Question for female fencers re. chest protectors

[rudd]

My wife has just started fencing and is getting some basic kit, chest protectors being one of the more important one as far as we're both concerned. We're looking at the Deluxe Extended Women's Chest Protector with Crop Top from Allstar.

Is this a good choice or should she get standard ones? Also does it pretty much fit to size?

Thanks in advance.

Ger

[IHateMrPotatohead]

Personally, I would go with the one above it with the adjustable straps, but that's just me. I used to have the crop top one and I hated it. The plastic part would slip out, and the straps didn't fit me right, but I could just be me.

[Zilverzmurfen]

I agree with IHMP, although I haven't tried the 'crop top'.

For many years I used to use the discs. I then got the 'fullsize' one with adjustable straps. It took me some time to get used to it but now I couldn't imagine going back to the discs.

I found the cup size to be nice, but I had to cut away some of the plastic as it was chafing into my armpits. (I did this with regular scissors and then used a lighter to make the edges smoother.)

[CheekyCanuck]

Originally Posted by rudd

My wife has just started fencing and is getting some basic kit, chest protectors being one of the more important one as far as we're both concerned. We're looking at the Deluxe Extended Women's Chest Protector with Crop Top from Allstar.

Is this a good choice or should she get standard ones? Also does it pretty much fit to size?

Thanks in advance.

Ger

Depends what you mean by, "standard ones". If she was thinking on the hub caps then, no. Don't go with those. Some women like them because there are small and innocuous, but they tend to move and she'll be sorry when she's hit where she doesn't want to be.
I would also go with the adjustable straps not the crop top.
Check out the
econoguard.

[Ordway]

I think it's very individual. Not all women are proportioned alike. Most reasonably full-figured women go for some version of the full breast plate and seem to like it. Especially for foil and epee, which is more bruising than sabre.

Some of the more petite women slip the hubcaps into their sports bra so they stay in the right place.

I am *very* petite, and don't wear a bra to slip the hubcaps into, so I just use the pockets on the jacket. Apparently most jackets are designed by men ( ) and have weirdly deep breastplate pockets that let the hubcaps slip sideways or down to the ribs. Uh, that's not where I need them... So I use safety pins (or a few stitches) to adjust the pocket depth to keep the hubcaps in the right place.

It also depends on pain tolerance. Last week I got a very hard hit to the sternum - I flunged at the same time my opponent did a half-flunge counterattack with point. WHAM! Full body weight onto the point of the sabre. It hurt like h*ll, I laid on the floor for ten minutes trying to breathe again, and I was done for the night. But - I was fine, and it was not a typical sort of incident (for sabre, anyway. Foil/epee is likely a different story). The hit was between the hubcaps, so it was exactly the same blow for me as it would have been for a male fencer, and they don't wear chestplates. (I am glad I was wearing my plastron and FIE jacket though - the blade didn't break, but it might have.)

But I've been fencing for a while, and pain doesn't freak me out. A beginner (or anyone who winced while reading that story) might want more protection.

[akaiyuki]

I know someone that has a crop-top. And whenever anyone fences her the point keeps bouncing off! (foil)

[Purple Fencer]

Originally Posted by rudd

My wife has just started fencing and is getting some basic kit, chest protectors being one of the more important one as far as we're both concerned. We're looking at the Deluxe Extended Women's Chest Protector with Crop Top from Allstar.

Is this a good choice or should she get standard ones? Also does it pretty much fit to size?

Thanks in advance.

Ger

That's thr same one I sell....they're made by a company in New Zealand...the only differance is Allstar had their name on the crop top.

That being said.,..they vary in size from a 32A to a 38D...

[stickhorse]

I've never tried a crop-top, but I've been using the same "standard" chest protector for three years and have never had a problem with it. When I say standard I mean the plastic plate w/ adjustable straps, not hubcaps. They usually fit to size.

[Purple Fencer]

Originally Posted by stickhorse

I've never tried a crop-top, but I've been using the same "standard" chest protector for three years and have never had a problem with it. When I say standard I mean the plastic plate w/ adjustable straps, not hubcaps. They usually fit to size.

And the plates themselves are exactly the same, except the standard ones have the slots for th straps...

[OROD]

This thread needs more pictures!

.

[akaiyuki]

You mean something like this?

[D'Artag-NOT]

Originally Posted by Ordway

Last week I got a very hard hit to the sternum - I flunged at the same time my opponent did a half-flunge counterattack with point. WHAM! Full body weight onto the point of the sabre. It hurt like h*ll, I laid on the floor for ten minutes trying to breathe again, and I was done for the night. But - I was fine, and it was not a typical sort of incident (for sabre, anyway. Foil/epee is likely a different story). The hit was between the hubcaps, so it was exactly the same blow for me as it would have been for a male fencer, and they don't wear chestplates. (I am glad I was wearing my plastron and FIE jacket though - the blade didn't break, but it might have.)

But I've been fencing for a while, and pain doesn't freak me out. A beginner (or anyone who winced while reading that story) might want more protection.

Ouch! I winced while reading that story because I've had two open-heart operations which involved having my sternum split. So I've had all the blades at my breastbone that I care to, thank you very much. I wear the full-on plastic jobbie (aka the Xena plate).

[OROD]

Originally Posted by akaiyuki

You mean something like this?

Holy mother of mercy...

That sound you heard was probably my jaw hitting the floor!

.

[poskat]

i have the standart one aswell.
it s grand, just remember that you can bend the ends of it to fit to the chest size. after that it fits good and NO MORE PAIN