And what were the pros and cons of each?
The armor that was used by the Christian Crusaders and the Muslims was actually quite similar at this time. Maille armor was very common probably the most widely used armor, it consisted of numerous small metal rings linked together and it provided very good protection for the most part. Both Christian and Muslim soldiers used this armor. In some cases it was reinforced with metal plates added to it. Muslims had a similar style with their lamellar armor. This consisted of numerous small metal or leather players that were laced together to form a solid piece. This was occasionally worn on top of the maille armor.