in the game. Fits any set.

Masked Helmet / Visor Helmet

• Knight-Themed Look + Heavy Protection
• Verdict: Stylish and sturdy. Lacks weather resistance but still reliable.

Flared Helmet

• 90% Coverage, No Debuffs
• Verdict: Exceptional durability without trade-offs. A classic heavy helm.

Iron Hat

• Acid Protection + High Resistance
• Verdict: Lightweight and reliable. Especially good for ranged fighters.

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Elite Endgame Gear: For the Gods Among Men

Paladin’s Heavy Hachigane

• Massive Protection, No Major Debuffs
• Verdict: Heavy and holy. Perfect for roleplay and function alike.

Police Helmet

• Built for Blunt Weapons / Polearms
• Verdict: Great for control builds. Minor debuffs offset by high durability.

Fog Mask

• Immunity to Most Turret Damage + Gas Protection
• Verdict: S-Tier. Only downside? Extremely rare blueprint (Black Desert Scrapyard only).

Tin Can

• Highest Harpoon Resistance + Major Protection
• Verdict: The underrated king. Easier to obtain than Fog Mask and nearly as good.

Samurai Helmet / Crab Helmet

• Verdict:
  • Samurai Helmet: Easy to acquire, reliable, and militaristic
  • Crab Helmet: Endgame-tier with unmatched protection and weather resistance. The -20 Perception doesn’t matter for melee builds.

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Final Thoughts

The world of Kenshi offers countless ways to build your squad’s look and function, and headgear is a key component in expressing your build identity. Whether you’re roleplaying as a dust-covered pirate or building a squad of near-immortal paladins, you’ll find the right helmet here.

• Want versatility? Armored Hood
• Going stealth? Swamp Ninja Mask
• Max defense? Crab Helmet or Tin Can
• Love aesthetics? Ashland Hat, Straw Hat, Tri-Corner

No matter your playstyle, there’s a piece of headgear ready to make you look good while staying alive.

If you want to see more deep-dive Kenshi content like this, keep your helmet on—we’ve got more coming soon.