Gambeson - Or what one wears under medieval armour
Gambesons aren't just any thick jackets. They serve or served a real military purpose. So that the armour, harness, or chainmail of a knight, mercenary, or other warrior, whether made of leather or metal, doesn't chafe on the skin, one usually wears a gambeson or other padding underneath. Gambesons, or in Larp circles also known as "Gambie", are padded or multi-layered undergarments that provide the necessary padding. This padding intercepts blows from weapons and thus forms an essential part of medieval armour. They also automatically make a medieval warrior appear bulkier and heavier, a desired side effect on the battlefield!
Historical Padding and Gambesons at Andracor
Already in Antiquity and also among the Vikings, padding under armour was known and widely used. And padded garments remained in use until well into the Renaissance and Modern Times. If one wants to buy a gambeson, then Andracor is a good place to go, as we have gambesons in various colours such as black, brown, and natural for you. Particularly noteworthy are our gambesons Donnergrund, Rabenfurth, and Eisenbrück! Especially the gambeson Donnergrund is ideal for summer temperatures due to its short sleeves. Are you looking for a gambeson in a large size? No problem! We also have XXL gambesons as a product in our shop. These high-quality gambesons made of 100% cotton are the ideal gambeson for a warrior in Larp or reenactment.
Buy Larp Gambeson - Historical or Fantastic?
A gambeson can be both short and long-sleeved. Some types were worn under and some over the armour as padded pourpoints, for example. Arrows could get stuck in the gambeson and not easily splinter off the armour. Historical gambesons were mostly made of several layers of linen and stuffed with wool. However, our gambesons have cotton as their material base. Some padded variants of the gambeson also work excellently as outer garments for men and women.
Typically, gambesons were made of multi-layered linen, but the stuffed gambesons from the High & Late Middle Ages are most popular with modern larps & show fighters because of their high cushioning effect and elegant appearance. Here you will find a range of different models suitable for different types of armour. Some medieval gambesons are historically based and match a plate armour, others are rather fantastic and a complement to our leather armour. It remains up to one's own taste and character concept for which style one decides.
Padding - For the Sensitive Areas
Gambesons are a fine thing for the extensive protection of the upper body and arm area. But there are also areas that a medieval gambeson only covers inadequately or not at all. Padded hoods for the head are absolutely essential for helmet wearers and show fighters. Because a blow to the unpadded head in the helmet can also hurt a lot with a padded weapon. So the padded hood is definitely mandatory, and we have it available in brown, black, and natural colours to match our gambesons.
For reenactment combat, padded gear for arms and legs is also available from us, because even with blunt weapons one can otherwise get injured. Arm pads, leg pads or even padded collars are also very fashionable with your gambeson and nice accessories to a medieval outfit.
