Any experience with Steel-Mastery gambesons?

[Bill Carew]

Hi all

Does anyone have any experience with the gambesons from Steel-Mastery?

http://steel-mastery.com/en/padded-armour/gambesons

I'm particularly interested in the HG-03 aketon, the HG-04 aketon and the HG-05 puffed sleeves gambeson. There are a heap of options available and they seem to be designed and constructed quite well for the price when compared to the thin and formless low-end stuff usually available at those price points.

One of these, paired with a sturdy leather or fabric plastron over the chest (like the ones the Polish groups use over their gambesons) seems like a very good protective option alongside the raft of fencing jackets becoming available. But I want to see if anyone has tried one of these, or has recent experience with the service from S-M?

Cheers

Bill

[Mike Ruhala]

I have no personal experience with them but I really like the looks of that HG-05. They offer so many options, too! A jacket like that would be way too hot to train in for most of the year where I live but I have to admit I'm tempted.

I'm very interested in their 3 finger padded gauntlets, too. I'm a little unclear on how many layers of padding they put in them but if you can get 4 as with their gambesons then the gauntlets should provide as much protection as the historical versions did.

[Mark T]

Hi Bill,

I don't have experience with them either, but know that their service has had mixed reviews over the years. The sizing and fitting of the SM gambesons also looked a little 'out' to me last time I looked. Have you seen the ones from SPES/Medieval Market?: http://www.medieval-market.com/goods.ph ... at2=Arming Garments

These are the same folks who do the SPES/Historical Fencing gear, and their range and tailoring seems much better. Much more expensive, but my guess is better ROM if you're wanting it for training.

[Mike Ruhala]

These gloves could be really nice too, if they were made with half an inch of dense padding.

http://www.medieval-market.com/details. ... ar=289&s=1

[Bill Carew]

Hi Mark

Yes, I've considered the MM ones. They look very good, but as you say, they come at a premium.

Still, its generally true that you get what you pay for.

Cheers

Bill

[Mike Ruhala]

Well I just arranged to have them make me a pair of their three finger quilted gloves with a longer cuff and half inch of their best padding. So far they've been fast, efficient and very professional. I'm really looking forward to the gloves, I don't expect them to make broken bones an impossibility but they should protect at least as well as lacrosse gloves and be a lot more historical which will be great for training at home.

[Darijan R.]

Are you talking abou steel mastery or medieval market? In any case, is that such a smart idea with AF's glove just about to be released?

[Mike Ruhala]

I went with Medieval Market because their glove has padding on the inside of the arm.

If the AF gloves look good I'll get those too and if people are right about them being the same thing as the "Pro-fighter hard shell gloves" then they'll probably be better for taking on finger smashing yahoos at tournaments. Nevertheless fencing gloves for the past 500 years have been based on padding, not hard shells, so our need for hard shell gloves probably indicates we're doing something wrong. For interpretation and reconstruction I want to work with equipment as close to what was used historically as possible.

[Bill Carew]

I went with the SPES Fechtschule Gdansk gambeson. I considered the Axel Pettersson, but in the end the extra length convinced me - I intend on pairing it with a leather apron/plastron as the Polish groups do, so the extra length will be useful.

[Dan Sellars]

I went with the SPES Fechtschule Gdansk gambeson. I considered the Axel Pettersson, but in the end the extra length convinced me - I intend on pairing it with a leather apron/plastron as the Polish groups do, so the extra length will be useful.

Make sure you write a review please!