Medieval leather gambeson

Medieval leather gambeson (gambison) was widespread in the XI-XV centuries.

This padded jacket was popular among all service branches. As common infantrymen, so noble warriors were using it. Especially, when such leather gambeson armour was combined with chainmail, that made owner protected at the high level.

You give us your specific measures and wishes - we make you a completely custom gambeson that will bring you joy and comfort for a long time! 

Made-to-measure gambeson may be sewn by two ways:

• Machine manufacturing. Tailors will make padded armor by your parameters, using sewing machine.
• Hand sewing. Custom gambeson will be completely sewn by hands of our tailors. Such type of manufacture is historical one and is offered for additional costs.

You can use this leather gambeson for:

• SCA
• HEMA
• Larp
• Stage performances
• Medieval festivals
• Reenactment events

Base price includes following options:

• 1-2 layers of padding (natural sheet wadding 50% cotton, 50% wool);
• Natural (uncoloured) leather for outer shell;
• Natural (uncoloured) cotton for inner shell;
• XS-size;
• Straight bottom edge;
• Black leather straps with handcrafted brass buckles;
• Standard attaching of sleeves (without hole under armpit).

Firm natural leather of various colors is available for order. Bottom edge of quilted gambeson of medieval times may be decorated with festoons of different forms.

Depending on the main armor that you plan to use over padded aketon armor, we offer different quantity of layers of padding. If you’ll wear gambeson coat under the chainmail, so 5-6 layers will be required. If there will be full-plate armor or brigandine, so 2-3 layers of wadding is enough.

If you plan to wear steel spaulders or plate arms over this padded gambeson, please add leather fastenings for steel arms.

Leather is main material for this type of gambeson. We may make it of black or red leather or of unusual wine-red or yellow leather. Here is one more model: medieval aketon of leather of the XV century. Leather armour for LARP or fantasy style events are in corresponding category.

If you choose half-coloured or quarter-coloured padded gambeson, please inform us at [email protected], what colours you prefer and its exact disposition.

There are two layers of padding in sleeves by default. If you want to change it, please contact us via e-mail.

Main photo shows long gambeson with following options:

• 2 layer of padding;
• green leather for outer shell;
• green linen for inner shell;
• L-size;
• brown leather straps with handcrafted brass buckles for fastening;
• straight bottom edge.

Benefits, which you’ll get, if you buy medieval gambeson at Steel Mastery:

1. Custom-made high-quality padded underarmor, made of natural fabrics by your individual parameters;
2. Reliability and comfortable wearing for years;
3. Product made by experienced tailors, who really know how to make a good armor;
4. Convenient payment systems (Paypal, Skrill, Visa, MasterCard, American Express);
5. Flexible return system in case if you don’t like an item.

We recommend completing your gambeson with padded chausses and pelerine.

Please, also have a look at these models of medieval padded underarmor of the same historical period: ordinary gambeson, European gambeson. If you need long or short-sleeved gambeson, these models might be interesting for you: long gambeson of the XI-XV centuries, gambeson of the VI-XIII centuries.

In section “Gambeson”, you can see all models that we offer for ordering. If you didn’t find any for your taste and wish, please send us photo and description of the required model and we will make it for you.

In this article, we're telling how to choose a gambeson.