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View Poll Results: The primary reason you get rid of your old jacket for a new one? | |
Broken zipper and/or related jacket-closing mechanisms.
|     | 13 | 9.63% | |
Holes, stitching problems or tears.
|    | 38 | 28.15% | |
Outdated safety standards.
|    | 6 | 4.44% | |
My size changed in some way (height, weight).
|    | 34 | 25.19% | |
Simply beyond grungy -- it looked BAD.
|    | 19 | 14.07% | |
Some other reason.
|    | 25 | 18.52% | 
02-03-2006, 07:05 PM
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#21 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: UK
Posts: 784
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Originally Posted by KD5MDK What brand lame? | Allstar. I used to have a blue Allstar lame, which "seemed" rougher (BUT could be my imagination) than the normal silver Allstar lame I am currently using for training...
I use a Leon Paul Leightweight lame for competition, which is probably the least abrasive.
My competition jacket and breeches are Allstar Startex (800N). They need replacing very soon - I COULD be tempted to go for the pricier Leon Paul wicking lightweight FIE kit... Will have to try some of the LP lightweight kit on and see how it fits ("does my bum look big in this?"  )
Boo
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Smarter than the Average Bear!!!
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02-12-2006, 08:28 PM
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#22 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Knoxville, TN or Philadelphia, PA
Posts: 738
| I'm hoping to get a new jacket at some point because the neck of mine is too small and the velcro drives me nuts- I can't get my braid inside my jacket and the low bun is forever catching on velcro. Argh.
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Mais que diable allait-il faire,
Mais que diable allait-il faire dans cette galere?. . .
I am not yet so short that I cannot reach thine eyes!
"Just for the taste of sabre"
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02-17-2006, 11:55 AM
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#23 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Ask.
Posts: 500
| Quote: |
Originally Posted by Boo Boo My competition jacket and breeches are Allstar Startex (800N). They need replacing very soon - I COULD be tempted to go for the pricier Leon Paul wicking lightweight FIE kit... Will have to try some of the LP lightweight kit on and see how it fits ("does my bum look big in this?" )
Boo | I can recommend the LP Sydney jacket - really nice - the sweat wicking works very well, it's nice and cool to wear (in as much as fencing kit ever is).
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"First, second, third, dead f***in' last." - Greg Glassman
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02-17-2006, 11:56 AM
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#24 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Ask.
Posts: 500
| Regarding degradation over time, some materials are sensitive to sweat and even UV light. The original Kevlar kit used to degrade becasue of UV exposure, and wasn't up to 800N after a period of time.
Washing in biological washing powder/hot washing had a detrimental effect too - in fact even the latest LP kit comes with instructions to wash at 40 with non-bio.
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"First, second, third, dead f***in' last." - Greg Glassman
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03-31-2006, 11:13 PM
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#25 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 867
| I grew about 7 inches in the last year, so I chose the size one (I've gone through 4 jackets) but if I could choose another it would be the tear/holr/rip in the jacket. | |
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04-01-2006, 01:09 AM
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#26 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Santa Ana ,CA
Posts: 262
| I'm a lefty- and my jacket for competition is a righty zipper. Also, I need one more jacket so I don't have to do laundry at NACs. Stinky sweaty 3 days in a row- not my style. I'm halfway there-got new knickers.
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"The warrior-meditator's job involves clarifying and subduing one's own misunderstandings. It means overcoming fear."
-The Sakyong, Jamgön Mipham Rinpoche
"Let's Face it boys, I'm pooped!"-Lily von Shtup of Blazing Saddles, the movie
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04-04-2006, 11:25 AM
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#27 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: TX en route to KY
Posts: 1,357
| My first jacket was second hand that I purchased off an older fencer. It was a Santelli duct jacket with the velcro closure. I replaced it with an FIE WC Uhlmann when I was abroad in Wales for a semester because I wanted to compete in the Welsh National Open, and the problem was, the velcro was so old, it wouldn't stay shut. The reel would pull it open as I moved.
However, I agree with who ever said that the pole is a wee bit flawed- I would replace a jacket for several of those reasons. If my jacket is unsafe, and I can't do the repairs myself, then it's time for a new one. I can replace velcro and zippers etc, and repair seams, but I wont try to patch a competition jacket.
Now, I also purchased a second set of whites, including another jacket, when I was working full time between my undergraduate and graduate. I was fencing twice a day, and my whites were so horrible to get back into after sitting for 4 hours I decided to make the splurge while I still had a steady 40+ hour job. So, that was a purchase of pure convenience. Now my spare set gets loaned out to new fencers going to tournament with us. | |
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04-04-2006, 02:49 PM
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#28 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Princeton NJ
Posts: 286
| Upgrade
I think a lot of people buy a new jacket as a general upgrade. While the old jacket is still quite usable.
1. Upgrading to an FIE from a club (350N) jacket.
2. Upgrading from a base line FIE to a fancy FIE.
3. Upgrading from one jacket to a more technically advanced one (kevlar, spectra, durex, kryptonite).
4. Upgrading from an "off the rack" jacket to a custom fit one.
5. Upgrading because your favorite manufacturer just released the yellow and black Bruce Lee commemorative jacket.
A decent jacket will remain servicable for many many years. Basic repairs (zipper, velcor and cuissard replacement) will keep it servicable for a long long time. Regular washing will even keep it on the lighter side of the "white" spectrum. But sometimes you just want something new and cool to show off at the competitions.
Shlep. | |
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04-04-2006, 04:29 PM
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#29 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Orange County, California
Posts: 775
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Originally Posted by Adler I bought my last new jacket beacuse one of the foilist in my club decided to ,helpfully, undoe the seem all the way up my right arm during a bout. | Was the jacket damaged except for that seam? I mean, I could see you might have needed to buy a new jacket if this had happened in a tournament situation and you needed an intact jacket to continue. But it "seams" to me that a few bucks to a tailor to repair the sleeve would be a whole lot cheaper than an whole new jacket.
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"Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never . . . never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense." Churchill, 1941 | |
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04-12-2006, 11:57 PM
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#30 | | Just Joined
Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Washington DC area
Posts: 28
| Accidental-baby-blue is not my color...and why did I order velcro?
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"In my opinion, big-time players want the ball in big-stime situations," Kristi Toliver, Freshman point gaurd of the NCAA National Champion Terrapins, said matter-of-factly.  | |
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04-13-2006, 04:58 PM
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#31 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Hamilton, Ontario
Posts: 782
| I keep my uniform clean, so repeated washings weaken the fibers of the jacket. Plus, my sleeve gets stained from my sweat. Most importantly, a new jacket looks very cool. | |
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04-17-2006, 09:58 PM
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#32 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: SoCal
Posts: 202
| I replaced my jacket because it kept shrinking, just like all my other clothes. Maybe I should replace my washer & dryer too. | |
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04-18-2006, 03:27 AM
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#33 | | Épéeist Hive Queen
Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Sweden
Posts: 12,772
| Quote: |
Originally Posted by Dr. Pfleschbach I replaced my jacket because it kept shrinking, just like all my other clothes. Maybe I should replace my washer & dryer too. | Just keep your fencing jacket away from your dryer and you should be fine...
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Fencing is my only PvP. | |
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04-18-2006, 10:43 PM
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#34 | | Curmudgeon-in-Chief
Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Somewhere in your nightmares!
Posts: 23,752
| I think the subtle tone of irony in the Doctor's post may not have survived the language barrier on that one, ZZ...  | |
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04-18-2006, 11:31 PM
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#35 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: SoCal
Posts: 202
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Originally Posted by Inquartata I think the subtle tone of irony in the Doctor's post may not have survived the language barrier on that one, ZZ... | No, they're shrinking! I swear! And those are my muscles hanging over my belt. | |
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05-07-2006, 03:02 AM
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#36 | | Épéeist Hive Queen
Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Sweden
Posts: 12,772
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Originally Posted by Inquartata I think the subtle tone of irony in the Doctor's post may not have survived the language barrier on that one, ZZ... | Oh, yes it did.
All I did was giving him some sensible laundry advice on the way. 
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Fencing is my only PvP. | |
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05-10-2006, 04:45 PM
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#37 | | Moderator
Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 10,235
| I think a hand cranked washer would solve the problem for sure. | |
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05-10-2006, 05:16 PM
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#38 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 180
| Santelli to LP
My Santelli jacket just couldn't withstand the deadly mixture of ammonia and saline that leaks out of my skin. Once whole seams started disentigrating on my arms during a bouts - I knew it was time for something tougher. Plus LP FIE Atlanta uniforms are pretty stylish. | |
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