"Gear is proved by wearing it, mending it and packing it again.
Know how a piece was used, and know what the season asks of it. That's what these notes are for."
Welcome to Quartermaster’s Notes — a practical series for re-enactors, living-history practitioners and LARPers who want gear that works in the field.
We’ll be publishing short, useful pieces here over the coming weeks and months. The focus is on the things that actually matter once you’re packing for an event or maintaining kit between shows: getting the fit right, looking after materials, and choosing equipment that holds up to real use.
What you can expect
- Sizing and layering guides — how to measure for chainmail over a gambeson, how armour should sit, and how to choose belts and frogs that keep weight where it belongs.
- Care and maintenance — straightforward advice on looking after leather, mild steel and wool so your gear lasts more than one season.
- Event prep — packing lists and practical notes tied to the kinds of shows and festivals that appear on our calendar.
- Historical context — short pieces that connect the equipment we stock to how it was used, without drifting into pure decoration.
- Seasonal and stock updates — what we’re issuing, what’s arriving, and what makes sense for the time of year.
Everything is written from the point of view of someone who has to wear, mend and pack the gear, not from a catalogue. We’ll link to relevant products where it helps, but the aim is to be useful first.
If there’s a particular question you’ve run into — sizing, care, or what to take to a specific type of event — you’re welcome to email the quartermaster desk. We’ll cover the most useful ones here.
The first proper guides will start appearing shortly. In the meantime, the shop remains in its opening collection phase, with the full armoury due in the coming weeks.