Category: Male clothing > arming garments

Sleeveless medieval gambeson

Sleeveless medieval gambeson

Century: XIII, XIV

CODE	Material	Standard ? × SPES products - technology & methods of manufacturing Machine-made standard - products with visible signs of using modern methods and tools in their production; e.g. visible outside and inside seams in clothing made with the use of a machine. Mixed standard - products with visible signs of using both modern and traditional methods and tools in their production; e.g. main, inside seams in clothing are made with the use of a machine while outside stitches and details are sewn by hand. Hand-made standard - goods with visible signs of using only traditional methods and tools in their production; e.g. all seams in clothing are sewn by hand. *NOTE. We always use high quality materials and fabrics while making our products - the above standards of their production are not related to the materials used.	Price
PMLR0326	Linen	Hand-made	350.00 EUR
PMLR0327	Linen	Hand-made	370.00 EUR
PMLS0322	Linen	Mixed	109.00 EUR
PMLS0323	Linen	Mixed	120.00 EUR

Lowest price in the last 30 days

See how to place an order for several people

A light medieval gambeson with no sleeves will work perfectly as an under armor clothing and as an outer garment. This sleeveless gambeson is a universal arming garment of simple design based on numerous iconographies.

Our battle tunic with vertical stitchings reaches the knees area. This sleeveless gambeson is made of linen. As it does not have sleeves, it is one of the most universal in our assortment.

A sleeveless gambeson is put on over the head and tied up with a leather strap on the left arm. It does not have a collar. Lower section in front and back has cutouts reaching a crotch. These are finished with leather triangles. This solution makes it more convenient during a fight.

The basic version of this sleeveless gambeson has a simple finishing. Still, there is an option of choosing more ornamental finishing of our battle tunic - with longer, semi-oval cutouts. If you want this option, please choose a proper option while placing an order:
PMLS0322, PMLR0326 - basic version
or
PMLS0323, PMLR0327 - version with semi-oval cutouts at the bottom.

The whole product is made in one level of thickness - Y1.
You can modify the level of thickness of amortization layers in this sleeveless gambeson. To apply this change, please contact our Sales Department.
More on available levels of amortization - here
You can also choose one of various colors available for this battle tunic. The color chart can be found here.

This padded armor is available in standard size set - XS to XXL. For an extra charge (20% of a price), you can order a customized clothing matching your individual measurements. To choose your size, follow the chart below:

Size	Chest girth	Waist girth	Hips girth	Height
XS	84-92 cm	72-80 cm	88-96 cm	164-170 cm
S	92-100 cm	80-88 cm	96-104 cm	170-176 cm
M	100-108 cm	88-96 cm	104-112 cm	176-182 cm
L	108-116 cm	96-104 cm	112-120 cm	182-188 cm
XL	116-124 cm	104-112 cm	120-128 cm	188-194 cm
XXL	124-132 cm	112-120 cm	128-136 cm	194-200 cm
Custom	Individual measurements. Price + 20%.

Please type the chosen size in the additional information window.

---

Examples of sleeveless gambesons

One can find them in numerous manuscripts from the 13th and 14th century. They are also visible in codices from the beginning of the 15th century.

The examples of sleeveless gambesons finished in a simple way can be found in a 14th century book called Histoire romaine. The pages of this manuscript present knights wearing battle tunics with no sleeves, with vertical stitchings and with a characteristic cutout reaching the crotch.

The model with semi-oval cutouts is inspired by gambesons from the Morgan Bible from the 13th century. This codex presents numerous knights in garments with characteristic tongue-shaped decorations.
These are the sources of sleeveless gambesons which we perceive as the most characteristic in their times.

---

Why should you consider getting a sleeveless gambeson?

↪ the most lightweight from our gambesons
↪ can be used as inner and outer protection
↪ simple design
↪ one of the most universal in our assortment
↪ put on over the head, closed with leather strap on left arm, with no collar
↪ two options of finishing (simple or with decorative cutout)
↪ standard set of sizes (XS-XXL) as well as to measure
↪ design based on historical sources

---

Quilted tunic in the Middle Ages

Quilted tunic is a very broad term but often used with Early-medieval and later sleeveless gambeson of loose-cut which are put on through the head. It applies to material findings and former iconography. The basic and probably most important source with various depictions of quilted tunics is The Morgan Bible, dated to the 13th century. It was our main source of inspiration while making the Early-medieval aketons.
This type of sleeveless gambeson was worn during battles and medieval tournaments together with other arming garments, e.g. a chain mail. Sometimes, to increase the level of protection, users stitched chain mail pieces between the layers of quilted tunics.
Later, long gambesons have undergone numerous changes. They started to be more fitted to body shape, closed with buttons or straps. These modifications have made a traditional quilted tunic look like a relic of the past but also as a symbol of their times. Among aketons, quilted clothing includes bonnets, hoods, legs, gloves, shin guards, and pants.

---

The upgrading of SPES gambesons design

Currently, we are working on implementing to our assortment the upgraded versions of our well-known gambesons. Changes include:
- improving the functionality and mobility of our aketons
- layers’ thickness (check the chart with levels of amortization)
- directions and shape of stitchings
- minor changes in cut (for better fitting)
- and most of all, matching the gambesons to our six-levels size set: XS-XXL (NOTE: you can still order a custom-sized gambeson)

Therefore, you can be sure that upgraded SPES gambesons are even better suited to your needs. And if you have any questions about mentioned changes in any model, contact us - we will dispel the doubts!

To make each gambeson stand out even more, we gave them unique names. From now, Padden tunic TYPE 1 is named Sleeveless medieval gambeson.