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.
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!
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! Where we give example manufacturers these are merely examples of makers whose products we have experience with, not guarantees that any particular weapon will pass examination.
Longsword/Federschwert: HEMA Federschwerts/Paratschwerts or Feder-style sparring longswords with fattened or rolled points. Maximum blade length 105cm. Maximum weight 1800g. 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. Example makers: Regenyei, Kvetun, Ensifer, Pavel Moc, Szymon Chlebowski, Castille.
Arming Sword: Arming swords must feature a simple crossguard with no finger rings or knuckle bows. Maximum blade length is 80cm. The tip must be rolled, fattened or spatulated in some way, or tipped with rubber, plastic or steel, and the sword should posses some degree of flex. Recommended manufacturers include Regenyei, Kvetun, Pavel Moc, Poker Armoury.
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. Maximum blade length is 75cm. The tip must be rolled, fattened or spatulated in some way, or tipped with rubber, plastic or steel, and the sword should posses some degree of flex. Recommended manufacturers include Landschnekt Emporium, Poker Armory, Silk Fencing.
Rapier: Cup hilt, pappenheimer or similar guards are recommended for additional hand protection. Weight and balance should be representative of a sword capable of delivering effective cuts as well as thrusts. Long “musketeer” type epee blades are not allowed. Maximum blade length is 110cm, measured from the crossguard. Points must be capped with plastic or steel tips unless suitably fattened or rolled. Rubber tips are not allowed, as they grip masks and increase the chance of injury, while also being susceptible to being “pierced through” by the sword point, or otherwise breaking in use. Example makers: Balefire Blades, Kvetun, Bellatore, Regenyei.
Sidesword: Sidesword with either widened point, rolled point, or an attached safety point. Weight and balance should be representative of a sword capable of delivering effective cuts as well as thrusts. Maximum blade length is 95 cm.
Dussack: The dussack must be entirely steel and should feature a spatulated, widened, or rolled tip. The maximum blade length is 75 cm. Example makers: VB Swords, Castille.
Sabre/Basket Hilted Swords: Gymnasium type sabres with rolled or swelled tips, or sparring type basket hilted broadswords/backswords. If the sword doesn’t have a rolled or swelled tip, a rubber tip/brass cartridge must be attached. Maximum blade length of 85cm. Max weight 1000g (1300g for basket hilts to account for extra weight in the hilt). 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. Example, but not limited to, manufacturers: Danelli Armouries, Regenyei & Kvetun.
Smallsword: These may be foil, epee, ‘musketeer’ or schlaeger bladed between 30” and 35” long. They must have reasonable flex, be blunt and have the tip buttoned, widened or spatulated. They must have a simple hilt, but need not have a knucklebow. Foils and epees may be used, the suggestion is a Leon Paul #2 epee blade. Pistol or orthopedic grips are not allowed.
Spadroon/Colichemarde: Black Fencer, Kraken, Armourclass, and numerous others have mass production spadroons available at the moment. The tip should be buttoned, widened or spatulated. However, if you have a steel simulator made to your own specifications, please bring it along. You will need to demonstrate that is has sufficient flex on a thrust to be safe and that it weighs above 600g and below 800g. The Hanwei Radaelli sabre and Alchem blades spadroon are also suitable steels if you have them.
Daggers: Sail hilts are recommended for additional hand protection. Maximum blade length is 45cm. Points as per rapier. Hanwei dagger blades are not allowed.
Buckler: Bucklers must be round and have a maximum diameter of 35cm. Safe edges, for example, leather or rolled steel, are required. Targas and other non-round shields are not allowed.
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.