Escrime front zip single sleeve coaching jacket

I've been using this jacket for just under a year, to coach all 3 weapons.  The jacket is a front zip jacket with a removable sleeve with a zipper in the shoulder so that the sleeve can be zipped on or off.

Comfort: B+.  I wear one that is very form fitting, and fits me the way a fencing jacket does, so it is tight to my body, not loose the way many coaching jackets are.  The vest gets pretty warm over my fencing jacket, but thats why I like the front zip.  It allows me to unzip it half way between lessons, same as fencers do between bouts.  The sleeve is also pretty tight.  When I wear it without a fencing jacket, it is very cool though.

Protection: B.  Good protection for foil when wearing it over a fencing jacket and with no plastron.  Barely feel a thing.  Epee hits to the chest can definitely be felt if the distance gets a bit too close.  Not as much protection as the Uhlman coaching jackets though.  The foam isn't as thick.

The sleeve gives good protection to the upper arm and forearm.  Doesn't protect the hand, and will occasionally ride up to about 1 inch past the wrist bone, so wrist flicks will sometimes land on glove and not jacket.  I'm looking at adding a strap on the sleeve to go over the thumb to keep in down. 

Biggest problem is when the sleeve is not zipped onto the jacket, there is a 1 inch gap at the shoulder that can be hit, especially when coaching epee.  As you'll see in the next section, this is what I usually do, so I always wear a jacket under neath the coaching gear to avoid getting hit on the bare shoulder.

Ease of use:  B-.  Its hard for me to give a grade here, because its good and bad at the same time.  The fact that it is front zip is great, and means I don't need help putting it on.  I can also put it on or take it off much faster then other coaching jackets.

However, the zipper to affix the sleeve to the jacket is AWFUL.  Absolutely horrible.  Extremely small and difficult to use.  Difficult to get a grip on, and the 1 time I tried to put the sleeve back on, the zipper ended up skipping a few teeth and I gave up.  I always leave the 2 unconnected, and just put on the sleeve when I I am doing epee or sabre.

Looks: A.  Very solid.  I like the look of a slim fitting coaching jacket.  I still look like a normal person wearing this, and not a black pillsbury doughboy as some jackets give the look of.

Durability: A. Only had the jacket a year, but it looks good as new.  I expect the durability to be very good.  All the stitching still looks brand new.  No rips or tears in anything.  Some pilling on the surface of teh vest but thats no big deal.  Very good here.

Other notes:  Price is very competitive.  At $185 for the vest and sleeve, I think its the cheapest leather kit for 3 weapon coaching I could find.  Washable inner lining is nice.  The flap over the zipper does a reasonably good job.  I give lessons with both hands without any noticable problem.

Overall: A.  Very solid jacket.  I would buy again, or recomend it to a friend.  Biggest problem is just the zipper between the vest and sleeve, and the gap between sleeve and vest when not affixed.  Small room for improvement, but I think between price and quality, it should be the industry standard.

Questions feel free to PM me about it.

Review by Chris Atwood, founder and head coach of George Mason University Fencing Club.