I knew this was comming..

[Nicksmom]

Hi all,
We just got back from class and Nick asked me to buy him not one but two gloves, one for practice and one for "good", along with a mask and foil. "not a pepe, I use foils". Any one know a good place to get affordable equipment? Do they sell used anywhere? My daughter does Irish Dance and until we were sure she was going to stick with it we didn't invest alot in new stuff, would like to do that with Nick. Any help is welcomed

[Timo]

hmmm... well, I'm a new fencer and I did fine without buying anything yet. I would have bought some equipment soon, but the lessons were delayed until august. I'd say wait a month and see if he really like it

[Inquartata]

Gloves are one of the first things people tend to get, simply because club gloves don't seem to get washed very often and are often crusty, nasty and not in good condition---even if your club has one that will fit a kid his age. So a glove is IMO a perfectly reasonable thing to request.

Any of the suppliers should have an inexpensive glove or two. Absolute and Blue Gauntlet will probably have the cheapest ones, but in any case you aren't looking at more than $20. A list of suppliers can be found on the USFA website, www.usfencing.org---or you could buy them from the fencing.net store here...

[chefencer]

Glove and plastron/under arm protector are the first two Most Useful Things. Then I would say a mask would be most appropriate. You don't really want to buy any of those used...

[Nicksmom]

true..I get a bit nervous when it comes to sharing masks and hats. I'm a nurse and see all sorts of yucky stuff from sharing.

[KidLazy]

fencing.net, blue gauntlet, and absolute fencing sell cheap beginner foil sets (including glove, mask, practice foil, jacket...).

get a front-zip jacket if possible. Nick should use #2 blade.

[babatjie]

You don't say how old your son is (but I'm guessing, if he says "pepe" for "epee," he's not so big). So take a little time. Start reading dealers' web sites and talk to the coach and other parents; you will get an idea of what is too cheap, i.e., shoddy, and what is more quality than a beginner needs. You will also figure out what size he takes in different items.

When it comes to used: Keep an eye out on eBay and/or your local Craig's list for other parents selling barely-used equipment when their kids tire of or outgrow it. Occasionally they'll be selling higher quality stuff than you can afford new. However, I would not recommend the dealers who sell new gear through eBay stores; the few things I have purchased this way have been disappointing.

Consider buying Nick an item at a time as a reward for persistence. If hygiene is the concern, think about a glove first, because they do get grungy and the ones at class may be too big for him. Then a mask because it's on his face. Add an item each birthday or other holiday. If he's small, he may like having his own jacket because the ones at class are likely big and baggy on him. But he probably won't need knickers till he starts competing.

And he can wait to have his own weapon (unless he's left-handed ... schools sometimes run short of those). You don't need the risk of his taking it out at home and waving it at maskless friends to show off his new skill. For that matter, in a year he could switch from foil to epee or sabre.

I like The Fencing Post for decent-quality kids' equipment (buying a piece at a time from them is just about as cheap as buying a cheapie "starter set" from another vendor, and I like their own brand practice uniforms, which are part cotton, part stretch, and very reasonable).

Remember, if he doesn't stick with the sport, or outgrows his stuff quickly, you can re-sell it to some other family!

[Applesauce and Foils]

I would go ahead and get him his own stuff. Club equipment just gets gross after a while, and knowing someone else has sweated in "your" mask isn't fun. I got my set from blue-gauntlet.com and it has held up really well. The set is 108.80 before shipping, and includes a mask, glove, jacket and foil. I got the cotton jacket because I figured it would be cooler but if I had a chance I would trade for a nylon for flexibility. Fencing is hot no matter what. (A rhyme!) See if you can get a club discount if you use blue-gauntlet. Nick will appreciate it.

[Nicksmom]

Sorry, Nick is six years old. He is bigger than most six or seven year olds. I even forget just how "little" he really is because of his size.

[dridge]

It's pretty common for clubs to have a relationship with anequipment company, which may offer a slight discount. As advised above, I would recommend a personal glove. It should be inexpensive. $20 is about right.

With respect to sharing club equpment, I wouldn't be too worried. Six year-old boys are capable of exposing themselves to all sorts of bugs on their own. In my experience, most people who own their own kit don't wash it enough!

I wash my kit after each use (with the exception of my mask, and this strange thing that I wear below my plastron to protect my biceps.

Drew

[Nicksmom]

not to worried about germs as much as I worry about head lice. I know the people fencing don't look like they would be exposed to head lice, usually school aged kids and their siblings. I can deal with the impetigo and ringworm. I just hate bugs.

[Peach]

not to worried about germs as much as I worry about head lice. I know the people fencing don't look like they would be exposed to head lice, usually school aged kids and their siblings. I can deal with the impetigo and ringworm. I just hate bugs.

Yes--head lice are equal-opportunity infesters. In my middle school club, I assign a club mask to each student and don't allow them to trade.

[Applesauce and Foils]

I was so scared of head lice back when I was sharing. . .

[Nicksmom]

I was one of the "lucky" nurses in the county that was chosen to be on the "County Head Lice Task Force". 8 RN's sitting around discussing head lice scratching like a dog with fleas. I am so paranoid about those little critters, my poor kids get a head check twice a week. They have never had it. Now I'm scratching my head.

[sleepyweasle]

Lice are NO FUN! Plus one of the most important areas of the body to make sure is well protectected is the head/neck region. Kids grow real fast, as a pediatrician and a parent I certainly appreciate that fact, but if you buy a decent quality mask it will still last a few years and protect your baby from injury as well as lice. And have the benefit of making him proud to own his own equipment (which often helps foster a child's interest in the sport). Buy him a mask and a glove - let him borrow the rest until he is old enough to make a real commitment to the sport.

[Craig]

We just got back from class and Nick asked me to buy him not one but two gloves, one for practice and one for "good", along with a mask and foil. "not a pepe, I use foils". Any one know a good place to get affordable equipment?

Hey there Nick's Mom -

The first thing I would get would be a glove and then a foil and/or mask. He can use the club jacket for a while if you don't want to get a full starter set.

You can give us a call and make sure to ask for a "size 0" foil for his size.

Cheers,
Craig

[lefty_monster]

Nick's Mom,

I agree with what people here have said. First should be a mask and *washable* glove, if you're going to buy things one at a time. A hard plastic chest protector might help if the little guy gets hit hard. (Lots of guys at my club wear them- they're not an admission of weakness.) But I'd argue against using a glove for practice and a glove for tournaments. Gloves are like a good pair of shoes and take time to "break in". After you have broken in and gotten used to a glove, it may feel wierd to switch. And for a tournament, NOTHING can feel weird because it distracts you from your fencing. I've found that I work best when I'm using my favorites at a tournament- dingy old glove, smelly old mask and my current favorite weapon.

Although buying two gloves might be advantageous because they wear out pretty fast.

[Nicksmom]

Thursday night he got to "suit up" and pratice against another kid. His dad took him, but when he got home he was very excited. Dad said all he heard on the way home was "mom i gonna get me my own gloves and foil....." We have class again in an hour. I'll let you all know what he "needs" when we get back. Lord only knows what that will be.

Brianna

[Beloit Fencer of Old]

Hey, Nicksmom! With regard to gloves, I absolutely love my $50 grippy glove from Uhlmann. Such a glove is SO NOT NEEDED by a beginner, however! I also bought a $10 Absolute glove...one of the cheapest out there. I LOVE IT! It's a great glove...well-built, plenty of protection, I don't know how they do it. It's my left-handed glove, so I only use it when I'm not fencing rightie, but it seems like I would like it even if I used it more often.

Good luck!

BFO

[RITFencing]

You can give us a call and make sure to ask for a "size 0" foil for his size.

Agreed... nothing bigger than a zero for a kid that age.