sabre mask/lame recommendations?

[foodle]

I'm finally going to make my way out of the dark ages of dry sabre and into the shiny world of electric sabre fencing. I know this sort of thing has been asked before, but I have some specific questions about certain brands of sabre masks and lames.

The masks that I'm primarily considering are the Uhlmann/Allstar FIE comfort plus (removable inner padding) and the PBT FIE sabre mask. Are there any disadvantages to the removable padding (e.g. it's not securely seated in the mask)? Would you consider the removable insides a significant benefit? Any thoughts on the difference in the mask shapes (Uhlmann = inverted teardrop, PBT = symmetric oval)?

As for lames, I'm choosing between the Uhlmann/Allstar, PBT (inox), and Infinity. I've read on this board that the Infinity ones tend to snag and tear. This sounds like it would be an extreme problem for sabre, where the lame is getting hit by the edge a lot. How well do Infinity sabre lame's hold up? Is there a significant difference in quality between Uhlmann/Allstar and PBT (A previous posting by Moniteur seemed to indicate so)?

Thanks in advance ...

[Moniteur]

Hmm... well, I think there is a difference... The thread density and count seems much higher in the PBT lames than in the Uhlmann ones. I really like the PBT lame, although it IS quite warm.. My PBT lame got a slice in the shoulder during Div III sabre at KC NAC. It occured as a result of a blade being broken against my parry of tierce. The blade broke off at the hilt, and flipped over my shoulder, with the broken part apparently leaving an inch long slice in one spot, and a puncture in the other. The slice went all the way through the metallic fabric, and into the lining, rather than just breaking the threads. PBT is priority mailing a large piece of inox patch material to me, free of charge.

Infinity lames are interesting. The guys I talked to at the NAC said their are great as far as comfort and conductivity, but that the construction is pretty poor, and the inner lining tends to like to come unattached. I think there have been some tearing issues as well. However, the club I'm at has no A/C and is on the second floor of a building, with only east west windows. the normal summer temp is about 100 degrees in the building. either I'm going to get an infinity lame for summer, or i'll fence dry a lot.

As far as masks go, I'm VERY happy with the PBT FIE sabre mask. It's more comfortable than my 3-Weapon Uhlmann FIE mask as well. The removable bib would be nice, but it is inox material on the bib of the PBT one, and washing it really is as simple as dunking it in mild soapy water, and brushing the padded areas gently. I figure that if i'm going to have to wash the outside of the bib by hand, i'm really not saving much effort by having the removable bib to throw in the washing machine. shrug. To each their own. If you get the PBT stuff, you'll be happy, if you get Uhlmann, you'll be happy as well probably. However, the PBT stuff comes with unbeatable customer service. That customer service has been a real help to me.

[Catal]

I find the Allstar/Uhlmann masks are well padded, regardless if they're FIE or non. If you're in the US, it seems somewhat overboard, financially, for you to get the FIE. Even the cheap chinese Allstar sabre mask has far more padding than the PBT mask, and several of the people in my club who use it, find it offers better bib protection than my non-FIE PBT. However, the PBT mask is smaller and doesn't present as much target area for someone to hit. The Allstars have this weird, Mr. Egghead shape to 'em that attracts my sabre. The removable insides are nice 'cause you can always clean 'em, but the one thing I couldn't get used to was this feeling that there was something floating underneath my chin and around my head. (Someone else at my club got so annoyed, they just removed the liner altogther.) The PBT is shorter and more form fitting but has no removable bib.
If getting an FIE mask really matters, then get a PBT if you want a smaller target area, and the Allstar if you want the padding.
If you don't need the FIE stuff, Blue-Gauntlet has a sale on a so-so sabre mask. It's well-padded, but the metal lining along the sides of the mask can be flattened if someone hits you hard enough.

[Peach]

I'm on my second Infinity lame; the first one lasted me two years, longer than the Allstar stainless ones I've had, but it finally succumbed to the nail snags. I love them.

[neevel]

Actually, the snagging on Infinity lames seems to be more common with foil. With sabre, cuts come straight down and don't slide as much, whereas with foil you get more thrusts that go passe and slide along the fabric, where any burr on the blade might catch. That said, the most torn up Infinity lame I've seen was a sabre lame: two parallel six-inch gashes in the shoulder. The teenage girl who had it looked surprised and dismayed when I told her it couldn't be passed like that.

I've mentioned previously that I doubt the PBT lames have any big advantage over Uhlmann/Allstar, since they look to use flat, ribbon-like metal strands which give more surface area but may not be as robust as the round strands in the German material. Regardless of whether you go with Uhlmann, Allstar, PBT, or Infinity, they're all well made lames that should hold up well if you take care of them properly (wash regularly, don't keep them wadded up in your bag, roll-up in a towel or lay flat in the suitcase for travel). If you just can't keep yourself from stuffing your sweaty lame in your bag and leaving it there until the next practice, then the Infinitys will stand up to that sort of treatment much better.

I've got an Allstar Comfort-Plus foil/epee mask. There aren't any disadvantages to the liner-- it secures in tight, and is well padded.

Another option for sabre masks (if you can find them) is the Prieur electric sabre mask, which is just a sabre-zed version of their normal mask. American is getting Prieurs back in stock now, but I don't know if they have the sabre model. You can order them direct from Priuer in France-- the much lower cost will offset the transatlantic shipping, if you have the time to wait. An area high school fencing team bought some at Jr. Worlds last year, and they like them so much that they're planning on ordering a bunch from France.

-Dave