Here you can see the results of tests done on padded armour. It's quite surprisingly effective.

 

http://www.myarmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t=11131

 

and here's a historical overview of its use:

 

http://www.myarmoury.com/feature_spot_quilted.php

Leather armor "completely useless"? That seems like a very broad categorical statement that will get you in trouble.

Here you can see the results of tests done on padded armour. It's quite surprisingly effective.

 

http://www.myarmoury...pic.php?t=11131

 

and here's a historical overview of its use:

 

http://www.myarmoury...pot_quilted.php

 

The first one's a real eyeopener for sure! Looking at padded with newfound appreciation.

In my defense, my info on the ineffectivenes/uncomfortability of padded armor came from some history (channel?) show of some kind.

I'd prefer steel myself . . .

 

One thing I think historical types need to keep in mind is that steel, in quantity, for anything, is a relatively new material. It requires fantastic amounts of charcoal to make good steel and it's very easy to screw up your heating and burn your iron during the process. During Roman times the metal du jour was not always steel but very often plain iron.

Here you can see the results of tests done on padded armour. It's quite surprisingly effective.

 

 

Not surprised in the least. There are all kinds of "cloth" and padded armor out there, including layers of linen laminated together with resin. From what I've seen, people can and have made armor out of every conceivable material available and some that aren't.

Leather armor "completely useless"? That seems like a very broad categorical statement that will get you in trouble.

 

this is what happens when you post when inebriated

The OP clearly isn't enough of a history nerd to understand such a broad statement about the effectiveness and application of Leather armor is incredibly ignorant.

 

The effectiveness of Leather armor was derived from many, many factors, just like all armor, how skilled and knowledgeable the craftsman making it was, where the material came from (In this case, what animal it came from), if there was any other material used in combination with it, or used in it, such as metal rivets, underpadding/overpadding, etc. Then, it had to be kept in mind the budget/value of the person wearing the armor, the climate, what type of maneuverability they wanted, if they wanted to be able to protect from glancing blows or full on hits, etc. Lastly, keep in mind most peasants didn't have access to refined metal, but quite a few had access to beasts they could slaughter for their hide and boiling it so it hardens is something that many peasants would've been able to do as well.

 

Making a blanket statement of, "Leather armor is useless" is just as stupid as making a blanket statement of, "Metal armor is useless".

okay I think he gets the point here

BTW, is the existence of japanese and other oriental leather lamellare type armor also contested?

I've been under impression they were an accepted fact.