Bastior wrote:Thoargrimr Gunnarsson wrote:
1: What do you use with the soft kit if you dont use mail? Can you just use the soft kit and be ok?
2: Do you use soft kit arms and shins? If so what do you use?
I am sure I will think of more questions later.
Assuming you're talking about the SCA then you absolutely don't need mail, it completes the look but it doesn't satisfy the armour regs on its own anyway. You need hard protection over kidneys and some bones (check your kingdom regs for the exact details and definitions) after you've met the rules it's about comfort.
Having no idea about your skill level and what weapons you plan to fight with it's hard to know what to recomend but consider the following points then pick the armour you need.
- light padding on the shoulders is easiest for the correct look but a shot onto the point of the shoulder hurts
- a thrust into the gut when all you have is light padding and dreams of glory sucks
- if you don't have enough natural padding, be it muscle or otherwise, shots onto the radius, ulna & ribs aren't pleasant
- shots onto the point of the hip suck
- if you wear baggy trousers people will hit you low (NB you're not allowed to complain about this until you wear tighter trousers)
- if you use a round shield you will knock shots low instead of block them some times and the shin bone has very little natural padding
- you don't need to armour the thigh but repeated blows become somewhat tedious
B
Not a viking here, but I do a 11th-12th century Andalusian West African Berber, and I have two kits, my mail kit, and my light soft kit. Its not unlike a "viking" soft kit.
This is what I wear.
-Windrose conical helm with slightly wider than normal nasal and a leather drape attached at the brow line.
-Under Armour MDZ compression shirt, it is what is worn under football pads by many NFL players, it has shock pads in the shoulders, floating ribs and spine.
-10oz leather body bracelete/belt. It is waxed and has a bit of light padding around the back of the kidneys. It covers my soft midsection.
-Under Armour MDZ compression shorts. Again another football cary over. It has shock pads on the thighs, tail bone, and hips.
-My knees are protected by autocross (Motorcycle) knee and shin guards, they are REALLY low profile and breath amazingly well, but for 90 bucks they should.
-Aluminium wingless elbow cops attached to volleyball pads.
It doesnt matter what I put over that, I meet min
If I could link pics from my Facebook page I would link one from last Atlantia Fall Crown, where I wore my soft kit instead of my mail.
I personally hate the hockey shoulder pads under a tunic look, it leads to most people looking like Frankenstiens little, less fearsome, brother.
As for the marking of the knees, some kingdoms require you mark your knees location if you dont have knee armor on above clothing. This is to make sure there is no confusion over blow placement legality. Check with your local marshal to find out on those specifics.
But you can make some really nice looking soft kits without needing to spend a stupid amount of money or looking like some kind of free of nature.
I think total I have around a thousand bucks into my WHOLE kit, including the helm. But that was spread out over 6 years so it wasnt that bad. The helm was the most expensive single investment. And my mail was a lucky find on ebay, I got VERY lucky.
I am planning on doing a soft kit under garb like you could find at linengarb.com. I want to do a minimalist look while being as protected as possible. I need to get used to being hit hard. LOL.
