All Plastic/Foam Fencing

Coaches:  Coaches giving lessons must wear masks

Fencers

• Blade – Plastic/ Foam
• Jacket – A long-sleeved top
• Plastron – Not required
• Trousers/breeches – Legs covered at least down to knee level.
• Mask – Plastic face-mask specifically designed for this purpose or regulation fencing mask
• Glove – Not Required

Coach – must always wear the following protective items: mask; fencing jacket and plastron or a teaching jacket and plastron combined, glove.

Pupil/Fencer

Should normally at a minimum wear the appropriate

• Jacket – CEN 1, 350 Newtons
• Plastron – CEN 1, 350 Newtons, or integrated 350 Newtons plastron
• Breeches – CEN 1, 350 Newtons or Full length Trousers with openings/ pockets, zipped/sewn/taped closed
• Mask – CEN 1 (350N. bib) including back safety strap
• Glove – any fencing glove
• Chest Protectors – compulsory for anyone with female breasts, recommend from age 10 or onset of puberty if earlier.
• Socks – should always be covered by the bottom of the breeches, so that no bare skin is showing.
• Shoes – Suitable indoor trainer type shoes should be worn.

NB If the coach/instructor, having done a risk assessment considers that particular circumstances justify less than this level of full protective clothing being worn, they should draw the attention of the pupil or parent/guardian to the increased notional risk of accident or injury that could result because full protective clothing is not worn).

In any case the pupil must always wear, mask and glove, t-shirt and shorts reaching to the knee*

*FIE Note – The FIE rules (as of 1st Jan 2026) require women to wear chest protectors to take lessons. This is implemented for all FIE competitions and camps, not for BF regulated activities.

This includes supervised sparring and supervised pair work as part of a beginners session/class/course:

For general sparring and pair work in club see separate sparring section.

Both Fencers:

• Jacket – CEN 1, 350 Newtons
• Plastron – CEN 1, 350 Newtons, or integrated 350 Newtons plastron
• Breeches – CEN 1, 350 Newtons or Full length Trousers with openings/ pockets, zipped/sewn/taped closed (subject to risk assessment) (see note 1.) or for seated fencing – 350N apron
• Mask – CEN 1 (350N. bib) including back safety strap
• Gloves – any fencing glove
• Chest Protectors – compulsory for anyone with female breasts, recommend from age 10 or onset of puberty if earlier.
• Socks – should always be covered by the bottom of the breeches or trousers, so that no bare skin is showing.
• Shoes – suitable indoor trainer type shoes should be worn.

In Epee where fencers are practicing movements in pairs or doing supervised sparring the legs must not be included in the target unless the pupils are wearing at least 350N breeches and long socks.

Coach – protective clothing is not required if the coach is simply supervising a class which at no time involves face to face teaching or demonstrating whilst either pupil or coach is holding a weapon (see ‘Lessons’).

Note 1. Under no circumstances is it acceptable to spar in shorts, supervised or not.

For U14s fencing each other with size 2/3, or U10s fencing each other with size 0 in training and competition:

• Jacket – CEN 1 350 Newtons
• Plastron – CEN 1 350 Newtons
• Breeches – CEN 1 350 Newtons (note 1)
• Mask – CEN 1 (350N. bib) including back safety strap
• Glove – Any fencing glove (note 2)
• Chest Protectors – compulsory for anyone with female breasts, recommend from age 10 or onset of puberty if earlier.
• Socks – should always be covered by the bottom of the breeches so that no bare skin is showing.
• Shoes – suitable indoor trainer type shoes should be worn.

Note 1  – Under 10s sparring with size 0 (both fencers) can, instead of breeches also wear full length trousers with openings/pockets, zipped/sewn/taped closed, but for epee the leg cannot be used as target. BF Licensed competitions for U10s require breeches.

Note 2 – The British Youth Championships require 800N Sabre Gloves

Unless the activity falls into the sections above the following applies:

• Blade – All
• Jacket – CEN 1, 350 Newtons
• Plastron – CEN 2, 800 Newtons
• Breeches – CEN 1, 350 Newtons (see note 1)
• Mask – CEN 1 350N.bib including back safety strap,
• Glove – Sabre: Sabre glove bearing the FIE 800N label, Foil/Epée: Any fencing glove
• Chest Protectors – compulsory for anyone with female breasts, recommend from age 10 or onset of puberty if earlier.
• Socks – should always be covered by the bottom of the breeches so that no bare skin is showing.
• Shoes – suitable indoor trainer type shoes should be worn.

Note 1. The wearing of tracksuit trousers over 350/800N breeches is currently allowed (competition and training), on condition that the trousers are tapered/straight cut (i.e. not baggy), with all openings and pockets zipped or sewn or taped closed.

Note 2. Under no circumstances is it acceptable to spar in shorts.

Unless the activity is covered by the above sections, for all BF licensed competitions

• Blade – All
• Jacket – CEN 1, 350 Newtons
• Plastron – CEN 2, 800 Newtons
• Breeches – CEN 1 350 Newtons (see Note 1)
• Mask –
  • • National Champs U17/20/23/Senior – CEN 2 (1600N. bib, FIE mark) with two rear safety systems (securing devices), so fitted that they comply with Rule m.25.7.f.
    • All other competitions – CEN 1 350N.bib including back safety strap,
• Glove – Sabre: Sabre glove bearing the FIE 800N label, Foil/Epée: Any fencing glove
• Chest Protectors – compulsory for anyone with female breasts, recommend from age 10 or onset of puberty if earlier. (see Note 2)
• Socks – must always be covered by the bottom of the breeches so that no bare skin is showing.
• Shoes – suitable indoor trainer type shoes should be worn.

Note 1. The wearing of tracksuit trousers over 350/800N breeches is currently allowed (competition and training), on condition that the trousers are tapered/straight cut (i.e. not baggy), with all openings and pockets zipped or sewn or taped closed.

Note 2. – See DOMESTIC VARIATIONS FROM FIE RULES for requirements for foil chest protectors at ranking events.

Always check with the latest FIE rules on the FIE website.

• Blade – Maraging/FIE mark
• Jacket – CEN 2 800 Newtons FIE mark
• Breeches – CEN 2 800 Newtons, FIE mark
• Plastron – CEN 2 800 Newtons, FIE mark
• Mask – CEN 2 (1600N. bib, FIE mark) with two rear safety systems (securing devices), so fitted that they comply with Rule m.25.7.f.
• Glove – Sabre: Sabre glove bearing the FIE 800N label, Foil/Epée: Any fencing glove
• Chest Protectors – compulsory for anyone with female breasts, recommend from age 10 or onset of puberty if earlier.  For foil, FIE standard chest protectors (those covered with an FIE approved soft layer) are required.
• Socks – must always be covered by the bottom of the breeches so that no bare skin is showing.
• Shoes – suitable indoor trainer type shoes should be worn.

Note 1. For warming up (1:1 lessons and sparring) please see the activity sections above. Competition organisers have the right to set higher than minimum standards for 1:1 warm-up lessons.