StarDestroyer.Net BBS

A professor of medieval history and HEMA expert in a suit of historically accurate Late Middle Ages plate armour goes up against a firefighter carrying his full BA rig and entry tools and an infantryman wearing his full combat loadout on a Swiss Army assault course. The results would surprise people who don't know a lot about medieval armour.

The people who made the above video are the same ones behind this one, in which the guy in the armour follows the fitness regimen of Jean "Boucicaut" Le Maingre. Surprisingly, they resisted the urge to add any music from the Rocky films to this one.

A thing to take note is that having a backpack is a factor here. It means you have less to worry about when your are crawling through stuff.

Zor

Yeah, I'd have liked to see the Knight have a sword at his hip at least. The point still stands that plate armor was, if well fitted, balanced and comfortable.

Surprisingly, they resisted the urge to add any music from the Rocky films to this one.

That's an instrumental version of "Eye of the tiger" from Rocky III playing during the full gear run.

Impressive film. Armor makers knew there craft.

Deathstalker wrote: ↑2018-09-05 11:28pm

Surprisingly, they resisted the urge to add any music from the Rocky films to this one.

That's an instrumental version of "Eye of the tiger" from Rocky III playing during the full gear run.

Impressive film. Armor makers knew there craft.

I'm pretty sure he's talking about the exercise video, not the one that was embedded in the OP.

Jub wrote: ↑2018-09-05 11:30pmI'm pretty sure he's talking about the exercise video, not the one that was embedded in the OP.

Correct. Sorry, I should have worded it better.

It's a pretty cool demo, but I do wonder about why put one guy in a backpack instead of webgear which is far more comparable with how the other two are equipped.

No surprise to me the knight moved well, it's kinda obvious that even the heaviest battlefield full plate armor couldn't be that crippling it would have been abandon hard once mercenaries came to dominate European warfare, instead of actually reaching it's peak. But a lot of people insist on believing random claims from 100 years ago recycled from books 100 years earlier about this.

Sea Skimmer wrote: ↑2018-09-15 06:07pm
No surprise to me the knight moved well, it's kinda obvious that even the heaviest battlefield full plate armor couldn't be that crippling it would have been abandon hard once mercenaries came to dominate European warfare, instead of actually reaching it's peak. But a lot of people insist on believing random claims from 100 years ago recycled from books 100 years earlier about this.

Unfortunately, initial false impressions tend to be better remembered than later corrections so if people hear nonsense like knights needed cranes to mount their horses then that's what they tend to remember.

Sea Skimmer wrote: ↑2018-09-15 06:07pmIt's a pretty cool demo, but I do wonder about why put one guy in a backpack instead of webgear which is far more comparable with how the other two are equipped.

To establish a baseline for the course time, maybe? That's probably the same kit that recruits run that course in during Basic.

Interesting, although a far better test would be to have the same guy testing each of the 3 types of gear. Because now it's just as much of a test between the runners rather than the things they wear. I'm so out of a shape I'd probably end last while just wearing a training suit, but that doesn't mean that a training suit is worse than a medieval armour

wautd wrote: ↑2018-09-24 04:32am Interesting, although a far better test would be to have the same guy testing each of the 3 types of gear. Because now it's just as much of a test between the runners rather than the things they wear. I'm so out of a shape I'd probably end last while just wearing a training suit, but that doesn't mean that a training suit is worse than a medieval armour

I'm pretty sure a firefighter and a soldier are (at least) equally good in shape as a professor of medieval history that does some HEMA in his spare time...
To be honest, I think that is part of the demonstration - both his opponents are much better in shape due to their job, and wear their full gear on a much more regular basis than he does. That's why you had the baseline comparison in light load - the HEMA guy lost to both (or scored a draw to the firefighter, it was close.)

There didn't seem to be a noticeable fitness gap between the three of them. That said, a completely gearless run in plain athletic clothes would have made for a nice baseline so we could get a real feel for any fitness or course knowledge differences between the participants.

LaCroix wrote: ↑2018-09-24 08:08amI'm pretty sure a firefighter and a soldier are (at least) equally good in shape as a professor of medieval history that does some HEMA in his spare time...

The HEMA stuff isn't something this guy does as a hobby. He's contributed to several academic papers on the topic, including the one mentioned in the credits of the second video.

LaCroix wrote: ↑2018-09-24 08:08am

wautd wrote: ↑2018-09-24 04:32am Interesting, although a far better test would be to have the same guy testing each of the 3 types of gear. Because now it's just as much of a test between the runners rather than the things they wear. I'm so out of a shape I'd probably end last while just wearing a training suit, but that doesn't mean that a training suit is worse than a medieval armour

I'm pretty sure a firefighter and a soldier are (at least) equally good in shape as a professor of medieval history that does some HEMA in his spare time...
To be honest, I think that is part of the demonstration - both his opponents are much better in shape due to their job, and wear their full gear on a much more regular basis than he does. That's why you had the baseline comparison in light load - the HEMA guy lost to both (or scored a draw to the firefighter, it was close.)

Pretty sure does not make an objective assessment. The ex president of our company basically has a desk job, but has run a marathon in his free time.