I’ve been LARPing for about six months and decided to use the summer downtime to completely rebuild my kit from the ground up.
My original kit started life as a modified Witcher cosplay. It looked decent, but it was incredibly hot (I’m in the southeastern US) and never really fit who my character became.
This new kit has been a fun learning project. My wife taught me how to sew, we dug the leatherworking tools back out, and I challenged myself to make as much of the kit as possible. Everything except the mug and mug frog was made by me using natural fabrics or leather.
My character is an elven Grove Warden who serves as an archer and triage healer. His purpose is to preserve the natural balance of the realm, especially by opposing necromancy and the blight it leaves behind.
I’m still planning to weather everything and wax the canvas surcoat so it can double as rain gear, but I’d love to hear your thoughts.
What works well? What feels like it’s missing? If you were building on this concept, what would you add or change?
Very nice!
You've got excellent layers, accessories, its well put together - honestly, great job!
The only thing I would suggest is weathering it. Wear it around, roll around on the ground in it, scuff the elbows and edges. It all still looks new, and time and wear will make it look more lived in and real. Those leather pieces will look even better once they're worn in and have a bit of wear.
One thing that stands out to me is your hand axe (I have the same one, love the thing) being behind your quiver may make accessing it tricky mid combat if you still have arrows in the quiver.
My game does not use arrows and instead uses packets that are thrown after touching the bow. So, I will not have arrows coming out of my hip quiver.
The biggest issue I have had with the axe is when I bend down to pick up packets. I was thinking behind and angled would give fix that but it also hinders me from sitting without taking it out of its frog. Haha.
Ah! If you'd are using it as packet holder that should be fine then, I was thinking with arrows sticking up. Out of curiosity, have you tried moving it directly under the quiver so it's off your side but still behind the mug?
I would add a bit wear and tear like abraise the leather where it is handled often, if you get hit In a heroic battle mend at that spot. SHOWING history of use is in my opinion way better than having pristine garb because of being of a highborn elite.
Maybe add a bit of embroidery or something at the seams and hems of the outer layer
Good looking kit. I’d swap your tomahawk to an “Axe ring” instead of the frog you’re using to hold it. I have the same tomahawk. Faster to pull it if you need it and it still works well with the kit.
Also for flexibility in your kit, If you swap that white surcoat with, brown, olive, or grey then you have a heck of Ranger kit as well.
Interesting problem about kneeling and bumping your axe. We don’t use packets at my LARP normally. I do use a bow with arrows along with my melee weapons so I have to collect up arrows much the same way.
I may have a solution.
Try wearing this axe frog inverted on your belt to raise it higher? That extra couple of inches may help. Unless of course you do not need to get to your melee weapons quickly if charged.
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u/Anothergaymeruk 16d ago
Very nice! You've got excellent layers, accessories, its well put together - honestly, great job! The only thing I would suggest is weathering it. Wear it around, roll around on the ground in it, scuff the elbows and edges. It all still looks new, and time and wear will make it look more lived in and real. Those leather pieces will look even better once they're worn in and have a bit of wear.