Chest Protectors for Guys

[C.J.]

Anyone has it? And what's your opinion on it?

[great bowyer]

i have one that a friend made for me, it is basicaly the same as the ones bought in stores, i do not use it very much, i feel as though is slows me down, makes me get hotter, and it also adds extra distace on your chest, making it easier for you opponent to hit you. i do however find it nice while giving lessons to some of the beginners in my club.

[MyraTrue]

So... being female, I know I'm not contributing to the "male chest protector" aspect. However, having fenced with both hub caps (the plates that fit in the jacket) and the full plate, I'd say men are at a disadvantage. You can't tell me its not just a LITTLE distracting to get hit in the ribs or plexus. It hurts. Now that anything in fencing doesn't have the chance to. But I know I've had a LOT of shots to the ribs that don't even slow me down with a full plate that certainly crossed my mind when I fenced with just the hub caps that fit in the jacket. I've had the thought "gee, that should have really hurt" cross my mind from time to time.

I know a number of companies sell the chest protectors. They ARE warmer than not having them- think that you are wrapping yourself in a solid sheet of plastic. You've got to ballance out if the protection (ie- taking a hard shot to the chest and not feeling it) is worth that sometimes they ride up under the arms or make you a whole lot warmer.

Maybe like Great Bowyer put it- wear them when you're dealing with inexperienced fencers that hit quite hard.

[Strytllr]

Originally Posted by MyraTrue

So... being female, I know I'm not contributing to the "male chest protector" aspect. However, having fenced with both hub caps (the plates that fit in the jacket) and the full plate, I'd say men are at a disadvantage. You can't tell me its not just a LITTLE distracting to get hit in the ribs or plexus. It hurts. Now that anything in fencing doesn't have the chance to. But I know I've had a LOT of shots to the ribs that don't even slow me down with a full plate that certainly crossed my mind when I fenced with just the hub caps that fit in the jacket. I've had the thought "gee, that should have really hurt" cross my mind from time to time.

I know a number of companies sell the chest protectors. They ARE warmer than not having them- think that you are wrapping yourself in a solid sheet of plastic. You've got to ballance out if the protection (ie- taking a hard shot to the chest and not feeling it) is worth that sometimes they ride up under the arms or make you a whole lot warmer.

Maybe like Great Bowyer put it- wear them when you're dealing with inexperienced fencers that hit quite hard.

hehe... it's not really the ribs that hurt, myratrue, more like when they hit nipples. yeeee-ouch! and THEN, you find out their point control is divinely inspired...

[MyraTrue]

*LOL!!!* I've heard that complaint. All I can say is that I refuse to fence in hub caps anymore because I think they've got a mind of their own. They see the blade coming and leap out of the way... not a happy result.

See? There's some plus to a chest protector for men after all, eh?

[telkanuru]

They're not hubcaps, they're battle yamikas!

To be serious, I've tried this male chest protector of which you speak and was not amused. Anyway, best way to prevent bruises is not to get hit.

[MikeHarm]

I have the one from blue gauntlet. I wear it for epee, but not foil or sabre. I think its great, it doesn't hamper mobility any and adds an extra layer of protection.

I have had folks *****ing at me for wearing one or trying to talk me out of it or asking if I have a heart condition. However, I think it helps a little competitively. When someone does a really hard hard body shot with epee sometimes it rattles me a little for the next action. Thats not there when I'm wearing it so it lets me focus a little more, and I've noticed that reflected in scoring a little better in my matches when I use it.

[mfp]

The male chest protectors that AmFence, Blue Gauntlet, the Fencing Post, Santelli, etc sell are all pretty much the same "MasterGuard" product from a New Zealand based company. Here's a list of their agents in North America:

http://www.qp-sport.co.nz/north.htm

Some find hard hits and painful bruising more of a distraction to their fencing performance than wearing the protector.

[Mar98]

Originally Posted by Strytllr

hehe... it's not really the ribs that hurt, myratrue, more like when they hit nipples. yeeee-ouch! and THEN, you find out their point control is divinely inspired...

especially beginners .. in lections they find this spot ever. and then they have perfect point control. and you can't stop them because they're doing right .
but on topic: i would never ever even think about wearing it .. stupid,eh?

mar98

[dunastor]

I just use a 800N plastron, that does it for me

(or maybe I just like the pain )

[Grey]

Double layered plastrons usually do the trick with slight immobility compared to chest plates in my opinion. I've no choice but to wear a 350N and 800N plastron together when I fence epee... and I had to use "pommeling" on french grip most of the time too, to keep my opponent from getting a hard hit on me.

[CarlKnoch]

Chest plates are great. They help out when you're fencing folks who like to hit overly hard, and they help you to keep your mind on track with less pain. Now if they could only do something to protect the clavicles.....

[suregrip]

That's easy. Cut and sew a mousepad in your jacket. It'll stop just about anything, and it flexes and bends with you. Ta da!

[Inquartata]

There has been some speculation that the chest protectors, especially under a tight jacket, help the opponent's tip to slide away rather than catch and depress ( in foil and especially epee ). Not sure it really works...

[MyraTrue]

Inquartata- I promise you it can very certainly happen. I think I posted as much in another thread. I was always evily amused when people whinged that they couldn't seem to land foil hits on me when I had a tight jacket and lamee over my breast plate. And then I fenced another woman wearing one... could NOT hit her to save my life, it'd just freaking SLIDE OFF!!!

I don't know how similar it is with mens, but in the right situation, it seems to work out. Not so much in epee though. I also had a male friend of mine tell me that he had an easier time landing hits on women who did wear the plates. Again, not sure how well this translates over to the guys version.

[suregrip]

My son wears one and no one can land a flick on him. He's never confided why to them.....they just think it's bad luck.

[kalivor]

Originally Posted by Inquartata

There has been some speculation that the chest protectors, especially under a tight jacket, help the opponent's tip to slide away rather than catch and depress ( in foil and especially epee ). Not sure it really works...

It doesn't -- at least not with anybody competent. I have to wonder if chest protectors will be come more common if and when the new foil rules are introduced, though. It's easy to set off a foil tip on them now, but I imagine they could cause some difficulty if the tip is to be depressed for 15 ms.

[CvilleFencer]

I had not liked them for quit some time. I had a list of reasons why. To hot, wimpy, restricts movement. A few months ago I started training in epee for real, not just for fun, and after a couple of hits that were hard enough to bruise my ribs I have been having a hard time recovering from hits to that side of my body as it is still sore and I have started to anticipate the pain of a hit there and favor defense to my six as a result.

I placed an order last week and hope my hot, wimpy, movement restricing chest plate arrives in time for our Div Qualifiers this weekend. My appologies to everyone I have ever given crap to for wearing one, mentally or verbally!

[Strytllr]

Actually, I am wondering if they'll become required wear for all fencers since the death of that poor ukrainian boy...

[Artisan]

Originally Posted by CvilleFencer

..... it is still sore and I have started to anticipate the pain of a hit there and favor defense to my six as a result.

What better way to become a cautious, smart, wiley, careful epee fencer. I was tempted to make padding for my arm when I started epee. I looked like a serious IV drug user. My arm hurt just being attached to my shoulder. Instead I stopped fencing like a foilist and starting fencing epee, and now rarely get bruises. When I do its a good reminder that something went wrong with my distance, timing, or other part of the game.