Armour Weight

[Kormin]

my apologies then

it should work, but would probably have the tendency to slip down off your chest to your middle-area.

 

[Swadius 2.0]

That's the main worry I think. Maybe if it were under the armpits the shape of the cage could help a little.

 

[Fenix_120]

Yar, hangs really uncomfortably off the shoulders.

I read that wearing a belt over mail would help evenly distribute the weight, as for the OP a modern soldier carries more weight on him into battle than a medieval one did.

How about belts that tightly criss-cross your chest, would that work too? Or maybe the abdomen.

Yes, all of those will work.

Look at the Nordic Mail Shirt in M&B for the type I was speaking about.

 

[Kissaki]

Plate armor rarely exceeded 50 lbs(22 KG's), and most mail was about thirty lbs but the great helm was ten.

Armour gets lighter and lighter, it seems. It's not long ago that the saying was, "plate armour rarely exceeded 60 lbs". Checking around, I find historical examples of full plate averaging in the excess of 60 lbs, with certain armours weighing considerably more. I especially seem to recall a Milanese suit weighing in at around 80 lbs.

 

[LordOfShadows]

Plate armor rarely exceeded 50 lbs(22 KG's), and most mail was about thirty lbs but the great helm was ten.

Armour gets lighter and lighter, it seems. It's not long ago that the saying was, "plate armour rarely exceeded 60 lbs". Checking around, I find historical examples of full plate averaging in the excess of 60 lbs, with certain armours weighing considerably more. I especially seem to recall a Milanese suit weighing in at around 80 lbs.

The thing is, we're not just dealing with absolute weight, but perceived weight. While some suits of plate do indeed weigh more, due to the way they are worn the perceived weight is markedly less. (Source: bunch of guys who I know who wear a few different styles.)

 

[Kasimir]

Armour gets lighter and lighter, it seems. It's not long ago that the saying was, "plate armour rarely exceeded 60 lbs". Checking around, I find historical examples of full plate averaging in the excess of 60 lbs, with certain armours weighing considerably more. I especially seem to recall a Milanese suit weighing in at around 80 lbs.

I think the average weight for a suit in the 1400s was 57 lbs, from the Knight and the Blast Furnace.

I would expect some armours to be lighter and some to be heavier.

 

[Skot the Sanguine]

Plate armor rarely exceeded 50 lbs(22 KG's), and most mail was about thirty lbs but the great helm was ten.

Armour gets lighter and lighter, it seems. It's not long ago that the saying was, "plate armour rarely exceeded 60 lbs". Checking around, I find historical examples of full plate averaging in the excess of 60 lbs, with certain armours weighing considerably more. I especially seem to recall a Milanese suit weighing in at around 80 lbs.

The thing is, we're not just dealing with absolute weight, but perceived weight. While some suits of plate do indeed weigh more, due to the way they are worn the perceived weight is markedly less. (Source: bunch of guys who I know who wear a few different styles.)

I think you mean in the context that plate armor has its weight spread out more evenly across the body instead of at certain points like maille.  For example a maille hauberk's weight sits squarely on the shoulders while a plate cuirass can have its weight distributed at other points with the assistance of straps and the inherent quality of plate.

 

[Fenix_120]

Plate armor rarely exceeded 50 lbs(22 KG's), and most mail was about thirty lbs but the great helm was ten.

Armour gets lighter and lighter, it seems. It's not long ago that the saying was, "plate armour rarely exceeded 60 lbs". Checking around, I find historical examples of full plate averaging in the excess of 60 lbs, with certain armours weighing considerably more. I especially seem to recall a Milanese suit weighing in at around 80 lbs.

Was this 80 lbs suit made for battle or tournaments?

I seem to recall some outlandish tourny armors that would be completely useless in a battle, in part due to the weight.

 

[Llew2]

I think you mean in the context that plate armor has its weight spread out more evenly across the body instead of at certain points like maille.  For example a maille hauberk's weight sits squarely on the shoulders while a plate cuirass can have its weight distributed at other points with the assistance of straps and the inherent quality of plate.

That's what a belt is for. The thing that goes around your waist, you know.

 

[Kobrag]

I actually found a person able to replicate and tailor a Parlimentarian cavalry plate armour (nicknamed, Ironside) for me.

Since it seems to be a transition between earlier full suit heavy plate and the later Cuirasseur armour styles, I expect it will be rather light and thin right?

 

[LordOfShadows]

I actually found a person able to replicate and tailor a Parlimentarian cavalry plate armour (nicknamed, Ironside) for me.

Since it seems to be a transition between earlier full suit heavy plate and the later Cuirasseur armour styles, I expect it will be rather light and thin right?

No, definetly not. The thing is, as firearms became more common the cuirass became thicker and heavier to be bulletproof, and much of the rest of the harness was lost to balance out this increased weight. The breastplate had to be able to stop a .65 - .75 caliber ball. While they had nowhere near the speed of modern firearms, the sheer weight of them could punch through a hell of a lot. They would be similar to a shotgun slug.

 

[OgrE_LusT]

I personaly don't like medieval knghits helmts,they look so primitive,(look like gauls or dacian helmts)

I prefer greek ones! way more beautiful,and also way more intimidating,well greeks scared the hell out of the persians when using them.

Also the Vikings ad (intimidating) helmets,but in a ugly way (i hate Viking helmet,they look like 4 eyes modern geeks lol)

Also i love Conquistadores helmets,and macedonian phanlangites too.

Don't get me wrong medieval helmets where beutiful too,cause they where made of steel and they are shiny.

But just imagine a greek hoplite helmet made whit technolagy,btw i also hate roman helmets.

 

[OgrE_LusT]

noo the cumputer eat my thing! no ,

any way i mean whit (((MEDIEVAL technolagy)))

 

[LordOfShadows]

I personaly don't like medieval knghits helmts,they look so primitive,(look like gauls or dacian helmts)

I prefer greek ones! way more beautiful,and also way more intimidating,well greeks scared the hell out of the persians when using them.

Also the Vikings ad (intimidating) helmets,but in a ugly way (i hate Viking helmet,they look like 4 eyes modern geeks lol)

Also i love Conquistadores helmets,and macedonian phanlangites too.

Don't get me wrong medieval helmets where beutiful too,cause they where made of steel and they are shiny.

But just imagine a greek hoplite helmet made whit technolagy,btw i also hate roman helmets.

You hate medieval stuff because they are "primitive" and use the gauls and dacians as examples..... Hrmm, something seems off there.

Greek helmets, assuming you mean the "hoplite helm" were technologically inferior to the majority of medieval helmets. They fell out of fashion, and the roman helmet was an almost direct descendent of a greek style.

Edit to add:

 

[OgrE_LusT]

Thank's for that exemple lol 14 is realy ugly but 16 oO i love it!

Yes,thougt so that they are technolgicly inferior and i gues thats also cause they have holes,but the greek fashion is just amazing and far superior then medieval ones in beuty.

Also the teutonic order helmets are prety cool too.

Yes medieval footman helmets in 12C 13C look a bit primitive,they look a bit the same  to gaulic or even hunic elite general guards i mean.

But i sure they where far more efective in batle then greek ones.

 

[Skot the Sanguine]

I think you mean in the context that plate armor has its weight spread out more evenly across the body instead of at certain points like maille.  For example a maille hauberk's weight sits squarely on the shoulders while a plate cuirass can have its weight distributed at other points with the assistance of straps and the inherent quality of plate.

That's what a belt is for. The thing that goes around your waist, you know.

Late reply as I didn't realize there was a comment before, but I haven't found a belt helps at all with my haubergon...only seems to make it harder for me to breathe and bend over.  It has to be pulled pretty tight in order for it to overcome the give in the gambeson underneath if you want it to bite into the maille and hold it up.  Honestly, I find the weight of the maille on my shoulders tolerable...the only belt I use is the one attaching my scabbard to me.

 

[LordOfShadows]

I think you mean in the context that plate armor has its weight spread out more evenly across the body instead of at certain points like maille.  For example a maille hauberk's weight sits squarely on the shoulders while a plate cuirass can have its weight distributed at other points with the assistance of straps and the inherent quality of plate.

That's what a belt is for. The thing that goes around your waist, you know.

Late reply as I didn't realize there was a comment before, but I haven't found a belt helps at all with my haubergon...only seems to make it harder for me to breathe and bend over.  It has to be pulled pretty tight in order for it to overcome the give in the gambeson underneath if you want it to bite into the maille and hold it up.  Honestly, I find the weight of the maille on my shoulders tolerable...the only belt I use is the one attaching my scabbard to me.

How thick is you gambeson? Where do you have the belt sitting?

 

[Kissaki]

Was this 80 lbs suit made for battle or tournaments?

I seem to recall some outlandish tourny armors that would be completely useless in a battle, in part due to the weight.

I was sure I had replied to this before.

Anyway, no, it was not a tourney armour (certainly not for jousting). It was a regular set of Milanese plate. 80 lbs isn't really that much, considering soldiers today often haul much heavier gear on foot, on their backs. Granted, they don't carry all that weight when doing the actual fighting, but then knights didn't carry their armour on their backs, either. And armour made for a tall man is going to weigh more than armour for a short man, for obvious reasons. And then one must bear in mind that even a 30 lbs suit of armour will be very uncomfortable for someone not used to it, but for someone training regularly even a 100 lbs suit would eventually be manageable.

 

[Skot the Sanguine]

I think you mean in the context that plate armor has its weight spread out more evenly across the body instead of at certain points like maille.  For example a maille hauberk's weight sits squarely on the shoulders while a plate cuirass can have its weight distributed at other points with the assistance of straps and the inherent quality of plate.

That's what a belt is for. The thing that goes around your waist, you know.

Late reply as I didn't realize there was a comment before, but I haven't found a belt helps at all with my haubergon...only seems to make it harder for me to breathe and bend over.  It has to be pulled pretty tight in order for it to overcome the give in the gambeson underneath if you want it to bite into the maille and hold it up.  Honestly, I find the weight of the maille on my shoulders tolerable...the only belt I use is the one attaching my scabbard to me.

How thick is you gambeson? Where do you have the belt sitting?

My lord, once again I failed to see a reply.  Anyway, the gambeson I have is decently thick (but historically so from what I have researched) and the belt was, when I tried it, at roughly the same height as the scabbard belt you see in my avatar.

 

[noosers]

I think the far more interesting question isn´t how heavy armour is, but how hot does it get inside? All that steel, the padding, a surcoat... and 35°C. Must be cooking alive. I reckon almost as many armour wearers died of heatstroke and suffocation as of actual wounds.