On Avoiding Overheating on the List Field

I've had a bit of 'fun' with overheating, from being raised in colder climes and fighting in coastal SE Virginia - so, hot and HUMID. Temperatures of 90'f or higher, with humidity of 70-100%, is not unusual for our summers. We had one month in 2017 which was about 110'f and high humidity (at least, that is how I remember it!). Plus my local practices tend to be in the afternoon, in full sun.

So, here's what I do to reduce the chances of overheating:

• Linen fight garb, as much as possible. I am trying to only wear cotton when I'm fighting in the  cold.  For me, that is not more than 40'f. Probably in the 20s and 30s.
• Vent the armpits of shirts, brigs, etc.
• I have put a linen pad (a linen tube stuffed with shredded linen) in my gorget instead of the foam that used to be there and that has helped a lot.
• I changed the arrangement of padding in my helm so that it has air channels in it.
• I use a linen headscarf. The headscarf will often get soaked in cold water & wrung out while I'm wearing it on hot days. I'll also wipe off my face and neck with it, which helps me cool off a bit. 
• My armour is a combination of linen and leather, in addition to the metal. My chest armour is linen, my cuisses/thigh armour will likely be made out of linen at the next upgrade. 
• I take breaks whenever I need to. It can take months or years to correct the tendency to overheat - IF it can be corrected. I've been told there are no promises on that, but the best way is to not keep overheating.

Staying hydrated and in good condition helps.

Conditioning - the better condition you are in, the better your body can deal with the heat. 

Hydration - I'm not talking just Gatorade and water. Nuun Tablets work great for me. I eat pickles, and I will sometimes drink the pickle juice. I will also eat salty things and make sure I can taste the salt. If I can't, then my salt is deficient and I need to eat more to correct that.

I start making sure I'm fully hydrated several days before the planned fighting. The morning of the event, I start off drinking the Nuun tablets unless they taste like chalk (if they taste like chalk, it means I don't need the electrolytes.). I also make sure I have plenty of water at hand. My kit now includes the tablets and two water bottles that are marked as mine. They have straws, can be squirted, and the tops lock shut for transport. This is for the events where there is no waterbearing set up, and also just for keeping up with drinking electrolytes.

Here are some other ideas that I have seen: 

• Foam padding will retain heat. Use wool or linen instead.
• Use light colors. Simple as it sounds, this can help a lot. 
• Some helms have better airflow than others. It's something to look into. 

I hope this information helps!

Notes: Lightweight Brigandine

I've been wearing my brigandine for just over a year now. I've had to take out rivets, remove a couple plates, add other plates, reattach straps, and wash it.

I have learned that:

• The brigandine is light enough that a blow can brush it nicely out of the way. I learned very quickly to put it on underneath my C-belt, so that it was prevented from moving like that. Doing so also meant I was able to remove the bottom pair of chest plates on the front, as they were now under the belt and it made armouring up more difficult - definitely not something I wanted.
• The spine plates flip up seemingly every time I put it on. This is annoying and needs to be designed out of the next one. On this one, I should be able to drill holes in the lower corners and sew (not rivet) them to the fabric, with the stitches going out to the side so they can still crush down. 
• Taking out rivets is a lovely way to rip holes in the linen. I'm sure drilling them out contributes, but that's how I was able to get them out. 
• The straps need to be level and on top of the chest plates; this helps prevent them from warping the rivets.
• If using dyed leather for the straps, be aware it will bleed when water is applied (from sweating in it, or from attempting to wash out said sweat).
• Since this one doesn't wash well (see above) I have been generous with fresh air, Febreeze, and sunlight. It seems to be working, as it doesn't smell.
• On the next one I need to make sure I shape the chest plates. I didn't do it on this one, and I do think it would look better if I had.

I do plan on making another one and applying what I have learned here. Overall, I am quite happy with it. 

Viking Clothing Resources

Still a work in progress; I will be adding more information as I gather it.  

Overviews:
Simple Viking Clothing for Men (pdf)
Simple Viking Clothing for Women (pdf)
    Both of the above are from http://thorsonandsvava.sccspirit.com, an SCA website for Royalty of the East (2004).
Wychwood Kit Resources - Resource page by the Wychwood Warriors (aka the Oxford University Historical Reenactment Society). Resources for male and female garb, bling, wallets, armour, etc.
Recreating Viking Clothing 
The Viking Answer Lady - SCAdian, a great resource for most anything Viking.
Recreating Viking Clothing, by Hilde Thunem: Great site, as much for research as patterns.

Pants:
Overviews:
Viking Men: Clothing the Legs
Thorsberg: dated 100-300 BCE
Rus: tba

Shirts:
Overview: Viking Tunic Construction, by Þóra Sharptooth. Includes information on jackets and trims also.
Thorsberg: tba
Other one: tba

Head wear:
'Coifs': I use headscarves, rather than coifs as are found in later periods. A simple square of cloth, long enough to tie around my head and hang down far enough to cover my hair (helps keep it clean at dusty events!)
Skjoldehamn hood: A Tunic and Hood from Skjold Harbour

Dyes:
Viking Age Dyes, a Brief Overview (academia.edu)

Apron Dress:
Vidgis' Apron Pattern - Easy to fit to your measurements. I believe the straps in the finds are usually 1/2" wide, so you can use straps half the width that she calls for.

Sark (Underdress):
Honestly, I use this: Elizabethan Smock Pattern Generator. I sew the neck in first, and modify the outline to fit Viking finds. I modify the underarm gussets as needed, which varies for each person.

Ladies Coat:
The Red Jacket

Jewelry: tba

Weapons: tba

Shoes: tba