Adventurer's Guide to Medieval Leather Pouches

C O N S I D E R

Women might also prefer the low hanging drawstring purse because it is easier to access.
Say you need your scissors, keys, and other domestic tools.
Speed of access becomes more important than theft prevention.

Not to mention, with a drawstring purse you have more options for displaying your wealth by fabric choice and decoration. Most of them would be hand embroidered by the lady or by her household. Meanwhile a leather purse would be decorated solely by the maker.

I must be the oddball out. I didn't buy pouches until much later after I started. I don't actually go very many places in costume that often so didn't need pouches. I started with bracers and it snowballed from there. That gave me a chance to really examine the stuff that's out there to see what I really wanted. So now my costume consists of 1 soft pouch on each hip with a harder pouch on my back for an IFAK (Individual First Aid Kit). That one isn't carried as often unless I'm going to be around a crowd and someone needs medical attention. But building a full costume is a never ending thing.

The small drawstring bags that work well for coins are easily stashed into a pouch. I tend to do that since it's a shorter drawstring, same as for my dice bag.

Smaller ones also work well for protecting shiny things there. Such as your sunstone...

Also, the kidney pouch seemed to be more of a combo of the shape and wear it's worn classically. The shape is a kidney shape, from the time I'd tried some, and the reason why the Kidney Bean got its name.

You also have things like the Pilgrim's Purse/Pouch, which I think might have been where it started to differentiate between things, since the pouch version attaches to the belt and the purse is hung cross body.

For something like the button and loop type closure, there is also the type where you simply pull a loop over the button to hold it closed. The easiest type to get of that type is Tandy's Windsor Pouch kit (I upgraded mine to use a concho instead of the leather button and added decorative beads to the draw for tightening the loop.

The harder pouches, might have also been for later on, seems like more of something for once gunpowder started being used...or for things that would be more fragile.

The “dark ages” is just a poor term for the early medieval period.

The hard cases could be used for things like jars and vials. Ink, elixirs, mixtures, tinctures, etc. COULD be more protected in a hard case. I carry one as my EDC pouch and can attest to the difficulties they present. Chairs, doors, hallways are all narrowed when worn on the hip, and mine is only semi hard.
As a fantasy adventurer I'd likely have one or two attached to the strap of my haversack with potions in it for quick access.
In today's tactical community hard plastics like kydex are being used a lot. Holsters, knife sheaths, ammo pouches, as well as battle belts to add some rigidity.

Great vid! Thanks!

The Stiff leather pouches are good for things that are a little more delicate (like Cell phones). The hard sides act like armor for the things you carry inside. I have intentionally made mine this for exactly this reason. Especially if you plan on fighting (like in a LARP) with your, we'll say cell phone (Modern stuff you need to hid for historical accuracy purposes), not to get busted from being hit by a overhard strike yet still be able to carry it without worry.

I think the more structured leather might be good for carrying things like little glass bottles and such.

its ironic that pockets where originally for women, and shoes with heels were for men, specifically for horseriding

I love that you mentioned 18th century pockets, they're super easy to make, and a big reason why I tend to lean into that period when designing my fantasy costumes. That and I like the silhouette of 18th century working womans wear and don't need to learn leathercrafting to make such clothing and accessories....even though I did learn to sew, crochet and knit for it. lol

Pouches are so useful. Everything right on your belt allowing your legs to be free. Can't be a 90's antihero without a lot of pouches!

My partner and I have matching coin pouches made from kangaroo scrotums (scrotae? scroti?). Some unfortunately boomer is bouncing all around Australia looking for his booms!

I wonder if the differences between men’s and women’s bags was more due to the kind of tools they were carrying. Heavier but smaller tools like knives seem to work with the men’s pouches. Women were maybe carrying spinning work or other tools like tablets for weaving that are not very heavy but are bulky. I’m sure after a while it was just fashion though…

Just a thought. But I would love to see you go to war. SCA Pensic War to be exact. Would love to see your set up for the adventure (setting up your garments for at least a week out in the Pennsylvania sun and rain. Your choice of tent, feast gear, foot wear and why). Once you get there, the experience overall, but mainly what gear is failing you early, and what gear is rising early in its effectiveness. Of course, the back home report. What you expected vs what happened and why. Gear, function, comfort, etc. I pick war since I don't recall you ever mentioning that you had gone. If not Pensic, I hear the SCA Texas Gulf War is fun. Just a thought.

I can't remember exactly so I'll just refer you to Ola Lindberg on the channel My Able Ways, he has a lifetime worth of information about everything to do with bags and other leatherwork. He told me about that hook buckle and its origin but yea cant really remember. Get in touch with him about that!

I gotta object to the idea that before sewn pockets pouches were the only way to carry things. I've been playing with a greek chiton lately, and can report that the pouch formed with the fabric above the belt (called a kolpos) is really effective and huge, especially if the chiton is made from one big rectangle, rather than two. I've gathered apples in it before and carried about a bucket's worth before it became ungainly. Early Asian cultures stuffed things into their robes and sleeves too.

I hypothesise that maybe pockets evolved after clothing became more tight fitting and they no longer had access to baggy folds of clothing to stuff objects into.

When you mentioned wearing a kit with multiple pouches, I immediately imagined you dressed as a Rob Liefeld character.

Growing family? That look didn't go unnoticed! What aren't you telling us?!?!

My headcanon is that drawstring pouches should be called purses because when closed they look like a pursed mouth. Bags with flaps are therefore pouches. I have no idea whether that has anything to do with historical nomenclature but it sounds good. 😁

Structured pouches are good for specialized protection of an item that needs to not be in a bag with other random items that might scratch or otherwise damage it and to help protect against impact. Items like that, say optical stuff, weren’t really common until til the renaissance so there was no reason to make such pouches in the medieval era. Compare with more modern military pouches that all have specialized shapes for specific items. A soldier in earlier times would need only what mountain men called a “possibles” bag, later soldiers would need ammunition and powder pouches that didn’t need to be structured.

A large knot made of leather or stout fabric makes a good button/toggle for a pouch closure. Simple and cheap to make for “lower class” or bare bones functional costuming. For that matter a small piece of metal, from copper to iron, will work. The first two can be dyed or made from embroidered scrap if some decorative quality is desired. The Viking pouches you showed are very plain structurally but have all sorts of decoration. Even among the relative poor there will be some desire to display status.

I love that you asked your wife for input on why women’s pouches had long strings. Her answer and your extrapolation to male practicality make perfect sense. I don’t like dangly items because they’re always getting in my way.

These days shoulder holster type bags with an attached pouch under each armpit for carrying small low volume items like a wallet or phone are becoming popular to prevent pockets being picked.. Did such things exist historically? When were money belts invented?

Great video. Love those pouches.

I enjoy learning from the past to prepare for the future.

I will note that going shooting, it is a lot easier to fish out ammo from a ridged pouch than a floppy pouch, especially while wearing gloves, but that is kind of a niche case.

Growing family. Are congratulations in order ❤

I've worn a larger pouch and I find if worn a certain way it drags my belt down into my hips and hurts when it heavy, unless I'm wearing stays to ballence out the weight distribution . Since men are differently hipped, the flat pouch works well, and the weight of the pouch digs less at their hips.

There's another that the top flap has a hole and a cord or strap comes up from the bottom, goes through the hole from underneath, wraps around the lower part of the cord, and ties to itself (I have a shoulder bag like this).

You mentioned your growing family. Does that mean there is a halfling in the works? As for multiple pouches, i have a half elf character who is a warrior mage. She carries her spell componets in one pouch and her sling stone/bullets in the other. You dont want that sort of thing mixing with your spell components and crushing them. That could be bad news as some are not cheap and easy to come by.

Witcher get-up? Not your bard outfit? Bet u r getting the mileage while it feels new

Email sent to your channel email about a channel donation

A quick note, if you want someone to consider something just vocalize it, using the lettering was coming off as a bit much, other than that it was a good video, I liked it.

woman always complaining about the pockets is annoying. i hate that i cant find mens clothing without pockets. its very awkward having pockets it ruins the look of all clothes including modern clothes and i much rather have a bag.

Caid

Still rocking the arm straps.👍

those clasps are more meant for furniture and boxes and such seen them on old jewelry boxes and such but they are brass and look neat so now they are on everything

Love making pouches.

I did not know coin wallets existed. In a multiple coin system like Dungeons and Dragons or Pathfinder having separated pockets for different coins makes sense.

Well women still use pouches they just carry them instead of attach them to belts

A cutpurse steals your money. "Cut the pursestrings" is to cut someone off financially. A purser or burser is in charge of finances. Isn't it likely that a purse carries money and a pouch anything else?

While reviews on expensive products might be nice, I've really enjoyed your videos about just starting out on a really low budget. I would love to see more suggestions for things you can make at home for dirt cheap. Or things you can buy cheaply that still serve modern purposes.

Could you do a video on how a knight or similar man-at-arms would carry more gear while actively campaigning? Because you need stuff like a shelter, bedroll, and perhaps even a book or other entertainment item.

I am sorry I had gotten my screen on my phone wet I had to wait till it stopped playing you on fast forward

Bollock dagger...as in what it sounds like?? That sheathe in the old painting!

Some of this has been covered by others, but here goes. Purse has similar origins as Bursar, the University officer who is in charge of a University's finances (who once carried the money in a burse or budget {which was also a leather bag for carrying things in}). Also Bourse meaning a trading house. Purse = leather bag (for money) ..... or scrotum (c1300)!

One probable reason for men having belt bags is that they wore shorter tunics, so a pouch on a long hanger was more likely to get tangled up around their legs as they walked around (or tried to get on a horse), while women's skirts stopped this happening. This is also reinforced by the frequency of high Church officials in effigies and illuminations having purses and pouches on long straps, because they wore long robes and were supposed to be calm and dignified, so no danger of them getting the purse tangled around their legs either. There are a fair number of 'belt hooks' surviving (for instance, The Met in New York has several) which could be used to 'hitch up' a bag or pouch to place it in a more convenient (or secure) location.

I noticed you didn't discuss another method of kidney pouch construction, where the back and front flap are one piece & there is a large hole cut which gives two integral straps - even when you were wearing one. Kidney pouches were around for a really long time - at least from around the 700AD's - the Sutton Hoo burial had its magnificent purse plate of gold & garnets mounted of a horn backing, the Staffordshire horde has the remains of several similar plates edged in silver with fragments of horn or wood still wedged in the flap edging.

If you look at 'Purses in Pieces' by Olaf Goubitz you will find that most kidney pouches were fully lined with linen - all the exposed inside leather surfaces, including the flap, were covered with sewn in covers which had 'button hole' stitched openings, at least doubling the number of internal compartments.

That hooky buckle thing - originally a 1960's(?) box lock, Tandy leather started selling them in the early 1970's as leather shoulder bag closures

The kidney shaped pouch would also be called the bollock sack........but maybe not.

I love how in English we always say two different words must mean the same thing if they both derive from an old common root word.....which I think is an awesome mistake about an aweful truth. Which fills me with a fair bit of awe.

Very cool video that gave me insight into my own pouch I have. I got this awesome little leather pouch from a rock and gem show that the guy made and I wear it everywhere. It's a very simple and basic build but it has so much character to it now since I've worn it camping and hiking and out shooting with my friends that it's an integral part of my kit when going almost anywhere.