RECOMMENDED GEAR
IT ALL STARTS WITH PROPER EQUIPMENT
Fencing can be an expensive sport and investing in the right gear is very important. You don’t need to buy all your gear at once to start training with us but piecing together quality kit over time is important.
Below is a list of equipment we recommend to those looking to train with us. These are items that have either been used in our club or come recommended from the historical combat community.
SYNTHETIC TRAINING WEAPONS
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![Purple Heart Armory Pentti Longsword Bonk]()
PENTTI LONGSWORD
Longsword continues to be one of the most popular HEMA disciplines. We found that PHA’s synthetic longsword to be durable, balanced, and flexible enough to be safe in the thrust. A worthy replacement of wooden training swords.
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![Black Fencer Socal Swords Synthetic Longsword]()
BLACK FENCER LONGSWORD
Black Fencer makes hyper durable and realistic trainers. Their cord-wrapped hilts are known to last for years of hard use and many prefer BF due to their realistic and historical blade shape. Great flex for thrusting while being just a bit more authoritative in the cut.
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![Purple Heart Armory Pentti Langes Messer Sparring]()
PENTTI LANGES MESSER
Shorter blades have less force in the cut but can hurt when thrusting due to their stiffness. PHA does a great job solving this thrusting issue with their Pentti Langes Messer. Fast and agile but flexible enough for safe thrusts.
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![RAWLINGS TRAINERS]()
RAWLINGS SWORD TRAINERS
Rawlings trainers are one the best affordable training swords available. They go by a lot of other names such “Knights Shop” or “Red Dragon” training swords. These swords are found in multiple flavors to include arming, basket hilt, messer, and longswords. Rawlings blades are flexible and can provide a good platform to drlll and spar with for half the cost of other synthetic swords.
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![Purple Heart Armory Pentti Katana V4 Sparring]()
PHA KATANA
Wood swords have been the main training tool of Japanese sword martial arts for centuries. Hardwood can be unsafe for sparring while bamboo is shaped differently from real katana. PHA’s Pentti V4 Katanas are shaped like the real sword with enough flex to safely spar at full force.
WHY PLASTIC SWORDS?
SAFETY AND COST
Historical combat can be an expensive hobby and many choose to start with a synthetic nylon sword. These can cost just half of what a sparring steel sword would cost and is a great way to get started without breaking the bank .
QUALITY AND SAFETY
These are not toys! Synthetic swords are fast replacing wooden swords because they are safer and last longer. The blades of special nylon are designed to flex (as many real swords do) making them FAR safer to spar with than their wooden counterparts.
Thrusting full-force with hardwood training swords can still cause serious injuries even with protective gear.
Being both non-metallic and non-organic also makes them near impervious to rust allowing them to last for years. REMEMBER: Protective gear must still be worn when sparring the nylon swords.
Currently, we recommend Purple Heart Armory’s Pentti line of synthetic swords in multiple styles ranging from Katanas to Longswords. Our club has extensive experience with these swords and find them to be durable, fast, and safe. We are open to testing and recommending other brands as well!
If you would like to talk to us about reviewing and possibly recommending your fencing products, please CLICK HERE
WATCH OUR REVIEW OF THE PHA SYNTHETIC LONGSWORD
STEEL SPARRING SWORDS
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![Purple Heart Armory Tournament Feder Sparring Sword Steel]()
PURPLE HEART ARMORY TOURNAMENT FEDER
A standard federschwert longsword made by Viktor Berbekucz and sold by PHA. Affordable and reliable and permitted in most tournaments. These feature blades that are slightly longer and thinner than the historical dimensions of longswords that tend to be the standard for steel-on-steel sparring all over the world. If you plan to compete in tournaments, we recommend buying a standard profile feder like this one.
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![Purple Heart Armory Techniques Feder Longsword Tech Line]()
STEEL TECHNIQUES FEDER LONGSWORD
Also made by PHA, the Techniques Feder simulates the look and feel of a true longsword as opposed to the longer and thinner profile of the tournament feder. It still retains flexibility to remain safe in the thrust but is a bit more forceful in the cut due to the wider blade.
Best for those who want to fight with the closest replica of a longsword that they can! NOTE: May not be permitted in some HEMA tournaments. -
![SIGI FORGE LONGSWORD FEDER]()
SIGI FORGE FEDER LONGSWORD
Based out of Slovakia, SIGI Forge makes beautiful works of art that are built for the toughest sparring. Their federschwert swords are some of the best made in the industry but come with a steep price tag. They make different sizes and types.
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VB STEEL LANGES MESSER
PHA’s line of steel messers and falchions are very affordable and strong sparring swords. Made by Viktor Berbekucz in Hungary and sold through PHA. Even though shorter than the longsword feders, their blades still flex just the right amount for safe thrusting. These are a must for messer enthusiasts.
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![AKADO ARMORY Steel Sparring Katana]()
AKADO ARMORY STEEL SPARRING KATANA
Steel sparring katanas are relatively new and follow the function of steel HEMA swords: allowing you to fence as realistically as possible. A few companies have created “katana feders” in the past but Akado Armory has created something unique and as close to a real katana as you can get.
Each Akado Armory katana is shaped like a real katana, using correct geometry in the blade. A functional scabbard (saya) comes with every sword as well so you can use these training katana for iai practice as well as sparring. -
![Landsknecht Emporium Messer]()
Landsknecht Emporium Messers
LKE is one of the HEMA world’s authorities on reproducing historically accurate sparring messers. Everything from the weight, distal taper, materials, and point of balance are meticulously studied and reproduced by the craftsmen at LKE. Each sparring sword has safe flex for thrusting and are built to last bout after bout.
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![Regenyei Feder Shorty]()
REGENYEI ARMORY SHORTY FEDER
Regenyei makes some of the best feders available and their “shorty” feder is no exception. They offer premium options with some of the best handling and flex to strength ratio you can buy. Don’t let the name fool you. Regenyei’s feders are typically very long and their shorty models are closer to actual longsword lengths.
IS SPARRING WITH STEEL SAFE?
YES!
Sparring with steel is the closest we will ever get to fighting like the warriors of old. Luckily, modern protective equipment makes sparring with blunted steel weapons relatively safe! We know this because steel sparring tournaments exist all around the world with a relatively low injury rate. Steel sparring weapons should of course be blunted, tips should be folded or rounded, and the blades kept flexible for safe thrusting.
THERE ARE SOME RISKS
Good schools use protective measures to keep students as safe as possible but there are some risks when sparring with steel (or any) weapons. For full-force sparring, protective gear should cover most of the body and hard gloves (not simple padded gloves) should be worn to prevent hand injuries. Protectors should be rated to at least 350N stab resistance. Renaissance fashion clothing and “leather armor” may not be protective enough to prevent injury so should not be used in sparring. Risks exist in all forms of martial arts training. It is our job to keep each other safe!
If you would like to talk to us about reviewing and possibly recommending your fencing products, please CLICK HERE
TRAINING DAGGERS
Cold Steel and PHA make a wide variety of rubber training knives that make learning historical knife fighting safe and enjoyable (it’s no fun to get stabbed with a wooden knife). These are our top picks:
SPEARS/POLEARMS
PHA once again does a great job making a training spear you can spar with. This 6 foot octagonal shaft comes with rubber blunted spear point and end cap for safe sparring. It is currently the only spear our club uses for classes and tournaments. Perfect for Japanese or European spear styles. Longer versions available HERE.
MASKS
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AF Basic Fencing Mask
Absolute force is a common brand with HEMA and fencing arts. Their basic mask will get the job done and not break the bank. Keep in mind you will need a back of the head protector in the future (not included).
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AF Deluxe Mask
Want full head protection right off the bat? This is the mask we recommend. The head wrap protects the sides and back and is rivetted in place. Eith add-on head protection, we find it sometimes slips off when putting the mask on and taking it off. This mask solves that problem.
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SPES Back of the Head Protector
Unless you purchase a deluxe mask, most masks do not come with protection for the back of your head. This add-on is a MUST if you plan to compete as hard strikes to the back of the head can be common in tournaments. An affordable and important piece of protection!
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Wukusi Cobra Fencing Mask
The Wakusi Cobra has fast become the most protective HEMA mask available. It has a hard-shell overlay that covers all the way to the nape of the neck, making it a complete-coverage option for head protection. It is a pricey mask but your head-health is worth the protection it provides.
FENCING GLOVES
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SPES HEAVY Gloves V3
For Steel Sword Fighting. SPES heavies are an industry standard tournament gloves that provides enough protection for longsword fighting (steel). As the name implies, these are heavily plated and the new version 3 provides improved thumb protection.
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Sparring Gloves
Sparring Gloves are another great choice for steel fencing. They offer a little more dexterity than the SPES heavies but at the cost of protection. Fencers that use Sparring Gloves state the wrists are just so slightly more vulnerable than the SPES heavies but still provide adequate protection for rough sparring matches. We recommend the Hourglass model. NOTE: An underglove must be worn with these.
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ROME Lacrosse Glove
Before fencing gloves started to become standardized, lacrosse gloves were a common stand-in. They are still used as an affordable alternative to higher end gloves. The ROME lacrosse gloves provides adequate protection of the hand for synthetic sparring.
NOTE: FOR SYNTHETIC FIGHTING ONLY. DO NOT USE LACROSSE GLOVES FOR STEEL SPARRING.
Buy used lacrosse gloves even cheaper at SidelineSwap -
HF Armory Black Knight Gloves
HF Armory’s Black Knight gloves are currently one of the most protective and flexible gloves you can buy. They are rated for steel and have a lower profile yet protect more of the hand than other gloves made for steel fighting.
FENCING JACKETS
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SPES AP Jacket 350N
An industry standard. The AP jacket by SPES is the most common jacket you will find at HEMA tournaments and can be used for Steel fighting. Women’s version sold HERE
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SPES Officers Jacket 350N
For those who find the AP Jacket to be too bland, the officers jacket provides the same protection with a bit more style. Women’s version sold HERE
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Superior Fencing 16th C. HEMA Jacket 800N
For more protection, look at the Superior Fencing 16th Century jacket in 800N. It is more puncture resistant (for accidental broken blades) and somewhat more impact resistant than normal 350N jackets and looks great. SF can even offer custom colors and embroidery.
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SPES AP Light Jacket 350N
This is a lighter, more mobile version of the regular SPES AP Jacket. While it has less padding than the standard AP, the pockets that hold foam armor allow you to insert more protection which the standard cannot. The shoulders are also far more articulated as a result.
ADDITIONAL PROTECTIVE GEAR
While all the gear above to get you started for training, there are still other parts you should consider such as elbow and kneepads, armored pants, and a gorget to protect your neck. Click the links below to purchase additional protective gear.
GEAR FOR KIDS
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AF Small Plastic Fencing Mask
Absolute force is a common brand with HEMA and fencing arts. These masks are made out of plastic and are sized smaller to fit children. They are only to be used with foam padded swords and not rated for synthetic or steel.
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Padded Lightweight Longsword
Designed to be used with minimal gear, this padded longsword lets students go all out with only having to wear a mask.
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Realistic Padded Longsword
Like the regular padded longsword, this trainer can be used with minimal armor. This model, however, features a more realistic, flat blade and heavier weight.
SHARP SWORDS FOR CUTTING
CLICK TO SEE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS
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