Padded Gambeson With Interchangeable Sleeves

This is a well-made, heavily constructed gambeson. Sizing is true; expands well with the buckles.  Not a costume, this is an excellent base layer for functional armor. Take time to break in for sure. I started by hand washing and thoroughly air drying to make things softer (especially the elbows of the long sleeves and the midsection for bending forward. High collar means an arming collar is unnecessary; coif and gorget fit over collar easily. Matches well with the padded arming cap also sold by MR.  The buckles are a bit finicky to fasten, as there is enough play for the buckle to slide through the leather loop on the fixed portion, but once buckled it is very secure. The best feature is the ability to convert from sleeve-less to short or long sleeves at will; if you can lace a shoe you can change this gambeson on the fly. Make no mistake, it's warm. In a southeastern summer renaissance festival I could tolerate long sleeves, short mail, surcoat and several pieces of plate but this may be daunting for the uninitiated. Cannot recommend highly enough for the price.