Aramis Nasycon Plastic Foil
Product Details
Plastic foil from Italy, the Nasycon Aramis. This comes in a "dry" version and an "electric" version with a buzzer in the tip.
In this photo, the blue one is the "dry" and the red one the "electric" weapon. They are about 3' in total length.
Product Ratings
- Overall Rating
- 90%
I keep posting how wonderful these are in the forum, I might as well write an actual review.
My club has probably about 50 of these things now and has used them extensively for the past three or four years with our new fencers of all ages. We use the plastic weapons for many of the games where we would once have used gloves - like glove tag. The problem with gloves is that the kids want to wind up their arms to hit, rather than just extending. It's much more difficult to do with these, and the reasons not to wind up are a bit clearer - suddenly your weapon isn't anywhere near the target if you're winding up.
Another advantage of using these weapons is that they provide a better way to hold out the "real" weapons as bait to keep the kids coming. It takes our students at least two months to earn the right to use steel, and sometimes several years. These weapons provide them with a tool to use before then.
Most of our work using these weapons involves footwork/distance games. They are, however, stiff enough that we have sometimes used them for bladework (at satellite programs where we're already carrying too much gear, for instance).
For adults, the weight isn't really an issue, but for our youngest kids, having this lighter version of a weapon is a good way to work up to a dry foil. Same for the plastic masks that come with them. It really makes a big difference for the smallest kids.
The buzzers are annoying. I've removed the batteries from most of them. When we do discover one that works the kid using it has to be careful, as we drop them for pushups quickly if the buzzer goes off at the wrong time. Mind you, annoying as the buzzing is, having to be aware of the point is a good way to teach kids not to leave their weapons standing on all the finicky parts in the tip, so maybe we should have left them with sound. (Runs off and buries head under pillow at the thought.)
My club has probably about 50 of these things now and has used them extensively for the past three or four years with our new fencers of all ages. We use the plastic weapons for many of the games where we would once have used gloves - like glove tag. The problem with gloves is that the kids want to wind up their arms to hit, rather than just extending. It's much more difficult to do with these, and the reasons not to wind up are a bit clearer - suddenly your weapon isn't anywhere near the target if you're winding up.
Another advantage of using these weapons is that they provide a better way to hold out the "real" weapons as bait to keep the kids coming. It takes our students at least two months to earn the right to use steel, and sometimes several years. These weapons provide them with a tool to use before then.
Most of our work using these weapons involves footwork/distance games. They are, however, stiff enough that we have sometimes used them for bladework (at satellite programs where we're already carrying too much gear, for instance).
For adults, the weight isn't really an issue, but for our youngest kids, having this lighter version of a weapon is a good way to work up to a dry foil. Same for the plastic masks that come with them. It really makes a big difference for the smallest kids.
The buzzers are annoying. I've removed the batteries from most of them. When we do discover one that works the kid using it has to be careful, as we drop them for pushups quickly if the buzzer goes off at the wrong time. Mind you, annoying as the buzzing is, having to be aware of the point is a good way to teach kids not to leave their weapons standing on all the finicky parts in the tip, so maybe we should have left them with sound. (Runs off and buries head under pillow at the thought.)
Review Ratings
- Overall Rating
-
Okay, there aren't many fencing toys out there, so you have to go with what you can get most of the time. I reviewed this item viewing it as mainly a toy - if you reviewed it as a kids training tool then your views may be a bit different.
The Italian firm Nasycon manufactures a plastic foil, trade named the Aramis. They come in blue, red, and black and are the perfect size for a child. Nasycon sells these with the Zivkovic children's mask, which makes the kids look like power rangers with swords, but the mask provides the eye and face protection necessary when waving one of these around.
When I received mine, the foils were in 3 pieces (4 if you count the battery for the "electric" one.) Slipping the guard onto the blade was very easy. Putting the rubber tip onto the tip of the blade took a little more effort. You'll have to work to get it on, and use a tool (I used needlenose pliers) to stretch the tip wide enough to fit onto the point. Overall, assembly took less than 5 minutes.
The electric version also has a push-out battery holder that is stored in the handle. When you push it out to put in the tiny battery, you see just a couple of wires from the tip holding the case onto the foil. It works just fine, but I was afraid of snapping something. This assembly could be a little more robust.
These foils are great to use. The balance and feel are great, and they can be held with either hand. (Put your thumb on the depression for the best feel/grip.) If your children are well behaved enough to poke and not hack, these are good. I highly recommend the mask with these as a hit to the face will hurt.
I found the dry version to be better than the electric simply because after about 5 test hits I was getting annoyed by the buzzer and my wife banned its use in the house. If I handed the electric foil to the kids on my street, I know that I would not be invited over for dinner again due to the repeated buzzing from hitting with this foil again and again.
Overall, this is a good toy. I think the Wacky Whacker is better overall, but for controlled exercises and kids classes this foil would be a great training tool. It's a step more towards a real foil, but much easier to hold, and a bit safer, than a 0-blade practice foil.
The Italian firm Nasycon manufactures a plastic foil, trade named the Aramis. They come in blue, red, and black and are the perfect size for a child. Nasycon sells these with the Zivkovic children's mask, which makes the kids look like power rangers with swords, but the mask provides the eye and face protection necessary when waving one of these around.
When I received mine, the foils were in 3 pieces (4 if you count the battery for the "electric" one.) Slipping the guard onto the blade was very easy. Putting the rubber tip onto the tip of the blade took a little more effort. You'll have to work to get it on, and use a tool (I used needlenose pliers) to stretch the tip wide enough to fit onto the point. Overall, assembly took less than 5 minutes.
The electric version also has a push-out battery holder that is stored in the handle. When you push it out to put in the tiny battery, you see just a couple of wires from the tip holding the case onto the foil. It works just fine, but I was afraid of snapping something. This assembly could be a little more robust.
These foils are great to use. The balance and feel are great, and they can be held with either hand. (Put your thumb on the depression for the best feel/grip.) If your children are well behaved enough to poke and not hack, these are good. I highly recommend the mask with these as a hit to the face will hurt.
I found the dry version to be better than the electric simply because after about 5 test hits I was getting annoyed by the buzzer and my wife banned its use in the house. If I handed the electric foil to the kids on my street, I know that I would not be invited over for dinner again due to the repeated buzzing from hitting with this foil again and again.
Overall, this is a good toy. I think the Wacky Whacker is better overall, but for controlled exercises and kids classes this foil would be a great training tool. It's a step more towards a real foil, but much easier to hold, and a bit safer, than a 0-blade practice foil.
Review Ratings
- Overall Rating
-
