[Christian G. Cameron]

What style of shoe did men-at-arms wear under sabatons? Was it a low boot to the ankle/ Was it a low poulain? Something else?

Strapped?
Buckled?
A slipper?

I'd love to know. i did search this site before asking...

[Lloyd Clark]

Check out the shoes/boots at Viking Leather Crafts. They have done a pretty good job at producing close-to-period footwear, especially 14th century.

I would assume something along these lines:

[Emil Andersson]

I can't speak for all sabatons, but the ones I have (these) require a raised heel on the shoe in order to secure the leather strap that goes underneath the sole, as well as pointed toes, although pretty much every example of period footwear I've seen has had those. The reason for the raised heel is to let the leather strap avoid pressure when you take a step, or else the expanding shape of your foot in motion will push the top of the sabaton down on your shoe and constrict your movement, or the leather strap might undo itself with the risk of dislocating the entire sabaton. I use a pair of boots like these boots from Get Dressed For Battle, though mine appear to be a bit pointier.

[Ian S LaSpina]

My sabatons point tie on the toe. They're almost identical to the ones pictured here in the top left thumbnail (the ones with the brass decoration). I sent him my turn-shoes and he built the sabs around the shoe.

http://halberds.us/armour.htm

I use a similar boot to the one Lloyd has pictured above. I recommend laced as buckles will interfere with sabatons and greaves. Laces can remain low profile enough to compress underneath the bottom portion of the greaves or top of the sabs, otherwise you will be painfully aware of any buckles underneath the steel.

[Mackenzie Cosens]

[James Barker]

I would imagine any shoe or low boot they felt comfortable in. Likely a side lacing shoe/boot or a slip on shoe would create the smoothest fit under tight fitting armor.

[Mark Shier]

Mine are a custom pair of side laced elk hide shoes from Dru at http://medievalshoes.com/ . They lace onto the sabatons like the Dijon alabaster.

[Hugh Knight]

Since mine don't have a heel plate (they're styled after the ones at Chartres), Mac made them point at the toe and at the side. They work beautifully.

Whoever said above that you need a slight heel is mistaken: When I wear my spurs the strap goes under my foot and I don't even notice it, and my shoes are flat.

I have changed the shoes from those pictured to side-laced ankle shoes because I find the edge of the sabaton would gouge my ankle at the instep with the lower shoes.

[Emil Andersson]

[Christian G. Cameron]

Excellent--thanks to all of you, and especially thanks for the alabaster. I'll post the result.

[Al Muckart]

[Al Muckart]

In terms of what to wear under sabatons, I agree with James; I doubt it would be any different from the footwear worn in armour without sabatons. and all of the period illustrations I've seen indicate that the styles of footwear worn by armoured fighters were the same as worn by everyone else at the time though low shoes seem to be prevalent, which makes sense when you consider the interaction of fitted greaves with high shoe tops.

Buckles probably aren't a great idea, and if it were me I'd fingerloop up some cords rather than use the honking great leather thongs you often see, but so long as the sabatons are made to fit the shoe and the shoes are made to fit the feet, then you should be fine with any accurate shoe style for the period you're looking at. Personally I'd go for a below-the-ankle turnshoe laced either over the instep with a single cord or spiral laced at the medial side.

Shoes for fighting are a place where the shortcuts in modern reproductions start to bite. Most of them have soles that are far far too heavy and inflexible so they have almost no grip, which they then try and make up for by sticking rubber on the bottom. Proper turnshoes have soles that can be thick but are flexible and let you feel the ground and grip it properly with your feet. In feel they are a lot more like bare feet than what people who have grown up wearing modern shoes are used to.

[Christian Henry Tobler]

Hi Emil!

First, nice looking sabatons!

I'm a little suprised that you're having the issue you describe that requires the heel. I have two pairs of sabatons that are set up like yours and don't experience that. I also have another without the heel plate that points to the shoe (a most comfortable arrangement).

I'd have to see them move to have further commentary, but a heel shouldn't be necessary. I don't wear heeled shoes with any of my armour.

Yours,

Christian

[Christian G. Cameron]

Ah.

I'm an authenticity nut, and I have a degree in Medieval history--I know a little about shoes. I gues smy question was 'So, what did actual 14th c. men-at-arms wear under their sabatons" because although I fight in harness pretty frequently, I'm now getting sabatons. I currently fight in late 14th c. heeless high boots from NP Historical Shoes http://www.np-historicalshoes.com/home.php?lang=en and I would say that they understand period shoe making very, very well. I wear Sarah Juniper's boots for riding (and fighting on horseback) in 1776, but I felt the NP historic folks were a little better at 14th c.

Why boots? Well., you see boots with 1/2 armour in Fiore, and it s an excellent rig for fighting longsword and for light work on horseback. But I digress.

There's a movement--a growing movement--among serious distance runners to wear either no shoes or the lightest possible shoes.with no padding or 'heel cushion." I've noticed that, since I started wearing only GOOD period shoes (lightly soled) for fighting longsword, some techniques work better (volte stabile comes to mind) and more important, I no longer hurt my knees, because I'm no longer wearing shoes that grip the floor too much.

Or maybe I'm just old....

Anyway, I started this thread because the received wisdom was ankle length early 15th c. boots, which didn't seem to fit what I was seeing in mss illustrations. I had no idea about pointing the sabaton to the shoe, but now that I do, I think I might go with something like this.



i'm planning on fighting (on foot) in a tournament this summer, and trying to make my harness as authentic and as workmanlike as I can afford...

thanks again. this site is a mine of knowledge.

[Hugh Knight]

[Emil Andersson]

[Christian G. Cameron]

In Getty, it is the 2nd counter master of the lance or the 8th master overall--I may have miscounted--the companion is wearing boots--you can see where they turn down.

But let me try and get you an image.

[Hugh Knight]