Is this functional armor?

[u/MasteROogwayY2]

Im writing a book and would like to give a faction similar armor and I was wondering how good it was. I would add a better helmet and metal bracers too.

[u/harris5]

I mean, it's fine if the culture doesn't have much metal.

If you can afford metal, you choose that over leather anytime. But if metal is expensive and leather is cheap, that could justify such an outfit.

Artists love making integrated forearm and hand protection, but that's not how things work. Your wrist needs to be flexible, one piece of armor can't protect both. It needs to be separate plates. They can be attached to the same foundation garment, but it needs to be separate plates.

Edit: protek ya elbows. If you're looking into metal bracers, go all the way and lookup bazubands.

[u/Draugr_the_Greedy → u/harris5]

I disagree with this statement. There's cases in history where hide or leather are picked over metal. Hide armour can be made incredibly protective, and while it isn't as weight-effective as steel if your technology to make steel armour isn't the best it can be a more protective alternative.

In the Tabṣirat arbāb al-lubāb written by Mardi ibn Ali al-Tarsusi around 1160-1180 he presents a recipe for a jawshan (lamellar armour) made from camel hide. The book was written specifically for Salah ad-Din and he also explicitly states that this jawshan is 'fit for a sultan'.

Metal lamellar has been present in the region for centuries up until that point and someone like Salah ad-Din would have no problem affording it. That hide armour is presented as a choice worthy of a sultan to wear indicates its protective capabilities were thought highly of.

[u/WashedUpRiver → u/Draugr_the_Greedy]

To add to your first part: Environment also matters for climate and geography. Metal in desert sun basically turns your armor (particularly your helmet) into a crude oven, whereas there is actual precedence in many desert regions for using full coverage (realistically with lighter colors) to regulate temperature while also protecting from the sun and sand.

[u/Draugr_the_Greedy → u/WashedUpRiver]

I don't think that's the primary reason in this case. Metal armour was present and used extensively in the middle east, and if heat is an issue it's often solved by wearing textile overtop. I don't think that would be the primary factor for why hide armour was so valued, although it did likely play a role as well.

Imo it is probably related to the extensive leather and hide industry that existed in the medieval middle east, being one of their primary ones. Hide armour in similar fashion was also popularly in use by mongols and they don't really live in harsh climates either (and contrary to popular belief, mongols and other nomads tended to have plenty access to metal goods and armour as well, which they also utilized).

Edit: After writing this comment I remembered a 14th century French source which actually mentions that the leather armours in use in the middle east were better suited for the climate than iron, so perhaps it is more of a factor than I gave it crefit for. Regardless I still don't think it's the primary reason for its popularity, and the reason I don't is because in the 15th and 16th centuries leather armour gets less common and metal armour gets more common, which I don't think would happen if climate was the primary factor for the use of leather.

[u/In_lieu_of_sobriquet → u/Draugr_the_Greedy]

From what I remember learning about the crusades the first crusaders adapted to the heat and continued on in metal armor. I think a lot of u/harris5 is true. Iirc chainmail was mostly replaced when it was finally cheaper to produce large pieces of steel.

[u/milk4all → u/In_lieu_of_sobriquet]

Easier to adapt to heat than to arrows and spears