Small purchase of soft kit. -- myArmoury.com

Jean Thibodeau · Posted: Sun 18 Jan, 2009 12:45 am Post subject: Small purchase of soft kit.

Just bought a wool cloak, a wool chaperone and Tunic in wool for a variety of reasons, one including that it's really cold up here in the Great White North and wool sounds nice and cozy right now and I sort of like wearing medieval soft kit around the house as it seems to have been designed for the " good old days " of no central heating in drafty castles or peasant huts. Wink

( Note: Minus 29 Celsius temperatures up here at the moment ..... Brrrrrrrrrrrrr, and the house heating is not keeping the place very warm ! )

The Director of my longsword group was praising the merits of the chaperone in really cold weather and was wearing it as outside cold weather gear this week so I decided to give it a try.

The cloak seems to be on sale at the moment and I decided to get a Tunic while I was at it.

The second reason is that with the bad economy I think it's a good idea to support our vendors if we want them to still be around in a couple of years when things hopefully get better.

Here are a few links to what I bought and admittedly a little bit of a Plug for Revival Clothing:
http://www.revivalclothing.com/index.asp?Page...ProdID=279
http://www.revivalclothing.com/index.asp?Page...;ProdID=27
http://www.revivalclothing.com/index.asp?Page...;ProdID=59

D. Austin · Industry Professional

Hi Jean,

I love that chaperone. What colour did you get? I'm thinking of getting one but not yet, it's more like 38 celsius here at the moment and even in winter it's not likely to reach 0. Does it work well rolled up into a hat?

Darren.

Jean Thibodeau · Posted: Sun 18 Jan, 2009 3:58 am Post subject:

Eric Spitler · Posted: Sun 18 Jan, 2009 7:36 am Post subject: Re: Small purchase of soft kit.

Geoff Freeman · Posted: Sun 18 Jan, 2009 7:02 pm Post subject:

I have that same tunic and chaperone. I have yet to wear the tunic outside when it's terribly cold, but I've worn it several times when it's quite warm in the peak of summer.

At the Bristol Renaissance Faire a couple of years ago, it was about 90 degrees Fahrenheit. I had the wool tunic on over a linen undertunic, and, while I was hot, wasn't really that uncomfortable. Conversely, my friend who was wearing one of the MRL poly/cotton blend shirts began suffering from heat exhaustion towards the end of the day.

I've not seen the cloak on the Revival Clothing website before, though I haven't visited it in some time. Is it new?

Christopher Gregg · Posted: Sun 18 Jan, 2009 7:36 pm Post subject:

It was explained to me by a reenactor in Florida that wearing wool over linen in hot temperatures will create a "wicking" effect, drawing moisture and heat away from the body, essentially giving you air conditioning. I tried doing the same with my 18th century garb last summer, and although I felt a bit damp all day, with a slight breeze going I was relatively comfortable. I wouldn't want to have to do any really strenuous activity if it was over 90, though. In the cold, I like a couple of layers of wool! I'm looking at Revival's web site at their 15th century clothing so my wife and I can start outfitting ourselves for that era's events. One of their models I recognize as a fellow I talk to at the A & A booth at Bristol Ren Faire.

Michael Ekelmann · Posted: Sun 18 Jan, 2009 9:12 pm Post subject:

A medieval style hood like the chaperone great in cold weather. I have a Bocksten style tunic made from an old wool blanket, Add a wool hood and I am a warm and toasty man.

Jean Thibodeau · Posted: Mon 19 Jan, 2009 12:17 am Post subject:

I haven't tried wool on a hot day very much mostly because so much of our modern clothing is based on blends and I haven't made a specific point of trying wool on a hot day.

As long as it's not scratchy wool or one isn't allergic to wool a single layer of wood is supposed to be cool in Summer and warm in Winter. Not sure if the layer of linen under the wool is needed or not for the cooling effect to work ? Curious about that.

One thing I have read about wool is that even dripping wet it will still keep you warm as opposed to modern synthetics or cotton that loses all capability to keep one warm wen it's wet.

Oh, as far as feet are concerned I wear ordinary running shoes in this cold weather with just a thin pair of socks and as long as I'm walking my feet stay warm: If I wait half an hour for a bus my feet might start feeling cold. Razz

Strangely enough my feet may feel icy cold in bed under heavy covers: Don't think I have a circulation problem as this is an occasional thing.

Oh, yesterday was colder but just as na example of layering clothes I was wearing from the skin up:
1) A T-shirt made from Bamboo fibre ( very soft by the way ).
2) A pullover sweater mostly polyester.
3) A zip-up sweater ( Also polyester ).
4) A sleeveless duck down vest.
5) A leather sleeveless vest ( Lining 50% nylon / 50% acetate ).
6) Large real wool trenchcoat/greatcoat, that looks a lot like WWI or WWII German winter greatcoats.

Head covering of a tuque/watchcap + Leather Snoopy aviator's hat again with artificial plus lining.
Gloves are deer skin with again the artificial stuff for a lining !

Anyway hadn't realized how much synthetics I was wearing and I sort of think that two layers of wool would probably do a better job ! The artificial stuff can have value as windproof outer layer or high tech skintight wicking layer I think.