What's in your fencing bag?

[Elendae]

I've had someone ask if I'm carrying "weapons of mass distruction" . . .

[ThatReallyHurt]

Gun, shovel, inflatable raft. The one guy who I actually told what was in the bag didn't believe me.

[LUDICROUS]

I use a tennis bag to carry everything but the actual weapon, which goes into a separate fencing bag(a small foil bag, you know). People always ask "What's in the bag?" or "What kind of racquet you use?" (Prince, if you want to know ) and when I reply "Nah, its fencing gear" they either get pissed off or say "Oh haha, funny guy.."

[Larrison]

Originally Posted by Svidrigailov

...can someone please design a bag that attracts lithe blondes instead of people who think divers carry 90 million bikinis around at all times?

Dude, just get Prada or Guicci to make a fencing bag.

Hmm.. just a minute. Why wouldn't that work?

[Point_Left]

Currently in fencing bag:
Fencing stuff.
Socks. Lot of socks.
A frying pan, wrapped.
One (?) non-fencing related shoe.
Broken blades (why do I keep these?).
Some sort of computer cord.
Cheque book. Pen (doesn't work).
Some snackies.
Half a cat. (The smelling part. I just opened up the bag to check what was in it.)

In case you were wondering, I am in the middle of moving. I also have some fencing stuff in other locals.

[AndrastVitesse]

• I have an uneaten sandwich and banana that are at least a week old and starting to rot
• Numerous hair clips
• a skirt
• one sock
• chocolate easter eggs
• two glowsticks
• a bunch of pens and markers
• and some school books

Also,(and this may be off topic but)my fencing bag is so long and if I'm not holding it properly, I get stuck in doors. And thats always a funny sight to see.

[Araznal]

My bag is boring because it only has fencing stuff. However, I do have a story (though sad, not funny). In my fencing career, here's what people have said:
Guitar
Cello
Guitar
Golf clubs
Bass
Lacross gear
Guitar
Guitar!!
I became so sick of the guitar thing that I got a new bag that says fencing on it in big letters. Guess what happens the very next day. On the bus, and a guy says, "how long have you been playing?" At this point, I'm about to gouge his eyes out, and then he mentions that he has been teaching guitar for around ten years. Instead, I fall into hysterical laughter and proceed to rotate my bag so he can see the big letters. The worst part about doing this is that there are a couple of idiots on the bus who, upon seeing the "fencing", jump into en guarde and proceed to do a ridiculous extension.

This happens to me EVERY DAY! I better start a chain letter that says, "If you see a bag that looks kind of like a guitar case, but is bulging at the bottom, don't piss off the person holding that bag. If you agitate them, they will poke you with a long steel rod."

[swordwench]

AV - why do you have glow sticks in your fencing bag?

I just took an inventory of my own. Needed to clean it out anway... In addition to actual, functional fencing equipment, I have the following squirrelled away in my primary bag:

pieces of broken foil (broken a year ago - just removed now)
socks in 3 colors
a bandana I never use
anti-perspirant/deodorant
a brush, 2 ponytail holders and 3 hair clips
3 pens
8 rubber tips for dry foils
oooh! $13.68!
a small memo book and a large notebook
3 identical tubes of lip balm (they're breeding in there!)
lots of peppermint gum
2 cough drops
several band-aids
an ace bandage
numerous tampons and other feminine hygiene items
my usfa card
directions to a friend's house from last summer, on the back of a shopping list
2 mysterious phone numbers scribbled on scraps of paper (maybe I should call them?)
half a dozen kleenex
eye drops
duct tape
a spare glove (not as full of holes as my usual one)
mint-flavored wax dental floss

And I thought my car was bad.

[Larrison]

*laughing* what do I have in my bag, that isn't needed for fencing?

Well, it has the usual fencing stuff -- electric and dry foil blades (2 dry, 1 electric), lame, body cords, 2 gloves, favero buzzer box, etc.

But.. also has small first aid kit (bandaids), small notebook and 2 pens, club patches (including from clubs I belonged to 20 years ago(!)), 2 or 3 broken foil tips, spare rubber ends for practice foils, spare foil blade (dry), small pocket ohmmeter (cheapie from radio shack), extra french grip, a couple of wrenches for tightening loose pommels, tip tape, sun glasses (was wondering where they went), sweat band (haven't used it in years -- the new masks usually have padding on the forehead which means I don't need it), $20 (emergency/ fun money), and a small towel.

[Hurriranger]

lets see.
sweat band
a sabre
a mask
whole tangled ball of various cords and wires
a book (the new terry goodkind!)
a pair of old breeches i use for training
and .... "protection"

[WhipLash]

Foil, allen key, extra hex nuts, washers, wires, tips, barrels, tip tape, sport tape, screwdriver, mask, jacket, cup (in case i meet a deranged she-male...and yes, fenced against one before), breeches, shoes, socks, towel, tom clancy novel, lame, band-aids, finger sleeve, knee sleeve, orange juice(expiry 22 Feb 05), multimeter, wrench, pens, notebook. wat else? oh...and a blouse (not mine though)

i was refused entry into the subway once cos the guy thought i would start a fight with my foil.

[Hurriranger]

Originally Posted by WhipLash

i was refused entry into the subway once cos the guy thought i would start a fight with my foil.

well did u fight the guy?

[Pauli]

my entire equipment plus the basics to check my weapon.
a drink bottle
a plastic bag
my lenses
a towel
shower stuff

I remember this threat in the fencing forum (UK). It was hilarious to read what a mess some of them had in their bags.

[Teme]

Until I finally manage to fix the lock on my personal locker, I have to keep my stuff in a fencing bag in clubs storage room.
Currently it holds:
2 sabers
a mask
a glove
a lame glove
a bodycord
a mask cord

A clubmate of mine used to carry his weapons around in a rifle bag, until he got tired of explaining to police that they were not firearms, and that even if they were, he'd have the right to carry them in his bag around the city...
(There's a police station in the same building as our club, but miles to the closest shooting range)

[Zelda]

Ok, this is what I posted in the UK forum, it was the contents of my fencing bags 5 months ago around Christmas.

* a kit kat wrapper
* my boots blister pads (YAH!!! I CANT get the bloody things here).
* half dozen body wires for foil
* 2 broken epee body wires
* a broken FIE epee
*wet talcum powder
*2 lames
* 2 sets of FIE gear
* 2 left handed gloves - 1 with largish hole in thumb
* 5 FIE foils
* weights
* miscellaneous screw drivers,
*tip screws in entomology bottles,
* tip tape
* Addidas Assymetrics
* 3 socks (no pairs)
* very old and holey pair of Hi tech squash shoes
* 2 state tracksuits (old and new style)
* sand from a training camp 4!!! years ago
* old luggage labels
* small nivea travel deoderant
* strapping tape
* high density foam to go under strapping tape so I dont break out in hives.
*breast plate

I think thats about it. Oh yeah

*couple of singaporian coins
*unused training book with pen and cute teddy on front.

the monsters vacated a long time ago citing hideious living conditions.

[WhipLash]

Originally Posted by Hurriranger

well did u fight the guy?

haha no i didn't. juz showed him the rest of my gear and told him that i'm going fencing.

wow zelda... 5 foils? half dozen body cords? how in the world do u fit them into a bag? and why do u need so much stuff?

[swordwench]

Originally Posted by Hurriranger

...a pair of old breeches i use for training
and .... "protection"

What *kind* of protection, pray tell?

Now, am I the only one who notices that the women on this board carry far too much non-fencing baggage around with them? We women have all this excess junk that we might just need someday, or someone else might just might need, and it would be really nice to help the person out. Most of the men have items directly related to the sport at hand.

Or is it that men are hunters, and women are gatherers?

[Zelda]

Originally Posted by WhipLash

wow zelda... 5 foils? half dozen body cords? how in the world do u fit them into a bag? and why do u need so much stuff?

I have a custom made bag. It holds 4 foils, my uniform, my tracksuit, etc etc and is actually a back pac. I have so much stuff as I compete nationally, and you require at least 3 FIE foils, a complete FIE uniform etc etc. I have 3 foils made up exactly the same from my last trip to London, and 2 older Uhlmann FIE foils which I have had for years. Half dozen body cords as only about 4 of them work. And I think a couple of them were epee cords.

I know I have alot of stuff, which is why I have the back bedroom filled with fencing stuff!

[sabreur]

Originally Posted by Point_Left

Half a cat. (The smelling part. I just opened up the bag to check what was in it.)

I was worried about the cat for a minute until I got it.....

My younger dog will sometimes climb on top of my bag, to try to keep me from leaving the house with it.

I don't have anything unusual in mine.

MR

[WhipLash]

Originally Posted by Zelda

I have a custom made bag. It holds 4 foils, my uniform, my tracksuit, etc etc and is actually a back pac. I have so much stuff as I compete nationally, and you require at least 3 FIE foils, a complete FIE uniform etc etc. I have 3 foils made up exactly the same from my last trip to London, and 2 older Uhlmann FIE foils which I have had for years. Half dozen body cords as only about 4 of them work. And I think a couple of them were epee cords.

I know I have alot of stuff, which is why I have the back bedroom filled with fencing stuff!

that explains alot! but all that in a backpack? ouch....