Just posting to say leather armor is very underrated.
I "discovered" it in my last world, 1.19, and wolves just stoped being dangerous. I completed my set with a blackguard sword, an iron shield and a bow. Killing them in 3 hits, I can land 2 hits on them while getting hit only once, for arround 2hp, before they start running. Then I use my bow to finish the job. With the shield you can tank bigger packs and even a bear if you are lucky and dont panic.
Easy to make (if you find limestone), cheap to maintain, with no penalties and enough protection. That way I can save my flax for more critical things in the first-second year, like windmills or warm clothes. This way, by the time I can craft a gambeson I dont feel its very useful anymore.