The Armour Archive

For now I will be fighting with a arming cap UNDER a maille coif UNDER foam padding UNDER Great Helm, because the look is cool, IMHO. However, the first time my grape gets popped, am I going to have maille indentations in my head, or will the padded coif and foam dissipate enough of the force? How do you guys achieve the coif/helm look before aventails arrived? Doesn't seem to be much of that on the field, at least around here.

Secondly, for you marshall's out there, is a steel gorget under the coif under the great helm enough of a throat/spine protection? What should I look for to be legal?

Thanks, ScottC

Great, another Scott

I just fought with a full coif, padded cap, and a helmet last weekend. No problems, unless you don't put on the padded cap -- then it gets very uncomfortable.

By the way.. if you are going all out with a cap, coif, and greathelm, might as well use period padding instead of foam -- find some horsehair .

Good luck

I used to fight with a cloth (non-padded) coif + full mail coif + sugarloaf with a brig gorget under it all. The helm padding should absorb most of the impact. I don't recall having a waffled head afterwards.

- Scott

I will be trying this combo out in about a year. The helmet is nearly done, but the horsehair will take awhile. Until then I suppose blue foam will have to do.



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--Edric--

Flos est puellarum, quam diligio, et rosa rosarum, quam sepe video.

i used to fight in a sugarloaf, minimal padding and a coif with not cap, i liked it, worked well, looked cool and the waffle print would go away shortly after i took of the coif

Along this line I have a question. I have been told a couple of different things. If you have a long enough chain coif is a gorget still required by sca standards? I have been told both yes and no. Input would be appreciated.
Angus

Check out the making a great helm list legal post on the Armour Design and Construction Board.

The answer to your question is no. To give protection to the neck it has to be an aventail connected to the bottom of the helmet. This holds the chainmail away from your neck and slows a blow as it comes in. A coif rests on the neck an offers no protection other than protection from cuts. Which isn't what you are worried about, it's the force of the moving weapon. Wearing a coif under a helm is just for looks, a gorget must still be worn under it.

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--Edric--

Flos est puellarum, quam diligio, et rosa rosarum, quam sepe video.

[This message has been edited by Edric (edited 04-26-2001).]

What Edric said. You have to have a gorget with a coif. WIth an aventail, it's strongly recomended to wear a gorget, but if I recall correctly, not required. I personally wear a gorget everytime I get into armour.

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Constancius of Lincolnshire
Live and die with honor.