[MR] Re: cheap armor--the obvious

[Lord Lyon Filshenri]

I have fought in leather, steel, plastic, and carpet in my time. I never got
hurt though plastic--I am upgrading from perfectly functional EGG armor legs
of plastic to steel knees and gambossed cuisses only because I want my kit
to be better every year.

So I know what I am talking about. I have a plastic breastplate that I
probably won't upgrade until I can afford to get a stainless steel Cherbourg
breastplate rig customized for my curvature. (I am female). So I do what any
newbie can do with their ABS Plastic--I COVER IT.

But why hasn't anyone mentioned this obvious compromise? Yes, it takes $150
or upwards to get decent starter armor. But it takes about $25 and a friend
who sews to cover the crappy looking armor with loose trousers and a
long-sleeved tunic. The boots are harder, but some scrap-leather spats will
start you out. The Kingdom isn't demanding we all look like Cuan out there,
just that we stop looking like an intramural football team from a
cash-strapped school district!



Lord Lyon Filshenri
Barony of Marinus, Kingdom of Atlantia
Squire to Syr Otto von Schwartzkatz
LordLyon at lairhaven.com


-----Original Message-----
From: atlantia-bounces at atlantia.sca.org
[mailto:atlantia-bounces at atlantia.sca.org] On Behalf Of Mark Bush (personal
account)
Sent: Friday, October 24, 2003 9:41 AM
To: atlantia at atlantia.sca.org
Subject: [MR] Re: cheap armor

Pardon an observation from someone who has only been in heavy armor less
than 6 times but knows about getting folks started in SCA combat, both heavy
and rapier. What is the problem with using ABS, pickle barrel or hockey gear
to hook new fighters at practices, knowing that in order for them to compete
at an event, they will have to have "real" leather and/or steel armor. 

In my rapier experience, part of the reason we have loaner gear that is
rather... um .. ok, ugly... is that fighters will want to wear something
nicer to fight in than white canvas tunic with a target painted on the heart
and PROPERTY OF some barony or canton stenciled across the back? Who wants
to walk onto a list field looking like that against an army of Elizabethan
doublet'd and venetian'd rapier fighters? Same principle, it would seem,
applies to the Heavy List.

I strongly support the drive for more authenticity and hope the marshalls
will enforce it on both list fields. I do also hope that we can resolve the
apparent conflict between the cost of entrance to a new fighter (especially
in heavy combat) and most of out budgets. Hey, I'd love to have a bag full
of Darkwood rapiers and daggers, but I do the best I can with what I have
and hopefully make a good effort to look good doing it.

Wm of Glencoe
Scholar, Academie d'Espee
Barony of Black Diamond



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