Your equipment should always match your level of activity.

Comfortable clothing that allows free movement and shoes appropriate for physical activity. We will provide soft swords designed for demonstration and training activities. These swords are not designed for full speed contact or for striking without more protective equipment.

In the Intermediate class, you will engage in drills that involve striking your training partner under controlled conditions. You will need the following:

• A CEN level 2 or FIE mask with a minimum 350N rated bib

• Gloves with hard shell plastic that covers the fingers and wrists. Lacrosse style gloves are acceptable, but must not be used at full speed.

• While some members may bring extra, you should think about acquiring a metal feder, which is a training sword designed to bend in a thrust and has rounded edges, but has the weight and moves like a real sword. You will not be able to spar with synthetic nylon trainers as they carry too much heft in the wrong places and can cause injury, even wearing armour.

In the Free Fencers level, we often spar at full speed. You must be cleared to spar by an instructor and your equipment must include the Intermediate requirements, as well as the following:

• Hard plastic cup

• Hard plastic plastron

• 350N minimum rated fencing jacket that covers arms and torso

• 350N minimum rated fencing pants/skirt (some jackets include this)

• Gorget

• Hard shell knee and shin protection

• Hard shell elbow protection