PROTECTiVE GEAR
Note that there must be no exposed bare skin, including at the nape of the neck, the back of the shins, the palms, and the wrists.
Fencing Mask: FIE 1600N masks only. Masks must not show signs of distress/damage that will impact on their use, like dents or rusting. Mask top/side covers are highly recommended for all weapons.
Back of Head Protection: The back of the head needs to be covered by a solid, rigid protector, without significant gaps.
Gorget: We require a solid (not segmented) throat guard covering the front of the throat.
Jackets and Plastrons: You are dressing for the weapon you are fighting AGAINST. A padded HEMA jacket with a 350N rating is mandatory (800N rating recommended). If a 350N jacket is worn them other protection must be worn beneath the jacket such as a chest protector and/or a fencing plastron. The jacket must have a high/protective/blade catcher style collar in order to prevent a blade slipping under the mask bib. The jacket must cover the points of the hip, if it does not then padded fencing trousers or a fencing skirt must be worn. Gambesons with gaps are not allowed.
Trousers: At present (2025) we do not require newton rated trousers/britches/poofypants, however this is likely to change moving into 2026.
Elbows: Solid protection for longsword, sword and buckler, broadsword, spadroon and sabre. Recommended but not required for smallsword, colichemarde and rapier.
Knees: Solid protection including the sides of the knee is required for all weapons.
Shins and Forearms: Solid protection is required for longsword, sword and buckler, backsword, spadroon and sabre. Highly recommended for smallsword, rapier and colichemarde.
Gloves: The minimum level of glove is a Red Dragon type glove for complex hilted weapons. If a sabre hilt is open, we would suggest heavier gloves, but the minimum is still Red Dragon. Metal gauntlets are not allowed. For small sword, sport fencing gloves are allowed, but it is recommended to wear padded coaching type gloves or better. Remember you must dress for the weapon you are fencing AGAINST, and if you are a smallsword fencer vs a spadroon fencer you will have to wear heavier gloves. Where a hilt is fully enclosed, thin gloves are allowed. For open hilted weapons, longsword & sword and buckler, longsword gloves such as SPES heavies, Thokk with longsword cover and similar are required.
Plastic Chest protector: Highly recommended for all disciplines.
Groin Guard: Mandatory for those who are genitally equipped, recommended for all.
WEAPONS
All tournaments are conducted on a “Bring Your Own Sword” basis though some loaner gear may be available on the day. Please remember common courtesy if borrowing someone else’s swords; if you break it, offer to replace it!
PLEASE NOTE THAT AS OF 2025 ALL SWORDS SHOULD BE TIPPED IN THERMOPLASTIC OR (AS A VERY WORSE SECOND OPTION) LEATHER. Tips should be checked regularly for wear and tear and replaced if required. All tips must be firmly secured, if your tip keeps coming loose and you cannot rapidly re-secure it or source an alternative weapon the bout will be recorded as a loss. All tips must be between 1cm and 1.5cm in diameter across the x and y axis, and slightly domed/convex. If the rolled/spatulated tip on your sword meets this criteria it is permissible to use it without thermoplastic or leather, however we have yet to find a sword that comes with a suitable tip from a manufacturer. Please use common sense when tipping your swords, a smallsword does not need as big a tip as a rapier or longsword!
Weapons are to be checked for flexibility, signs of damage etc. You may not use a sword which has previously suffered a serious deformation and been re-straightened!
Longsword/Federschwert: HEMA Federschwerts/Paratschwerts or Feder-style sparring longswords (Sigi King etc). Side rings of reasonable size are allowed. Cross-guards and schilts must be well rounded and not prominently pointed. Regenyei ‘Tulip’, ‘Tulip Maestro’, and ‘Crown’ schilts, or similar, are unsafe and not allowed.
Must be properly tipped and possess sensible flex.
Maximum blade length 105cm.
Maximum weight 1800g.
Arming Sword: Arming swords must feature a simple crossguard with no finger rings or knuckle bows.
Must be properly tipped and possess sensible flex.
Maximum blade length 80cm.
Maximum weight 1500g.
Messer: Messers must feature a crossguard and nagel/nagel-like protruberence/outside ring guard. A simple knuckle bow is permissible but complex hilts and dussacks are not.
Must be properly tipped and possess sensible flex.
Maximum blade length 75cm.
Maximum weight 1400g.
Rapier: Cup hilt, pappenheimer or similar guards are recommended for additional hand protection. Long “musketeer” type epee blades are not allowed.
Must be properly tipped and possess sensible flex.
Maximum blade length 110cm (measured from the crossguard!)
Maximum weight 1150g.
Sidesword: Sidesword with a complex hilt that is obviously capable of delivering a cut, no skinny “rapier” or musketeer blades on “sidesword” style hilts.
Must be properly tipped and possess sensible flex.
Maximum blade length 95 cm.
Maximum weight 1200g.
Dussack: The dussack must be entirely steel and feature a complex hand guard or side-ring of some kind.
Must be properly tipped and possess sensible flex.
Maximum blade length 75 cm.
Maximum weight 1250g.
Sabre: Gymnasium type sabres or “heavier” style sabres as long as they fit the specifications. Curved or straight blades are permissable. Note that Red Dragon “Easton” and Hanwei Hutton sabres are not allowed due to a history of failures in certain production runs and design/manufacturing defects.
Must be properly tipped and possess sensible flex.
Maximum blade length 86 cm.
Maximum weight 1000g.
Miniumum weight 750g.
Basket Hilted Swords: Broadswords, backswords and similar with full or half baskets (please be sure you wear heavy gloves if using a hilt that is a more exposed type. Leather liners in baskets are mandatory if you choose to wear light gloves as no hilts are fully enclosed.
Must be properly tipped and possess sensible flex.
Maximum blade length 86 cm.
Maximum weight 1300g.
Smallsword: These may be foil, epee, ‘musketeer’ or schlaeger bladed. Pistol or orthopedic grips are not allowed. Please account for the fact that you may need to wear heavy gloves when smallswording to defend against heavier swords.
Must be properly tipped and possess sensible flex.
Maximum blade length 89 cm.
Minimum blade length 76cm.
Spadroon/Colichemarde: Spadroons must be capable of delivering a “cut” and no be smallsword style blades (otherwise it’s just a smallsword!) Colichemardes must be identifiable as such by the thickened ricasso for parrying heavier weapons. Note that colichemardes cannot deliver a cut unlike the spadroon under Ecky Thump rules.
Must be properly tipped and possess sensible flex.
Maximum weight 850g.
Minimum weight 650g.
Daggers: Sail hilts are recommended for additional hand protection. Hanwei dagger blades are not allowed.
Maximum blade length 45cm.
Buckler: Bucklers must be round. Spiky or Talhoffer style bucklers are not permitted. Targas and other non-round shields are not allowed. Safe edges, for example, leather or rolled steel, are required.
Maximum diameter 35cm.
Cloak: Cloaks should be made of a medium/heavyweight fabric and should not feature any buckles, toggles, zips or fastenings. When being used for Ecky Thump they should not be affixed or tied in any way to the body but should be draped or used loosely.