Helmet

Does it earn its slot?

Bought at 15c and sold back at 1–3c, this loses money on a round trip — as almost all gear does. It is meant to be used, not traded. The question is only whether its effect is worth a slot on the run you carry it.

At 20 defense this is armour rather than equipment — worn for the whole run, not swapped. A full kit of Breastplate and Helmet is 45 coin for 60 defense, which is the single largest survivability purchase in the shop and cheaper than a Flintlock Musket.

What a armor slot is for

Armour is the only gear in the game that reduces incoming damage, and it's worn for the whole expedition rather than swapped mid-run. It also has the worst resale in the shop — deliberately, because it is meant to be used until it breaks.

The opportunity cost is the honest way to judge any of it. Your pack is the binding constraint, and the same slot could come home holding a Metal Idol worth 80–120 at the Basic tier and 560–840 at Legendary, or two bottles of wine at up to 720. At 1–3c, this item is not competing on resale — it earns its place through what it doesduring the run, or it doesn't earn it at all.

For the 15c this costs, the shop will also sell you a Helmet (15c, 20 defense) or a Longbow (15c, 60 silent damage). Whether that trade is right depends entirely on the contract — which is the argument for reading it before you shop.