Using Suits of Armor for SCA Combat and Costumes

If you are interested in participating SCA Combat, reenactments, or in renaissance fairs, it's likely you'll need a quality suit of armor to wear that will do the job credibly. What should you look for and what will you need to get started? There are several key components and factors when looking into purchasing a quality suit of armor.
First, you should pay attention as to where the armor was made. Most Spanish-made armor is for display only and is not wearable. Indian made armor is mostly copies of Spanish and Italian armors. While they claim their armor is wearable, you should be careful as to how well it will fit. They tend to make the armor plates on the shoulders narrower than they should (perhaps having to do with Indian stature compared to Western build), and the arms do not quite provide the full movement that is needed in reenactments. However, this does not necessarily apply to all Indian-made suits of armor. It usually applies only when they attempt to copy expensive and popular European armor. The best wearable armor is made in Italy. The shoulder plates are going to provide plenty of room and freedom of movement, and also the arms have chainmail at the elbows which helps to provide more movement. Strong leather straps also made the armor somewhat adjustable to accommodate different shoulder sizes and chest sizes.

Another necessary aspect to consider when purchasing suit of armor is gambeson padding that goes underneath it. This is essential whether you are just suiting up for a costume party or SCA combat festival. Real suits of armor are going to be made of 16-18 gauge steel and it will be heavy. If you do not have some sort of padding (both leg and body padding) to go underneath it, then you're going to get very sore and be more prone to bruises. You usually can find gambeson padding at major online retailers. Make sure you get the full padding that includes an arming jacket, leg padding, and armor padding. Also, if you are to participate in combat, most suits of armor bought online will not include a battle-ready sword, which will need to be purchased separately.

John Hilde is a historical weapons and armor collector and owns his own online store selling authentic armor and weapons. Please visit http://www.armorvenue.com to learn more.