"Preserving Historical Scottish Martial Arts and Highland Culture for Future Generations"
What Safety Equipment Do I Need?
Below we have put together a list of safety equipment that you will need to get started as well as some equipment you will need later before you will be allowed to spar against others.
Basic Safety Equipment
To get started, the only safety equipment that you will need is adequate protection for your head and hands and a training sword that is safe to use. You can also add additional training equipment, such as the two-handed long sword, or if you wish to train with the targe and dirk. Below are our recommendations, along with their approximate prices. The links ARE NOT affiliate links; we do not receive anything from your purchase of these items; the links are listed as a mere courtesy to make finding the items easier for you.
Female members are required to wear a plastic Chest Guard Plastron.
It is recommended that male members wear a plastic Chest Guard Plastron and an athletic cup groin protector.
Safety equipment must have a minimum rating of 350N Puncture Resistance.
**If steel longswords are being used, using a sports mouth guard in addition to your fencing mask is HIGHLY advised.
HEMA Fencing or Coaching Mask.
We recommend the HEMA Fencing Mask by Red Dragon Armoury for its quality and price.
Cost: $123
(Additional sizes available)
Gloves - Dagger Version 1.2
These gloves WILL fit inside the basket hilt of training swords
If you want to train in Highland knife fighting using either the dirk or sgain dubh, additional wrist movement will be wanted than the heavier padded gloves are able to provide, yet you still want adequate protection for the hand, wrist, and forearm.
Purple Heart Armory developed these gloves for specific use in dagger work. Some protection on the back of the hand and around the wrist. But still leaving good articulation. Extended protection on the forearms protect against harder hits during longer training sessions and more aggressive sparring sessions.
Features
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Kevlar knuckles and padded fingers offer extra protection.
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Significantly less bulky than other padded gloves, with light padding on the wrist and fingers.
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Better for using in a hilt.
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A longer cuff protects the forearm.
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Quality material at an affordable price.
Cost: $65
Available in multiple sizes
HEMA Chest Guard Plastron
(Male Version)
RECOMMENDED FOR MALES
For added chest protection we recommend adding an optional plastron underneath your HEMA jacket for all male members. Leonark makes this affordable, lightweight version.
Cost: $30
HEMA Chest Guard Plastron
(Female Version)
REQUIRED FOR FEMALES
For added chest protection we require adding a plastron underneath your HEMA jacket for all female members. Leonark makes this affordable, lightweight version.
Cost: $30
Additional Safety Equipment
As you practice your skills and want to start sparring against others, you will need additional safety equipment to protect yourself from injuries. Also, if you begin to train with different weapons, more specialized safety equipment may be necessary. Below we have listed some additional pieces of equipment that we recommend along with their approximate price.
Speak with us before you order sparring gear as much of the available HEMA sparring gear is only necessary if certain types of training weapons are being used. If we do not use those types of weapons, then the additional gear is not required.
HEMA Fencing or Coaching Mask Overlay.
This is what protects the back of your head, with additional neck protection. We recommend the HEMA Fencing Mask Overlay by Red Dragon Armoury for its quality and price.
Cost: $64
(Additional sizes available)
Fencing Gorget
A gorget is a throat protector that protects the front and sides of your throat as well as the collar bones by wrapping around the neck and attaching with velcro in the back. We recommend using two of the Red Dragon Armoury throat protectors, one on the front and one on the back of your neck for complete coverage.
Cost: $28 each
Knee & Shin Guards
To protect your legs we recommend the HEMMA Knee & Shin Guard from Red Dragon Armoury or a similar knee and shin guard made for hockey or motocross.
Cost: $88
HEMA Jacket
To protect yyour upper body we recommend wearing a HEMA Jacket, which are available in many different styles based on your preference. The one shown here is from Red Dragon Armmoury.
Cost: $240
(Additional sizes available)
Spes Heavy Lobster Gauntlets
Armored gauntlets will protect your hands and wrists from accidental strikes which will happen during sparring. They are covered with armored plates. Required for longsword use.
Cost: $230
(Additional sizes available)
Forearm & Elbow Guards
Damascus Protective Gear makes an inexpensive set of forearm and elbow guards that can help protect your arms when sparring.
Cost: $54 - $69
(Additional sizes available)
HEMA Elbow Pads
Leonark Black Armory makes an inexpensive set of HEMA elbow guards that can help protect your elbows when sparring if you do not need integrated forearm protection. Made to attach to certain HEMA jacket sleeves.
Cost: $30
(Knee pads also available)
Elbow Pads
Triple Eight makes an inexpensive set of elbow guards that can help protect your elbows when sparring if you do not need integrated forearm protection.
Cost: $20 - $27
(Multiple sizes available)
Padded Gloves
These gloves WILL NOT fit inside the basket hilt of training swords
Swords will come in contact with your hands, and a good pair of padded gloves will save you from injury. We recommend the HEMA Gloves from Red Dragon Armoury for a padded glove for use with single-handed swords OTHER THAN the basket hilt.
Not to be used with two-handed longsword OR basket hilt.
Cost: $105
(Additional sizes available)
SF HEMA Skirt 350N
Superior Fencing offers this 350N rated padded skirt which can be worn over the top of yyour kilt for kilt wearers to provide hip and thigh protection as well as additional groin protection.
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Made of 350N certified puncture resistance fabric.
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Well padded to receive blows.
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Protects hips, thighs, and crotch.
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Belt with buckle with adjustable waist.
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Also available in customize sizes and colors without any extra charges.
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You can customize this product in any way you want without any extra charges.
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Aprox. weight 1kg.
Cost: $40
SF HEMA Padded Short
If you elect to use the HEMA Skirt with a kilt, we recommend also adding these padded shorts to provide additional hip protection. Shorts also have a built in pouch to hold an athletic cup.
Cost: $18