Re: The price of playing

[Julien de Montfort <julien@spiaggia.org>]

Poster: Julien de Montfort <julien@spiaggia.org>

> reason why some (including myself) do not do heavy weapons fighting.
>And
> that is because it is one of the more expensive parts of our hobby.
>To be
> sure, this is not a complaint or idle lament on my part. I realize
>that
> the economics of the situation will not change because I wish it so.
>The
> materials that go into armor do not come at 1.99/yard and never will.

Actually, you might be surprised -- there are indeed ways of making
armor that literally is 1.99/yard -- or less.  About the only real
expensive part of armor is likely to be your helmet, and that can be
gotten second-hand for as low as 35 or 50 bucks, depending (if you
don't mind some of the less attractive looking things that are out
there, such as the infamous GWAR helmet that was making it's rounds
about our loaner gear some years ago before somebody took it as their
own -- I'd swear that thing was made out of 4-guage steel. ;->)

Anywhoo, yes, you can get decent body armor for that little -- it just
takes a little creativity.  Other suggestions have been put forth by
others, to which I'll add my own -- a gambeson, if done right, can be
cheap, spiff-looking, and both comfortable and protective.  It can be
reinforced with cut pieces of plastic, or plates of metal otherwise
viewed as scrap, and the like.  Hide underneath it some protective
athletic equipment as needed to make the minimum safety requirements,
and maybe another piece or two here and there, and you're good to go.
Maybe not the best, or what you ultimately want to work with, but
enough to get you started safely.  And from there, it's just adding to
and upgrading pieces as you feel they are warranted and/or affordable.

Julien

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Seigneur Julien de Montfort                  De sable, seme d'hermines
"Solum Dice Nullus Sunt Suficio"          d'or, un chef emanche argent
Seneschal, Web Minister, pursuivant@large
Canton de Spiaggia Levantina                   http://www.spiaggia.org
Bright Hills, Atlantia                             julien@spiaggia.org
----------------------------------------------------------------------
=======================================================================
List Archives, FAQ, FTP:  http://merryrose.atlantia.sca.org/
            Submissions:  atlantia@atlantia.sca.org
        Admin. requests:  majordomo@atlantia.sca.org