How to Choose Your First Fencing Kit

Starting fencing is exciting, but buying the first kit can feel confusing. There are jackets, masks, gloves, plastrons, lamés, body cords, bags — and every club seems to have slightly different rules.

The good news is that you do not need to buy everything at once.

The right first kit depends on your child’s club, their weapon — foil, épée, or sabre — whether they are training casually or preparing for competitions, and how much equipment the club provides.

At Ferre Fencing, we always recommend starting with the basics. Choose the essential pieces first, check your club’s requirements, and build the kit step by step. Our website is organised by category, so you can check clothing, masks, bags, gloves, chest protectors, footwear, and foil, épée, or sabre equipment separately — or choose a starter set for a simpler first purchase.

Before You Buy Anything

Before choosing a first fencing kit, ask your coach a few simple questions:

• Which weapon is your child fencing: foil, épée, or sabre?

• Does the club lend or rent beginner equipment?

• Which items are required for regular classes?

• Is electric scoring used in training?

• Is your child likely to enter competitions this year?

• Are there any specific club preferences for size, grip, blade length, or brand?

This is especially important for children. They grow quickly, and it is often better to buy the essentials first, then add more specialised pieces later.

Once you know the answers, you can use Ferre Fencing’s product categories to check what belongs together and avoid buying items your child does not yet need.

The Best Way to Buy a Fencing Kit: In Stages

Most beginners do not need a complete competition set immediately. A practical approach is to build the kit in stages.

Stage 1: Personal Comfort and Hygiene

For many young fencers, the first useful purchases are:

• Glove

• Mask

• Plastron

• Chest protector, where needed

• Socks

These are the items that sit closest to the body, are worn often, and are less pleasant to share. A personal glove and mask can make training feel more comfortable and familiar.

If you are buying for the first time, a starter set can make this stage easier by bringing several essential items together in one place.

Stage 2: Core Protective Clothing

Once your child is fencing regularly, the next step is usually:

• Jacket

• Pants/breeches

• Long fencing socks

• Plastron, if not already purchased

A good first kit should fit properly, allow free movement, and match the requirements of your club or competition level.

On Ferre Fencing, you can check clothing and footwear separately, including jackets, pants, gloves, and chest protectors. This helps you understand what your child already has and what still needs to be added.

Stage 3: Electric Fencing and Competitions

When your child starts electric training or tournaments, they may need:

• Body cord

• Mask cord for foil or sabre

• Lamé for foil or sabre

• Electric mask for foil or sabre

• Their own foil, épée, or sabre

• Spare cords and spare parts

Foil and sabre require additional conductive equipment for electric scoring, while épée is simpler because it does not require a lamé.

Before buying electric equipment, check your coach’s recommendation and then choose the correct weapon category: foil, épée, or sabre. This is especially important for masks, cords, lamés, blades, and accessories.

What Each Piece Is For

Mask

The mask protects the head, face, and neck. For beginners, fit matters more than anything else. A mask should feel secure, not wobble, and not press painfully on the chin or forehead.

Having your own mask is often one of the most comfortable upgrades, especially if your club uses shared masks. It also means you know the mask's condition, fit, and cleanliness every time your child trains.

There are different masks for foil, épée, and sabre, so always check the weapon before buying.

Glove

Fencers wear one glove on their dominant hand. It protects the hand and helps with grip.

A glove is often one of the first pieces parents buy because it is relatively affordable, easy to size, and much nicer to own personally than to borrow. It should cover the wrist and overlap the jacket sleeve properly.

Jacket

The fencing jacket protects the upper body and arms. Beginner jackets are usually suitable for club training, while more advanced or higher-rated jackets may be preferred for serious competitors.

A good jacket should allow movement without being too loose. Children need enough room to lunge, bend, and raise their arms, but the jacket should not be oversized or baggy.

Plastron

The plastron, also called an underarm protector, is worn under the jacket on the fencing-arm side. It adds an extra layer of safety and is required in competitions.

This is a small item, but an important one. It should fit smoothly under the jacket without restricting the shoulder.

Many parents forget the plastron when buying the first kit separately, which is one reason a starter set can be helpful.

Pants / Breeches

Fencing pants, also called breeches or knickers, protect the lower body and finish just below the knee. They are worn with long fencing socks so that no skin is exposed.

For beginners, some clubs allow sports trousers in early classes. For competitions, fencing pants and long socks are normally required.

Socks

Fencing socks are long enough to cover the leg up to the knee. They work together with fencing pants to keep the legs covered during movement.

Football socks can sometimes be used at the beginning if they fully cover the leg, but fencing socks are usually lighter, thinner, and better suited to training.

Chest Protector

Chest protectors help reduce the impact of hits to the torso. They are required for women, and many young fencers also prefer wearing them because they make hits feel less intimidating.

For foil, check whether the chest protector needs a soft outer layer for competition use.

Lamé

A lamé is the metallic-looking conductive jacket worn over the white jacket in foil and sabre. It is not protective. Its purpose is to register valid target hits during electric scoring.

Épée fencers do not need a lamé.

This is one of the most common points of confusion for parents. Before buying a lamé, check your child’s weapon and confirm whether they are already using electric scoring in class.

Body Cord and Mask Cord

Body cords connect the fencer to the scoring system. Foil and sabre also use a mask cord.

These usually become necessary when your child starts electric fencing regularly or enters competitions.

Foil, Épée, or Sabre

Many children want their own blade early, but it is not always the most urgent purchase. It is often better to wait until you know:

• which weapon will your child continue with

• what size do they need

• what grip does the coach recommend

• whether the club has specific requirements

For young beginners, coaches often advise on blade size and grip, especially for foil.

Shoes

Fencing shoes are useful, but not always essential at the very beginning. A good indoor sports shoe is usually enough for a beginner.

Fencing shoes become more valuable when the fencer trains more often, competes, or needs better support for lunges and quick footwork.

Bag

Once your child has more than a few pieces of equipment, a fencing bag becomes useful. At the beginning, a simple bag may be enough. Later, a larger kit bag or roll bag can help carry clothing, a mask, cords, spare parts, and blades.

Choose the bag based on how much kit your child currently owns — and how much they are likely to need over the next year.

Should You Buy Individual Items or a Starter Set?

For first-time buyers, a starter set is often the simplest way to begin.

Instead of choosing every item separately, a starter set brings the key pieces together in one place. This is especially useful for parents buying for a young fencer, when sizing, weapon type, electronic equipment, and club requirements can feel confusing at first.

A starter set can help you:

• avoid forgetting essential items

• understand what belongs together

• choose equipment by weapon

• build a more complete first kit

• save time when ordering

At Ferre Fencing, starter sets are designed to make the first purchase easier. You can check what is included, compare it with the individual product categories, and add any extra items your coach recommends.

Before choosing a set, always confirm your child’s weapon and ask your coach whether they need a basic training kit or a more complete electric kit.

A Simple First-Kit Checklist

For a young beginner training at club level:

• Glove

• Mask

• Plastron

• Chest protector

• Jacket

• Long socks

• Comfortable indoor sports shoes

• Bag

For a child starting competitions:

• Mask for the correct weapon

• Jacket

• Plastron

• Pants/breeches

• Long fencing socks

• Glove

• Chest protector

• Foil, épée, or sabre

• Body cords

• Lamé for foil or sabre

• Mask cord for foil or sabre

• Fencing bag

• Spares, depending on level

If you are unsure where to start, use this checklist as you browse Ferre Fencing. It will help you see whether a starter set covers your child’s current needs or whether a few extra items should be added.

Final Advice

The best first fencing kit is not always the biggest kit. It is the kit that fits properly, follows your coach’s guidance, and matches your child’s current stage.

Start with the pieces that improve comfort, hygiene, and safety. Add electric and competition equipment when your child is ready.

A starter set can be a smart first step because it simplifies the process and helps parents avoid unnecessary confusion. Before ordering, check the full set details on Ferre Fencing, confirm the weapon and sizing, and ask your coach if your club has any specific requirements.

A well-chosen first kit helps young fencers feel confident, prepared, and excited to come back to the piste.