HAVING A LARP LTD

What HAVING A LARP LTD does

Having a Larp Ltd is a privately held UK company founded in 2010 by Ian Knope and his wife Emily, operating as a multi-brand e-commerce retailer specializing in Live Action Role Playing (LARP) and historical reenactment equipment. The business sells foam-and-latex LARP-safe weapons (swords, daggers, spears, shields, bows), armour (metal, leather, suede, padding), medieval and fantasy costume, leather accessories, and character-enhancing props, organized across five main product categories on a BigCommerce-powered storefront. The product range spans items priced from £0.50 (Potion Bottles) to £180 (Suede Rangercoat), with structured tiered discounts for clubs, individuals, and students/OAP/Armed Forces buyers, and free postage above £500.

The company runs a hybrid go-to-market combining direct-to-consumer e-commerce (with PayPal payments, gift certificates, wish lists, and an email newsletter) with face-to-face event sales at UK LARP conventions including LarpCon UK, Empire, Curious Pastimes, The Lorien Trust, and Labyrinth, as well as events across Europe. It stocks and distributes multiple third-party brands (Mytholon as a Premium Retailer, Medlock Armoury, Irregular Props, Dunkel Art, Lyon Leathers, Snazaroo, Cowley's Fine Foods, Piece of History, Art Hammer) alongside its own HaL Emporium house brand, whose Weapon Maintenance Spray serves as a consumable add-on. Marketing is supported by The HalBlog content, a Facebook page, and event sponsorship.

Having a Larp is bootstrapped and family-run with 1-10 employees and no external institutional investment. The business is registered at 4 Belton Close, Coalville, Leicestershire (LE67 4TP), and operates with a single revenue stream of one-time product sales; there is no subscription or licensing component. Geographic reach covers the UK and continental Europe, with international shipping handled via ParcelForce.

Name

HAVING A LARP LTD

Legal name

Having a Larp Ltd

Website

https://havingalarp.com/

Company type

Private

Founded year

2025

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Having a Larp Ltd is a UK-based, family-run e-commerce retailer founded in 2010 that sells LARP and historical reenactment weapons, armour, costumes, accessories, and props to individual hobbyists and LARP clubs across the UK and Europe via its BigCommerce website and on-site event sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

LARP Equipment Retail

NAICS

All Other Miscellaneous Retailers (459999)

SIC

Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600)

akta.pro primary industry

Dolls, Plush & Action Figures Retail (CRALAFAD)

Keywords

• LARP equipment retail
• LARP weapons
• Costume armour
• Reenactment supplies
• Foam latex weapons

Headquarters

HQ city

Coalville

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: One-time product sales of LARP equipment including weapons, armour, costumes, accessories, and props. No subscription model. Products sold at various price points from budget items to premium gear.
2. Maintenance and Care Products: Sale of ancillary products like weapon maintenance spray, care products, and accessories that complement main product lines.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Having a Larp is a UK-based e-commerce retailer that sells Live Action Role-Playing (LARP) and historical reenactment equipment, including foam-and-latex combat-safe weapons, armour, costumes, leather accessories, and character props. Products are sold online through its BigCommerce website and face-to-face at LARP events across the UK and Europe, with offerings spanning budget items to premium gear under multiple third-party brands and its own HaL Emporium house brand.

Product overview

Having a Larp is a UK-based e-commerce retailer specializing in Live Action Role Playing (LARP) equipment, costumes, and accessories. The business operates as a multi-brand marketplace offering a comprehensive range of LARP products organized into five main categories: Weapons (foam and latex combat-safe weapons including swords, daggers, spears, shields, bows, and crossbows), Armour (metal, leather, suede, and padding protection), Costume (medieval and fantasy garments including tunics, cloaks, robes, and dresses), Accessories (belts, bags, pouches, scabbards), and Props/Tools (jewellery, make-up, books, camping supplies). The company carries multiple third-party brands including Mytholon, Medlock Armoury, Irregular Props, Snazaroo, and Dunkel Art, as well as its own HaL Emporium house brand. Products are sold primarily through its BigCommerce-powered online store with shipping to UK and international customers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Costume Medieval and fantasy costumes made from high-quality fabrics including shirts, trousers, tunics, cloaks, robes, coats, dresses, headwear, and accessories for LARP events, reenactments, and themed parties.
• LARP Weapons Foam and latex LARP-safe weapons including swords, daggers, spears, staves, shields, bows, crossbows, black powder replicas, and hafted weapons. All weapons are combat-safe and approved for UK LARP event use.
• LARP Armour Armour collection featuring leather, chainmail, plate, suede, and padding options. Includes metal body location armour, forearm/lower leg protection, head and neck pieces, upper arm/leg armour, and complete sets in sizes from small to extra-large.
• Accessories Essential items including belts, bags, pouches, scabbards, weapon loops, and archery accessories crafted from leather and suede materials.
• Props, Tools and Useful Extras Character-enhancing items including props, tools, jewellery, cloak pins, make-up, prosthetics, books, stationery, and camping/living supplies for immersion at LARP events.
• Weapon Maintenance Spray Silicone spray for latex weapon maintenance that prolongs weapon life and adds shine. Also usable on leather, metal, polyurethane, and textiles.

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• MytholonflagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPremium retailer status for Mytholon brand. Mytholon is a major German LARP equipment manufacturer. The store features Mytholon Premium Retailer badge prominently.
• Medlock ArmourycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUK-based manufacturer of LARP weapons stocked by Having a Larp. Products include spears, staves, swords, shields, and daggers.
• UK CrafterscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with UK crafters to make the finest wares specifically for the UK LARP market, ensuring quality and supporting local makers.
• HaL EmporiumcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUK-based LARP equipment manufacturer. Their own brand Weapon Maintenance Spray is distributed through this channel.
• Irregular PropscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUK-based manufacturer of hand-made LARP-safe weapons including swords and daggers with GRP cores.
• Lyon LeathersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLeather goods manufacturer for LARP equipment.
• Dunkel ArtminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLARP prop manufacturer.
• SnazaroominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFace paint manufacturer stocked by Having a Larp.
• Cowley's Fine FoodsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSpeciality food products including jerky suitable for LARP iron rations.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Caliver Books: UK-based specialist LARP and historical reenactment retailer selling foam weapons, armour, costumes, and accessories to the same hobbyist community. The most directly comparable UK competitor to Having a Larp in assortment and customer base.
• The Knight Shop: UK retailer focused on medieval, LARP, and reenactment gear including foam weapons, armour, and costume. Directly overlapping product lines and customer base with Having a Larp within the UK market.
• Armour & Castings: UK retailer specializing in costume, armour, and historical/reenactment garb serving the same UK hobbyist market. Comparable in product categories (armour, costume, accessories) and small-business, specialist-retail positioning.
• Fenix LARP: European LARP retailer selling foam weapons, armour, and costume accessories. Directly comparable product range aimed at the same LARP player base, though broader geographic footprint than Having a Larp.
• Knightfall LARP: UK-based online LARP equipment retailer stocking foam weapons, armour, and accessories. Smaller, similarly positioned UK competitor with comparable assortment and target market to Having a Larp.

Regional players

• Battlemerchant: Large Germany-based LARP and medieval market retailer with extensive multi-brand assortment across weapons, armour, and costume. Comparable catalog and target customer, but primarily serves Continental Europe rather than the UK.
• Larp-Shop: Germany-based online LARP retailer with broad multi-brand assortment across weapons, armour, and costume. Comparable catalog to Having a Larp, but primarily serves the German-speaking European market rather than the UK.

Broad incumbents

• Epic Armoury: Denmark-based LARP weapons and armour manufacturer and global retailer with much larger scale and own-brand IP. Comparable end products to what Having a Larp stocks, but Epic Armoury competes both as a brand sold in the store and as a broader incumbent retailer.
• Mytholon: Germany-based major manufacturer of LARP costumes and leather equipment. Mytholon is both a supplier partner (Premium Retailer status) and a competitor selling direct to UK consumers via its own storefront, comparable in category though not pure retail.

Others

• Medlock Armoury: UK-based LARP weapons manufacturer whose products (spears, staves, swords, shields, daggers) are stocked by Having a Larp as a supplier partner. Adjacent ecosystem participant rather than direct retailer competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/having.larp/?fref=ts
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/having-a-larp-limited

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about HAVING A LARP LTD