If in any doubt about a piece of equipment you intend to use please do contact us in advance of the event.
The rules are applicable for all events in the League, but we reserve the right to change them at any time.
All fencers must be kit checked by a referee before participating in competition. If a fencer’s kit changes during the tournament, they must inform a referee and have the updated kit rechecked. Any intentional evasion of these rules is grounds for disqualification.
Note that there must be no exposed bare skin, including at the nape of the neck, the back of the shins, the palms, and the wrist.
Protective Equipment
Head
- Fencing Mask: FIE CEN2 1600N masks. Masks must not show signs of distress/damage that will impact on their use, like dents or rusting. A CEN2 mark must be present.
- Back of Head & Overlay: The back of the head needs to be covered by a solid, rigid protector, without significant gaps. An overlay is also required.
- Gorget: a throat guard covering the front of the throat is required, worn under the mask, and including a rigid plate (soft foam alone is not sufficient). Gorgets with plastic like Red Dragons, PBT, Vytis etc are permitted.
Torso
- Jacket: A padded HEMA jacket or a padded sport fencing coaching jacket is required. Jackets must be rated to at least 350N.
- Jacket must have a blade catcher at the collar. Protection should cover the points of the hip, and the front closure must be zipper, buttons, or snaps with significant overlap. Gambesons with tied front openings are not permitted. SCA or re-enactment gambesons are not permitted.
- Solid chest protector required for all weapon. This must be worn under the jacket.
Gloves
- Longsword: heavy gloves, such as SPES Heavy gloves, Koning gloves, Pro Gauntlets, Sparring Gloves, or Thokks with the longsword attachment. Metal gauntlets are not allowed. Red Dragon or similar gloves are not allowed. Undergloves must be worn with Sparring Glove brand gloves, as no skin may be left exposed.
- Sabre and Sword & Buckler: Red Dragon gloves (or similar robust lacrosse gloves) represent the minimum level of protection. If using a simple hilted weapon, longsword grade gloves are required.
- Rapier: padded sport fencing gloves are the minimum level of protection. Gloves must overlap the sleeves of the jacket.
Arms
- Elbows: Solid protection is required for all weapons.
- Forearms: Solid protection is required for longsword, sabre, and sword & buckler. Recommended for rapier.
Legs
- Knees: Solid protection including the sides of the knee is required for all weapons.
- Shins: Solid protection required for all weapons.
- Trousers: 350N or 800n rated fencing breeches or trousers are required
- Socks are mandatory as no skin may be left exposed.
- Groin Guard: Required for those whose anatomy calls for it. This must be worn under trousers or breeches.
Non-fencing related accessories:
Accessories worn during competition must be limited to practical protective equipment designed or intended for HEMA or sport fencing. Decorative or costume accessories, including but not limited to sheaths, ears, tails, capes, kilts, and similar items, are prohibited.
These items may obscure valid target areas, become entangled with weapons or equipment, or create uncertainty when determining whether a hit has landed. They may also obscure damage to protective equipment that takes place during a bout, or make it difficult to accurately assess during kit check (eg. kilts covering breeches).
We want to simplify kit check and create a clear and consistent standard by ensuring that all equipment used during competition serves a functional fencing purpose.
Weapons
All tournaments are conducted on a “Bring Your Own Sword” basis.
All swords need to be checked by our sword check team before the start of your tournament. Please bring your swords to the sword check team as soon as possible.
Weapons are to be checked for signs of damage – swords with significant rusting, chips or burrs will not be allowed.
Weapons are also checked according to the parameters for each weapon set out below on length, flex, weight, edge thickness, and tip size.
All weapons must be an approximate and fair match to weapons commonly used by participants in any given tournament. Though we have length and weight parameters, any weapon that is deemed to offer a unique and unfair advantage might be refused regardless of it meeting these parameters on paper eg. a sword that only passes weight requirements due to excessive weight added to the grip.
Sabre:
- Weight and balance should be representative of a sword capable of delivering effective cuts. Broadswords with fully enclosed basket hilts are not allowed. Stirrup hilts, or simple crossguards are allowed, but a longsword level glove must be worn.
- Blade length maximum: 86.5cm
- Blade length minimum: 76cm
- Weight maximum: 1000g
- Weight minimum: 750g
- Flex maximum: 15kg (2025) 14kg (2026)
- Edge thickness minimum: 1.5mm
Longsword
- Longswords designed for fencing that match the below specifications. We don’t generally allow ‘blunts’ as these frequently are inflexible, have small tips, thin edges and higher forward mass distribution. Sigi King swords are an exception to this (assuming they meet the requirements set out below) as they are specifically designed with intense fencing in mind and are now permitted .
- Blade length maximum: 105cm
- Blade length minimum: 90cm
- Weight maximum: 1700g
- Weight minimum: 1200g
- Flex maximum: 20kg (2025) 16kg (2026)
- Edge thickness minimum: 2mm
- Cross-guards and schilts must be well rounded and not prominently pointed.
Eg. Regenyei ‘Tulip or similar, are not allowed.
Rapier
- Cup hilts or pappenheimer guards are recommended for additional hand protection.
- Weight and balance should be representative of a sword capable of delivering effective cuts as well as thrusts.
- Epee or long “musketeer” type epee blades are not allowed.
- Maximum blade length is 115cm, measured from the crossguard.
- Blade length maximum: 115cm
- Blade length minimum: 95cm
- Weight maximum: 1500g
- Weight minimum: 850g
- Flex maximum: 14kg (2025) 12kg (2026)
- Edge thickness minimum: 1.5mm
Daggers
- Sail hilts are recommended for additional hand protection. Maximum blade length is 45cm. Points as per rapier. Hanwei dagger blades are not allowed.
- Blade length maximum: 45cm
- Blade length minimum: 30cm
- Weight maximum: 850g
- Weight minimum: 400g
- Flex maximum: 20kg (2025) 16kg (2026)
- Edge thickness minimum: 1mm
Sword & Buckler
- Arming sword or sidesword. Weight and balance should be representative of a sword capable of delivering effective cuts as well as thrusts. Sideswords may have finger-rings, knucklebows, and closed ports, but significant hand protection beyond these will not be allowed.
- Blade length maximum: 95cm
- Blade length minimum: 80cm
- Weight maximum: 1300g
- Weight minimum: 900g
- Flex maximum: 15kg (2025) 14kg (2026)
- Edge thickness minimum: 1.5mm
- Maximum buckler diameter 35cm. Safe rounder edges, for example, leather or rolled steel, are required. Plastic Cold Steel bucklers are permitted for 2026, but will not be for next year.