Fencing Equipment and Suppliers

What's a fencer without a sword? Having your own fencing gear is a more comfortable, safe and hygienic option than the beginners' range you might use at the club - with it you'll enjoy fencing more! It will also allow you to fence when ever you feel like it: at home with friends, visiting other venues or even other countries! And of course your gear will play a crucial role if you decide to enter a competition..

Simple rules:

1. Fencing gear lasts long. The jacket you buy today will be with you in 10 years time. Therefore buy good quality - and enjoy it!

2. If you're confused with the variety of (blades, grips, gloves) offered by a supplier - phone them and ask for details. No one else will know their range as well as themselves. People who run fencing shops are usually enthusiasts who'll be happy to guide you!

3. Do not buy your fencing gear on ebay unless as collectibles! Things found on ebay are often too old and do not comply with today's safety standards. Not to mention other unforeseeable details: one student bought on ebay a sabre with an epee blade!

Jacket, breeches, weapon, glove... What's missing?

Basics

Every fencer will need: Mask, Jacket, Glove, Breeches, ideally with knee high socks, Chest-protector (obligatory for women) and the Weapon. Underarm protector or Plastron which goes under the main jacket is also advisable. If you fence only steam (non-electric) foil you might get away without having the breeches however they become obligatory once you switch to electric fencing. You'll probably also want a bag which would hold your tools of trade.

Weapons

Adults fence with size 5 weapons while children might require size 3 or less depending on the age. French and pistol grips are available in foil and epee - please check with your coach what's the best for you.

Electrics

If you fence using electric scoring you will also need the electric version of your weapon and the body wire. Plus for Foil you'll need a foil lame jacket (the armless conductive jacket which goes over the normal one) and for Sabre: sabre lame jacket, electric mask and electric glove, and jacket to mask wire.

Shoes

Dedicated fencing shoes offer extra protection to the heel and to the inside of the foot. They can be substituted with cross trainers or other squash type light weight shoes.

If you compete...

You'll need at least two working weapons and body wires plus, if you're taking part in an official international tournament, your equipment should answer the standards of the FIE (Federation Internationale D'Escrime) and your name and country must be written in big impressive letters on your back!

Fencing equipment suppliers

The main London shop is Leon Paul located off M1 in Hendon, North West London. Another supplier to mention is Allstar - Uhlmann with the shops in Staines and Scotland, they're reasonably reliable in terms of internet and telephone orders.

Good epees are made by Allstar Uhlmann and Hungarian PBT, also the top end of Leon Paul range can be recommended. All three would be also good for foils, sabres, jackets, masks and lame jackets.

At our own London Fencing Club Shop you can get great masks, gloves, weapons and other essensuals with the free delivery to the club premises for members and normally significantly cheaper than the main suppliers. Please have a look below for reviews of the shops and, if you've already dealt with them perhaps add your own!

Reviews

Got your kit already? Check it regularly!

Masks and particularly the electric versions of weapons, suffer from tear and wear. The better you fence, the higher become the speeds and the more impact is made on and by your weapon. Every fencer should pay attention to the weapons and protective gear they use and check them regularly. This will ensure that the tip of your sword does not come off suddenly in the middle of the bout and that the mesh of your mask does not weaken under the stress of the repeated friendly blows. Long time ago swords were given their own names, today they still require a bit of human attention.

Learning how to deal with the faults in electrical weapons is a good idea if you ever want to compete and there is a wealth of advice on the internet. The club's foil repaire manual can be downloaded here.