Is there a way to make thick leather early game?

[Nuka-Cola Zero]

I wanna craft a heavy helmet but the padding needs thick leather. Apparently only higher tier enemies drop the hide to tan it from. I wonder why early recipes require high end materials?

[Will_L]

You might get some rhino or elephant hides from thralls that you can make thick leather from. Try the camps on the north side of the "noob" river.

[Nuka-Cola Zero]

Ok thx.

[Ragnarök]

Heavy armor is mid-late game tech. Heavy armor is only ever necessary in certain areas, medium can get you by just fine everywhere but the Frozen North and the Volcano.

[Mirwin]

Yea, Thick leather is a little difficult early game. If you are near the jungle, Gorillas provide thick hide and are a bit easier to handle than most of the larger creatures at that point. You can take them down with stone daggers pretty easily if you can avoid getting hit.

[DigginTiger]

Go in set city (sepermeru) empty evrery single chests there are and you'll have about 100 pieces of thick leather.
2 chests are located near the set altar and 2 other ones are located at the wheel of pain. There are some more but not as easy to find as these 4 previously mentionned.

You can go to sepermeru at lvl 1, it's no big deal.