Any experience with Steel-Mastery gambesons?

[Barca]

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

[admin]

I don't have any personal experience of these, but you might want to check MyArmoury for reviews, because I know some people over there had a few issues with delivery times from Steel Mastery, but that may be resolved now.
Based on the photos they do indeed look well made, but they also look rather big and baggy fitted - I couldn't hope to fit such a thing under well fitted plate armour for example. The original examples those aketons are based on are much tighter fitting.

[Barca]

Yes, I think there was some kind of delivery issues a few years ago, but I couldn't find much on recent issues.

They do look very thick, which is OK for me, as I would use them as the primary form of armour (with a leather plastron/apron perhaps). But yes, they look too thick for attaching plate armour to.

I'm also still considerint the SPES gambesons (including the AP jacket). Actually, I really like the look of the AP as a 'modern' fencing item, my main beef is the fact it lacks the lower hip/upper thigh protection that a longer jack or gambeson offers.

Decisions... decisions... Still, these are good conundrums to have, it wasn't so many years ago there was nothing except really dodgy and cheap gambesons, really expensive custom iems, or modern fencing coaches jackets.

[Michael S]

The shorter cut of the AP jacket can largely be negated if it's used in conjunction with a padded skirt, but that's an additional 55 Eurobucks. (I recently wrote a review of lots of their kit here.)

Still, more options are better than than none.

[admin]

I have the AP jacket and love it. I haven't personally found a need for the skirt yet, but I may get one at some point.

[Barca]

I still like the idea of having extra coverage for the upper thighs and groin, even if it is simply in the form of a leather (or thick fabric) apron, as the Polish guys like to use over the top of their gambesons or jackets. This is also a historical solution, as it seems to have worked well for Victorian's practicing quarterstaff, bayonet and other combatives.

The slim, snug fit of the AP jacket does cut a nice, clean figure though.