Pith Helmet, French Sources

The Franco-Prussian War had popularized the German Pickelhaube , which may have influenced the definitive design of the pith helmet. Such developments may have merged with a traditional design from the Philippines. The alternative name salacot (also written salakhoff ) appears frequently in Spanish and French sources and comes from the Tagalog word salacsac (or Salaksak).

Source: Wikipedia > Pith Helmet