Please note – candidati are often excited to purchase a sword! However, please do not rush into buyiung a sword; this should not be your first purchase, and many swords sold are not suitable for use in training.
Equipment List
Your first purchases should be Protective Equipment:
- Gorget (required)
- Chest Protector (required)
- Jacket (required – or a heavy coat can substitute initially)
- Gloves (required – heavy gloves can be used initially but are not suitable for full speed drills or sparring)
- Mask (club masks can be borrowed, but you are recommended to get your own mask as soon as you can)
Weapons are a later purchase – the club has sufficient sideswords and bucklers available to borrow for new students.
- Steel sidesword (at some point)
- Buckler
Main Suppliers
The Knight Shop aka The HEMA shop
A UK manufacturer of HEMA protective equipment and nylon swords (Red Dragon product range). Equipment may be bought through the manufacturers website (thehemashop.com) or in person from their Welsh stores. As a member of SOTS you are entitled to a 10% discount (register your account and then email the hema shop saying you’re a member of The School of the Sword).
PBT Aldershot
Previously a sport fencing manufacturer which now also produces bespoke HEMA gear, PBT have a shop in Aldershot where you can buy products and receive a 10% club discount. The Aldershot store stocks a mix of sport fencing & HEMA equipment so if there are particular items you wish to try it’s best to call them in advance to check their stock.
If you’re unsure of sizing, or you want to try on protective gear before buying, PBT is a great choice; they stock all the protecive gear you need except gloves.
pbt-uk.com | shop.pbtfencing.com
Blackfencer
A nylon and steel sword manufacturer based in Spain Blackfencer offer several sidesword wasters which offer a significant improvement on Red Dragon wasters.
Gajardoni
A sport fencing & HEMA equipment manufacturer based in Italy, Gajardoni are well known for the quality of their tailoring.
SPES
One of the oldest HEMA equipment manufacturers, SPES are based in Poland and offer a number of jackets, breeches and other protective equipment. SPES products may also often be found in local resellers such as thehemashop.
Fait d’armes
A French equipment manufacturer and reseller Fait d’armes stock various gloves, protective equipment and waster weapons which can’t easily be found elsewhere.
Superior fencing
An equipment manufacturer based in pakistan, SF do some excellent value gloves, jackets and other protective equipment.
HF Armory
HF Armory’s is a Ukrainian supplier that provides good value entry level sideswords, rapiers, daggers and other equipment
Protective Equipment
All outer protective gear (jacket, mask, trousers) should be predominantly black.
Gorget
Throat protection is essential when working with a partner, and for all other non solo activities.
What to consider: protection, coverage, mobility, fit, suitability.
Red Dragon offer an inexpensive and effective product.
PBT produce a more protective gorget that also includes collarbone protection.
The steel gorget from Winter Tree Crafts is very popular if you want something more solid. It is also a lot less bulky under a jacket.
Chest Protector
Chest protectors are designed for comfort rather than to protect from broken blades (in sports fencing they wear stab proof plastrons for such a thing), however a heavier blade will certainly cause more discomfort, especially in the thrust. We recommend chest protectors for everyone. Female ones tend to be more bulky so a male one is advised where possible. For more comfort you can line them with foam. They can easily be trimmed with kitchen scissors, so if you are an awkward size, it may be better to get a larger one and trim it down.
What to consider: fit, protection, mobility.
allstar uhlmann makes the “Masterguard” chest protector
Gloves
Gloves within swordfighting are something of a challenge and no single ideal glove exists. Each design is a balance between protection and dexterity, which is particularly challenging for sidesword. Go for too heavy a glove and you lose the dexterity required for certain techniques, go too light and you risk injury (broken fingers are not an uncommon occurrence in HEMA).
The recommended gloves below offer a range of light to heavier gloves, suitable for sidesword.
As a starting point the Red Dragon gloves offer a good level of protection without compromising too much on dexterity, and are cheap.
Red dragon Sparring Gloves (Medium)
Red Dragon Gloves are entry level gloves offering a good balance between protection and dexterity.
These gloves are suitable for drills, exchanging and competition.
Whilst not the best gloves for sidesword, they are a very common first glove because of their low price, and will work fine for years.
SF Impact resistant Gloves (Heavy)
SuFen Impact resistant Gloves are a popular recent entry by superior fencing, these offers good mix of heavier protection while maintaining dexterity. They are also known as ‘Thock-offs’, as they are similar to the more expensive Thock gloves.
Five finger Sparring Glove (Heavy)
The Five finger Sparring Glove are ane of the most popular of the heavier gloves sparring gloves, in 5 finger rather than hoof configuration offer excellent levels of protection without too much loss on dexterity. When it comes to competition this is the glove many choose. While not unreasonable for a heavy glove the cost for these will typically be 3 times that of a medium glove such as the red dragons.
These gloves are suitable for drills, exchanging and competition.
Mask
You only have one head, so we advise that mask purchasing should not be a cost saving exercise. Get a good fit and one that will withstand tournament pressure if you are considering taking part in competition at any point.
NB: the Newton rating of a fencing mask relates to the bib, not the mesh. Although higher rated Newton masks will usually have a higher grade mesh. Do not choose anything less than 1600N.
What to consider: fit, Newton rating, protection, mobility, suitability, durability. Fit may be affected by hairstyle.
PBT
Currently they offer two different types of 1600N masks – a standard one which is also one of the cheapest, and a reinforced one. The reinforced mask is deeper and has additional mesh on the back of the head, which is worth considering if you fence heavy weapons like longswords.
Leon Paul
Leon Paul make an extremely good coaching mask (X-Change Contour) used by many within the school. The rear fitting method is different from other styles – some people like it, but it can interfere with hair tied back. It is one of the more expensive masks currently available.
Red Dragon
The Red Dragon 1600N Mask is a tournament ready mask with superior protection to their existing line up.
Gajardoni
The Gajardoni Kombat Air Mask is one of the best masks available, especially in that it has an inflatable internal padding structure which can adjust to the shape of your head, making it one of the more comfortable masks.
They also offer their Kombat mask, which does not have the inflatable padding, but is also a little cheaper as a result.
The Allstar Uhlmann Masters Mask and Masters Mask Black Comfort are both good 1600N masks provided by the sports fencing manufacturer Allstar Uhlmann. The black comfort adds additional padding over the standard.
Jacket
Jackets range from very thin and flexible to very protective and bulky. We advise something towards the lighter end of the scale as you will not get as hot, it allows better movement and they are easier to wash. The thicker gambeson style jackets are designed with Longsword and military sabre in mind, and meant for absorbing heavier hits. Ultimately it is up to you which kind you go for, it just has to be black.
The PBT jacket is popular – The benefit of buying from PBT is that we have a 10% discount with them, also they have a shop in Aldershot so you can actually try some of this stuff on if they have it in stock. As mentioned above, the thicker jackets may offer more protection but they can reduce movement so choose wisely. Many a person has started with a heavy jacket and ended up later buying a lighter, more fitted one.
The SPES Officers Jazcket is a newer jacket that several school members have purchased recently. It is very light and thin, and where you can purchase direct from the manufacturer we do have a discount with the Knightshop as well. Contact your senior instructor before purchasing so they can confirm your membership.
Knee / Lower Leg protection (optional)
Knee protection is advisable for heavier sparring as knees are somewhat vulnerable to damage. Lower leg protection is also nice as hits to the shin can be painful. Some leg protection also protects the ankle.
What to consider: fit, protection, mobility.
These leg protectors from the Knight Shop are a single piece that covers both the knee and the shin with a hinge to allow movement. However if you are below a certain height they can be too big. There is a hack (literally) where you can cut the lower part off to fit onto your shin with a hacksaw. Some people find these too restrictive. Alternatively hockey shin guards and skater kneepads do the job just as well.
SuFen also make a number of leg and knee protectors.
Elbow / Lower Arm protection (optional)
The SPES Vector forearm and elbow protectors are a popular choice. Hema Shop also stock a number of other options.
SuFen also make a number of Elbow / Lower Arm protectors.
Groin Protection (recommended)
We recommend groin protection for everyone, Shock Doctor are among the most comfortable brands.
Please note you should wear the groin protection under your trousers.
Shock Doctor Groin Guards, or martialartshop, or they can be found on Amazon.
What to consider: fit, protection, mobility, comfort.
Trousers
Black tracksuit trousers are sufficient, and are available in highstreet shops.
Shoes
Please wear non-marking shoes suitable for a gym hall.
Whilst specialist fencing shoes exist, they are not necessary. Trainers, indoor football shoes, basketball shoes, or boxing shoes are good options.
Weapons
Please check equipment purchases – particularly swords – with instructors before purchasing, as many swords sold online are not suitable or safe for training.
Buckler
The HEMA Shop make some excellent and affordable bucklers in a variety of gauges and sizes. We recommend a lighter gauge and 9-12 inch diameter. Smaller will not cover as much, larger will add weight.
You can also buy leather or wooden bucklers, or have a go at making your own if you wish. Check with your instructor before training.
NB: there are some very extravagant ‘Talhoffer’ style bucklers on the market. Although impressive, these can be very heavy, are not from the period or region that we study, and the curved barbs can present a serious risk if the buckler is used without necessary caution.
What to consider: weight, coverage, protection, suitability, durability.
Nylon Sidesword (Waster)
A nylon waster is an affordable alternative to a steel sword, so is ideal when you start to learn the cuts and guards as it offers a similar weight and balance and means you can practice in your own time.
Please note: nylon swords are more affordable than steel swords, not safer. Please use them with as much care and respect as you would for a steel sword. Most of our training is done with steel swords, so you may prefer to skip buying a nylon.
We recommend the Blackfencer sidesword as it has a stiff blade and a sidesword hilt.
Another option is the Red Dragon arming sword waster, although this has a floppier blade and doesn’t afford the hand protection of a sidesword hilt.
What to consider: weight, balance, protection, suitability, durability.
Steel Sideswords
Sideswords vary a lot in weight, presence, point of balance, etc, and in the style of the hilt and how much protection they provide to the hand.
We strongly recommend borrowing weapons from other students to see what you like before purchasing.
HF Armoury makes an afforable sidesword.
The Kvetun Armoury sidesword has been popular at SotS for many years.
Maleus make a range of sideswords, and have been popular in SotS.