Removeable Fencing Pistes

[thefeintinggoat]

Hello all,

I represent a club on an upstate New York college campus.
The building we use is a very well trafficked dance studio owned by the PE department of the college. The chair worries very profusely about his new, newly waxed dance studio floors being chopped to bits by accidental hits on it via fencing swords. In order to solve this problem, the department bought us 50ftx4ft strips of carpet, which have held up OK, but tend to buckle on occasion and fling fuzz everywhere. They are stored on what amounts to a barbell rack, and there is really no other feasible place to store them (they are rolled up and stacked vertically).
So, as they have about worn out, the department has committed to replace them. We all do not particularly like the carpets, but don't see other options as either feasible because of cost (those artos grounded strips come to mind) or wanted (a couple of our guys really do not like the rubber mat idea).
So the question I have to those who may be able to answer: Has anyone else been in this position, and can give some advice/suggestions?
Things we're looking for in the strips:
Safety is first and foremost, minimizing buckling while maximizing grip.
Ease of storage and packup
Cost should be "reasonable"
Exact dimensions aren't something to worry about, since when we hold tournaments we use another gym and just use tape on the floor.

[RITFencing]

A decent rubber piste really isn't that bad...

The grounded cloth strips are nice to cart around but need to be taped down, IIRC, and I'm really not sure how long they last in any case.

You might want to see if there's a gym floor that the administration cares a bit less about. Most Dance Studios lack the proper dimensions for a fencing strip, so this might be a good opportunity to get a better space anyway.

[thefeintinggoat]

A decent rubber piste really isn't that bad...

The grounded cloth strips are nice to cart around but need to be taped down, IIRC, and I'm really not sure how long they last in any case.

You might want to see if there's a gym floor that the administration cares a bit less about. Most Dance Studios lack the proper dimensions for a fencing strip, so this might be a good opportunity to get a better space anyway.

Yeah moving isn't an option at all, really, the college has been over-accepting for the past couple years, and space is really really tight; we're lucky to get 7 hours a week studio time in the room we're in. We only really get that because supposedly the PE Chair's daughter used to fence

Btw, hi Sean, this is Jared from Oneonta, we ran into each other a few times before you moved out left.

[oiuyt]

What are the benefits of the carpet vis-a-vis rubber strips?

Almost every drawback I can think of with rubber strips also applies to carpet.

To put it another way, what does "a couple of our guys really do not like the rubber mat idea" actually mean? What don't they like about the idea, and why don't the same objections apply to carpet?

The answer to that question might help us eliminate other potential suggestions that would similarly be unacceptable. Or we might be able to suggest solutions to the actual complaint that make rubber strips acceptable.

-B

[RITFencing]

Yeah moving isn't an option at all, really, the college has been over-accepting for the past couple years, and space is really really tight; we're lucky to get 7 hours a week studio time in the room we're in. We only really get that because supposedly the PE Chair's daughter used to fence

Btw, hi Sean, this is Jared from Oneonta, we ran into each other a few times before you moved out left.

Oh, I knew that. I recognized your user name.

[thefeintinggoat]

What are the benefits of the carpet vis-a-vis rubber strips?

Almost every drawback I can think of with rubber strips also applies to carpet.

To put it another way, what does "a couple of our guys really do not like the rubber mat idea" actually mean? What don't they like about the idea, and why don't the same objections apply to carpet?

The answer to that question might help us eliminate other potential suggestions that would similarly be unacceptable. Or we might be able to suggest solutions to the actual complaint that make rubber strips acceptable.

-B

Not sure why they opted for carpet the first time, wasn't around when they bought them, but tits probably a cost thing.

As for the "couple of guy's" been waiting for them to get back to me on that all day, we've been shooting this topic around via listserv, which explains the delay. Answers forthcoming.

[thefeintinggoat]

What are the benefits of the carpet vis-a-vis rubber strips?

Almost every drawback I can think of with rubber strips also applies to carpet.

To put it another way, what does "a couple of our guys really do not like the rubber mat idea" actually mean? What don't they like about the idea, and why don't the same objections apply to carpet?

The answer to that question might help us eliminate other potential suggestions that would similarly be unacceptable. Or we might be able to suggest solutions to the actual complaint that make rubber strips acceptable.

-B

Did some research with people. No one knows why we got the carpets originally, probably just a flier the PE chair took.

As for rubber reservations, the current president of the club used them in high school, and used to slip when he lunged a lot. He says a few schools in the area refused to fence on them, and instead opted for a bare gym floor. Unfortunately, he didn't remember brands/materials/textures, so his reasons are largely useless, but his skepticism remains.

[oiuyt]

So the answer is that the rubber strips have less traction than the carpet strips.

Okay, is the loss of traction worse than the issues you've been experiencing with the carpet?

-B

[Jason]

There are rubber strips with excellent traction.
Corrugated rubber--often called "runner mats"--can make for an excellent surface.

I don't know how the cost matches up to carpet, but a little investigation can often yield wonderful savings.

Alternatively, I've got a whole bunch of sports flooring tiles left over from building my club that I'd be happy to part with way below market. They lock together super easy and, although I use them as our permanent flooring, then can certainly be broken apart and stored easily enough. Of course, rubber strips would probably be less hassle.

[Insipiens]

Are you looking to get conductive strips? Or just something to cover the floor?
Would that affect the decision?

[thefeintinggoat]

Are you looking to get conductive strips? Or just something to cover the floor?
Would that affect the decision?

Just something to cover the floor. Conductive strips are out of the price range. We paid for $0.975/square foot for the carpet strips we got, but that was with some kind of discount. Came out to $585 for all three. Our price range, I suppose, would be under a thousand, but as economical as possible while still balancing safety.

[thefeintinggoat]

There are rubber strips with excellent traction.
Corrugated rubber--often called "runner mats"--can make for an excellent surface.

I don't know how the cost matches up to carpet, but a little investigation can often yield wonderful savings.

Alternatively, I've got a whole bunch of sports flooring tiles left over from building my club that I'd be happy to part with way below market. They lock together super easy and, although I use them as our permanent flooring, then can certainly be broken apart and stored easily enough. Of course, rubber strips would probably be less hassle.

Any guidence with brands/textures of rubber mats? We're finding it hard to narrow it down without actually jumping around on em or so.

I, personally, love the sport flooring. Not very popular in our club, due to lack of a convenient place to store it, and not as easy to pack up as a rubber strip would be. Good luck unloading them though.

[thefeintinggoat]

So the answer is that the rubber strips have less traction than the carpet strips.

Okay, is the loss of traction worse than the issues you've been experiencing with the carpet?

-B

There's a split on that issue. Those who have fenced on the rubber say that the carpets, while still having issues, are safer and preferred. Those that haven't, including myself (closest thing I have fenced on would be the Artos pistes, but those are out of our price range) feel that a better textured rubber can be found in our price range. The problem we're running into is that we can't really be sure unless we either test them out or get some opinions, which is what prompted me to post.

[Jason]

Any guidence with brands/textures of rubber mats? We're finding it hard to narrow it down without actually jumping around on em or so.

Um, yeah...

Corrugated rubber--often called "runner mats"

Runner mats are ribbed and have good grip. You can buy rolls of it pretty cheaply if you look around. Check industrial rubber suppliers.

[catwood1]

Some rubber mats have very little grip. Some have TONS of grip. These are the type I used in highschool, and very similar to the surface cvillefencer has referenced on this board. PM him about that stuff, cuz its a great rubberized surface with TONS of grip. (More grip than any other surface I've ever fenced on.)

[jfarmer]

Some rubber mats have very little grip. Some have TONS of grip. These are the type I used in highschool, and very similar to the surface cvillefencer has referenced on this board. PM him about that stuff, cuz its a great rubberized surface with TONS of grip. (More grip than any other surface I've ever fenced on.)

While they're not very movable or even rolls, I ran a small tournament last week in a gym with the "sportcourt" flooring (tiles look like they have slightly raised cylinders). Grip was good, but the thing I noticed the most was that the Uhlmann "turtles" stayed in place. Without taping them down. That is grip...

[Cookeit]

My old club had rubber strips, I liked them.