Equipment: From Beginner to Prestige
What you actually need — and what only makes sense over time.
In LARP there is no ceiling: some players wear hand-sewn chainmail, individually crafted helmets, and weapons from small artisan workshops. And there are those who have played brilliantly for years — with a tweed linen shirt from a charity shop and a borrowed sword. This article shows how a kit can evolve with growing experience and investment — without claiming that more is always better.
Level 1: Getting Started (0–100 €)
For your first event you don't need a perfect kit. You need one that works.
Clothing: Natural materials in muted colours. Linen shirts, simple cotton trousers, a broad belt. Second-hand shops, flea markets, and online platforms are your best friends here.
Shoes: Brown or black leather lace-ups with no visible branding. Rubber soles are fine at most events.
Weapon: Optional for the first event. At many events you can borrow a weapon, or more experienced players will help you out. Alternative: a beginner foam weapon from a reputable LARP shop, starting from around 30–50 €.
Accessories: A simple pouch, a knife belt, a few plain pieces of jewellery — all findable at flea markets or craft shops.
Level 2: Solid Foundation (100–400 €)
After a few events you know what you actually need — and can invest more deliberately.
Clothing: This is when your first purchase from a LARP shop makes sense. Well-fitting linen or cotton tunics, solid trousers, a cloak for bad weather. Quality costume from a specialist retailer lasts many years and survives more intensive events.
Shoes: A good pair of leather boots is the single most worthwhile investment at this level. Twelve hours on your feet in bad shoes is a miserable experience.
Weapon: Regular fighters now invest in their own quality weapon. Mid-range weapons from established brands (80–150 €) are significantly more durable than beginner versions and have better balance.
Armour: Not yet essential, but first pieces can make sense now: a padded gambeson, leather shoulder guards, vambraces. These are affordable, stylistically versatile, and often relevant for game mechanics as well.
Level 3: Developed Kit (400–1,500 €)
At this level equipment begins to become a personal statement. The character's look is more cohesive, higher quality, more immersive.
Clothing: Higher-quality fabrics, hand-sewn or made-to-measure pieces, more complex layering and colour coordination. This is when it makes sense to buy selectively from specialist LARP tailors or historical craft workshops.
Armour: Complete leather armour, riveted brigandines, historically inspired plate pieces in steel or EVA foam. Good armour in this price range is durable and — with proper care — will last decades.
Weapon: Premium latex weapons with better aesthetics, more detailed paint finishes, and greater longevity. Some manufacturers offer individual customisation.
Props and camp equipment: Handcrafted chests, period lanterns, textiles and furniture for an atmospheric camp — this makes a difference when others step into your space.
Level 4: Prestige Kit (1,500 €+)
This level is for passionate LARPers who treat their hobby as an art form. It does not describe a necessary investment, but shows what is possible.
Clothing: Made-to-measure costume from historically accurate materials, crafted by artisans specialising in medieval or fantastical costuming.
Armour: Real steel armour based on historical models, individually fitted. Such pieces are no longer LARP equipment in the narrow sense — they are works of artisan craft.
Weapon: One-off pieces from small workshops, with elaborate pommels, individual blade designs, and premium materials.
What Actually Matters
The value of a kit is not measured by its price — it is measured by how well it suits the character, how comfortable it is to wear, and how much it enhances the immersion of everyone on the field. A coherent basic kit for 80 € is preferable to an expensive mishmash that doesn't tell a clear story.
Build your kit slowly. Improving one piece at each event, you eventually arrive at a kit that reflects real decisions — not just purchasing power.
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