Editing Fencing (section)

==Equipment==
===Protective clothing===
Most [[personal protective equipment]] for fencing is made of tough [[cotton]] or [[nylon]]. [[Kevlar]] was added to top level uniform pieces (jacket, breeches, underarm protector, lamé, and the bib of the mask) following the death of [[Vladimir Viktorovich Smirnov|Vladimir Smirnov]] at the 1982 World Championships in [[Rome]]. However, Kevlar is degraded by both [[ultraviolet light]] and [[chlorine]], which can complicate cleaning.

Other ballistic fabrics, such as [[Dyneema]], have been developed that [[Puncture resistance|resist puncture]], and which do not degrade the way that Kevlar does. FIE rules state that tournament wear must be made of fabric that resists a force of {{convert|800|N}}, and that the mask bib must resist twice that amount.

The complete fencing kit includes:

;Jacket
:The jacket is form-fitting, and has a strap (''croissard'') that passes between the legs. A small [[gorget]] of folded fabric is sewn in around the collar to prevent an opponent's blade from slipping under the mask and along the jacket upwards towards the neck. Fencing instructors often wear more resistant kit, as additional protection from the frequent hits an instructor endures.
;Plastron
:A plastron is an underarm protector worn underneath the jacket. It provides double protection on the side of the sword arm and upper arm. There is no seam under the arm, which would line up with the jacket seam and provide a weak spot.
;Glove
:The sword hand is protected by a [[glove]] with a gauntlet that prevents blades from going up the sleeve and causing injury. The glove also improves grip.
;Breeches
:[[Breeches]] or [[Knickerbockers (clothing)|knickers]] are short trousers that end just below the knee. The breeches are required to have 10&nbsp;cm of overlap with the jacket. Most are equipped with suspenders (braces).
;Socks
:Fencing socks are long enough to cover the knee and feature padded reinforcement at the shin level to protect the part from hits.
;Shoes
:Fencing shoes have flat soles, and are reinforced on the inside of the back foot, and in the heel for the front foot. The reinforcement prevents wear from lunging and protect the foot from hits (used in épée fencing).
;Mask
:The fencing mask has a bib that protects the neck. The mask should support {{convert|12|kg|lb}} on the metal mesh and {{convert|350|N}} of penetration resistance on the bib. FIE regulations dictate that masks must withstand {{convert|25|kg|lb}} on the mesh and {{convert|1600|N}} on the bib. Some modern masks have a see-through visor in the front of the mask. These have been used at high level competitions (World Championships etc.), however, they are currently banned in foil and épée by the FIE, following a 2009 incident in which a visor was pierced during the European Junior Championship competition. There are foil, sabre, and three-weapon masks.
;Chest protector
:A chest protector, made of plastic, is worn by female fencers and, sometimes, by males. Fencing instructors also wear them, as they are hit far more often during training than their students. In foil fencing, the hard surface of a chest protector decreases the likelihood that a hit registers.{{Citation needed|date=February 2025|reason=Statement appears arbitrary and requires corroboration}}
;Lamé
:A lamé is a layer of electrically conductive material worn over the fencing jacket in foil and sabre fencing. The lamé covers the entire target area, and makes the registration of the hits by the scoring box possible. In épée fencing the lamé is unnecessary, since the target area spans the competitor's entire body. In sabre fencing, the lamé's sleeves end in a straight line across the wrist; in foil fencing, the lamé is sleeveless. A [[body cord]] is necessary to register scoring. It attaches to the weapon and runs inside the jacket sleeve, then down the back and goes out to plug into the scoring box. In sabre and foil fencing, the body cord connects to the lamé as well in order to create a circuit to the scoring box.

<gallery caption="Elements of protective clothing" mode="packed" heights="155">
File:Fencing jacket.jpg|Jacket
File:Fencing glove.jpg|Glove
File:Fencing plastron.jpg|Sous-Plastron
File:Fencing knickers.jpg|Breeches/<wbr>Knickers
File:Fencingmask.jpg|Mask
File:Chest protector.jpg|Chest protector for women
</gallery>

Traditionally, the fencer's uniform is white, while an instructor's uniform is black. This may be due to the occasional pre-electric practice of covering the point of the weapon in dye, soot, or coloured chalk in order to make it easier for the referee to determine the placing of the touches{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}}. As this is no longer a factor in the electric era, the FIE rules have been relaxed to allow coloured uniforms (save black). The guidelines also limit the permitted size and positioning of sponsorship logos.

===Grips===
{{main|Grip (sport fencing)}}

Some pistol grips used by foil and épée fencers 
<gallery heights="150" mode="packed">
File:Absolute visconti.jpg|Visconti grip
File:Uhlmann Belgian.jpg|Belgian grip
File:Russian grip.jpg|Russian grip
File:Hungarian grip.jpg|Hungarian grip
</gallery>

===Electric equipment===
A set of electric fencing equipment is required to participate in electric fencing. Electric equipment in fencing varies depending on the weapon with which it is used in accordance. The main component of a set of electric equipment is the [[body cord]]. The '''body cord''' serves as the connection between a fencer and a reel of wire that is part of a system for electrically detecting that the weapon has touched the opponent. There are two types: one for [[Épée (Fencing)|épée]], and one for [[Foil (fencing)|foil]] and [[Sabre (fencing)|sabre]].

Épée body cords consist of two sets of three prongs each connected by a wire. One set plugs into the fencer's weapon, with the other connecting to the reel. Foil and sabre body cords have only two prongs (or a twist-lock bayonet connector) on the weapon side, with the third wire connecting instead to the fencer's lamé. The need in foil and sabre to distinguish between on and off-target touches requires a wired connection to the valid target area.

A body cord consists of three wires known as the A, B, and C lines. At the reel connector (and both connectors for Épée cords) The B pin is in the middle, the A pin is 1.5&nbsp;cm to one side of B, and the C pin is 2&nbsp;cm to the other side of B. This asymmetrical arrangement ensures that the cord cannot be plugged in the wrong way around.

In foil, the A line is connected to the lamé and the B line runs up a wire to the tip of the weapon. The B line is normally connected to the C line through the tip. When the tip is depressed, the circuit is broken and one of three things can happen:
[[File:Sabre Body Cord.png|thumb|A foil/sabre body cord. Left to right: alligator clip, connection to reel, connection to weapon.]]
* The tip is touching the opponent's [[Lamé (fencing)|lamé]] (their A line): Valid touch
* The tip is touching the opponent's weapon or the grounded strip: nothing, as the current is still flowing to the C line.
* The tip is not touching either of the above: Off-target hit (white light).
In Épée, the A and B lines run up separate wires to the tip (there is no lamé). When the tip is depressed, it connects the A and B lines, resulting in a valid touch. However, if the tip is touching the opponents weapon (their C line) or the grounded strip, nothing happens when it is depressed, as the current is redirected to the C line. Grounded strips are particularly important in Épée, as without one, a touch to the floor registers as a valid touch (rather than off-target as in Foil).

In Sabre, similarly to Foil, the A line is connected to the lamé, but both the B and C lines are connected to the body of the weapon. Any contact between one's B/C line (either one, as they are always connected) and the opponent's A line (their lamé) results in a valid touch. There is no need for grounded strips in Sabre, as hitting something other than the opponent's lame does not register.
[[File:Lamé.png|thumb|A foil lamé conductive vest]]
In a professional fencing competition, a complete set of electric equipment is needed.

A complete set of foil electric equipment includes:
* An electric [[body cord]], which runs under the fencer's jacket on his/her dominant side. 
* An electric blade.
* A conductive lamé or electric vest.
* A conductive bib (often attached to the mask).
* An electric mask cord, connecting the conductive bib and the lamé. 
The electric equipment of sabre is very similar to that of foil. In addition, equipment used in sabre includes:
* A larger conductive lame.
* An electric sabre.
* A completely conductive mask.
* A conductive glove or overlay.
Épée fencers lack a lamé, conductive bib, and head cord due to their target area. Also, their body cords are constructed differently as described above. However, they possess all of the other components of a foil fencer's equipment.