Chainmail (mail, maille) is SO misunderstood and this video attempts to clear up the confusion.
Пікірлер: 2 100
@gamingyoda95824 жыл бұрын
"Australian man yells about strong circles"
@mike76524 жыл бұрын
Best assessment of anything ever!
@dakotamartin31194 жыл бұрын
You said it wrong.
@carculis92074 жыл бұрын
THIS COMMENT I EVERYTHING. 👍.
@JohnChefman3 жыл бұрын
Thanks yoda
@doug24963 жыл бұрын
Lol
@izayo44475 жыл бұрын
butted mail = for cosplay riveted mail = for real use
@NEOMNIMON5 жыл бұрын
My 14 guage European 6in1 butted mail disagrees. With testing it will withstand similar abuse as 16 guage 4in1 riveted. (Closest thing to a standard for hysterically accurate round ring maille) My hauberk weighs about 62pounds, but I like the weight.
@izayo44475 жыл бұрын
@@NEOMNIMON my mail are made from small chain rings linked togather quite strong. cannot pull with bare hands but I used full plate armor anyway just used them to absorb impact force before it reach the inside pads.
@DeHeld85 жыл бұрын
There is also a thing called welded mail. That's even stronger stuff (but incredibly labour-intensive to make compared to the already labour intensive rivited type) But another option is to do what the Romans did: In the place where you're most likely to get hit, put an extra layer of mail! In the case of a roman soldier this would be the shoulders, since the rest of their body would be behind their large scutum shield. And the head was obviously protected by a shiny galea.
@ErikAdalbertvanNagel5 жыл бұрын
welded mail = for serious use
@NEOMNIMON5 жыл бұрын
My next mail project is probably going to be weilded.
@Azlorn6 жыл бұрын
Jeez, talk about mail privilege.
@Goblin_Tits6 жыл бұрын
I see what you did there!
@risqueblue4205 жыл бұрын
Misogyny
@littlegreenhelmetboi41485 жыл бұрын
AugurOfDankmeme i think you mean mailsoginy
@matthewnunya84835 жыл бұрын
Those dang silver mails alway oppressing us!
@critsfreaks99705 жыл бұрын
I actually identify as scale mail not my biological gender mail
@jasonkeats9315 жыл бұрын
hearing you talk about chain mail was surprisingly *RIVETING*
@noodlesgamebox59034 жыл бұрын
R/beatmetoit
@sloppysalami54904 жыл бұрын
r/foundthemobileuser
@astralsailor4 жыл бұрын
NO
@PaulusMair4 жыл бұрын
Someone had basically said the exact same thing before you.
@vereinigtekonigreicheoster354 жыл бұрын
Sloppy Salami Ok boomer
@canadadry54497 жыл бұрын
could you say riveted mail is . . .riveting?
@darthvader65335 жыл бұрын
Go away
@samuelterry18014 жыл бұрын
Take your laugh an leave
@alexandru-adrianpetrovschi96357 жыл бұрын
To think how many lies the mainstream thinks about medieval martial equipment, to think how many lies i believed before discovering your channel, thanks, have a sub
@thaton3guy1007 жыл бұрын
Alexandru-Adrian Petrovschi not hard to believe, just look at how they lied during this election about trump
@alexandru-adrianpetrovschi96357 жыл бұрын
joe botsch but with the birth of this global network where few knowledgeable people can compete with the old media monopoly, the truth emerges to light in the form of a rough crystal with a budget 1000 times smaller and 1000 times more appealing, washing away the fog of lies in aspects such as history, politics, philosophy, technology, science and many other subjects
@zegakai7 жыл бұрын
not to add to your paranoia, but how do you know this guy isn't feeding you incorrect information? What are his credentials? Some hobbyist you found on youtube that you liked? I'm on here watching too. Just playing devil's advocate.
@alexandru-adrianpetrovschi96357 жыл бұрын
zegakai He actually invested money into his hobby, that's denoting a serious and maybe addictive devotion to his hobby
@sirgalah5614 жыл бұрын
How deep does your sub go?? Does it have any torpedoes?
@glenngriffon80325 жыл бұрын
Shad: "You need to have riveted mail" Internet: "But it's too hard to make and too expensive to buy."
@stopsign16264 жыл бұрын
Glenn Griffon Gotta save up. That’s what I’ll do.
@ataphelicopter57342 жыл бұрын
I’ve had a potentially brilliant and potentially stupid idea: weld the ends of butted mail with a very small weld, it would increase strength greatly, and then layer some riveted mail with large washers on top
@mechanicalturk52022 жыл бұрын
@Pro Semite Just in case you have a trial by combat
@dayoki80912 жыл бұрын
@Pro Semite protection in the streets of london duh
@ApersonIguess-rb6fu Жыл бұрын
@Theo Paidi a lot of reasons, for one butchers and other jobs that handle sharps knives or other objects often wear mail in the form of gloves to protect their hands and not to mention if you're living in an area with high amounts of stabbings having mail would provide you with a great deal of protection against knife attacks
@riririi4 жыл бұрын
Him:"butted male is absolute crap!" Me making butted male as i watch this :"😢"
@campfortson43873 жыл бұрын
Ha, well no need to worry unless you're wearing it to actual battle lol
@patrickwelles30463 жыл бұрын
one welder later...
@JohnDoe_693 жыл бұрын
MAIL
@riririi3 жыл бұрын
Ups😆 mail...
@panicmosem59692 жыл бұрын
I'm sure your boyfriend will forgive you 🙂
@iamchillydogg7 жыл бұрын
Divers use chainmail to protect themselves from sharks.
@JonatasAdoM7 жыл бұрын
Also those guys who play with energy (can't remember their name)
@jenniferbrewer53707 жыл бұрын
Sharks have bite force; they don't need blunt force weapons. Chainmail won't save you from crush injuries. Fortunately, they tend not to use their full bite force when they're just checking you out.
@iamchillydogg7 жыл бұрын
Jennifer Brewer Do you think every shark in the ocean is a Great White?
@jenniferbrewer53707 жыл бұрын
iamchillydogg, are you familiar with the bite force a bull shark is capable of? Or the tiger shark, who routinely bites through the shells of green sea turtles?
@CatsWithShoes7 жыл бұрын
butchers wear gloves made of very fine mail.
@samuelleask11327 жыл бұрын
I guess you could say that riveted mail is the lord of the Rings........................ XD
@JonatasAdoM7 жыл бұрын
Wow....
@andrewhammers66577 жыл бұрын
Lol best comment ever
@mkschoch93887 жыл бұрын
Samuel Leask well done
@aurourus68947 жыл бұрын
xDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
@lolloblue96467 жыл бұрын
Samuel Leask Oooh I see what you did there! XD
@sgr18885 жыл бұрын
Deadliest Warrior: "This isn't real armor" Me: "Your not real scientists/historians"
@119winters54 жыл бұрын
You're*
@NoctuaOW4 жыл бұрын
You're
@maxdunn47563 жыл бұрын
Yore
@sumrandumguy71773 жыл бұрын
Yör
@normalcitizen_13 жыл бұрын
U
@silverdragonwolf16 жыл бұрын
Which is why I liked Myth Busters and the approach its cast had when they used pigs as a human analog, they usually set the pigs up on line so that they could at least simulate the behavior of actually getting struck.
@douglasfulmer54838 жыл бұрын
You forgot to mention that most chain mail nowadays is crappy aluminum.
@szt19806 жыл бұрын
It would cost a fortune back then
@mrsslibby68575 жыл бұрын
It depends on where you get it. A lot of the actual armor pieces people will still make out of steel but it’s also kind of unreasonable for people to expect chainmail to be made historically accurate. People today aren’t using it for going into battle. I make chainmail jewelry and I use aluminum because it would be ridiculously heavy otherwise. Likewise, when people buy chainmail to use for cosplay, they don’t need it to be strong enough to stand up to an actual blade.
@wetstoffels31985 жыл бұрын
@@mrsslibby6857 This isn't jewelry, it's armor.
@mrsslibby68575 жыл бұрын
Wet Stoffels yes but when most people are using it purely for aesthetics it might as well be.
@demonheart135 жыл бұрын
@@wetstoffels3198 have your never heard of decorative armor? Lots of modern and even ancient tradition armor is made of less then optimal material if it's not meant to be used in real battle. Ceremonial armor, decorative weapons, do you think they are using their best steel for these. Nope. Besides, chainmail jewelry is great for nerdy flare. I know my necklace gets as much attention as my boyfriend's chainmail shirt (thinkgeek). And niether of those items are combat ready.
@FriendlyArchpriest7 жыл бұрын
Now the DEX bonus to AC makes sense...
@marshallinnocent52756 жыл бұрын
Dragon Sorcerer X SCA friend of mine brought in a full suit of light plate and did a back handspring in it to win an argument with our DM about whether or not he should get his dex bonus in heavy armor. Was an eye opener. Knights were athletes not lumbering idiots.
@jlokison5 жыл бұрын
Depends on the knight
@keithw49205 жыл бұрын
Could he still do the back handspring if he had his shield, longsword, 50 gold pieces, 200 silver pieces, backpack with 3 days rations, 3 healing potions, 2 vials of holy water, 1 torch, holy symbol, longbow and quiver with twenty +1 arrows?
@DinTheVex5 жыл бұрын
While I'd agree that technically he would still be dextrous im real life, you dint get your dex bonus in dnd while wearing plate because the book says so, and because balance. Think about it, without granting additional bonuses, theres no reason to wear light armor over full plate in the game if full plate, shield, and max dex gives me 24/25 AC lol
@lordhawkeye5 жыл бұрын
Stealth checks and encumbrance are the first two things I'd think about when deciding between light or heavy armor. Not to mention a certain level of Str should be required to wear the heavy stuff easily. You can't sleep in plate either, can't cast spells unless you are proficient in it. There are plenty of reasons to decide between heavy or light armor. It is called being prepared for the situation. If you are going into a fight you should want as much armor as possible. If you are scouting, aka not actively looking to enter combat, you'll want light armor to hide, swim, climb and move silently to get around easier.
@_Lionsin6 жыл бұрын
When I saw the picture of the riveted mail, my immediate thought was "GOD DAMN THAT MUST OF BEEN EXPENSIVE TO MAKE" lol.
@Seth98093 жыл бұрын
It was the most valuable thing a warrior had, besides maybe a horse or a house.
@davidwestin63453 жыл бұрын
Ikr
@honeycherries68035 жыл бұрын
Once I saw your channel, I immediately binge watched your vids, I'm surprised it still doesn't have millions of subscribers that it deserves! We are trying to raise a small larping community in our locality and I'll be sure to send them your way most especially to educate them about modern misconceptions. Keep up the great work
@theroyalteabagyoutube49287 жыл бұрын
Shad u should be on the history channel
@rembliekain76435 жыл бұрын
History channel is not what it used to be they have been producing a lot of fiction recently to maintain ratings because the lack ofeducation in the average population means they just are not as concerned with the truth sometimes when they are looking for something entertaining. Yes there are many smart and educated people out there just not as large a percent as there were a generation or two past. Generally speaking. Just one example Roland the Bear(Died c878AD)and Ivar the Boneless(Died c773AD) in real life were not alive at the same time. No Shad deserves his own tv channel.
@jayteegamble5 жыл бұрын
He believes in Ancient Aliens?
@kevcaratacus94284 жыл бұрын
@@rembliekain7643 your absolutely spot on. & its not just the history channel its education in general thats poor, compared to when I was at school . History used to be about our heritage our past & now its about WW2 or Africa . People are leaving school & don't know about the history of their own country. On utube I'm always having arguments with people that don't wanna know the truth, they think they know everything. Most of the utube history sites are clueless or repeating stuff that's long outdated. We're updating/correcting what we thought was right yeara ago but know it's not especially with the new technology we have today . But sadly most people aint interested in learning anymore
@cearfarseer97254 жыл бұрын
Too bad the history channel only rolls out crap reality tv and alien speculation these days. I miss the old history channel that covered real history.
@kevcaratacus94284 жыл бұрын
@@cearfarseer9725 me too! I used to love old history channel , I can't stand the alien & other nonsense they show nowadays. It's basically the same thing everytime. There's not any decent proper history channels atm I mean ancient history, these days history seems to mean ww1 or ww2 . I remember history channels About the romans, was on about 20 yrs ago ,& each episode was an hour and about a different thing , military, ,- senators & how government works, - Clothing, jewellery & fashion of Roman men & women.. each episode was great Really in depth & explained ev thing about the topic . They did a similar one about Saxons too! .. I havnt seen anything really good & informative like that in years. There use to be really good things on most days of the week on Hist Ch. Now it's very occaisionly.
@sgtmoose19428 жыл бұрын
If it didn't work people wouldn't have worn it for thousands of years. Hell the Romans had mail, the lorica hamata was Roman mail.
@ragnkja6 жыл бұрын
And riveted mail would be _far_ too expensive to use unless it was actually effective.
@michaelschaust12925 жыл бұрын
If I remember right, the romans started using mail after coming into contact with the celts. Im pretty sure they invented it. The roman army was very good at taking other cultures technologies and adapting them to their purposes and mass reproducing them. The gladius is another good example of this.
@theusher28935 жыл бұрын
@@michaelschaust1292 Bingo. The Celts did invent chain mail, as well as an early type of brigandine.
@richardwebb23484 жыл бұрын
The first chainmail dates from the 3rd century BCE (Slovakia/Romania), and was in use in Europe until the 14th century.
@dandadamo42994 жыл бұрын
"Shad gets angry about maille for 12 minutes straight."
@GogiRegion5 жыл бұрын
Watching this while making a mail tunic. Sadly only butted because I don’t have the stuff and experience to make riveted, yet, but I would love to make a riveted tunic someday.
@h.p.baxter81505 жыл бұрын
Nice to read someone else is actually making this. Currently working on my riveted mail tunic ( roman mail, 50% solid/50% open rings, purchased premade rings). Still remember the first times putting it on, the feeling is just..majestic? And its soo light, just about 6 Kg. Could wear it all day. Weaving was done several month ago, i did rivet half of the open rings in "chains" before weaving everything together... slows down the visible progress but is much easier than riveting every open ring in the finished piece. Now im left with about 40% rings to rivet. Working on it several times a week, still plenty of hours to go. Just wanted to let you know that your not the only crazy one to actually do this, keep it up!
@imuffin50043 жыл бұрын
I am collecting poptabs for mail
@cbjewelz2 жыл бұрын
@@h.p.baxter8150 where did you source your rings?
@snoopbubbles6817 жыл бұрын
The more you know about mail, the less you know about female
@DesertVan6 жыл бұрын
Except the guy from medieval review His wife is a beauty!
@shobhitkaul80766 жыл бұрын
Snoop Bubbles there are butt males and then there are riveting males... U know who's better.
@sukhoiboy41406 жыл бұрын
original comment
@dimdecember23525 жыл бұрын
both are weak againts thrusting ;D
@7REDDRACO75 жыл бұрын
hahahahaha she wears mail in my bed hahahahaha
@jakubhanak42238 жыл бұрын
I couldn´t agree more. These things bother me too. Your channel is full of good points. Thanks for that. I´m a subscriber.
@shadiversity8 жыл бұрын
+Jakub Hanák I'm honored mate, thanks heaps for the sub!
@jakubhanak42238 жыл бұрын
I am Shad I am actually planning to test a mail armour in the way that it shall be tested and make a video about it so people could see what bollocks we are fed with. It might take a while but I thank you so much for inspiration.
@shadiversity8 жыл бұрын
+Jakub Hanák I can't wait to see it. Make sure to let me know when it's done. Good luck with it mate!
@jakubhanak42238 жыл бұрын
I am Shad Definitely :-) If you ever considered visiting Central Europe or the Czech Republic or our neighbourhood countries like Germany or Poland which are more famous for their HEMA and fencing skills I´d gladly help you :-)
@craftdefender198 жыл бұрын
Agree agree
@themanofman18923 жыл бұрын
I love all the videos either talking up or talking down certain historical weapons or armor, it helps me make my dnd experience a bit more realistic.
@kochetovalex6 жыл бұрын
Quite nice! Chainmail is good - but ONLY when it is coupled with padded gambeson. Otherwise, sword/mace/pike would crush the bones and rip the flesh under the chainmail.
@Bubajumba6 жыл бұрын
Thats why they used shields you know.
@rBennich6 жыл бұрын
How about a leather jacket?
@jlokison5 жыл бұрын
Even with flexible leather or a padded gambeson a strong impact could still break bones through chain but it was harder, the break was less likely to be a shatter and the chances of your skin staying intact were much better. This saved you from infection, a bigger killer than war at the time, and if you could get the bone set properly you'd be fine.
@fredscholpp58385 жыл бұрын
a point to note is that mail alone absorbs quite a bit of impact. not by direct resistance, but dispersing the energy. the ripples you see when mail is struck, is energy flowing away from the point of impact. Mail worn alone over robust cloth provides decent protection, hardly worthless with padding. But against heavy impact, yep that gambeson really helps! The combination of the two seems to be greater than the sum of the two layers.
@fredscholpp58385 жыл бұрын
@@jlokison You might want to read some current historical medical research. Find anything on historic wounds written by Dr Richard Swinney! (An ER Surgeon and medical historian)You'll find it very enlightening. The belief that open wounds were very likely to lead to death by infection is often over-stated. It ignores some important points: the effectiveness of medieval wound treatment, especially in post-Crusade era, such as use of wine for wound cleansing, and the very robust immunity of medieval adults. Not saying your point isn't valid, just that the open wound=death by infection we used to hear is being challenged. Something about study of medieval bodies with lots of healed old wounds, which we used to assume were a certain death.
@Aegox7 жыл бұрын
It is good, hell some police wear it for stabbing protection. My buddy in Law enforcement wears a lightweight one under his uniform for that reason.
@jensbond937 жыл бұрын
Is there someway to quickly despose of it incase you need to run after somebody? In jail it should be magnificent tho.
@Aegox7 жыл бұрын
Not really. But its like Medieval knights; you train while wearing it so it feels like you're not. You Learn to run faster while wearing it because you get stronger.
@TheAlgorath7 жыл бұрын
And fuck up your back. I wore ceramic body armor for years. It kills your back. Steel, like we're talking about, isn't much different. Maybe a rookie, but a veteran wearing that stuff for years? He's going to let you go.
@Aegox7 жыл бұрын
Perks of Mail armor; amazing weight distribution that actually helps to prevent back damage. Not to mention depending on the officer; you're not usually standing, you're sitting in a cruiser.
@ltsallwood7 жыл бұрын
Could you find out for me Arron where your buddy gets the armor he wears? I'm looking into wearing some on a daily basis when I go out in public and I'm wanting some high quality riveted mail.
@urbanmyths958 жыл бұрын
what's even worse is when the maille is simply hanging loose
@Nikarus23707 жыл бұрын
it pisses me off so much. But when making cheap costume mail, it saves on rings significantly. I had a suit of it, in hindsight it was complete garbage. Most entertainingly, when I went and made another suit of butted mail, although with the pattern rotated 90 degrees.. It physically weighed like 30% more, but only felt like it weighed about the same, probably because properly angled mail actually kinda hugs/squeezes your body, and distributes the weight better, was really strange.
@arthas6405 жыл бұрын
ive seen some videos where they wrap something in shitty mail, literally stand on top of their target and start chopping at it like they're chopping firewood. It doesnt really matter how good the armor is, if your standing on top of your enemy and hacking away at him like a stubborn log that armor will break. I saw a guy rambling about how good katanas were and he used two handed chops to wack away and some butted chainmail like that and literally broke the mail by using the katana like a freaking axe and busting the mail apart an then went on about how katanas were unstoppable killing tools unrivaled by even todays thermonuclear warheads in pure murder potential and blah blah blah...
@nicholask73475 жыл бұрын
@@arthas640 in that regard then a common Rock could be pounded through mail given enough blows and time. And speaking of time rocks have killed more people throughout all of history than any other weapons system in existence. Therefore the humble, almost ever present, rock is by far more murderous than any katana.
@arthas6405 жыл бұрын
@@nicholask7347 its always the ones you dont suspect. Deer kill more people each year then wolves and coconuts kill more people then sharks
@christianeicher39494 жыл бұрын
The best part about his videos is when he goes off about something
@Rain-ti1dz4 жыл бұрын
Great info man... love how into it you got😊 it gets on my nerves constantly seeing people bag on things they think they know about but got no clue
@tsurshaia87979 жыл бұрын
I still prefer Email :/
@shadiversity9 жыл бұрын
Tsur Shaia lol, loves the puns
@tsurshaia87979 жыл бұрын
Tnx. BTW I love your narrating in Tabletop Time.
@shadiversity9 жыл бұрын
Tsur Shaia Why thank you, I'm very glad you like ^_^
@DZ-19876 жыл бұрын
i prefer my plate over Email ;)
@shobhitkaul80766 жыл бұрын
Tsur Shaia a butt-ad email is no good as well.
@danielkorladis78697 жыл бұрын
Also as you mentioned, mail wouldn't be just by itself over the person's skin, they'd have a gambeson underneath. Chainmail was used as the outer layer of a system of armor and taken as a whole (gambeson + chainmail), was very effective against slashing attacks and even piercing ones from blades that weren't pointy enough.
@_ArsNova11 ай бұрын
A bit brash at times, but everything you say is 110% true! Historical chainmail is so much different than how we think of it today! Would love to try and assemble a shirt of riveted mail one day when I'm in retirement haha.
@maryjames9356 жыл бұрын
Thank you so much for this video to put Chain Mail into perspective as to it weak points and the differences in mail and the historical context! very informative! thanks again for your time in making this video!
@tapioperala30107 жыл бұрын
Very good video! Mail is *still* being used against cutting, used for over 1000 years. You. Do. Not. Cut. Through. (real) Mail. End of story. Games, movies, etc. should get this right. Add proper gambeson under a hauberk, and you're pretty nicely covered. Light, mobile, and excellent vs. cutting. Thumbs up, Shad!
@viktorthevictor62407 жыл бұрын
True
@karthagoontuhottava61157 жыл бұрын
Tapio perälä Bullshit. There isn't a cut-proof maille.
@OptimisticPessimist7 жыл бұрын
True, a grinder could cut through it. Good luck getting a blade through riveted mail, though. Go ahead, I'll wait.
@j.f.fisher53187 жыл бұрын
Yeah, at 4:58, the ax swinging down hits the front and rips the mail apart - clearly cheap butted mail.
@mithmon20847 жыл бұрын
Love how my comment was deleted because I disagree with OP.
@ravenpineshomestead6 жыл бұрын
The weight of butted mail feels like a full body hug, so there's that 🤣
@samuelhafoka98895 жыл бұрын
Thank you for sharing this informative video confirming the effectiveness of riveted chainmail. Especially for encounters with many of the Asian martial systems involving slicing weapons like the karambit, kukri, wakazashi, hudiedao.
@awesomeink6 жыл бұрын
Absolutely agree. Total common sense. I am a memeber of the SCA for over 20 years and we have these discussions with new people all the time. Love your channel.
@yutahkotomi51566 жыл бұрын
I see that he has a great deal of passion for these kinds of subjects and their authenticity.
@bpmfj54227 жыл бұрын
I have a question, if a gambeson was good at protecting you against cuts, and then you have chain mail protecting you even more from cuts and a little in thrusts. Why were swords still a thing in the medieval ages? Why just don't use a mace and make sure that your hit counted instead of a cut and have the unpleasent surprise that the gambeson was really good or that he's using riveted chain mail? Thanks in advance for anyone that answers me :)
@shadiversity7 жыл бұрын
The interesting thing is that swords became far less of a thing on the battlefield for that armour problem you point out. They were often carried as backup sidearms but not the main weapon. Polearms like the pike, billhook and poleaxe were used. The sword was still very big though, because it was the side arm and people carried it for personal defence in civilian environments, where armour wasn't worn.
@bpmfj54227 жыл бұрын
Thank you for your answer Shad, that question has been bugging me a little since I started watching your videos about body armor. :)
@stickmantheatre7 жыл бұрын
Swords were also a large status symbol in medieval times. They were the equivalent to a medieval Ferrari, so if you had one you were either extremely rich a member of nobility or had a sword passed down to you. also seeing a lot of knights and high nobility were related back then they wouldn't want to kill each other on the battlefield, one so they didn't have to apologies to there family for killing there brother and also because they can ransom them back to there families
@jengaaaaa7 жыл бұрын
Not true. Swords weren't that expensive and peasants and farmers also had swords and even some used cheap armor. Fancy swords and highly valuable swords were not used when strolling around town.
@teutonieth7 жыл бұрын
+jengaaaaa That would depend on the era we talk about. circa 600's -> 800's a simple sword of steel was a status symbol because it was really, really hard to make a proper durable sword at that time and the best pattern welded swords were afforded such status that they forged legends (most swords of iron would snap in half if you tried to strike it). Peasants could at best afford a seax, a simple long-knife. circa 1200's -> 1400's a longsword was the status symbol of a moderately wealthy noble or a skilled swordsman as peasants could at best afford an arming sword, or as in germany where swords were banned from peasants, messers or large knives. When a young nobleman could afford a pretty and well-made sword, oh he would stroll through the town swaggering and showing it off. This is where the term "swashbuckler" eventually came from; a young noble, looking for a chance to show off his skill with his sword and buckler which were hanging from his hip.
@kimm61894 жыл бұрын
I own a pair or chain mail gloves that I found buried deep in the back yard of a house I bought years back. These gloves were accompanied by a rather large pair of metal covered boots and a wooden knife handle. My son located these items with a detector for metal and we thought, for fun, that maybe these were medieval items belonging to a soldier or a crusader perhaps. We were told that indeed they were very old, but not likely of the medieval period. Nothing else was ever found and we have since framed our find with much pride as they are so interesting and a great conversation piece~ A Very good show this night Shad, I thank you!
@eazy8579 Жыл бұрын
Probably for a butcher or woodworker of some kind. Butchers are legally required here in the US to be given chainmaip gloves, and a lot of wood workers of many types chose yo wear them for safety reasons
@61mab6 жыл бұрын
Ha! love your enthusiasm! Pissed and explaining! Good stuff (enjoyed some of your other vids as well)
@infidelgermany8 жыл бұрын
Thank you sir, for this great video. You are speaking out of my heart. Greetings from Germany
@ryanbarker52177 жыл бұрын
i'm inspired to make a mail shirt out of paperclips....
@endorsedbryce7 жыл бұрын
i've been thinking of doing one with key chain rings, you can get 99 for a dollar at Walmart.
@MerlijnDingemanse6 жыл бұрын
EndorsedBryce that might actually work
@arthas6405 жыл бұрын
Do it, use your new mail armor to cease control of the officer from the tyrannical grip of your King (the district manager) and take his title for your own!
@sirgalah5614 жыл бұрын
I wanted to make a chain shirt using titanium rings... Problem is titanium is stupidly expensive and extraordinarily hard to work with... But think of the strength and lighthess..
@SuperMurray20094 жыл бұрын
@Bergsman100 We need photo evidence
@megaanny16 жыл бұрын
My passion isn't really in chainmail or things like that. But I watched a couple of your videos because I love how passionatly an clearly you explain these things!
@lookbehindyou79066 жыл бұрын
I've never really delved into this sort of thing, but now i've become really interested due to your videos. this is the second one ive watched. You debunking the false allegations of the chainmail simulations really boiled my beans dude! Hot deal
@manyinterests19618 жыл бұрын
and if I remember correctly there are medieval bones with traces of mail rings being smashed into them by powerful blows but rings were not broken or cut.
@EspiroTheFunny7 жыл бұрын
I try to limit my likes on videos to one or two every couple of years, you convinced me.
@shadiversity7 жыл бұрын
I am truly honoured then ^_^
@jumpykilllerqx60297 жыл бұрын
Shadiversity Yo is it true that chainmail is used in modern body armor
@vilhelmpuddintain92957 жыл бұрын
Sort of? Recently some German police started wearing chainmail 'cause they tend to get attacked more with axes and machetes and other tools that make good weapons instead of guns, or something like that. It's kind of weird, seeing riot cops wearing chainmail under a plate carrier and other tac gear, but also kinda cool. :D
@JonatasAdoM7 жыл бұрын
+Vilhelm Puddintain If it works then... fine. Just like the fact that as time passes by more and more modern armors look like medieval ones.
@vilhelmpuddintain92957 жыл бұрын
JonatasAdoM Oh, of course. If it looks stupid but it works, it ain't stupid. That having been said, I don't think it looks stupid, it looks kinda cool. ^^
@DeadBoyHK1 Жыл бұрын
I love watching your older videos now and again 😁👍 Also…if you were to put butted mail through a steel hardening process, after it’s finished being put together, would the butted mail hold up better?
@janefromcanada69435 күн бұрын
OMG your logic for the movement of the body when hit make so much sense. You really know your stuff! And great point about the demo guys using the crappy mail without the rivets!
@lst1nwndrlnd6 жыл бұрын
mail is still worn in many cut hazard areas in industry. from butchering Gloves to Tires on foundry vehicles.
@Wolvenworks4 жыл бұрын
IIRC also used for sharkproofing. can't get bit by a shark if you got chainmail on.
@lv.99mastermind454 жыл бұрын
3:39 god damn it, he made me look
@ChirpBox3 жыл бұрын
Lv.99 Mastermind omg
@ChirpBox3 жыл бұрын
*Mind blown*
@panicmosem59692 жыл бұрын
🤜🏼✉
@rembliekain76435 жыл бұрын
Finaly a decent and accurate video about chain mail. Can you do a part two to this video about some of the less commonly used types of chain mail, such as 6 in 1, 8 in two mobius ring, and types that used differing sizes of rings, etc etc. please that would be awesome. I'd love to learn what you can tell us about other forms or patterns of chain mail that were used (perhaps less often, or not as commonly) aside from the standard 4 in 1 we know of. Perhaps detailing what these other types were used for could be beneficial as well. Such as Mobius ring armor was it just to add decoration to lighter chain armor used in ceremony or was it used to protect from spears, arrows, and stabby swords like the eppe as many not likely to know what they are talking about renaissance fair people like to say it was for? thanks again for this video i hope you do plan to make a part two.
@MjolnirFeaw5 жыл бұрын
THANK YOU ! You're absolutely right of course. One more thing to add. People often think medieval soldier wore armour against enemy sword and of course they did but foremost armour was used against arrows. And given the exception of specially designed arrowheads chainmail does a magnificient job to protect against arrows.
@Marines_Memelevolent6 жыл бұрын
Hey Shad, what’s the deal with Damascus Steel? (Also, 1000th comment boom)
@jarrodnichols66395 жыл бұрын
Whole life loving medieval history. Just discovered the Shad! BADASS.
@joshuaarmstrong24455 жыл бұрын
It's been a while since I've watched some of your older stuff. You were a lot more rough around the edges and I like it.
@RaphaeLoh016 жыл бұрын
I agree, chain mail when made right would work just as well as a metal chest piece, with the flexibility of leather. The only down side in my opinion is the weight, and the other material that you'd need to wear underneath the chain mail...
@cuyvaldar37417 ай бұрын
I made myself a shirt, 6 in 1 weave, butted, 60% 18ga steel, 40% 17ga aluminum. It came out to roughly 25 lbs.
@Sunny-ld4nn5 жыл бұрын
Plate is good, mail is good. Combine plate with mail underneath and you're pretty impenetrable but watch out for war hammers
@cheesychipmunk83824 жыл бұрын
Depending on the plate harness you have, mail underneath is totally unnecessary. Generally the only reason to use it is to cover areas that stiff plates can't get too no matter how well articulated they are
@jovvy75454 жыл бұрын
@@cheesychipmunk8382 yes thats where doublets came in, and they are amazing.
@panicmosem59692 жыл бұрын
Don't forget to add the thick leather coverings!
@ParkerBrown19796 жыл бұрын
As the guy who made the riveted maille used during the end segment getting stabbed, all I can say is..... THANK YOU! Long-time subscriber. Be well.
@DavidGuild5 жыл бұрын
I'm late, but if you're still around, could you talk about how riveted mail is constructed? When he was describing it I kept thinking "that must be so tedious to make". That had to be the reason everyone's cosplaying in the weak stuff, right? Because it's so much easier to put together?
@connorwaud61345 жыл бұрын
Very informative thank you shad when I’m at the next medieval festival I’ll have a interesting chain mail question to ask
@acetraker19882 жыл бұрын
Now I wanna craft real chain mail with nano machines with super perfect rings, as you said. As you said piercing weapons is the weakness would smaller and/or more rings or even layered be better IRL.
@HomicidalDavid5 жыл бұрын
Thank you. I'm writing a dark fantasy novel & am researching weapons and armors. I will try and create my own lore, but I also want to have actual armor etc. that existed.
@imjustherewastaken2 жыл бұрын
Are you done yet
@themaskedmarauder35354 жыл бұрын
Hey Shad, i sm thinking of making my own chainmail armour, and was wondering if welding rings together would make it as strong as riveted mail?
@lanemir_sindjelic2 жыл бұрын
It would
@eazy85792 жыл бұрын
Figured I’d swing by and ask how the project went?
@themaskedmarauder35352 жыл бұрын
hey @Eazy8 I tried using an industrial welder, melted the rings straight away, puddle on the floor, then I tried soldering them, which if you know what that is its a similar form of welding used for electronics, and that worked you have to heat the rings before adding the solder or it forms into little metal globs that do hold it tight, but any impact can break them off.
@hughjass51566 жыл бұрын
This guy seems like a pretty personable dude. Like he would be really interesting to hang out and have a couple beers with.
@brianshannahan69835 жыл бұрын
A few years ago I bought a set of chainmail. Due to not knowing any better, I bought a suit of butted mail. I loved it, but I was surprised at how heavy it was and how easily the links broke. I'm glad you made this video, I was guilty of a lot of the misconceptions you called out here. The only downside is that now I really want a set of riveted mail... ;-)
@steelwarrior1058 жыл бұрын
The best one I've seen is cold steel testing a warhammer on butted mail, it's great
@deathclaw8177 жыл бұрын
the best armor is not getting hit
@Horny_Fruit_Flies6 жыл бұрын
The best armour is not going to war in the first place :D
@hankrearden206 жыл бұрын
Daniel Lichlyter I would've thought plot armor was the best. Too cliche? I know, but I couldn't resist.
@carbon12556 жыл бұрын
Too many main characters die for my liking. I think the best armour is the tracked variety.
@felize326 жыл бұрын
The best armour is plenty of distance
@mohawkmanyyack23906 жыл бұрын
Dexterity based armor class?
@Mertle_The_Turtle_51655 жыл бұрын
Man! Wish I had watched this before yesterday! I had ordered an inexpensive mail tunic and now I'm pretty sure it's going to be butted.
@Fnordathoth5 жыл бұрын
I have been "terribly mistreating" myself by not having watched this video sooner. Great stuff!
@TheZeroDav8 жыл бұрын
riveted is 2/3 lighter but costs 1/2 more
@tobender4ever8 жыл бұрын
How about a pig in a gambeson in riveted mail attached to some rope hanging from a tree. Would that be a better approximation? Give these to Skallagrim or Lindybeige?
@battletoads228 жыл бұрын
+Adrian Ivashkov You could get a ballistic torso like those used by Cold Steel, put it in maille, and give it a similar foundation to human legs and see what happens when you whack it.
@noruv38168 жыл бұрын
yeah...no, skallagrim wouldnt do that
@dickgrayson60396 жыл бұрын
Will mail stop a pommel or would it be ended rightly?
@GOOSEAF5 жыл бұрын
Again very nice video, and I agree. I would actually like to see you do, if you haven't already, some actual tests on something with some spring give to it, even on a very small piece of mail. I am also a collector, and an enthusiast. I have a very modest sword collection, but I'm aware how expensive mail is, that's why I suggested even a small piece of mail. But I would like very much to see you prove your point. Thanks
@powermetalfreak5 жыл бұрын
I like your video, thank you for making it. I'm wondering what your opinion is on modern welded ring mail. I know it's better than ''butted maille'', but do you beleive it's better, worse or equivalent to rivited mail.?
@ComicalHealing8 жыл бұрын
Haha, he said context in a video about HEMA. Matt Easton didn't copyright that yet? :p
@JohnSmith-tq4xw6 жыл бұрын
Anyway, if mail wasn't effective, they wouldn't have used it ^^
@panicmosem59692 жыл бұрын
Tell that to the voters! 🤣
@johnathonrouse75815 жыл бұрын
chainmail was invented by the celts , and is still, to some minor degree used to this day, thats over two thousand years of reliability.
@sandervanduren27795 жыл бұрын
johnathon rouse apparently German police will sometimes still wear suits of chainmail underneath their Kevlar when responding to a a knife attack
@GameArchiver5 жыл бұрын
My dad has a chainmail glove. The feeling of it when you wear it is really cool.
@toddwinch88547 жыл бұрын
I have an odd question. Was the maille worn as is or was it first heat treated and hardened?
@shadiversity7 жыл бұрын
Once the wire was coiled into a spring and then cut into the individual rings, they were flattened with a hammer, held over a candle or fire and then dropped in water which hardened it. This all happened before the rings were linked together.
@alexprice95737 жыл бұрын
another weird question have you heard of Washer-mail? It is a thing another you-tuber i watch came up with, it's basically 2 washers that are sandwiched over a fabric (heavy duty canvas stitched to soft leather is what he used) base then pop riveted together. He had made armor kind of like Samurai Haidatai upper leg armor. He makes mostly DIY apocalyptic Armor and Weapons.
@maanvis818 жыл бұрын
I tried counting how many times you had to put your glasses back on, but lost count :D
@jaydenton64056 жыл бұрын
I enjoy your insight on mid evil weaponry I’ve noticed many of these so-called experts lump lump all mid evil swords and armor into one category. They don’t take an account the technology of weapon making evolved over the centuries. When someone would make a better weapon in the other would like better armor and vice versa
@hunter50286 жыл бұрын
I know little of mail, but your analysis seems pedantic and logical. I will subscribe.
@sirrabbitthered84968 жыл бұрын
love your channel keep it coming
@shadiversity8 жыл бұрын
+Timothy Chaffee Thanks heaps, I'm honored you like and it will indeed keep coming!
@ddi6545 жыл бұрын
dang I was actually unaware these bs vids exist, thank you for da education
@dimitarbonev45415 жыл бұрын
Bravo! This guy did his homework properly. This is how documentaries should be made. Subscrbing now...
@danielyates31075 жыл бұрын
I absolutely love watching this nerd get all riled up over drama within his interest area lol. He had me completely invested in it too. Interesting stuff.
@taggartlawfirm5 жыл бұрын
The re-discovery of inexpensive drawn wire led to a proliferation of less expensive mail, much of which was made partly of butted rings. But even then half to two thirds of all mail rings in any work of mail, depending on pattern, were neither butted nor riveted, but rather were solid. This had been the rule since the Lorica Hamata, due to the fact that punching solid rings out of iron or steel plate (usually steel since puddling is easier in small batches) is much less time consuming than forming them on a mandrel. Solid rings, all other things being equal, are always stronger than either butted or riveted rings. When assembling mail one butted ring can connect to the center of as many solid rings as the selected pattern required. While riveted rings are stronger than butted rings, ignoring the fact that “le stoc” was used far less often the edge of the sword, mace, halberd, or spear. The heat treatment of the completed work was far more important in determining the strength of the completed armor than whether or not the connecting rings were of butted or riveted construction.
@sahlabslave9 жыл бұрын
I like reading on islamic history of the crusades and the heavy units of both muslim and crusaders were considered nearly unstoppable due to their mail and lamellar armor
@shadiversity9 жыл бұрын
Noah Sabouni Yeah the crusades were like the golden age of mail.
@sahlabslave9 жыл бұрын
Essentially to kill a knight or a mameluke/ghulam, you had to hit him at full speed with a lance on horseback or hit him enough times to.crack a bone
@18632ewa86 жыл бұрын
what do you think about Chinese paper armor? and very good video by the way.
@schnek89272 жыл бұрын
"Why am i being recommended this 7 year old video from shad?" *click* "Oh, it's to see shad being one fedora away from going full "m'lady", lol"
@Cabochon13608 жыл бұрын
Having made and fought in butted mail, I concur; it's crap as armor.
@noruv38168 жыл бұрын
it still works to degree pretty well, youre not goi g to cut through it, but easy to stab through.
@bonescripter8 жыл бұрын
So you were swung at by someone with a sword full speed wearing chain mail?
@kovi5678 жыл бұрын
Oh, you can cut that shit pretty easy, butted mail not an armor, it's a prop.
@Cabochon13607 жыл бұрын
After decades in the SCA, I've finally acquired some proper riveted mail. About half the weight of the butted hauberk I used to wear. Can't wait to fight in it (with a coat of plates over it).
@kovi5677 жыл бұрын
Cabochon1360 Why the coat of plates...or the riveted mail? Just put it over a gambeson, an extra layer won't help you that much.
@hafor28466 жыл бұрын
Well, these are some accurate points, but I have some issues with your general condemnation of butted mail. Of course it isn't historical accurate. Of course it is heavier than riveted. Of course, using cheap and weak materials will result in weak armour. And combining all of that results in a cheap TV prop. However, chainmail with thick enough rings, proper steel and 4-in-1 structure is still a tough obstacle. I own a niece mail shirt, springsteel, 4-in-1, quite thick rings and there is no chance in hell of ripping it apart like cloth. I actually tested it just now with my whole weight. It didn't rip. Maybe if some rings were already compromised I could do some damage, but not easily. Tl;dr: Saying that all butted mail is total crap is as much as a misrepresentation as the one you mentioned in your video.
@hafor28466 жыл бұрын
I even got stabbed once with a knife (we were both drunk and I urged him to 😁) and it performed admirable.
@axjkalsok10585 жыл бұрын
Vys Erion Your best armor in that case is installing a lock on the knife drawer
@snafu23505 жыл бұрын
How much quality spring steel (ie of a quality good enough to reliably forge many many small chain links from) d'you think was available 500-2000 years ago? & how many armourers/smiths could effectively use it to that purpose, even if they were known as such? We're not talking leaf springs for wagons/carriages or even xbows or basic firearms here; it's far more delicate work requiring much higher quality material & the knowledge & skill to manufacture many many tiny parts consistently, then assemble them..
@rembliekain76435 жыл бұрын
I think you need to rewatch the video he does not totally condem Butted mail. He says that when compared to Riveted mail butted mail is not as good. He also explains why. However he does not totally condemn butted mail. He says it is "Realy weak" compared to Rivited mail. Also the tearing comment he says that "if you found a weak part on the edge" it could tear from that point and keep tearing. There is one point where he does say "of course its crap" referring to butted mail being improperly tested by being braced against a hard solid object
@Dreymasmith4 жыл бұрын
Had some friends do some maille experiments some time ago. Dressed a pig carcass in gambeson and maille on a sprung stand. Both butted and rivetted withstood what was dealt out. Against arrows, not to much for the reasons you stated. Mauls and maces were amusing. While they didn't damage the maille they made a good job of tenderising the flesh beneath. But then those weapons aren't about piercing.
@byucknahthered39144 жыл бұрын
Out of curiosity, what about the different types of Maille? You mentioned 4 in 1 specifically but what about 8 in 2 "Kings Maille" or any other types? Perhaps I missed it but I didn't hear it mentioned as far as I can tell. Did 8 in 2 actually exist back in that era or is it something invented later on? Were there any benefits or negatives to it? I found your video very interesting and informative and am curious on any other facts about Maille. I really enjoyed this video and honestly would enjoy hearing more about Maille in general via your videos.
@jacobkeary67407 жыл бұрын
Mail isn't however good against bludgeoning weapons
@wizardofaus70136 жыл бұрын
Mace = bane of armour
@fuzzydunlop79286 жыл бұрын
Gambeson. A big one. With the mail. If you look at depictions of knights and fighter-types from back in the day often they look puffy. They had a lot of padding.
@Kimdino15 жыл бұрын
Possibly, it could help in many situations by spreading the impact force over a larger area. You'd have a better chance with mail than without, not greatly but some. Gambeson would multiply this effect.
@kooroshrostami274 жыл бұрын
or apears, arrows.
@ScrollwormoftheFanWings3 жыл бұрын
A lot of kinds of armour aren’t good against bludgeoning weapons (primarily warhammers), so it isn’t exactly fair to hold that against mail.
@enriquemaestas28968 жыл бұрын
Well, traditional Japanese "chainmail" was known to be butted. It is generally accepted that they did not start using riveted mail over there until, they saw European versions and copied those. Perhaps they could have had some earlier exposure to the style from Chinese merchants, but the point remains the same. Of course, the caveat is that Japanese mail was made for a rather different purpose, as it was largely worn to support other armor, or in the later post-feudal period by police forces and the like. It was not meant to provide the same kind of protections as European mail, largely because of the deficit of acute piercing weapons used in Japan. This all being said, I do not claim any form of expertise in this, I just wanted to make a point that you did not seem to address (especially as you brought up the topic of a katana point being unable to pierce "properly" made chainmail). Butted chainmail was used historically, but perhaps in a different context to the European made, riveted examples.
@Albukhshi8 жыл бұрын
+enrique maestas The rings were also built like a key-ring, not like "conventional" butted mail/
@enriquemaestas28968 жыл бұрын
+Sagrotan Yes, but Japanese weapons (at least to my eyes) seem to have rather broad points. Katana, Yari, Naginata. I'm sure there are exceptions, as with anything, but from Japan ive seen no bodkin like points for piercing armor, nor any melee weapons sporting long, thin piercing blades
@enriquemaestas28968 жыл бұрын
Actually, I just did some light research (wiki) and I did find that some types of Yari spear (straight blade) did have very acute piercing points, as did some arrowhead types. My point still stands I believe. Japanese armors seemed focused on giving the combatant excellent movement first, and protection second (the opposite model followed by later European armor). This meant that (generally) Japanese armor had exploitable gaps that one might be able to get a decent slash in. Thus the prevalence of cutting oriented weapons. This is not to say that Japanese weapons could not pierce, just that they were not optimized for that purpose as later European swords and pole arms were. But all this being said, I really am no expert in these things, I just enjoy thinking about them :p
@carbon12556 жыл бұрын
"deficit of acute piercing weapons used in Japan." Number 1 weapon: bow, piercing weapon. Dominant weapon in japan. Number 2 spear: piercing weapon, next most dominant weapon in japan. Number 3 gun: not exactly piercing, but no chain mail helps there. third most dominant, but quickly became top dog. Katana is a backup weapon, used in civilian samurai life. Biggest problem: BODKIN ARROWS ARE NOT PIERCING ARROWS. They have only ever been found made of IRON. Not hardened steel as the modern tests pretend were a thing. They were flight arrows only, looking for lucky shots. WAR arrows were BROADHEAD and HARDENED STEEL. Japanese armour in the sengoku period emphasised a strong top of helmet and chestplate to reduce gunshot wounds. Japanese armour, like western counterparts, was already completely arrow proof. thus, why not use a broadhead to do as much damage to the less armoured parts, and mainly horses, as possible? Sankaku yari is a thin triangular cross section spearhead with a very sharp tip. Seen as all of japan, even the peasants, used plate armour, what is the point in pointy tips, exactly? In the age of plate armour, nobody beat it with pierce weapons. The Japanese used one weapon to beat armour, Kanabō. Big heavy blunt weapon.
@spiritrunner83515 жыл бұрын
A few thoughts on the purpose of maille. first, the form of protection it gives is in turning the impact of a sharp edge into a blunt one. it does not absorb the kinetic energy of a blow nearly so much as it prevents you from being cut. Second, the sight of the chain links breaking and failing does not necessarily puport a weakness in the armor. especially after a slash or a chop where they show a shallow wound underneath. It still was effective in making a deadly strike into a superficial wound. It did its job of allowing you to continue to fight. Also, the links that were struck and damaged/broken can be easily replaced, stitching together the fabric of the armor without having to make an entirely new piece. This was actually one of several advantages over solid steel; -it is flexible, providing range of motion and can give effectively 100% coverage of the body. -it is lighter, especially in earlier days of armoring when plates had to be thick and heavy -a cracked or pierced breastplate is compromised and loses a great deal of it's protective nature, the whole thing must be replaced. broken or dropped links do not affect the integrity of the remaining shirt and can be replaced.
@trevormenzies6615 жыл бұрын
I love it when you get worked up!
@persefoniajax3 жыл бұрын
"Male is good stuff" XD
@Pharesm5 жыл бұрын
What about Mithril mail, i.e. Elven Titanium...?
@XtreeM_FaiL5 жыл бұрын
Builder Mithril mail gives +12% Health plus +1% Health after every victorious battle.
@johnmarstall5 жыл бұрын
That spear would have skewered a wild boar!
@Trisjack204 жыл бұрын
One of the cool things about fantasy is that you can bend things with a cool what if senario. What if you could have chains that were literally inpenetrable and were super light and flexible? Or like Brandon Sanderson finding a way to have realistic massive swords. Love the blend of fantasy and martial weapon prowess and theory.
@Heegaherger6 жыл бұрын
I so agree. It gives me twitches when I see most "testing". There are docs that do a good job: Nova's Secrets of the Viking sword (which was playing in the background) and Weapons That Made Britain which added the key point of context: glancing blows and blunt force trauma.
@douglasyoung9275 жыл бұрын
Absalutely right. I spent a year or so with the local SCA group (which is largely a group dedicated to gathering in a field and beating the crap out of each other with sticks while wearing armor). During this time I was able to wear mail with rounded rings, flat rings, both with butted, riveted, and soldered rings, and all made of various grades of steel from galvanized fencing wire to high end carbon type stainless. When the mail is made and fitted correctly, and worn with the appropriate gambison padding, there is simply nothing to compare it to. There is always a list of trade offs with armor of any sort but mail over gambison offers the best balance of protection, versatility, weight, comfort, etc, etc.