[Sam Gordon Campbell]

Now, I love maille. It's my main preference for armour, just cause it looks like I think a knight should, and feels like a knight should look...
BUT! At this moment in time I am thinking of piecing together a Plate armour kit, just so I can go SCA heavy. It will serve no other purpose than that (and maybe a costume piece), as I have slightly more accurate armour coponets that I use for my other groups (WMA/Stoccata[Tasmanian branch]) and interests.
As such, I show to you the links to the bits and bobs that I may aquire.
These were the most reasonable items I found for their intended purpose, what looked closest to the look I want, how I could modify them later on, and all from Australia.
So here they are in no particular order...

http://www.medieval-fightclub.com/products/Lower-Leg-Greaves.html
http://www.medieval-fightclub.com/products/Ar...aulds.html
http://www.medieval-fightclub.com/products/Ne...agews.html
http://www.medieval-fightclub.com/products/El...-16ga.html
http://www.medieval-fightclub.com/products/Pr...tlets.html
http://www.historicarmouries.com.au/15th-century-le15.html
http://reenactorswarehouse.com/Helmets/RW117%...ollage.jpg

Any recommendations or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[Harry J. Fletcher]

Very nice but isn't it rather hot in the Australian sun, mate? Ah, fair dinkum? When you walk around don't people think you're just a big tin of tucker?

How often do you change the oil in that thing?

Just couldn't resist the remarks...but you have heard worse of course, right mate? Well, it might keep you safe from the dingos and the crocs...but what will the abos think?

Queen Elizabeth is tearing out her hair hysterically wondering what in blazes those crazy Aussies are going to do next!

[P. Cha]

If you like the chainmail look but wanna get fighting quikly, get min armor + a gambeson. The throw chainmail over it when you can afford it. So get a helm, elbow and knee cop, gauntlets (or demi + basket usage) and a gorget along with a nice thick gambeson. That should be WAY less then getting a set up and going then the cheap plate.

[Nat Lamb]

I have bought from Historic armouries before, and they seem pretty good as an entry level suplier, although the straping they use is pretty 'meh' the actual armour is pretty solid for the price.

[Taylor Ellis]

[Paul Watson]

Are you going to paint your kit green & gold, and have a baggy green as your helmet crest?

[Sam Gordon Campbell]

Harry: When I went oversea for a bit, I got plenty of it Being in England was the worst (but no surprise there). Though careful when you abbreviate aboriginal, that can lead to a can of worms...

P.: True, I've done that one or twice before, but it always looks, aesthetically anyway, odd.

Nat: Yeah, the guy who I was in contact with (one of the owners of it I believe) said I might need to modify the straps, I'm going to stick leather tabs on then so that I can point them to my pourpoint.

Taylor: It's a blessing in disguise that's for sure...

Paul: Believe it or not, I once had a crazy Idea to put together a 13th Century type kit, get a green surcoat/tabard and paint the solid metal parts green (edged in gold for looks of course ), then go out and join the Greens Party or something. You can probably tell what I'd watched only hours before that idea occurred to me...

[David Clark]

For elbow and knee cops I will second Stonekeep Armoury
http://spiers-saddlery.stores.yahoo.net/combatarmor.html

Hidden armour is easy enough to make from HDPE plastic commonly known as 'car wash soap barrels' here in the USA.
Leather also works. Trust me, with a heat gun and some HDPE plastic, a hidden char ana, bracers, thigh splints, and gorget are very easy to make and incredibly affordable.

Getting cheap plate armour won't be doing yourself any favors as it will likely be ill-fitting, heavy, and not quite so good looking as more historic/well made pieces.
Just make what you can now, and get the more simple pieces that won't need replacing now.
It will save you money in the long run.

My opinion anyway.

[Sam Gordon Campbell]

So, I see the general consensus is basicaly "spend smart" rather than "spend soon".
Well, in that case I'll just have to restrain my mouse clicking finger
Cheers guys.
One last thing though, how about this item?:
http://www.medieval-fightclub.com/products/Cu...CA%29.html
Should I grab it?

[Zac Evans]

I don't understand why you're not making a maille kit if you prefer the look of maille? Perfect example of awesome maille kit:

[P. Cha]

Why would you think what I suggested looks odd? If you get elbow and knee cops without the fans then you can actually wear them under the chainmail so you would look just like your wearing chain...which you admit is the looks you like....

[Bill Tsafa]

Without a question, your best off buying what you can and get into the battle sooner rather then later.


Go to the local practice and talk to people. They will be able to advise you what the best armor is for your budget. All armor is consumable. The more you use it the faster it wears. Think of it as the price of getting good. With that in mind, don't just consider the upfront cost of the armor but also the maintenance. Get use to the idea of replacing straps and rivets. You best learn to do minor maintenance from the beginning and save money down the road.

You might want to hold off on getting mail until you are good enough to block at least 90% of the shots coming in... otherwise the first few years will be very painful. Mail + Gambeson = Pain to a new fighter.

[Nathan Quarantillo]

if your handy w/ rivets and the like, Illusion armoury is the way to go. and check out madmatts armoury. theyve got some darn cheap stuff, but i don't know about the sizing and so, but ppl reccomend him, so at $80 (USD) for a arm harness, and the same for polyen/ciusse, thats the way to go for cheap. you could buy a ciurass and stick it under a surcoat & throw arm defences under a gambo, w/ a coif under a great helm, and ciusses under the padding type they had for the upper leg (which the name escapes me) and greaves under pants, you could do a nice interpretation of 13th cent.

[Sam Gordon Campbell]

Zac: Well, that guy just earnt "Badass Of The Week" in my books!
P.Cha: Sorry if it came across like that
Bill: That's what all the old hands down at practice say.
Nathan: I'll look into those recomendations.

Now, it seems that the loud and clear consensus is either "Be patient Padwan" or "For the love of God wear maille!"
The reasons why I (though I love it so) don't want to wear maille as my primary SCA fighting defence is, as someone mentioned, that one doth get 'ouchies' alot. Secondly, though one can (as has been recomended) modify it with either "hidden" armour (blue barrel, leather under the kit), or indeed use in period style defences, my bones aren't quite on the normal side of the track as it were, so it may be a tad risky. But thirdly, though I've got a sort of Norman/Viking kit with riveted hauberk and such (you know the ones), When I go complete maille (one day) I intend to go all out accurate, I'm talking Erik made maille etc, and I'd really rather have it not damaged because of my careless antics in the realms of the SCA.
Then again, you fine lot are making pretty sweet counter arguments as to what I should do and for that I thank you!

[P. Cha]

[P. Cha]

Well sam, if you have weak bones. by all means get a set of plate for SCA fighting. If your gonna do that, I don´t think you need to exactly get pretty armor...just functional ones. Get the thickest gauge of steel you can carry and afford as well . Get munition polish if the option is available to reduce price.

[Bill Tsafa]

Another reason for not spending a lot of money initially is that it is near certain that your taste is bound to change as you get around the SCA and see different armor and come into contact with different armorers. You may want to look Norman now but may want to be a Samurai or a Mongol in a year. If you get friendly with the armorers you can ask them about making your own armor at their shop under their advice and guidance. That is what I did. You will save money, have the satisfaction of making your own armor and acquire the skills to make your own repairs. In order to make those contacts you need to get on the field in something and start networking. If you start showing up regularly to practices the senior fighters will introduce you to the right people at events who can get you where you want to be armor-wise. In the meantime, you can always cover up ugly starter armor.

[B. Fulton]

As a "Norman SCA guy on a budget" this is "in my lane".

I spent 3 years waiting on a Norman nasal/maille coif because i like keeping my head attached to my shoulders. I haven't fought in a year because of my schedule, but a gambeson/tunic with hidden armor when possible, solid knees/elbows to get you started, and add mail as soon as you can.

[Johan Gemvik]

One "budget" way to go is to use only maille on parts others can actually see, at least for starters.
I used to have this maille skirt that just came out under my first romanesque leather armor and everyone though it went all the way under it. I've seen others do the same thing. Makes the armour lighter, faster to make and cheaper than an entire hauberk but still has the look of it.
Then you can get one of those later for demos and shows.

In fact I'm thinking about making a new fake maille that just stick out from under my viking fighting tunic. I got low profile plastic armour under the tunic, advanced body moulded "pickle barrel" plastic without any gambeson, one marshal even stopped me once because I was going to war in just my party tunic and pants from the night before, without armour except for a helmet, until he realised I had this hard carapace under the same long sleeve tunic and baggy Rus pants this time around.
A friend of mine did the same with his 1450 Condotta italian armour. It had the shiny steel helmet, exquisite plate legs and lower arms, and he had a nobles' Houpelane on top of it, just like in some of the old itaian paintings. But everything under the cloth was lightweight plastic. Looked amazing and weighed half of what the real thing would have.
This is also a great way to save money on your first "luxury" armour, get some real nice looking eyecatcher gothic or italian legs and maybe arms, get som help with sewing up some fancy fighting garb for the torso from durable furniture satin and you can wear what you like under it as long ast it constitutes legal armour.

The same thing can be applied to basically any period.

Another thing.
My rule #1 about plate armour. Get top quality or not at all, just a few shiny pieces of wonder will go a lot longer than a shabby poorly made and poorly fitting full plate at the same cost.

[Zac Evans]