Kit Lists

Click here for an idea of kit requirements for competition level – many tournaments have similar but differing requirements. This is a guide only and TLA specific requirements are listed below. The Club has kit you are able to use at training nights whilst you learn, although your first purchase should be your own mask!

General Fitness/Novice kit

• Indoor shoes – must NOT be worn outside to/from training
• sports socks
• tracksuit trousers (black) or sports shorts (black)
• t-shirt (plain colour)

Nylon Sparring/First kit

As above PLUS:

• protective padding for legs and arms
• body protection, padded (re-enactment gambeson ok)
• hand protection e.g. Lacrosse gloves, Red Dragon HEMA gloves
• mask (CEN level 1 minimum)

Steel sparring (in-club)

As above PLUS:

• upgraded mask (CEN level 2 recommended) with back of head protection
• chest protection rated to at least 350N, or TLA Club approved alternative
• front fastening jackets are required to have a full length zip fitted AND at least a 5cm padded fabric overlap to avoid thrust penetration to the chest
• upgraded arm protection (additional padding/non-metallic armour), with elbow protectors, and NO bare skin visible
• ‘blade catcher’ on jacket OR on the over-plastron OR on the gorget
• HEMA specific gloves (Red Dragon may only be used for low intensity sparring and when hands are NOT a target)
• NOTE: Re-enactment gambesons and non-HEMA clothing may be used for low intensity and basic training steel sparring with limited ‘scoring’ target areas. It is at the discretion of the TLA Committee/Session Leader as to the safety of any non-HEMA specific (or homemade/modified kit). This is due to safety concerns regarding unproven puncture resistance of fabric against broken blades.

Competition standard

As for steel sparring PLUS:

HEMA specific kit:

• breeches/trousers 350N minimum puncture resistant
• jacket – 350N puncture resistant minimum
• under plastron, 800N minimum, must cover both arms and chest (optional)
• over plastron: leather/tough fabric (optional)
• gorget (optional if blade catcher is present on jacket OR over plastron)
• plastic chest protector (optional)
• mask (CEN level 2 minimum)
• HEMA specific gloves
  (e.g. Spes Heavy gloves, Neyman Thokk, Sparring Gloves, etc. NOT Red Dragon gloves.)
• ‘personal protector’ (e.g. box)