Fencing.Net - Your Guide to Fencing & Fencing Equipment

fencerchica · 06-01-2005, 10:09 AM

Bear with me, because I'm attempting to make a poll for the first time!

dangit, I apparently messed up adding the poll, so rather than try to kill this thread and start a new one, I shall let this thread be poll-less!

I'm daydreaming about the FIE uniform I'd like to purchase sometime this year. From what I've heard so far, it sounds to me as though these three (LP, Duellist, Allstar Startex) are the most attractive options for stretch FIE. What do people think about how they compare, specifically against one another? Which would you choose?

oso97 · 06-01-2005, 10:15 AM

I'd go with a totally different one - Estoc. Better quality than any of those in my opinion. And price competitive. Without the scratch feel or overwieght feeling of some of the others.

fencerchica · 06-01-2005, 10:27 AM

That all sounds pretty cool, and I like the looks of the Estoc uniforms from the pictures I've seen. The ads only seem to show one model of FIE uniform though, and don't specify if it's stretch. Is it?

oso97 · 06-01-2005, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fencerchica

That all sounds pretty cool, and I like the looks of the Estoc uniforms from the pictures I've seen. The ads only seem to show one model of FIE uniform though, and don't specify if it's stretch. Is it?

Yes, its definitely a stretchy material. Highly recomended. And no, I'm not a compensated endorser!

Gav · 06-01-2005, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oso97

I'd go with a totally different one - Estoc. Better quality than any of those in my opinion. And price competitive. Without the scratch feel or overwieght feeling of some of the others.

Is it better quality? This question is totally subjective. All of the proposed uniforms are of good quality. In fact I would say that Allstar and Leon Paul are of like quality, however I've started to prefer Leon Paul's FIE kit. I can't comment on Duellist because I've never tried their stuff - I hear that it's perfectly acceptable. It's a personal preference. I would recommend that you at least try the different uniforms and see which you prefer. The main places that I would go to check are:

Vendor shops (if available)
Vendor Stalls (at tourneys)
Othe Fencers (at your club)

The last one is the easiest to do. Ask the experienced fencers at your club. Take a look at their kit. They should be able to advise you, from a perspective local to you, on what they like about the kit they use.

oso97 · 06-01-2005, 11:51 AM

*chuckle* it is subjective, yes, but this is how I arrived at that decision.

-Fabric that actually stretches in multiple directions, not just one
-Ligherweight fabric, yet still FIE grade punture resistant (not an inconsiderable thing for someone wearing a sabre lame over it)
-Zippers that do not stick, get caught as often, or wear out as frequently
-Where velcro is used, its well attached, and doesn't come loose from repeated wear
-Tailoring to fit a realisticly shaped human body yet fits well across a wider variety of shapes and sizes
-Nicer seam finishing

The negative point I would give the Estoc uniforms is their lack of availability in the largest sizes.

mackillian · 06-01-2005, 11:59 AM

You also might need to consider your build, as well. My duellist kit was great, and I loved it, but the shoulders were Way Too Narrow. In the same size in my LP kit, the shoulders fit just fine (and we're talking a couple inches difference in shoulder measurement, too). So, as a chick, (I am also a chick, so I have immunity and can say chick), do you have broad, average, or narrow shoulders? If you have broad shoulders, do not get the Duellist jacket, the shoulders will be too narrow and will really affect your posture.

However, the Duellist knickers have a slimmer fit than the LP knickers.

Argh. You know what? You can ignore all that if you want to. My sizes are Totally Screwed Up and I blame it on fencing.

fencerchica · 06-01-2005, 01:19 PM

You know, it really is kind of silly, but I'm actually considering simply going for a men's jacket (definitely only after trying some on though) to avoid the hassle of getting a tall or custom women's one. I wear a breastplate anyway, so it's not like I need the hubcap-pockets in the chest.

I definitely appreciate the heads-up on the narrow shoulders in the Duellist uniforms though... I wonder if the men's sizes are equivalently narrow as well as the women's.

I've already given up on women's lames, because going with the men's seems the only way for me to get ones tailored tall and slender enough to fit me well, short of custom or tall sizes. *shrug* Guess I'm just beanpole tall and built like a boy, or at least so the fencing equipment manufacturers seem to be teling me!

(I'm really only 5'9")

Right now I have a Santelli stretch women's jacket, which is a little ample in the chest, but short enough at the waist to make me kind of (or very) iffy on the overlap rule, and *definitely* a little short in the sleeves.

Moses · 06-01-2005, 03:18 PM

I have rather broad shoulders as well and (as a male) I can say the Duellist male jackets probably wouldn't be too bad if I hadn't ordered a bit too small

, and I do have fairly broad shoulders.

Otherwise, it's a great jacket. Zipper is quit fine, material is slick and cool. I've never had issue with the whole "light vs. heavy" thing, so I can't give any information on that. My only problem with the jacket (besides my jacket being too small) is that the seams on the side of the neck guard have come off. It hasn't really affected it's safety (I hope), so it's not much of an issue.

-Da Mose

telkanuru · 06-01-2005, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oso97

I'd go with a totally different one - Estoc. Better quality than any of those in my opinion. And price competitive. Without the scratch feel or overwieght feeling of some of the others.

I agree completely with oso. The estoc FIE jacket is quite possibly the best I've encountered. Plus, I like the red and blue thread on the seams.

Apparently their sabre lame is quite nice as well.

mackillian · 06-01-2005, 05:53 PM

Yeah, I really liked my Duellist jacket. I look at it sometimes and wish the shoulders could magically get another 2-3 inches across.

I tend to wear my Duellist knickers and LP jacket...which means I'm white and offwhite.

downunder · 06-01-2005, 09:51 PM

Leon Paul fits me considerably better than my old Allstar one.

Its a completely subjective decision.

oso97 · 06-01-2005, 11:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by telkanuru

I agree completely with oso. The estoc FIE jacket is quite possibly the best I've encountered. Plus, I like the red and blue thread on the seams.

Apparently their sabre lame is quite nice as well.

Yea, the Estoc sabre lame is awesome. There simply is no better way to put it. Its actually cut to fit well over a jacket, and the stitching is quite good. And the lame material - well, it just doesn't GET any better than that. I have one that I got for my wife a couple years back that quite literally has been through every form of abuse one could imagine you could put a lame through, and still passes conductivity tests without even a blink. And I have a student who has one and its still perfect after almost a full year. This student has probably the most corrosive sweat I've ever seen on a person - he can literally turn a cheap lame green in a single session. He went through about three different lames before I convinced his father to get an Estoc, and again, despite the corrosive sweat, it has no problem passing a conductivity test.

KD5MDK · 06-01-2005, 11:52 PM

oso97 - Is this the jacket you're recommending?
mens
womens

The website doesn't sound like it is stretch material in the degree that Startex or Sydney grade is. On the other hand, it also is much cheaper.

telkanuru · 06-02-2005, 12:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KD5MDK

oso97 - Is this the jacket you're recommending?
mens
womens

The website doesn't sound like it is stretch material in the degree that Startex or Sydney grade is. On the other hand, it also is much cheaper.

That's it. It isn't stretch to the degree the others are, but it fits so well it's not relevant.

KD5MDK · 06-02-2005, 12:06 AM

Hmm. Luckily I'll be seeing Swordmasters over the rest of the year, so if I decide to go FIE I can ask them to bring a selection to the tournament.

Nusy · 06-02-2005, 08:10 AM

If you're slim enough on the legs, you'll certainly love PBT Balaton ones (pity I'm not). In Allstar I like Athens more - I felt it more stretchy.

fencerchica · 06-02-2005, 09:36 AM

Hmm... all the rave reviews for Estoc are beginning to very much impress me.

I wonder if any US retailers will have Estoc gear available at booths at Summer Nationals (USA) this July. I'd love to have a chance to look an Estoc uniform over, and unfortunately, no one I know has one.

CvilleFencer · 06-02-2005, 09:42 AM

If Sword Masters makes it out to Sum Nats you can take a look at it there. He is the only US vendor I know of to stock Estoc gear. Hear is a link to Estoc's French store. I may be missing something as my French would may any native speaker burst into tears and or attack me, but it seems that Sword Masters is actually a fair bit cheaper, even subtracting the VAT but adding in shipping. http://www.estoc.com/

KD5MDK · 06-02-2005, 10:13 AM

Now, I had the vague idea that Sword Masters had actually purchased Estoc, or something like that (maybe their US distribution rights). Something exclusive, anyway.