fencing suits

[Inquartata]

Well, I trust he had heeded his mother and was wearing clean underwear....

[MyraTrue]

You know, I believe none of us really wanted to look that close. Its one of those things that you laugh... but you fear, because you are thinking "What if that was me?"

And what do you do? What would HE do? Raise the back arm, stamp: "excuse me, Sir, but I've just torn my ONLY pair of knickers right open and those fencers are laughing at my heart patterned boxer shorts, and I want to get off the strip now!"

Oh, no... I think you WIN the bout (he lost, sadly) to save face, and then go hide forever.

Ok... 3am... must... go to bed.

[cowpaste]

My fencing kickers make me look hot.

[JAySE SUiCiDE]

Originally posted by cowpaste
My fencing kickers make me look hot.

lol.
i think we need some proof, cowpaste.

my knickers are the tightest pants i own..

~Jes

[Delmont]

Just because everyone is mentioning sweats, I don't wear them. Both the pants I do where while fencing you can easily do the splits in without much resistants, lunging is no problem. The black ones are made out of very similar matieral to knickers, they have taken me running through a barb wire fence without riping, and kept me from getting too cut up as well, so I think they would be alright against a broken blade. Paintballing with a fogged up mask is a baaad thng. As for you being judged down, I know it happens. Some people do it and I can't help it. But I'm also too poor to but knickers at the moment, regardless of my opinion on looks, so I"m stuck dealing with that. And it would be embarrasing to split your pants on the strip. Kinda funny though, so they were knickers or other pants?

[tofubeast]

leon paul, why does everyone mention him so much, i have only been fencing for about 1 year, and two days ago was the first i have heard of him. what makes him kewl........is it like aber crombie and expensive, but still the same clothes as wal mart, or is it nicely made?

[Delmont]

Leon Paul is niiiiiiiiice. i have the competition range jacket and it is the most comfortable fencing jacket I have ever worn. As is my glove from them. Very nice stuff and it isn't much, if any more, than most of the competition.

[MyraTrue]

Delmont- it was in fact knickers. It was an old pair of the non-stretchy duct canvas ones, and an OLD pair of old style knickers at that. It WAS really funny... glad it wasn't me.

As to the Leon Paul comment... er... if you were serious, I'd answer this way. Leon Paul is an equipment vendor named after the fencer and coach... you guessed it, Leon Paul. They're london based, and make some really nice uniforms. Which are what my knickers are.

Now... without further ado...

[pkt]

Delmont,

1. If you are thinking of competing, at any level, know the rules for competitions.
If you don't want to bother reading them, ask someone knowledgeable about some basics.
There are rules governing paint balls, they're there for safety sakes, i.e. to meet the requirements for insurnace coverage purposes.
Ditto for fencing.
Fencing is a safe sport only if participants abide by the rules. Read rule t.15 of the FIE Rule for Competitions. The Rules for Competitions are available here
http://www.usfencing.org/ unfer Info for members/ forms
There's no need to debate what the requirements are:
If you wish to compete you'll have to wear the regulation uniform, if not for safety, for tradition, for ease of movement, it'd be required for insurance coverage purpose.
If you don't and you get injured, you may not be covered by the insurance policy. Then you'll have to sue...
If you come to the piste wearing non-regulation knickers as per the FIE/USFA regs, you'll get a yellow card. Then you'll have to scramble to borrow a pair of regulation knickers if you wish to stay to compete. In the meantime image what that does to your frame of mind...
Then if no one is willing to lend you a pair of reg knickers, you might be blackcarded and asked to withdraw and lose your entry fee...

2. Why do you want to reinvent the knickers?
Why do you want to reinvent the rules?
Everything in fencing is there for a reason. Your desire to debate them only disply your ignorance. Read one of my tags below my signature.
Are you trying to show that you're smarter than those of uswho wear the reg knickers?
Are you trying to show that you have more fashion-sense than the rest of us?
Do you want to stand out wearing your black paint-ball pants while everyone wears his whites?
It's cheaper in the long run to invest in the reg uniform than to have to waste your time thinking, "What shall I wear today?"
Not to mention safer:
I've broken an epee blade and put the broken blade 3 inches into the thigh of someone - a clubmate no less - wearing a pair of cotton sweats in a vets tournament. He couldn't complain. He knows what the rules are. He used his money to buy his teen-age daughter a full FIE uniform...
So, what's your excuse?
Are you waiting till someone puts a broken blade in,
if you're lucky, your thigh?
If you're not lucky, in your stomach or something you'll need to become a father?
Think about THAT! I'll be graphic [I know you fence sabre.]:
How about one less cojone! [Hitler's only got one and see what he did!] Or no weeny!
Think of the pain!!!!
Think of all the questions from your future girlfriends!
Think of all the "eeewww, he's got only one". or, in the latter case, "He hasn't got one!"
Think of all the girlfriends you'll lose as a result of THAT!
Think of all the snickers behind your back: "He's only HALF a man!"
Think of all the retorative operations you'll need.
Do you have health insurance coverage?
Remember you live in the US of A, "the most powerful country in the world, the richest country in the world", not Canada where there is social medicine.
Can you or your family afford the costs of the restorative operations to make you WHOLE again?

Think about those matters.

You should consider yourself lukcy that fleche is not allowed in sabre any longer, or your chances of getting skewered would be that much higher.

As some sage once said, "Youth is wasted on the young."

PK

[Talyn]

Wow... after reading what pkt posted I'm glad I have a full set of FIE gear... That was before I got to the 'Think Of's

Cheers

[Delmont]

And once again my words are blown out of proportion. No, I'm not trying to re-invent anything, or change an rules. I hate to break it to you, but I don't need knickers at the local tournaments. I have never been yellow carded for it. If I go to anything larger I relize I will need them, and I will buy them. But if you read my other post I also said that they will be the last thing I buy, because I have things that work just as good, and are more comfortable. Would you rather I buy a pair of knickers instead of a mask? I know this may be a hard concept for you, but I did read the rules. And even though the pants I currantly use are not knickers, they meet the reqs. And for the last time, I DO NOT WEAR SWEATS. Heh, all this because I said knickers were ugly uncomfortable things. Interesting.

[Inquartata]

In all fairness, pkt, I can't recall an NAC or other large tournament at which all of the rules have been strictly enforced. I have never had my knickers inspected, old manky Santelli stretch things that they are. Maybe it's different at World Cups...or maybe it's only different if your name isn't Podzniakov or Tarantino---I've also seen a lot of ""rules" magically waived for the top guns.

Many men ( foolishly ) fence without a cup. That's a far bigger safety issue with regard to the scenarios you paint above, yet the rules don't even address it.

Don't get me wrong, I too roll my eyes at the people who are so obsessed with looking different and insist on bringing their own sartorial splendor to the strip. I bow to no one in my opposition to anything other than traditional regulation fencing attire, as you know! But we both know that in actual application the rules are rather fluid things....

[pkt]

I s'pose the "Think-ofs" come from gettng older. Young whipper-snappers don't usu. consider the consequences that is if they think at all.

PK

[pkt]

Originally posted by Inquartata
... But we both know that in actual application the rules are rather fluid things....

Safety should not be compromised. [FIE knickers.]
Fairplay should not be compromised. [Curvature of the blades in foil and epee.]

Delmont,
If the refs did not enforce the knickers rules then that means two things:
1. you were wearing some pant that are "fastened below the knees." Notice that the rule did not specify knickers as such, the rules, the British ones any way, specify 'breeches'. In the French official version it says "pantalon"...
2. the refs are satisfied with the fact that your pants meet the spirit of the rules and the requirements for the insurance purposes...

As for knickers being ugly and uncomfortable, i think you should ask the football players and the baseball players. As an American, aren't you calling these players and their governing bodies stupid?

If you get a pair of knickers of the right size, you'll find them cooler, and afford you better movement and protection, not to mention the fact you'll finally look like a fencer.

Wearing non-knickers when you fence, esp. in a tournament makes you look like a rank amateur.

maybe that's the stealth advantage that you desire.

PK

[Delmont]

Actually I played baseball and didn't find them particularly comfortable then either. But there you were forced to wear them. You basically stated my argument for me. The refs thought they were good enough. And, as I said, I will end up buying a pair when I can afford them. But since I have something that works, doesn't restrict my movement at all, and is more comfortable I will be buying the knickers last. I still have a mask, body wires, and knickers to purchase. Problem is I'm poor, curse college for taking all of my money!

[swordsen]

Interesting that you mentioned baseball and football. I have worn baseball pants to the nationals before. And had team mates wear old football pants. The football pantes especially were very rugged and durable.(of course) they worked quite well and aroused no questions.