Imagine this: you’re out hiking in the mountains, storm clouds gathering above. Thunder rumbles in the distance. You’ve got your medieval-style full-body chainmail on — as one does — and a thought strikes you harder than the lightning bolt about to hit the next ridge over.
Would this suit of metal actually protect you? Or would it turn you into a human lightning rod?
The electrifying science behind chainmail and lightning
Chainmail has been used for centuries as armor in battle, but surprisingly, it might offer some protection in nature’s battlefield — thunderstorms. That’s because it behaves somewhat like a Faraday cage, a protective enclosure that allows electrical charge to flow around the outside rather than through the enclosed space.
Since chainmail is made of conductive metal links, a lightning strike might be channeled around your body rather than directly through vital organs, just like modern-day electricians wear Faraday suits to safely work with high-voltage lines.
But here’s the shocking truth…
While chainmail can technically reduce the danger, it’s far from a guaranteed way to survive a lightning strike. Here’s what most people don’t realize:
- Lightning is absurdly powerful: A typical strike carries up to 30,000 amps of current — far more than any armor can really handle without risk.
- The armor must be flawless: Any gap — like an unprotected hand or exposed face — becomes a weak point for electricity to enter the body.
- Grounding is everything: A Faraday cage only works well when there’s somewhere for the electricity to go (i.e., the ground). Without intentional grounding, the current might just pass through you.
Has this ever been tested?
Well, yes, in both science and spectacle. In recent years, performers and physicists have conducted lightning and high-voltage experiments using chainmail suits to demonstrate Faraday cage effects in controlled environments. One standout example: engineer Greg Leyh performed a live Tesla coil demonstration using a conductive chainmail suit. Charged with thousands of volts, Leyh stood inside an electric arc and walked away unharmed.
The key? His suit was designed from the ground up with continuous, fully covering conductive material, proper grounding, and zero gaps. It wasn’t something you buy in a costume shop.
A real-world experiment gone wrong
In 2012, a Canadian historical reenactor attempted to test the idea of chainmail and lightning by simply standing outside in a thunderstorm. Spoiler: it didn’t go well. While not directly struck, he did experience mild electric shock and burns on his skin where the chainmail touched exposed areas, highlighting the importance of full-body coverage and insulation. (Also: never test this yourself. Seriously.)
The final charge: Should you count on chainmail?
Let’s be clear: while chainmail can redirect current, it’s not your golden ticket to thunderstorm invincibility. The armor might lower your risk of internal damage from a strike, but it depends on several critical factors being just right:
- Full, seamless body coverage
- Proper connection to the ground
- Insulation between the metal and your skin
Here’s the smart move
Don’t count on medieval armor to save you from a force of nature that can fry entire trees and melt sand into glass. When a storm hits, the best protection is still the simplest: get indoors, stay low, and avoid isolation or exposed areas.
Yes, the science behind chainmail and electricity is fascinating. Yes, Faraday cages work under controlled conditions. But up on that mountaintop? The smartest armor is knowledge and preparation.
So maybe keep the chainmail for Comic Con and pack a weather app instead.
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