Sabre

Websites:

- http://thefencingpost.com

- http://blue-gauntlet.com/

- http://www.sword-masters.com

- http://www.allstar-usa.com/cgi-bin/shopallstar3.pl?cat=sales&build=1&page=1

- http://www.blade-fencing.com/store/index.htm

- http://www.amfence.com/

Clothes:

Strongly recommended:

Gloves

I would recommend that everyone get their own glove, since everyone
breaks a glove in in their own special way.  There are two main types of
gloves:  Leather and washable. Choosing between the two is really a matter of
personal preference. Some people like the feel of the leather gloves more, but washable
gloves are washable. A good cheap leather glove is G003 ($17.00).  A good washable
glove is G002 ($20.00).  It is not the cheapest, but the cheaper washables tend
to not have as much padding, which sometimes you can come to regret.  Again, if
you want to go high-end, the blue uhlmann washables (G004) are beautiful, but very pricey.
To fence in tournaments (or bout electric), you need a sabre cuff. Absolute sells good cuffs
at $12.00 and Uhlmann has nice gloves with attached cuffs for $28.00. Leon Paul sells the
best gloves with attached cuffs, which run around $50.00.

Protectors

Use a cotton plastron: they breath better and they disperse impacts better.
For girls:  It is strongly recommend getting your own chest protector,
since they are much more likely to fit you properly if you buy your
own.  Single piece ones (PR005) are recommended.  Apparently they also come
in colors now (PR008)

Sabres

When buying a sabre you can either buy a ready-made weapon or buy the parts
separately. Blue Gauntlet, Absolute, Uhlmann/Allstar, and Leon Paul about run the
gambit from least expensive to most expensive. Here's what you should know when
selecting your weapons or parts. For guards there are regular and ultra-light,
which is a personal choice. Generally the leather-wrapped handles are the most
comfortable, durable, and easiest to grip, but rubber work well also. Our team uses
two-prong body cords, so you'll probably want to choose that above bayonet. Blades,
literally, come in all shapes and sizes. You will want a standard adult size blade,
2000 series, which is what all new blades are. Lighter is generally better, but there's
not much need to buy the best (i.e. maraging). In general, select what you can afford
and will be happy with. Listed above are some good, reliable websites, so if you decide
to buy your own sabre do some research, try out the weapons we have on the balcony, and
find what you think will work best for you personally.

Body Cords:

The team uses two-prong body cords. You should use whatever your sabre is, but
that should be two-prong.

 

If you are so inclined:

Jackets

The team would recommend a basic nylon front zip for any beginning fencer who
is buying their own jacket.  They tend to be lighter and cooler than
traditional cotton ones, and won't shrink in the wash.  Again,
FIE jackets just withstand more weight (800 NW) and you won't need them
for college competition.  Any of these jackets will keep you more than
safe.

Lames

This is probably one of the last things you'll need to buy, but lames
are essential for fencing electric sabre. Blue Gauntlet and the Fencing Post
sell some nice, inexpensive lames. We have sources that will sell you one for
a fairly discounted price ($80). Absolute is also a good bet. If you've been fencing
for a while, know you'll be fencing for a while longer, and really have some money
to toss around, you can spring for the ultra-light lames. Triplette (although they
are a bit sketchy when trying to get things to you on time) and Absolute have good
picks (about $150). If you feel so inclined, the Leon Paul ultra-light lame ($270) is
a thing of beauty.

Masks

Sabre masks tend to be a bit more expensive than other masks because they have
to be electric, so if you do buy your own, make sure that it is a sabre mask specifically
(it's silver and sparkly) so that you can use it at competitions. Leon Paul, while rather
expensive, is the beloved mask provider of our squad. If you do go for these, spring for
the contour fit system ($190) and consider the x-change masks ($230). They are well worth
the money, and I have not talked to anyone who doesn't love their Leon Paul mask. If you
don't feel like spending the money, Blue Gauntlet and the Fencing Post also sell sabre masks
for around $70.

Knickers:

As with jackets, nylon or stretch cotton knickers are preferable.  Purely
cotton knickers tend not to follow your movements as well, and quite
frankly, that can just suck (cotton knickers are known to rip on people
while fencing). 

Shoes

The main difference between the lower and higher priced shoes is how
long they are going to last.  You should also think about whether or
not you wnat high-top or low shoes.  There is no advantage with either
one, so you should think about which style you find more comfortable in
street shoes and go with that.  In general, the more expensive the
fencing shoes are, the more they feel like regular sneakers.

Bags

Bags really are more personal choice than anything else.  Generally,
there is no meaningful difference between one bag and another. You don't need a
hand cart or anything like that.

 

Beginners Kits and the like:

Many sites will sell a collection of "reasonable" items bundled together at a
slight discount. If you are going to buy such a collection from Blue-gauntlet, you
will almost certainly want the "high quality" set, as the cheaper set has several
unfortunately cheap items (cotton back-zip jacket, weaker mask, less padded glove).

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