Uhlmann jacket and breast protectors: Problem

[wflaschka]

Today I took receipt of a delivery of an Uhlmann jacket, for a female student of mine.

The fit is perfect, except for one strange thing. I'll try to be delicate.

This female fencer is slim, high-chested and reasonably proportioned. The pockets for the disc-shaped breast protectors -- the discs are at her stomach, below the rib cage even, leaving the chest unprotected.

Is Uhlmann expecting something more... pendulous? Does anybody have any advice to easily fix this? Has anybody seen this problem before?

Here are the problem constraints:

- The disc pocket mounting is low, so we can't just hem the pocket to make it shorter. The discs would fall out.

- Prefer not to do heavy sewing, or deconstruct the jacket. But if that's what it takes...

- She is absolutely not going to surrender the jacket and send it back.

- She's tried breastplate chest protectors and would like to stay with the discs.

Hoping someone can help...

[Craig]

I've seen some female fencers wear the disc breast protectors under a sports bra instead of using the in-jacket pockets.

Craig

[Mergs]

I have run into this "problem" with female students using club jackets (which usually are not a good fit anyway). My suggestion to them is to put them inside their "foundation garments". A good sports bra should be able to stretch enough to accomodate the discs (or combat yalmukas (sp?) as I jokingly refer to them). Problem here is that the disks don't come in a variety of sizes (just like the male version. Notice that you hardly ever see Small cups? Normally you see large, huge and OMG!;-)).

Good luck handling this delicate situation!

[CarlKnoch]

Isn't there a separate "holster" of sorts made for these that is entirely bra-like? I would swear I've seen something like that in the Uhlmann catalog.

Good luck,
C

[JEC]

Most woman epeeists that I know use the plastic torso protectors rather than those small discs, which are kind of getting very little or no use in our club.

[R. Exnicios]

Rarely do the pockets in the jackets line up with any part of proper female anatomy. I always recommend that they wear a sports bra and put the hubcaps in the sports bra. I may even help them the first time.

I'm kidding!

Most of our more experience fencers where the full shield (The Prier web site used to call it a "battle Bra") and either ignore or remove the pockets in their jacket

Cheers

[pammie003]

I also love the full shield, but... as a tall female fencer, my first year (before I got my own stuff) was spent fencing in men's jackets because I needed the length, so I have some experience with this problem. Before I got the chest protector, I put the cups in my sports bra as so many have already suggested. However, I find 2 sports bras is the way to go, with the plastic cups between them. This eliminates the icky plastic-next-to-sweaty-skin feeling. The first sports bra should be a normal one, but the second may need to be a cup size larger to accomadate the cups. This is a tried-amd-true method. The added advantage is that the cups stay put, and don't move around as they tend to do in jacket pockets.

[wflaschka]

Thanks for all the helpful posts! I spoke with the fencer, and she decided to not modify the Uhlmann jacket with scissors and needles. Instead, she's opted for cosmetic surgery to lower her target area. Just kidding.

She's switched back to the plastic one-piece chest protectors. Still, what an odd problem to have in this otherwise primo jacket. Thanks again!

[Louweasel]

Wflaschka, I think your buxom friend has made the right decision. I still wear the "frisbees" because I haven't yet bought my own chest protector ("battle bra" - LOL at R. Exnicios!) but I can't see why anyone would use them out of choice. They're never the right size or shape (apologies to anyone who really does have flattish perfectly circular dome-shaped boobs) and they keep shifting around - personally I don't like to stop in the middle of a lesson with a male coach to re-arrange my bosoms, frankly.

BUT if the pockets were really sitting so far down might the jacket be faulty? I can understand the position might be inconvenient and not right for her, but if they are down on her stomach surely it's a mistake by the manufacturer - they can't seriously believe that somebody can have knockers as droopy as that?!?

Mergs - "combat yarmulkes" - PMSL!!

PS On reading this back i have noticed that I haven't worded it as delicately as wflaschka, so sorry about that. Oh well, at least I didn't use the term "funbags".

Oops.

[Hurriranger]

hmmm try a bearsuit, thats like one size fits all

[Inquartata]

See number four below, Louweasel, and mend your ways!


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[pacer]

back in the day , i had the "vw hubcabs" and simply added pockets to the inside of the padded vest i wore under my jacket. the vest opened in front and was cut like an actual vest - not half-body like most of today's plastrons. i've seen some like it on santelli's website.

[Purple Fencer]

I always push the "Barbie Boobs" partially BECAUSE the jacket pockets may not line up with the wearer's check properly. AND because the hubcaps provide no protection for hits to the sternum....those HURT!

I also try to push them on drum corps and marching band cymbals lines, in case they do chokes old-school style (into the chest) instead of flat against the player's sides...