Conan Stevens Wrestling Photo Shoot for Local Newspaper

The armour you see me wearing is inspired by Vendel design (think early viking without the longboats). Though with the splint greaves and bracers the guys used to joke that I was out for a game of medieval cricket.

The more armour you have the less you get 'killed' when you fight with the SCA, if you cannot feel the blow then it is not hard enough to have killed you (in theory), this is why I had a big heavy helmet, and a huge Vendel style shield to stop the blows landing on my body.

The woollen padded armour was amazingly effective at deadening the blows.

Did not stop me from coming home with huge foot long sword shaped dark blue bruises all over my body

Tell you what though - geez it was fun.