Researching the Predator's armor

[ksj]

I have been pouring through the comic books and the movies trying to figure out what basis upon which the predator armor is based.

The movies use either a rubber/latex or cast armor pieces.

Core observations of the armor itself indicates that it is milanese in origins. Milanese armor has one key defining trait: large curved pieces designed so as to create glancing blows when struck.

This looks really close to the waist armor:
LP200910 - Warrior Tasset Belt - $167.99

These look really close to the shin guards:
Milanese Greaves - AB0065 from Dark Knight Armoury

The feet in the comics are either barefoot, or sandals. The female adopted predator in the comics wears what appears to be sabotons.
Something say like this:
http://www.darkknightarmoury.com/p-371-leather-sabatons.aspx

The bracers (arm guards) appears to be simple bracers with electronic overlays on top.

As the species itself is tribal and hunter gatherer based with highly advanced weaponry. I am going on a limb and thinking that the armor they have is all a special kind of hide that is treated a specific way to give the performance that they need.

That said I would also have to think that the species itself might hunt for fun, but they are not into wasting anything that can be used, and even the souvenirs that they have all have some functional use in their daily lives.

The other question to ask, if the american indians kept their tribal structures intact completely undisturbed and destroyed and had todays advanced technology and access to electronic and casting/forging facilities, would they not look similar to the predators whose entire design is meant to scare and intimidate their humanoid foes and hide better from the unintelligent animal species?

Does anyone else have any input or thoughts on the armor design?

 

[LunaticNic]

Short form: Objection! (Lol)

Regarding the the hide-armor, I'd say judging by the color schemes in the movies (plus textures and engravings) most of the armor is metal, groin and but-flap aside.

Regarding your Native American Theory, I'd say the next step would be something resembling medieval times like ring and plate-mail or something more modern like Kevlar against ballistics.

I don't think we know if they are "hunter-gatherers" aside from the movies telling us they are here for sport (though I avoid the comics like the plague).

Design wise I'd say allot came from Roman Gladiators and mixing that with medieval/Sci-Fi vibes.

Regardless you bring up some great points! And nice job on the research

 

[ksj]

Short form: Objection! (Lol)

Regarding the the hide-armor, I'd say judging by the color schemes in the movies (plus textures and engravings) most of the armor is metal, groin and but-flap aside.

Regarding your Native American Theory, I'd say the next step would be something resembling medieval times like ring and plate-mail or something more modern like Kevlar against ballistics.

I don't think we know if they are "hunter-gatherers" aside from the movies telling us they are here for sport (though I avoid the comics like the plague).

Design wise I'd say allot came from Roman Gladiators and mixing that with medieval/Sci-Fi vibes.

Regardless you bring up some great points! And nice job on the research

I will agree with you on the metal point. Using leather is much more light weight and highly transportable/wearable. The treatment process I use with leather makes it look just like weathered metal.

I think that the armor setup they have ties in to their cloaking technology and that the predators themselves have some sort of field naturally, they just enhance it with the webbing they wear. But if you look at the model figures the webbing appears to be used to help hold hair and such in place on their backs and that would ensure that they can move quietly and quickly.

At this point I am focusing on accuracy and transport ability of the armor pieces.

Given that the predators are interstellar I would dare say that there is a critter out there that has a hide that when dried is harder than metal.

The comics really show that the predators are all about the hunt. They do their own butchering and such done by the low ranking members of the tribe that lost their last fight.

There has been substantial speculation that there is some sort of tech wing with the predators or a group of aliens they hijacked that builds all their stuff. I honestly think they took over a ship yard at some point and it is fully automated making their stuff for them. And it kept working until they had some hiccups and were too stubborn to learn or get help that they needed, which is why all their tech is so ancient looking.

I am thinking that they have evolved the armor to the bare minimum needed for their fighting style. I think that is why each predator is different and unique.

I would like to have a chat with the creator of the original predator costumes to see what they considered for source materials on the armor design. As far as I am aware there is not a good discussion on thoughts of the armor and design elements of the costume.