Guide to Buying
Training Equipment
Training Equipment
About HEMA Gear
As you progress in your training and want to participate in more advanced exercises, you'll be required to obtain the appropriate protective equipment. This guide is designed to help you understand the best order in which you should purchase your gear, along with a list of suggested vendors.
We understand that obtaining gear can be an expensive and lengthy process. Students will often take a year or more to fully acquire a full “tournament ready” kit.
—
Always talk to your instructors before
purchasing a practice weapon.
About Gear Requirements
Some of our classes require fencing equipment to participate.
Classes range in gear requirements from:
No Gear — only comfortable athletic clothing and shoes.
Minimal Gear — mask, light or heavy gloves.
Full Kit — mask, jacket, heavy gloves, gorget, chest protector required, lower body and elbow protection strongly encouraged.
If you have any questions about gear for a particular class check with your instructors.
Practice Uniform
As you progress we encourage you to purchase a uniform:
3/4 Athletic Pants, and/or
Sports Kilt in Purple* (*we recommend "men's cut" for all genders as the "women's cut" kilts are excessively short).
Footwear
HEMA Fencing Mask
Zen Warrior Armory fencing masks (requires additional back of the head protection).
Darkwood Armory fencing mask (requires additional back of the head protection).
Heavy HEMA Gloves for practice with steel
Padded Jackets
Additional Body Protection
Mac-Armour: Legs, Knees, Shins, Elbows, Forearms
SPES padded tasset (aka “battle skirt”)
Athletic Cup
Chest Protector
Absolute Force chest guard (recommended for all body shapes)
Practice Weapons
Arms-N-Armor — Longswords, arming swords rapiers, messers, etc.
Castille Armory — Excellent supplier of single and two-handed weapon trainers.
Zen Warrior Armory — Smallswords, sabers, and rapiers.
Sigi Forge — Longswords, sabers, arming swords.
Malleus — Sport models.