[Sander Marechal]

Hi all. I recently bought a padded coif from Matuls to go with my gambeson. I have worn it a few times but I am having some problems with it. Matuls usually makes clothes to measure, but the coifs are one-size-fits-all. Attached is a picture that hopefully shows my problem.

I think that it is way too long. As you can see, the bottom of the coif overlaps the collar on my gambeson. When I bend my head forwards and then backwards again, the coif bumps into the collar and causes the coif to shift forward. Very annoying.

Also, the tie doesn't press against the underside of my chin. Instead it presses backwards into my adam's apple which, as you can imagine, is very uncomfortable.

So, is it too long? And if so, how much should I shorten it? Anyone got pictures of a padded coid that does fit well with a collared gambeson?

Additionally, it first appeared to me that the coif has been put together inside-out. The (thick) seams that hold the three coif panels together are on the outside of the coif, not the inside. I have seen a few other Matuls padded coifs and they all have the seams on the outside as well, so I am guessing this is intentional. But I'm not sure. I'd thought I'd ask anyway, since I have to take the coif apart in order to shorten it anyway.

Thanks in advance!

[Bram van Diemen]

Looks a bit long on the backside indeed. And the placement of the strap seems not very comfortable. I myself use a padded cap, and not a coif for my helmet. Maybe you could ask the guys from zwaard en volk for some advise.

[Chuck Russell]

well i see the construction problem.

the bottom of the coif needs to be angled. it should be a tad higher in the back and slope down to the front. the face portion should also curve around the face but then start to point outward under the chin. this will make it tie under the chin and not under the adams apple. really when you look at mine from Merchant adventures
http://www.merchantadventurers.com/medstock/admed.htm it has 2 curves, one for the face and one for the neck.

[Sander Marechal]

Thanks Chuck. Do you happen to have a picture of you wearing your coif?

[Kel Rekuta]

Sander,

I have one of those too. It proved to be useless. I like most Matul's product designs but this one is a FAIL. They are too long in the back and as Chuck noted, incorrectly angled. The worst problem with them is they are too short at the temple. There is too little material to keep a helmet or mail coif from banging the forehead. It is just a bad design unless the person wearing it has a very long and narrow head. Most of us don't.

Perhaps you can cut a wedge off the back at the correct height and sew it on the front at the temple? Otherwise, it will be as useless to you as mine is to me. I can't be bothered to alter something so inexpensive; I just commissioned a fitted one elsewhere. Problem solved.

[Thomas R.]

Hi Sander,

the coif does look a bit too long, as others already pointed out. Have a look at the illuminations found in the Morgan Bible, you'll notice how highly curved the coifs are at the neck. And how thin they do appear, as well.

Best Regards,
Thomas

[Hendrik De Coster]

how about you ditch the coif and insert a liner in your helmet?

[Sander Marechal]

[Thomas R.]

Hi Sander,

my solution for the coif-situation is to wear a thick padded coif only then under a maille coif, if I don't use the kettle hat aswell. If I combine kettle hat, maille coif and a textile coif, I only use a thicker wool coif underneath. I plan to make a second wool coif, consistent of two inner layers of thick wool and two layers of linnen on the outside, stiched together. So it won't be too thick to be used under maille and kettle hat. I don't think you need a textilecoif as thick as matuls under a kettle hat & maille combination.

Regards,
Thomas

[Sander Marechal]

Thanks. Since I am going to pull it apart to make it shorter, I might just as well take out some padding and make it thinner

[Sander Marechal]

Update: I'm scrapping this thing.

I took it half apart today but the internal construction is not what I expected. It's made from sheets of padding, stitched together, wrapped in more padding and then lined in linen. I had expected it to be a linen shell stuffed with cotten batting. It's a very solid construction, just not something that's easily modifiable.

I can probably shorten it, but it's going to take far too much time compared to the $30 I'd have to spend on a new, better fitting one.

[David Teague]

I hope somebody goes to the effort of contacting Tomm on this so he can correct his pattern.

Cheers,

David

[Kel Rekuta]

Well to be fair David - my colleagues and I have spent thousands of dollars at Matuls over the years. Never once did they ask for any feedback or even if the goods delivered fit. I am inclined to read that as satisfaction with their process and delivery system. In contrast, I seek feedback on every single thing I produce for other people, beginning with "Did you receive your order in good condition?"

Just saying...

[Sander Marechal]

I went shopping for another padded coif but I could not find any what was made on linen and that fit me well. So, I made my own. See this thread for how I did it.