Mil-tec British Foreign Services Style Khaki Tropical Pith Helmet

Q: Is this made of actual pith or some man-made material?

Genuine pith is made from the dried pith of the Bengal spongewood; I doubt if it is still produced since easily obtainable alternative materials are available. Since the helmet is covered both inside and out with cloth (quite good workmanship, btw), it would require cutting the helmet cover off to actually determine the substrate material. There are a number of very light materials that could be used, but I would concur with the previous responders that the helmet is well made, light, and should give full satisfaction.

Q: How will it look on a 56cm head?

Don't know what size 56cm translates to, but it was too small for my size 7 noggin; I gave it to a friend. On him it looks great!

Q: Is this helmet sturdy enough to take on regular hikes? Can it soak in / retain water like the original pith helmet?

I believe the helmet is sturdy enough to wear on hikes. The chin strap is ok, but not the strongest material in the world. I replaced my chin strap with a sturdy leather one. As far as how it handles getting wet, I don't know as I haven't gotten it thoroughly wet yet.

Q: Is it made for "real pith"? do you know what is helmet head circumference.thanks

It's definitely not real pith. I wear a size 7 3/4 (63cm) and it was skin tight. I had to remove the liner for it to sit all the way on my head. It does look good all the same.