Whether you’re drilling in a class, or competing in a tournament you will need some of your own HEMA kit.
We always have some spare kit available for new members, however to really get the most out of the hobby we do encourage you to get some of the stuff of your own. To help you with that, we’ve got a handful of links and suggestions below.
Basic Equipment for Classes
For any paired drilling, you will need at least a mask, gloves and gorget. We also suggest a box and you may find that a chest protector is helpful, especially if we are drilling thrust based techniques.
Depending on what we are focussing on, you will need different equipment, but for the most part, a single handed synthetic sword is a good place to begin. As with other basic equipment, we do have some spares available for you to use, but I don’t doubt you’ll be eager to have your own after a few classes!
Purchasing Your Own Kit
Whilst it is incredibly tempting to rush out and get a sword first, I always recommend protective equipment first. There are spare swords available and to be honest, having your own mask and gloves etc is much nicer than using the club equipment!
There are two online shops in the UK we have a discount with, the AHA and The HEMA Shop, the both sell a range of basic HEMA equipment. Their protective kit is always a safe bet, and you can purchase synthetic trainer and bucklers from both. The HEMA Shop has a little more choice, and is the home of Red Dragon gear, however I would not advise purchasing any steel swords for training from them without checking first.
The Knight Shop also has beginners’ kits which are a good buy for a newbie. Just make sure you get the arming sword option rather than the longsword one!
Other options for one stop shops, where we do not have discount include Tempus Swords, Faits d’Arms and Black Armoury.
Starter Sets
Many shops offer starter kits. These will contain basic equipment for you to use. They vary from mask and gloves, through to practically the full synthetic kit. This can be a good way to save money in the long run, but please check in if you’re unsure if it has the right equipment.
Options can be found at The Knight Shop, Tempus Swords, and Faits d’Armes.
Masks
When looking for masks you will ideally be looking for a HEMA specific mask rather than one for the specific weapons used in modern olympic fencing.
The best beginners mask in my experience is the Red Dragon 350N mask. They also have a 1600N mask, however, unless you are looking at competing with steel any time soon, 350N is more than protective enough for beginners. The Newton rating refers to the penetration rating of the bib and has nothing to do with the quality of the mesh. Another good option are the masks available from Faits d’Armes.
There are other brands such as Allstar, PBT and Leon Paul, however it’s worth seeking advice before buying from anyone not linked on this page.
Gorget
To be honest, the simplest option is the Red Dragon gorget. It does the job and is reasonably comfortable. There are more serious options including steel and hard plastic such as Tempus Swords, Arcem, Wintertree Crafts or Destroyer Modz, but to start with, a basic gorget is protective enough.
Gloves
Unfortunately, the options for gloves for Sidesword are somewhat limited. The gloves need fingers that are dextrous enough to move, are protective enough to keep your hands safe, but aren’t too bulky that you can’t fit your hand in a sword.
The Red Dragon gloves are a good starter glove and are definitely safe enough for synthetics and will do well enough for steel, but tend not to last too long.
Anything lighter than these will only really be suitable for drilling. I personally use airsoft gloves for drills, but wear more protection when sparring.
For those of you looking to spend a bit more, for gloves that offer more protection, I can recomend the Thokk Weaponmaster Gauntlets. These offer good protection and are pretty lightweight compared to a lot of other alternatives. They are fairly new on the market, so I can’t comment on their longevity. You can order them direct from Thokk, or depending on whether they have them in stock, these suppliers; AHA and Black Fencer
Another option which has been on the market a lot longer, but has a bit more bulk, is the Sparring Glove five finger special. I have had a pair for several years and they do the job for sidesword, though I would not use them for anything like Longsword.
Chest Protectors
A chest protector is a hard(ish) plate, usually worn under a fencing jacket to provide a little extra protection against thrusts. They are recommended for everyone, but especially anyone with breasts.
They can be purchased from websites that cater to Modern Olympic Fencing (such as Leon Paul or The Fencing Shop) there are a few HEMA specific chest protectors available now, such as Kvetun Armoury.
When looking for a chest protector, do not get it confused with a plastron. Both can be worn under a fencing jacket, but a chest protector provides rigid protection and a plastron provides higher Newton Rating. Plastrons are usually of higher rating than the jacket and provide extra safety should a blade break.
Boxes
Yes, HEMA specific boxes exist, and they are perfectly good options, but so are any solid protective box designed for cricket or martial arts. As long as you don’t wear it on the outside like a codpiece and it’s solid, you’ll be fine. Have a look on amazon or any sporting goods shop.
Whilst they are a requirement for anyone with external genitalia, they are recommended for everyone, just make sure it fits your body.
Synthetic Swords
Most people’s first sword will be synthetic. In fact, you will likely be training with the club synthetics to begin with!
The basic synthetic most people start with is the Red Dragon arming sword, it’s simple, safe and perfectly good to start off with. You can spar with these, with control, wearing only the basic gloves, mask and gorget, though we do recommend more equipment such as a jacket, chest protector and box.
For a slightly heavier synthetic that handles more like steel, and looks more like the swords we’re training to use, you can’t go wrong with the Black Fencer Sidesword (also sometimes available from Tempus Swords). These are heavier than the Red Dragons, and for sparring we require the same level of protective kit as with steel; Mask (with back of head protection), Gloves, Gorget, Jacket, hard joint protection and a box (as above). We also recommend a chest protector and protection for your shins and forearms.
Jackets
Once you have the basics, your next level of protection you’ll want is probably a jacket. I always recommend that you get a jacket before you get steel. Students with steel swords are usually happy enough to lend one to you if you ask, but you don’t want to be borrowing a jacket.
Probably the most popular brand of jackets in the HEMA community at the moment is SPES. You can get their jackets direct from their website here. There are also SPES jackets available on The HEMA Shop. You can see 350 and 800 Newton jackets available, this refers to the strength of force required to puncture the jacket. It does not refer to the amount of padding the jacket has, though the 800N jackets tend to be made of stiffer fabric so are generally better at protecting you from bruises compared to the 350 N options. Some events (such as Fight Camp) require 800N protection when fencing with steel, but most are happy with 350N jackets.
If you want a heavily padded jacket, then the AP is the way to go, however this is relatively heavy and until you wear it in can be a bit stiff. If you are happier with a little less padding the AP Light or even the Officer jackets are a good way to go. The AP and AP Light also come in a women’s cut.
Red Dragon also have their own jackets, which come in a heavy and light option. The Heavy is very padded and probably even stiffer than the SPES AP jacket. They’re a good bit of kit for newbies, but you will probably want to replace them eventually, so have a think about whether you may want to save up a bit longer and just get the more expensive one you’ll wear for longer in the end.
Other options are available, such as PBT and Black Armoury. If you’re not sure, don’t hesitate to ask!
Leg protection
Fencing breeches are padded specifically for fencing, and again, your two main options would be SPES or Red Dragon. As with the jackets, they come in 350 and 800N options and with more or less padding depending on your needs.
You can get SPES jackets directly from their website or from The HEMA Shop.
Other options include Faits d’Armes, Black Armoury and PBT
You will also want hard protection for your knees which can be found on the links above, and something to protect your shins. Red Dragon offers all in one protective shin/knee guards on the HEMA Shop link above.
Another alternative for your shins would be hockey shin guards which you can wear under your socks.
Forearms and Elbows
As with knees, your elbows must be covered with hard protection during sparring with steel. A lot of people choose to get elbow and forearm protection linked together, though most are separable meaning you can wear just the elbows and not the forearms if you don’t need them.
As with the jackets and leg protection. Red Dragon and SPES tend to be good options.
Steel Swords
This, I’m guessing, is the bit you’ve been waiting for. You have all the gear, and some idea of what you’re doing, and now you can’t wait to own your own personal steel sword.
The question is, where do you get it from?
Most importantly it must be designed specifically for HEMA. If in doubt, ask, but as a rule of thumb, unless the sword is made by a smith that specialises in HEMA kit, it’s not safe for sparring with.
Popular choices for standard sideswords include Regenyei, Kvetun Armoury, Malleus Martialis, VB, Black Fencer Poker Armoury and Pike Armoury. Every student will have their own needs for a sword, so I encourage you to ask to handle other student’s swords and find out what you like!
Another, option would be to have a sword custom made. Some of the manufacturers above make custom swords, but there are also specialists such as Balefire Blades. However before you go down that route, it may be best to talk to me before giving them your specifics!
Everything Else
As we go on, we’ll be looking at sword and buckler, sword and dagger, sword and rotella, two handed swords, polearms, rapier and much much more.
I can’t possibly share links to every place you can buy HEMA kit, but as a rule of thumb, if the kit is from a reputable HEMA shop, and as long as it is designed for HEMA you should be OK, but, if you’re not sure, feel free to ask. I am always happy to have a look and offer my opinion.