Things You'll Need:
- Foil, saber or epee
- Mask
- Gloves
- Fencing vest
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Step 1
Ask your coach if you will be fencing in the French, Italian or Olympic style. Each will necessitate buying a different type of foil. French and Italian foils have more traditional hand guards. Olympic foils have "pistol" style grips. Inserting your finger into a pistol grip will allow for greater lateral movement, rather than straight thrust-and-parries.
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Step 2
Ask your coach if you will be foil fencing or if you need a saber or epee. Fencing equipment is not as easy to find as equipment for other sports, so you want to make sure you get the right gear the first time you place your order.
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Step 3
Select an Olympic-style foil if you need to buy your gear and you don't have access to your coach. Most competitive teams, especially at the high school and college level, train their fencers to fight in this style.
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Step 1
Select your mask by trying it on, if possible. Masks need to fit snugly over the head, since one slip of the mask will distract you and can cause you to lose a bout. If you are ordering from a catalog or website, choose a mask with an adjustable back.
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Step 2
Buy gloves that allow you to completely close your fist without straining the material uncomfortably at the knuckles. Your grip is key, and you want to build up the muscles in your fingers to hold the foil with a firm but flexible grip.
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Step 3
Buy a left-handed fencing vest if you are left-handed! Left-handers cannot fight while wearing the protective vests made for right-handed fencers, for the simple reason that the vest protects the chest, torso and dominant arm. The other arm is left completely open, since it is behind the body and protected at all times (as long as one maintains proper form).
