Because hitting people with 3 foot long bits of blunt steel can cause injury, we have a set of requirements for the equipment you need to have to participate in the club’s activities. If you are starting out we can lend you some kit, and you can accumulate the bits over time, but to engage in full sparing you will need the required bits of equipment.
In all cases you will need footwear that are either trainers or martial arts footwear, ideally with ankle support. Please don’t wear heavy boots to class.
A club t-shirt or rash guard and long sweat pants or leggings should be worn to class.
Please consult with your instructor and fellow members before you purchase anything, however YOU WILL NEED TO CLEAR ANY WEAPON YOU WANT TO USE WITH YOUR INSTRUCTOR FIRST!!
Kit Definitions
| Item | Definition |
|---|---|
| Light Gloves | Leather gloves, Olympic fencing gloves, light padded gloves etc.. |
| Medium Gloves | "Red Dragon" gloves, ice hockey gloves, etc... |
| Heavy Gloves | Gloves with a hard shell made for HEMA, eg: SPES lobster, Red Dragon Dreadnaughts, etc... |
| Chest Protector | A stiff plastic chest protector as is used in HEMA. |
| Jacket | A HEMA rated padded jacket designed for steel sparing. |
| Gorget | Stiff neck protection designed for HEMA. |
| Groin Protection | Hard protection of the groin for both sexes. |
| Boffer Weapon | A weapon simulator with a stiff plastic core covered in thick padding. |
Grappling
Low Intensity Training
Required
- Clothes and footwear
High Intensity Training and Sparring
Required
- Groin protection
- gum shield
Recommended
- padded MMA style gloves
- head guard
Dagger
Low Intensity Training
Required
- plastic dagger or similar
- HEMA grade mask
- light gloves
High Intensity Training and Sparring
Required
- plastic dagger or similar
- HEMA grade mask
- groin protection
- light gloves or better
- gorget
- chest protector OR jacket
Recommended
- chest protector AND jacket
"Boffer" Swords
Low Intensity Training
Required
- “boffer” sword
- HEMA grade mask
- groin protection
High Intensity Training and Sparring
Required
- “boffer” sword
- HEMA grade mask
- groin protection
- gorget
Recommended
- light gloves
- chest protector
Plastic Sword Simulators
Low Intensity Training
Required
- approved plastic sword simulator
- HEMA grade mask
- groin protection
- medium gloves or better
High Intensity Training and Sparring
Required
- approved plastic sword simulator
- HEMA grade mask with back of head protection
- groin protection
- medium gloves or better
- gorget
- chest protector OR jacket
Steel Swords, Synthetic Spears and Synthetic Poleaxes
Low Intensity Training
Required
- approved steel sword simulator
- approved non-metallic spear simulator
- approved non-metallic poleaxe simulator
- HEMA grade mask with back of head protection
- approved jacket
- medium gloves
- groin protection
High Intensity Training and Sparring
Required
- approved steel sword simulator
- HEMA grade mask with back of head protection
- approved jacket
- elbow and wrist protection
- chest protector
- heavy gloves
- gorget
- groin protection
Recommended
- knee protection
- thigh protection
- shoulder protection