The basic equipment of Fencing is a Glove (for your weapon hand only), Jacket, Mask, Weapon (Foil, Epee, or Saber), Under-Arm Protector (UAP) sometimes mistakenly called a  Plastron (probably because 'Plastron' rolls off the tongue easier)) and Leggings (pants).  Additionally, males are required to wear a protective cup in competition, and females wear chest protection (either full chest or individual cups (aka ‘frisbees’)).

When fencing electrically, you use a weapon that is made differently than its dry counterpart – even though they look almost the same.  You also need a different mask for Foil and Saber, since it needs to be electrically insulated.  Jackets are the same whether fencing dry or electrical, you just don a vest overlay called a lamé  (pronounced ‘la may’).  When fencing electrically, you also need wires called body cords to connect you weapons etc. to the take-up reel that is hooked up behind your back and feeds into the electric scoring equipment.

(Note that all prices here are approximate as of Fall 2002, and exclusive of Shipping/Handling (S+H) and tax. There are few or no local fencing supply stores, they almost exclusively exist on the East or West Coast.  BladeMasters will sell equipment to its members only.)

Gloves protect your hands from your opponents weapon, and give you a better grip on yours.  In Saber, the hand is a valid target and you need protection and an ‘electrical’ glove.  You only wear a glove on your weapon hand.  Gloves run about $15-$27 each.  Nice, washable ones start at about $18

Jackets protect you from your opponent’s weapon.  They are usually cotton.  You can get them with a zipper in the back, or on the side.  If you get it with a zipper on the side, you have to get a Left or a Right-handed jacket.  Clubs usually get the back zip for simplicity.  Jackets are uni-sex.  Chest Pockets are often sewn into the jacket for women using the ‘frisbee’ chest proctors.  Prices start at about $40 and go to over $100.

Lamés are the vest overlays that go over the Jacket to provide electrical scoring.  It is a French word pronounced ‘la-may’.   Prices go from $80 - $150.

Masks are different for the different weapons, though some masks can be used for more than one  weapon.   All masks used in competition (or any fencing activity if you value your face and life) must pass the F.I.E. ‘punch test’ of 12kg (about 25 lbs.).  Some masks use Plexiglas, but most are the steel wire that you’ve seen. When fencing with electrical scoring (as almost all the world does nowadays), you may need a slightly different mask than you would when fencing dry.  

In a nutshell about Foil/Epee/Saber - Dry vs. Electric  masks: 

Non-electric ('dry'):

Foil, Epee, Saber can all use the same mask, like the Leon Paul 3 weapon (3w) mask that our Club uses.

For Electric:

Saber: It's a special mask, that fully conducts the electric circuit to score a hit

Epee: You do not need an electrically insulated mask.  You can use the same mask you use for fencing non-electric.

Foil: Well....  If you sweat or get the bib of the mask wet, and your opponent touches your mask (which is not a valid target, but might close the circuit if it's conducting to the wet bib which is contacting your electric lame...) and the Director (aka 'referee') doesn't catch it, your opponent will score a point that s/he doesn't deserve.  But if you get an insulated mask, the bib is electrically insulated from the metal mask, and that shouldn't happen.  So to be safe against undeserved points, you spend about another $25 and get the insulated mask.  Once you get to the mid/upper-range masks by the way, the price already includes this insulation.

Prices start at about $75, nice ones you'd want to buy for yourself start at about $130 and go over $300 for electric Saber.

Weapons: Both electric and dry weapons have 3 basic parts (handle/grip, guard, and blade).  Electric Foils are different products than their dry counterpart, and also have a small switch at the tip. 

Handle/grip: There are 2 basic handle/grips.  The ‘French grip’ is basically a straight handle (shown in the table ), whereas the orthopedic grip (sometimes called a ‘Pistol grip’) is shaped like the handle of a gun.  There is one standard French grip (right, top), but multiple styles of orthopedic grip (right, bottom).   

 

 

Guard: The Foil guard is the smallest of the 3 weapons. The guard is bigger on the other weapons because the hand is a valid target area on those weapons.    

Blades on the Foil are given numbers to indicate their length.  Blades are typically 0 or 2 (used up until about 10 years of age), or 5.  A number 5 blade is about 33” long.  A number 2 blade is about 31”.  Men and women age 10+ usually use a number 5 blade.   The tip of the blade where it is weakest is called the foible (from the Old English word feble which is where we get the word feeble).  The base of the blade where it is the strongest is called the strong.  Aren't you glad you know that?   Dry Foils are priced from $40.  Electric Foils start at around $70.

Epees are similar to Foils, but their guards are a bit bigger because they need to protect the hand which is a valid target area.  Their blade is also a bit stiffer than that of Foil.

Sabers have a more triangular cross-section, and have the largest guard including a ‘wrap around’ over the fingers – since a slashing motion is also valid in Saber.

Plastrons and ‘under arm protectors’ are worn under the Jacket, and these terms are sometimes used interchangeably, but not correctly.  A Plastron covers the chest and other parts of the body. The underarm protector is like a quarter of a  padded T-shirt that goes from the bicep to the neck and down the side.  It is worn on the weapon side of the body (i.e., right side if you are right handed).  An underarm protector (UAP) is required in competition.  Prices start at about $24.

Leggings.  Formal fencing attire includes knickers that go to the knee and long socks, or ‘special’ fencing pants.  Most people at the clubs just wear comfortable, stretchy pants. Sweats or baseball pants work very well and are pretty inexpensive because of their mass-produced nature. Baseball pants at SportMart are going for about $8 for kid sizes and $15 for adults.  Remember to wear long, over-the-calf socks.  No skin should ever be exposed on the leg.

Shoes: Yes, there are special shoes for fencing and no you don’t need them – most people wear regular athletic shoes.  It’s just interesting to know. Fencing shoes are special for left- vs right-handed fencers – since your forward foot points forward and your back foot points sideways.  Costs start at about $100+. 

Protective Cups:  Whether the groin is in the target area or not, if you get hit with a fast-moving piece of metal (e.g., a weapon) it’s going to hurt and quite possibly do damage.  You wear them for the same reason you would in soccer, baseball, etc.

Chest protectors are needed by women for pretty-much the same reason as men wear cups.  Full-chest protectors cost $40+, frisbee-types are about $5-10+, and can be worn inside the bra or in the Jacket pockets (which can be sewn into the jackets upon request). 

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Last modified: January 06, 2008