@Tfmonkey Regarding your comment on the Saturday show about medieval armor for peasants, the gambison was quite common as it provided decent cut protection from glancing blows, and the wide-spread use and technological development of armor systems changed from the early to late-high medieval periods well into the Renaissance.
Here are some of Shadiversity's videos for reference:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODS7ksbBRuE
@DoubleD @Tfmonkey Much better armor would typically come to aristocracy/warrior classes. Either in the form of heavy infantry or cavalry. Swords were never as common battlefield weapons as les to believe and were more like the open carry/conceal carry pistols of today. Something to have, but far from best available weapon to use as they were easy to transport in everyday life or additionally on the battlefield. But the spear, arrow, and pike ruled for the most part.
@DoubleD @Tfmonkey Owning armor and a trained horse was wealth & status, but also showed generally as your symbols of the position your lord appointed you to or sometimes earned through the spoils of war in some periods of time. Especially considering most armor would be custom fit to someone's measurements.
@DoubleD @Tfmonkey
Gambisons and chain vests were korw widely available. Most common soldiers/conscripted peasants would have had either of those for basic chest protection, basic leather/metal caps, a shield, and a spear. It was a very long time after rome fell that there would be militaries with standardized arms/armor. The general kit above was mostly what would come about because spears are easy to teach, cheap to make, and the most effective general hand weapon.