PBT - NEW HEMA equipment line

[Harry]

hi folks, (I don't know where to post it, so I post it here)

today I received the new PBT-HEMA line. some of you already have seen the first version in Dijon, so today I got the version "mk II"

included was:

back head protector, jacket, throatguard and forearm guard

short conclusion:

the backhead is awesome... it is not so heavy and thick and therefore also not so hot as the allstar and it will be cheaper AND it will avaiable in the US, because PBT has local suppliers in the US.

the throatguard: this part rules!!!! it has a thin flexible chest piece and a very stiff, thick throat piece (hard plastic)

the jacket: best jacket atm on the market for HEMA... arms are horizontally sewed on the body part, so the jacket doesn't lift that much if you go into "vom Tag" or into similar positions, you have a folded AND partial sewed collar to avoid that your thrust is slipping under mask into your head. a 4 mm hard chest piece, back piece and rip chage piece. thick padded upper arms, thin padded forearms. I think this part is amazing

forearm guard: I am not soooo happy with the actual version, but I think it will be the way to go. the guard is meant to be an additional part to the jacket. so it is just a 6mm rubber plate which will be fixed like a bracer. it is also meant to be a "cut the length for yourself" piece. I think the solution is very good, I am just not soo happy with the actual model.

photos will follow asap .I hope today in the (european) evening.

[admin]

These sound amazing Harry!
For those who don't know, PBT has a UK web shop as well.
Do you have any idea about prices yet? The problem I find with most of the jackets in that regard is that many average people would have to sell a kidney to buy one.

[Harry]

These sound amazing Harry!
For those who don't know, PBT has a UK web shop as well.
Do you have any idea about prices yet? The problem I find with most of the jackets in that regard is that many average people would have to sell a kidney to buy one.

prices... I already asked them for... my guesses...

neck guard ~ € 25,-- - 30,--

backhead ~ € 50,-- - 55,--

jacket ~ € 170,-- - 230,--

forearm ~ 15,-- - 20,--

there are just my guesses!!!! there are not confirmed by PBT, but this are the areas we talked about during our last session. I don't know if the changes we have to make had much influence in the prices.

[Harry]

so here are some pics...


on a UHLSPORT mask, fits good, also on a LEON PAUL and of course on the PBT masks, I don't have any others


the connection part is stronger and longer than before


backside view


massive throat piece to protect the throat ball adequate


even from the side. the stiff part goes all around and you can still move your head


addon to the jacket


front view.. massive jacket, removeable inlays in the chest and the shoulders, thicker padding in the upper arms and the arms are sewed on horizontally


some mentioned that the jacke didn't let you bend forward, this has been solved, now you have two seperated inlays in the front area


you can also see it in the side view


the collar has been stichted two times, so this is now a real thrust catcher

[Hugh]

Nice.
I like the look of the throat protector particularly.
"massive jacket" you say? How massive do they go, i wonder?
(I require an embarrasingly large size... and of course, they assume just cos you have a 50" chest, you must have really long arms too)

[Magnus Hagelberg]

Awesome Harry!

when can I order a jacket?

how much changes did you make compared to the one I tried in Dijon?

Butt what happened to the zipper?? it's still at the back!

[Harry]

Nice.
I like the look of the throat protector particularly.
"massive jacket" you say? How massive do they go, i wonder?
(I require an embarrasingly large size... and of course, they assume just cos you have a 50" chest, you must have really long arms too)

well, I guess we haven't met each other in real life so far, because you would know I will need laaaaaaaaaaaaaaarge sizes too

as far as I know PBT is making the by special meassurements to, but of course it will be more expensive.

[Harry]

Awesome Harry!

when can I order a jacket?

how much changes did you make compared to the one I tried in Dijon?

Butt what happened to the zipper?? it's still at the back!

the jacket is not in the market right now, I guess it will take a further month.

changes to the jacket from dijon as I already wrote above the pics:

the jacket: best jacket atm on the market for HEMA... arms are now horizontally sewed on the torso part, so the jacket doesn't lift that much if you go into "vom Tag" or into similar positions, you have a folded AND partial sewed collar to avoid that your thrust is slipping under mask into your head. a 4 mm hard chest piece, back piece and rip chage piece. thick padded upper arms, thin padded forearms. I think this part is amazing

what I have forgotten to mention is, that the front plate is now splitted into two section. chest plate and hip plate. so you know can bend/bow easily. also the I.33 guys

[admin]

Will the zip remain on the back?

[Harry]

yes, because it is easier for the inlays to cut.

[Wolfgang Ritter]

That all sounds (and looks) really good, if that's the pricerange I'll surely order some of it (no interst in the forarm protection, but the rest is promising)!

[KeithFarrell]

Interestingly, the forearm guard looks very much like a simple leather bracer that we see being worn by re-enactors and LARPers the world over. I have never found these to be much use personally, has anyone found them to be particularly useful? Is this PBT version any better than 4mm leather cut to the same shape?

[Knife Thrower]

I wore this in Dijon and it was very promising indeed. I'd definitely be interested in one and the differences sound like exactly the right things to have done. Can't wait!

[Motley]

Interestingly, the forearm guard looks very much like a simple leather bracer that we see being worn by re-enactors and LARPers the world over. I have never found these to be much use personally, has anyone found them to be particularly useful? Is this PBT version any better than 4mm leather cut to the same shape?

Yes very useful they have saved my arms a few times. Forearm hits with a steel sword, even not very hard, can be very painful. I know

[Harry]

the forearm is a 6mm rubberfoam, it dumps impacts very well and they are meant to be worn together with the jacket.

@simon: this forearm on the picture is not the same anymore like the one I had in Dijon.


atm the forearm guard is the part I am not really happy about.

maybe you have a clue how to solve the problem of the many different lengths of the human forearms WITHOUT being to expensive for making the all by measurement :-/

so the version we have atm is a self cutting version. so everybody will get the pre-cut guard in size that even Simon will be happy with and you will get a manual with a sizesketch scale 1:1 you just overlay on the guard and cut it by yourself into perfect sizes.

this version is suitable and cheap, I am just not happy with the material atm.

[admin]

IMO the simplest answer to the problem of arm lengths is to have a glove with a long cuff. Then you effectively create a telescope when the two are put together. In other words, let the jacket worry about the top of the forearm and the glove worry about the bottom of the forearm, somewhere in the middle they will overlap.

[Harry]

this was also my idea, making gloves like the ensifer ones, but they are more expensive.

on monday we tried the new stuff completly in sparring... the jacket is quite good, even while feder-sparring, also the throat guard and the backhead cover... the forearm doesn't protect anything

[admin]

Thanks for your honest reviewing Harry!

[Harry]

no prob...

[KeithFarrell]

What made the forearm guard useless in your opinion? Was it the shape being wrong, or is the material just not good enough?