The Armour Archive

Can anyone recommend a good source from which to purchase men's 14thC English turn-boots? Height should be between ankle and mid-calf and must look period. They would be needed by April. Thank you!!!!!!

The best:

http://www.plantagenetshoes.freeserve.co.uk/

Plantagenet Shoes, in my opinion, has no peer in Medieval footwear. I personally like Style 15/12T.

The most affordable and "hard-working" alternative:

http://www.revivalclothing.com/

The Revival boots are not turned construction but they look fine and are very serviceable.

Hope this helps,
Karl

Thank you so much! I will pass those links onto the person wanting the boots.

I have ankle boots from Dru shoemaker that are real good http://mywebpages.comcast.net/meisterdru/shoes.htm

If you want looking shoes just to "destroy" ie fight in and wear to bits in the SCA. I'd go with revivals, they look ok and you don't feel like crying when you trash a $60 like you do when you trash a $200 shoe.

HE also has some nice cheap shoes. Though i would not SCA fight in them, the soles is too thin for SCA combat imo. But thats not what Gwen made em for, so naturally...

For just period shoes to wear at a reasonable price i'd go with Dru or HE, to fight in i'd go with Revival.

I've seen both styles of boots made by revival actually being worn by folks. Both look good, but I favor the high boots. They really look awesome.

Unlike Murdock I like HE thin soled shoes for fighting. Victory through better ground feel. However they don't work with my current set of greaves.

I think the difference is that in the East we don't break the beer bottles before we throw them on the list field. (just to be clear this is a joke)

Revival clothing for fighting. HE for walking about the square.

Revival's design has proved itself sturdy enough for the task, and the look is good.

The HE stuff looks spot on, but they're a shoe that a wealthy person would have, you know, the kind of guy who doesn't worry about how much his shoes cost, nor how often they need replacing.

EDIT: Let me add a bit of clarification, because I'm being imprecise, and I don't want to be. I'll let what I wrote stand, with this additional: What I am saying is that I perceive that the HE shoes are too nice to subject them to the--frankly, abuse--of SCA deeds of arms. I am also not talking about the current turnshoes, I was talking about the poulaines.

Now, if I had the means, I'd just get six pairs of HE poulaines and grind them into the ground! ; )

I think HE's ankle boots are great, and they will have zero problem getting them to you by April, I imagine--12 to 16 weeks for production. They don't charge until they're ready to ship, has been my experience.

Jehan de Pelham, squire of Sir Vitus

Jehan, your comment made me wonder- does anyone fight or practice martial arts in super long toed shoes [like our poulaines]? I see the extremely long toed shoes worn by the opponents in Talhoffer and have to speculate if that was just the artist, or if people really did fight in them. If they didn't and it was just the artist, I wonder how realistic the rest of the clothing is?

Hmmmmm.......

Gwen

I would second the vote for Dru Shoemaker for durable, carefully handmade shoes. The HE ones are excellent shoes, properly made, and a good value, but not sure I would fight SCA in them, though. The Revival ones are medieval-ish, better looking than engineer boots, I guess, but still in the same category IMO.[/url]

Black Swan Designs wrote:Jehan, your comment made me wonder- does anyone fight or practice martial arts in super long toed shoes [like our poulaines]? I see the extremely long toed shoes worn by the opponents in Talhoffer and have to speculate if that was just the artist, or if people really did fight in them. If they didn't and it was just the artist, I wonder how realistic the rest of the clothing is?

Hmmmmm.......

Gwen

Gwen,

I had some poulaines that I did I.33 work in, and I tripped over them constantly at first. After I learned the feel of them, this wasn't so much a problem, but they sure weren't comfortable for that work. I switched to a more practical shoe.

Strongbow

Thank you all for your suggestions and advise. We are investigating potential suppliers. These boots would only be for dress/court.

Leah

Unlike Murdock I like HE thin soled shoes for fighting. Victory through better ground feel. However they don't work with my current set of greaves.


You can fight just fin in em, i just think that most people are too rough on their gear to take a shoe that nice and pound it to bits fighting. I'm gonna get some soon to wear but i think i'm getting some of Dru's (maybe making my own) for fighting.