Armor Type:  Lower arm armor

Brief Description:  A vambrace is a piece of defensive medieval plate or leather armor designed to protect the forearm. Originating in the early 14th century, these tubular or gutter-shaped guards shielded knights from sword strikes and crushing blows. They were secured with straps and often connected to gauntlets or elbow-protecting couters.

Historically, vambraces were highly functional pieces of the knight's arm harness, designed with specific characteristics:

Materials: They were traditionally forged from iron or steel for plate armor, or constructed from hardened (boiled) leather. Leather versions were sometimes reinforced with longitudinal strips of metal or hardened hide to provide extra rigidity.

Design & Construction: True medieval vambraces often featured a hinged, wrap-around tubular design to contour to the forearm. They were secured to the arm via leather straps and buckles, ensuring they stayed firmly in place during combat while maintaining mobility.

Integration: While they covered the forearm from the wrist to the elbow, they were frequently part of a larger arm defense. In full plate harnesses, vambraces were paired with rerebraces (upper arm protection) and couters (elbow guards), or were integrated directly into a single, hinged assembly.