Equipment
From water bottle to full kit
You need almost nothing to start. As you keep training you gradually build up a kit, until you have everything needed for full-intensity sparring.
What do I need right now?
Beginners only need a water bottle, sportswear and indoor shoes with a non-marking sole. The club provides swords and enough protective gear to train safely.
Once you have been training for a while you will normally build up your own kit piece by piece, until you have everything needed for full-intensity sparring. There is no rush — ask the instructors for advice before you buy anything.
Equipment
Equipment requirements
What you need to own depends on what you spar with. Nylon asks very little of you; steel needs a full kit. Below is the short version — the complete list of requirements, recommendations and suppliers is kept up to date in the club’s equipment document.
Nylon
To fence with nylon swords at Bergen HEMA you need the following.
Required
- Fencing mask
- Gloves — Red Dragon or equivalent/better protection
- Groin protection (for men)
Recommended
- Plastron (for women)
Steel
Fencing with steel needs a full kit. Steel gauntlets are not permitted for sparring within the club.
Required
- Fencing mask with an overlay — the overlay must cover the back of the head
- Neck protector
- Gloves suitable for longsword
- Fencing jacket with adequate padding, enough overlap at the front and no gaps under the arms
- Knee and elbow protectors
- Groin protection (for men)
Recommended
- Plastron (for women)
- Forearm and shin protectors
- Fencing trousers
- 350N or higher on jacket and trousers — also the usual tournament requirement
The equipment document
The club keeps a separate document with every equipment requirement, concrete recommendations for masks, gloves, jackets, trousers and protectors, and our own verdicts on the models available today.
It also lists the suppliers we hold a club discount with — The Knight Shop, Faits’d armes and SPES.
The document is written in Norwegian, with an English translation further down the page.
Not sure what to buy first? Ask the instructors at training — they tend to have strong opinions, and you can try other people’s gear before committing.
See you on Thursday
The intake period is free, and you need nothing but sportswear, indoor shoes and a water bottle.