Vet Armor Part 1

 The other Sunday, at RFA's Vet ladies' practice, we were trading notes on minor injuries. Emergent themes: how to assure the doctor/nurse they don't need to call protective services; how to tell a skin bruise from a bone bruise (ick); and (as a logical segue) various ways to reinforce or supplement one's gear to avoid the prior issues.

Face it, fencing uniforms are designed to avoid grievous bodily harm (Punctures. Death.) They do a pretty shoddy job of protecting skin and bones, particularly older skin and bones, from significant, even debilitating, trauma.

Hence this post, the first in a series exploring various ways Vets are modding their uniforms to preserve their own functionality as long as possible. Part 1 will share a round-up of ideas currently in use by Allison, me or our club mates, as well as some examples I've collected at NACs over the years. Part 2 will be a deep dive into the "extreme armor" created by a former RFA fencer. With your assistance, Part 3 will consist of your examples, contributed via comments on these posts, or on the Vet Women's Fbook group. Please share!

Let's start with gloves: actual fencing gear with extra features or deployed in non-standard ways.

Here's an example of the first: two fencing gloves that offer extra protection on the knuckles. 

These are both by Linea: the Nitro (red) and Octane (green) are available from the Fencing Post. 

While these glove provide some added protection, they are not fool-proof. I was hit between the fingers when wearing an Octane, and the impact split open the skin (requiring 5 stitches.)

Then there is the question of protecting the back hand, particularly if one has a tendency to, shall we say, put it at risk. Here's a picture I took many years back at Baltimore Fencing Club (now defunct). This fencer is "covering her bases" (as it were) by wearing a glove on her back hand, as well as keeping said hand firmly shoved into her breech's pocket. 

On to legs. Before I met Joe Deucher, I did not realize that fencing knickers came in a full-length option. (Not to mention cool colors.) 

Joe's knickers (rated 350N) were manufactured by Triplette. I can see where a layer of competition-grade padding over the sock would help at least a bit.

Next up, my own go-to extra armor: soccer shin guards, which can be inserted into the sleeve jacket to protect against hard hits to the upper arm (*ahem* epeeists fencing foil, you know who you are), or into the sock of the lead leg to protect against low-line parries that turn into shin swipes. They are cheap ($10-$25 range), effective, easy to take in and out, as needed, without completely disrobing. Some models have perforations that provide a bit of ventilation. 

I briefly experimented with a roller-blading knee-guard ton my lead leg. Too bulky to fit under my knickers but certainly valid for practice. It might be competition-legal if you covered it with a sleeve (for example a sock or stocking with the foot cut off). 

What about the torso? Here vet epeeist Lori Radich models an Easton "TorsoTection" boy's baseball chest protector, which features polyester padding sewn into a spandex, pull-on shirt.

Turns out there are a lot of potentially useful padded undergirding manufactured for other sports. See, for example "Nike Contact Support Forearm Shivers"

And, from the realm of motorsports, the "Alpinestars Nucleon Flex Pro Shoulder Protectors" 

After getting popped right on the head of the shoulder joint recently, with two weeks of resulting soreness, this might the extra piece of armor I try next.

Alpinestars also makes hip protectors--I am wondering if I could position one over the front of the hip bone--another massively painful place to get hit--perhaps nested in a pocket sewn into my knickers, or into the compression shorts I wear under my uniform.

That's what we have so far, in the club and in our notes. Stand by for the second installment of this series (a.k.a "how to channel your inner Michelin Man") and please do send us pictures and descriptions of your own additional armor. You can leave comments on this blog, or on the corresponding post on the USFA Women's Veterans Fencing group in Facebook. 

Be well, and stay unbroken.

Badger

Looking Back to Look Forward

Hello Ladies

It was so great to see some of you in San Jose last week. Your smizing eyes, your laughter, and your camaraderie was a balm to my pandemic-weary heart.

Marie Lawson at the July 2021 NAC/National Challenge

Between the masking, distancing, and the fact that many folks spent as little time as possible in the venue, I did not get any new pics for Fashionista. So today's posts is a nostalgic look at some of my most-beloved images from the past.

One of my all-time favorite outfits is Pam Guntrum rocking color-matched boa and head scarf at the 2018 Portland NAC, patriotically complemented with a red water bottle and foil tape. 

Pamela Guntrum, 2018 Portland NAC

Looking back over my files, I realize I have far more photos of vet women heading into or out of the venue, since I'm usually preoccupied with, you know, ACTUALLY FENCING on the days of my events. Fortunately, you are genius at accessorizing.

                        

Waiting in the armory line, or gearing up, is a good time to document how fashionably bad-ass you are.

                   

I occasionally am able to capture you flaunting your style between bouts.

LOOK AT THOSE SMILES. I miss them so much.

On the rare formal post-competition gathering, you clean up good. (Below, Val Asher, right, with Brazil's Claudia da Costa, at 2019 Vet Worlds.)

I particularly treasure the time we spend socializing and touristing before and after the events.

With my teammate Gemin Channing at the Utah Museum of Fine Art,
Salt Lake City NAC, December 2019

And remember, you don't have to wait for a national event to hang out with a badger! If you are in the vicinity of DC/Southern Maryland, drop by Rockville Fencing Academy for some bouting and we can head out for drinks and dinner afterwards.

With Pam Dressel, center, and Anne-Marie Walters at Al Carbon in Rockville, MD

If you have a plushie mascot, bring him/her/it along, and we can take selfies.

With RFA coaches Katherine Guernsey (Tabby)

and Liz Searles, née Blankenship (aka The Dormouse)

Looking forward to seeing you in Richmond in a couple of months. Stay safe and be well.

Salute, and hugs

Badger

Salute, Masks, En Garde

It was wonderful to see so many of you again in Philadelphia! 

Even though, most of the time, I could only see half-faces

Quite an ingenious and fashionable selection of (COVID) masks there were. Above right, my teammate Gemin Channing sports an "Air Queen."

Very light, good breathability, and holds fairly flat to the face (minimal obstruction to a fencer's field of view.)

Here's an ingenious solution to the problem of glasses fogging, courtesy of Marie Lawson, of DCFC:

   

She uses #M Micropore tape to seal off the top of the mask. (Sticks to the mask, painless removal from the skin. Yay.)

Many people went for style points:

 

Pinstripes are always classy

At the other end of the spectrum, RHINESTONES

This "Airgami" mask promises "Won't fog your glasses. Won't fall off your nose. Won't collapse onto your mouth. Won't muffle your voice." (Extra points for the pun.)

Bats, because...oh heck, why not?

A little political messaging was, shall we say, on point.

Some masks were even fencing-specific.

Notice all the "smizing!" (Eye smiles.) 

I think we were all a little nervous about the first national vet tournament since December 2019. Nothing to boost confidence like channeling your inner super hero.

After ~17 months of socially distanced, home-bound training, I know many of us struggled to convince our muscles to return to the strip. My teammate Pam Dressel introduced me to a miracle device to help with that challenge:

This, my friends, is a Sonic Handheld Percussion Massage Gun. Highly recommend. (Listing for $119.99 over at LifePro.) 

Speaking of socially distanced home training, I bet these "fencing arms" were a 2020 best seller for Blade Fencing:

(Maybe they sold out--I couldn't find these arms on their website)

Here was my own (involuntary) style statement for the event: 

Mismatched shoes, one my normal size 7 1/2, the other a 9 to accommodate a broken big toe and attendance padding. The emergency shoe is a Kempa "Attack," with a nice wide toe box. Have to say, it is quite comfy. They may be my next pair of "normal" competition shoes. In a smaller size. (If you are in the market for a very slightly used pair of size 9s, let me know.)

See you in Atlanta?

Mask Review: RFA's mask (post 4 of ?)

After a long hiatus, I'm back with another adventure in sports masks!

Along with t-shirts, sweats, and patches, clubs now have a new place to put their logo: in house-branded masks. Full disclosure: this one is from my home club. My coach found it through a wholesaler that designed this mask for use by basketball players: a sport that doesn't require a heavy mask worn over it.

So of course I had to test to see if it could work under the sweatier, messier confines of a fencing mask.

Specs:

Filter Pocket: no

Ear loops or ties: ties - extremely sturdy ties of doubled-over bias tape

Nose wire: no

Sizes: one

Fashionable? Plain, black, elegant, with logo in the corner, this goes with all your sports gear (but probably pairs best with other RFA-branded items).

How is it on the strip?

Test run: 100 lunges against target wearing this mask under my fencing mask. 

This mask has minimal shaping and 2 sets of ties make the fit easy to customize. Once I found a configuration that worked it had the best fit with the least interference with low-line visibility that I've tried yet! 

There's no filter pocket but the fit is tight enough to hold one in place - it didn't shift at all. The mask stayed tied on when I put on and took off my fencing mask. Still no nose wire, but when I added one of my stick-ons there was absolutely no fogging of my glasses, a definite plus in my book.

The fabric is thin enough that I recommend a filter, but I did have problems breathing through it. This suggests the fabric isn't designed to breathe, at least not with the extra filtering I require for confident use.

Verdict:

Pro: flexibility of fit, sturdy ties, subtle style

Con: thin fabric, no nose wire or filter pocket, breathing difficulties

Mask Review: Errea Italian Sportswear. Post 3 of ?

This guest review was contributed by Maggie Brasted, a club mate of Allison and Badger from Rockville Fencing Academy. Maggie found the sport of fencing and entered her first competition at age 50. Prior to that, she had never participated in competitive sports. As an oxymoron (a beginner in the “veteran” age category), she fell in love with fencing and the community of fencers . She has competed in Veteran and Senior foil and epee at local, regional, and national events. She is also a rated referee in foil and epee who, prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, worked frequently at events in Capitol and Maryland Divisions.

Mask: Errea Italian Sportswear brand

Purchased from: https://aofwear.com/products/errea-sport-face-masks/ for $20 plus shipping

I found through Facebook Veteran Fencing groups post from https://www.facebook.com/artoffencingapparel/

Specs:

Filter pocket: No

Ear loops or ties: Ear loops. Edge binding on mask form loops.

Nose wire: No

Sizes: Two—Adult and Youth. Very stretchy knit fabric could fit a wide range of face sizes.

Fashionable? In black or blue. I bought the blue, really blue and white, which looks sharp with coordinating colors. The black is solidly black and would match most fencing mask mesh.

Fit: Very stretchy single layer of knit fabric fits me snugly and comfortably. When it first arrived, I thought it was too small until I stretched it out in all directions. I think it can stretch to fit a wide range of face sizes. Youth size may also fit smaller adult faces. Nose wire does not seem needed to keep in place due to snug fit of stretchy fabric.

I have worn it both with and without a “mask bracket” or “lipstick protector” frame underneath. Either way, it fits snugly and stays in place. I very much prefer with the frame as that keeps the mask from sucking into mouth and nostrils. I find it easier to breath freely during exertion and my speech is easier to understand with the frame. The mask holds the frame in place very well without much fiddling once I have it on.

How is it on the strip? I have not been back in the salle to fence since the beginning of the pandemic. My experience with this mask has been while biking, working out, and doing solo footwork practice.

Biking is the most demanding of these. I biked over the same routes with home-made 3-layer cloth masks and the Errea mask, both with and without the frame. I found I could breathe best in the Errea mask with the frame. When climbing hills in the home-made cloth masks, I struggled for breath and had to rest and take the mask off much more than with the Errea mask on the same hills.

I also tried my Leon Paul Exchange fencing mask over the Errea mask at home to see how well the Errea mask is likely to stay in place during fencing. Donning and removing my LP mask was smooth and the Errea mask stayed put.

I note that while biking in the Errea mask my sunglasses fogged up quickly. I had to abandon wearing sun glasses when exerting myself. Thus, I would expect fogging to occur when fencing with glasses.

Verdict:

Pros:

• Stays put when putting on fencing mask and taking it off.
• Comfortable snug fit.
• Does not significantly impair breathing during exertion compared to home-made cloth masks.

Cons:

• Only one layer of fabric and no option for filter may impact the mask’s ability to act as a barrier to virus particles. Perhaps a layer of some kind (i.e., a coffee filter) could simply be placed between the mask and the separately purchased frame to enhance filtration.
• Glasses fog up.

Mask review (2 of ?) Radical Fencing's active dome sports mask

Radical Fencing is always at the forefront of innovative, stylish fencing gear, so it makes sense they'd be one of the first vendors to offer a mask. Sure enough, their mask offers high-tech antimicrobial fabric and secure straps. But how does it stand up in action?

Specs:

Filter pocket: yes, carbon filters included

Ear loops or ties: 2 elastic bands that go around the head, one adjustable

Nose wire: not at the time I ordered, though it's now an option

Sizes: one size

Fashionable? in basic black and white (as well as special colors to-order) it goes with just about anything. In my opinion, the white one looks like an old-fashioned "bullet bra" cup when worn with anything other than a fencing uniform, though!

Fit: the stiffer, rounded shape stands away from the face so it's not going to stick to your mouth and nose. The straps are more secure and the adjustable side is a nice touch. I have a small head and short hair so I couldn't tighten them enough to fit me but you may not have this problem. I will likely replace them with something tighter and wider, as the elastic is very narrow.

How is it on the strip?

I wore this with one of the filters that came with it and did fifty lunges. It didn't stick to my mouth when breathing, which was nice, and though thick it's not bulky or hot. As mentioned above the elastic was too long for me so I couldn't get as tight a seal as I wanted. Removing my fencing mask pulled Radical's mask out of place. The fabric boasts water resistance, but I don't sweat much so this feature ended up untested. Like the Adidas (and I suspect, all other masks) it cuts off your low line periphery.

Verdict:

Pro: dense but lightweight, comfortably "cups" your face without sticking to it, comes with its own filters.

Con: elastic may be too long for some wearers, nose wire costs extra

[Comments from Badger: Fashion-wise, the black version is VERY Darth Vader. Complete with sound effects, as with the filter in place, I find my breathing is somewhat obstructed. Because mask stands away from the face, it also blocks my downward field of view more than lighter, flatter masks. Like Allison, I find that the straps are too long, even at their shortest setting, but I've dealt with that by making a small knot in the strap.]

[Badger: Also, it's a little big on me.]  

Have you tried the Radical Fencing mask or other sport/fencing masks on the strip? We'd love to hear your thoughts!

mask review: the Adidas sport mask (1 of ?)

It didn't take long.

Well, I guess it took SOME time. Like many people I scrambled to make masks out of quilting cotton and whatever else I could find just to have something. But by five months(!) into the coronavirus pandemic, almost every clothing vendor offered some sort of mask. This includes fencing and other vendors of athletic wear.

I'm not ready to go back out onto the strip, but in anticipation of future days I've been slowly accumulating a collection of sports masks. This post is the first of several reviews of what's currently on offer. Keep in mind that anecdotes aren't data so your mileage may vary widely. Also none of these are paid promotions, so you're getting my unfiltered opinion. [Badger says: "unfiltered." Heh! I see what you did there.] 

The first to arrive via increasingly slow mail was Adidas' sport mask.

Specs:

Filter pocket: yes

Ear loops or ties: ear loops

Nose wire: no

Sizes: medium (top/blue) and large (bottom/black)

Fashionable? It's compact, sleek, and the logo, while visible, is subtle. It's minimal enough to be appropriate for strip, street, and restaurant (when they open back up).

Fit: I favor sport masks for every day because most are either shaped or made out of stretchy materials that give a tight seal around the face, and the Adidas mask is no exception. It comes in two sizes but I didn't notice much difference between them. However, my husband found the large too tight around his ears to be wearable.

The ear loops are just an extension of the stretchy binding around the edges. They hold the mask tight to my face, but I'm not sure how long they'll last before tearing or stretching out of shape.

The filter pocket is a nice touch. Adidas doesn't offer a filter but I strongly suggest you use something because the mask fabric, while tightly woven, is fairly thin.

My one reservation about structure is the lack of a nose wire. I haven't worn my contacts since the pandemic started and unless a mask conforms tightly to my nose I get the dreaded glasses fogging. I fixed this by adding my own nose wire, available from multiple vendors on Etsy. One side is sticky so no sewing is required.

How is it on the strip?

As a test run I wore the size small with a carbon filter and stuck-on nose wire under my fencing mask and did 3 minutes of footwork. I don't sweat much, so I can't say how well it holds up when damp. It didn't hinder breathing as much as I expected, and while I was huffing and puffing more than usual it was manageable. It cut off my low line peripheral vision, but I think this is probably a risk with any mask.

Verdict:

Pro: lightweight, snug fit, pocket for your filter of choice, can fence in without suffocating

Con: thin fabric, flimsy ear loops, no nose wire (this last one easily fixable), unknown endurance when wet

Have you tried the Adidas mask or another fencing mask on the strip? What did you think? We'd love to hear from you!