PART 2: Equipment

Equipment & Maintenance:

Fencing clothing includes the jacket, pants, plastron (underarm protector), and socks. Some companies manufacture unitards (combined jacket and pants). Inexpensive practice gear is fashioned of synthetics or heavy cotton, but competition clothing is required to pass an 800 N puncture test.

Casual and beginner fencers can rely on cotton or synthetic jackets, but should consider using a plastron for extra protection. Track pants or baseball knickers are also thrifty alternatives to genuine fencing clothing.

Most jackets are left- or right-handed. Women's jackets are not only cut differently, but have pockets for breast protectors. Ambidextrous (back-zip) jackets are available, but generally not with homologated fabrics. Ambidextrous (double-sided) plastrons are available from some manufacturers.

Knee-high sport socks (such as for soccer/football or baseball) can be purchased from most sporting goods stores. Skin should not show between the socks and pant legs nor the cuff and glove of the weapon hand. The trailing hand and back of the head should be the only areas of exposed skin on the fencer's body.

800N homologated clothing is fashioned from special fabrics such as kevlar, Startex, or ballistic nylon. Some uniforms (especially older uniforms of kevlar construction) offer partial 800N coverage in vital areas with lighter 350N fabrics used elsewhere. Full-coverage 800N uniforms are now the norm in homologated clothing.

The rules for FIE 'A' level competition demand homologated jacket and pants. As of April 1, 1995, an additional 800N plastron is required.

The CFF currently requires a minimum of 800/350N uniforms for all elite tournaments. No plastron is required in conjunction with FIE clothing.

800N uniforms are not required in USFA competition; a regulation plastron is compulsory with all types of uniform, however. (USFA clothing regulations can be found at http://www.usfa.org/Documents/Policy/Uniform.htm).

800N clothing generally provides the highest degree of quality and protection available. It is strongly recommended for serious competitors, and for anyone else concerned about their safety. Although considerably more expensive than practice gear, many fencers find it well worth the price.

Kevlar clothing should be washed with mild detergent-free soap, and no bleach. Hang dry away from sources of ultraviolet light (especially direct sunlight). Store in a dark place (a closet or your fencing bag, for example).

Traditionally, fencing clothing is all white (for historical reasons that probably had to do with detection of hits), but the rules have recently been relaxed to allow "light" colours on the body. Other colours may be permitted on the limbs. The fencer's last name and country can appear on the back or the trailing leg in block blue letters; this is required in international competition. National colours can be worn on an armband on the trailing arm. Club or association badges can be stitched to the upper trailing arm.

Although most manufacturers advertise 2- and 3-weapon masks, there are different requirements for each. Foil masks should be well-insulated to prevent touches to the head from conducting to the lame' and registering as a touch. Electric sabre masks must be conductive, on the other hand, to allow head touches. Epee masks should have bibs that cover the collar bones, while foil masks should not descend below the collar bones.

Masks usually come in 3 or 5 sizes, depending on the manufacturer. When sizes are numbered, 5 is usually the largest. Sizes are often indicated by the position of a metal tag or rivet on the rear portion of the mesh.

Clear plastic masks are available (eg. from Zivkovic), with a small lexan panel in front of the eyes, and normal wire or other material elsewhere. The lexan is supposed to be shatterproof, and can be replaced when scratched.

Masks must pass a 12 kg punch test to be certified for competition. Consider subjecting a used mask to such a test before using/purchasing it. Older masks can have smaller bibs and weaker mesh (rated to 7 kg), making them less safe. When punch testing a mask, depress the punch perpendicular to the mesh without wiggling it. Do not apply more than the required amount of pressure. Pay particular attention to parts of the mesh that have already been dented or bent, including the center crease line. Unnatural dents in the mesh can and should be pushed or hammered out.

The best masks have FIE homologated bibs to protect the throat, and are required in high-level competition. 1600N bibs are standard in FIE competition for the 1995/96 season. The CFF requires 800N bibs as a minimum in elite competition, while the USFA has no FIE bib requirement.

Although it was recently announced that the bib would become part of the foil target in the 1995-96 season, these plans appear to have been dropped, due to technical problems in the implementation.

Fencing shoes are ideal, but often expensive. They characteristically have leather "skid pads" on the inside front of the shoe, and a sole that wraps back over the heel. Adidas makes low- and high-top models that are known for their quality, but can be quite expensive and hard to find in North America. Other brands include (but are not limited to) PBT (Hungarian), Estoc (French), Sport-Escrime (French), Dowin (Chinese), and Starfighter (?).

Lightweight indoor court shoes (such as for squash, badminton, racquetball, or volleyball) make excellent low-cost alternatives. Asics, Hi-Tec, Reebok, Etonic, and Adidas have all been recommended by rec.sport.fencing readers for manufacturing models that are useful for fencing.

Some fencers claim that wrestling shoes can be adapted for fencing, although they may not offer much support. Many outdoor athletic shoes and running shoes are too bulky or heavy for fencing, or provide poor lateral stability.

Hard heel cups are widely used to absorb the impact of lunges. They are integrated into many models of fencing shoe, but can be purchased separately from specialty athletic and orthopedics stores for other shoes. Softer rubber (eg. Sorbothane) inserts are also commonly used to provide extra cushioning or prevent chronic injuries from flaring.

Gloves should have leather or equivalent construction in the fingers and palm, have a long cuff to cover the sleeve opening, and have an opening for the bodywire. They should not fit too snugly, or they will be more susceptable to tearing. Varying degrees of padding are available in the back of the hand and fingers, which can be useful for epee and sabre fencers.

Gloves can deteriorate rapidly under heavy use, often lasting a single season or less. Some gloves are washable; saddle soap or other leather treatment can extend the lives of other gloves somewhat.

Economical alternatives to genuine fencing gloves include precision welding gloves, motorcycle gloves, and even common workman's gloves available at any hardware store, provided the fingers and palm are unpadded and supple enough to maintain the feel of the blade. It may be prudent to hand-stitch a longer gauntlet onto the cuff, if the normal one doesn't cover the sleeve opening (the cuff should run halfway up the forearm). In all these cases, a small wire opening may have to be cut into the wrist.