Kit Guidelines
What am I expected to wear at events?
We are (painfully) aware that there are a lot of cheap, terrible viking costumes available on various internet shopping sites. There are also some very expensive, period incorrect costumes and clothing. Hopefully this page can help you to navigate the mire and find a costume which suits you and your budget.
Time Period
The Iceborn Vikings are late Viking Age, so around 900-1066AD (9th - 10th Century). The Viking age is considered to be around 793AD-1066AD, or the raid on Lindisfarne to the Battle of Hastings.
Clothing
See below for detailed men's/women's outfits (terms used for differentiating between these two generic costumes, in practice anyone can wear either costume. We generally encourage anyone enaging in combat to wear the "male" costume for safety reasons (not tripping up on long skirts). Clothing was generally wool or linen, with some nettle fabrics for those who could afford them, and imported silk for those who could REALLY afford them.
Modern kit - Mobile phones / wallets / medical devices
Where possible please keep modern kit hidden at events. If you have a modern aid - walking stick, glasses, supportive clothing please make one of the council aware and we can work with you to find a solution which "hides" it as best as possible, or encorporates it into your costume somehow. Glasses - if you can wear contact lenses rather than glasses it looks better, and shouldn't wear glasses for display combat because of the lenses shattering in the proximity of your eyes risk. That said, for general (low risk) training sessions, many of us do wear glasses.
If you do wish to wear a gumshield during combat (totally optional) please consider opting for a clear version.
Men's costume or Combat Costume
The men's costume typically consists of:
- Tunic *
- Undertunic
- Trousers
- Leg wraps *
- Nalbinding socks £
- Leather shoes or boots
*If you are constrained by budget these are the bare minimum items you should consider first. Leg wraps can disguise modern trousers/socks if they are a suitable colour/fabric/look from 3m away.
£ If you are feeling flush, or are happy to make these yourself, these items are time consuming to make or expensive to buy, but do elevate the costume
Women's costume
The women's costume typically consists of:
- Dress *
- Underdress
- Apron dress *
- Hose (fabric sewn socks)
- Leg wraps
- Nalbinding socks £
- Leather shoes or boots
*If you are constrained by budget these are the bare minimum items you should consider first. Leg wraps can disguise modern trousers/socks if they are a suitable colour/fabric/look from 3m away.
£ If you are feeling flush, or are happy to make these yourself, these items are time consuming to make or expensive to buy, but do elevate the costume
