C
hainmail was one of the most common types of armor during the middle ages. The main reason for its extreme popularity was its light weight and strength. A majority of mighty knights and warriors used chainmail gauntlets as they provided maximum hand protection with complete flexibility. This replica is fully functional and is a must have for any medieval warrior.
It is not known when the glove actually came into being as a piece of clothing. The first gloves may have simply been strips of animal skins or fur wrapped around the hands. This offered protection when working, hunting or as a cold weather garment. Gloves then began to be fashioned more like mittens without the fingers having only the thumb opening fitted. This type of glove was found to be very warm because the fingers kept each other warm from body heat.
During Medieval times gloves (during this era referred to as gauntlets) became an important part of the armour worn in combat. Most of the body was protected by armour or mail when faced with hand-to-hand combat leaving the arms and hands vulnerable. Gauntlets began to be made more from mail or plate armour for protection of the lower arm and hand. The gauntlets were often decorative. Early gauntlets even had raised knuckles which could be used for fist to fist fighting with the wearer going for less protected areas of the body such as neck, face, under arm or groin. With the introduction of firearms, the gauntlets were no longer considered a part of the Medieval dress for combat. Some knights continued to wear gloves for riding, falconry and for dressy occasions. It was during this time that knights used their gloves as a pledge of love to their lady, used as a binding agreement token, or flung down as a challenge to an opponent.
The tactical gloves used in combat situations have an offensive as well as a defensive use. Most would agree that in hand-to-hand combat a glove would be most useful as a means of protection. The glove would aid in defensive measures when having to strike an opponent providing protection from injury due to hitting the head or face. A blow to the mouth with gloves in place would not leave you open to lacerations from the teeth. The glove allows the wearer to protect themselves with the upraised hand from blows from the opponent. Gloves could be used to protect the hands in case of a fall so the surface would not cause abrasions to the skin of the hand. Tactical gloves can be offensively used that have raised knuckles or weighted knuckles. Naturally you could inflict more tissue damage with this type of tactical glove with this extra punch feature. Repeated blows would be more effective wearing this type of glove.
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