So, you’ve decided to pick up a sword(-like-object) and start smacking your friends in the head with it.
Congratulations. Welcome to HEMA, where history, sweat, and bruises combine into a beautiful mess of martial arts. But before you dive headfirst into the chaos, you’re going to need protektion. Not plate mail (unless you’re into that, and your chiropractor approves), but modern HEMA protective gear designed to keep you safe-ish while you get your medieval cosplay cardio in. (assume you practice blossfechten simulation)
Here’s the honest breakdown of what you need, where to get it, and what real people actually wear.
1. Head & Face
1.1. MASK
The fencing mask is non-negotiable. Head protection is the very first thing you buy (or beg/borrow). Spar without one and congrats — you’re auditioning for the Darwin Awards: Sword Edition.
Baseline is 350N, but do yourself a favor and grab a 1000N or 1600N if you can. Wondering if you really need 1600N? Read this.
By the way, these so-called ‘HEMA masks’ are literally Olympic fencing masks that we repurposed. Turns out they work for everything from single stick to greatsword. They have solid steel mesh to guard your face, plus a rubber bumper around the rim to soak up impacts. Bonus: you can even paint the mesh to mess with your opponent’s focus.
Masks without back-of-head protectors
1.2. BACK-OF-HEAD PROTECTORS
A mask keeps your face pretty, and an overlay keeps your brain from rattling loose. And yes, you will get smacked in the back of the head. Spoiler: it’s not fun.
People twist around, duck wrong, or throw some wild leg shot… and suddenly their neck or the back of their skull is right there. You never aim for it, but it happens — and it’s seriously unsafe. That’s why at our club, a back-of-head protector isn’t optional. It’s mandatory
JUST. BUY. IT.
1.3. FULL-FACE HELMET COMBO
No hunting for separate overlays, no duct-taping random pads, no ‘wait bro, does this fit my mask?’ drama. These are the plug-and-play edition of not getting brain damage. Sure, it costs a bit more up front.
And the best part? These full-face helmets don’t just save your brain, they make you look extra. Maximum protection, maximum cool factor
2. Hands
Right after the mask, gloves are the piece of gear you absolutely want to own (or at least beg, borrow, or rent). Why? Because humans didn’t climb the evolutionary ladder with fragile little paws — we’ve got thumbs and dexterous fingers. Protect them. Trust me: after sparring you’ll want to still be able to type, go to work, and earn money for more swords and gear.
If you’re training on a tight budget and just playing with foam or padded swords, a mask + gloves is already enough for light sparring. It’s safe, light, and fun. But once you move into steel sparring, gloves become non-negotiable.
They’re also the last thing people will ever lend you:
They wear out quickly.
They’re expensive.
They’re critical protection.
And… nobody wants someone else’s sweat soaking into their gloves.
So even if you borrow the rest of your kit, having your own gloves makes everyone at the club happier.
Two Main Types You’ll See Everywhere:
2.1. Lobster / Clamshell Gloves
The workhorse of HEMA gloves.
Solid protection, especially for longsword.
Less mobility and a bit clunky.
Cheaper compared to fancy 5-finger models.
Not great for delicate weapon work like rapier, sidesword, or sabre.
Yilang Lobster HEMA Protective Gloves – Comfort, Flexibility & Exceptional Value
Original price was: 3.450.000 ₫.3.090.000 ₫Current price is: 3.090.000 ₫.
CHFG Raphael HEMA Gloves – Protective Lobster-Style Gloves for Longsword & Sabre
3.450.000 ₫ – 4.350.000 ₫
2.2. Five-Finger Gloves
Sleek, flexible, and honestly pretty stylish.
Perfect for rapier, sabre, or anything requiring finger dexterity.
Downsides? Expensive, and protection varies a lot.
Not officially “safe” for longsword — but plenty of fencers (myself included) still use them and live to complain about it later.
CHFG Gabriel 2.0 HEMA Gloves – High-Precision Five-Finger Flagship
7.300.000 ₫ – 9.700.000 ₫
CHFG St. George HEMA Gloves – Ultra-Flexible Minimal Gloves for One-handed sword
2.480.000 ₫ – 4.700.000 ₫HEMA gloves are like Pokémon: everyone’s got their favorite, none of them are perfect, and they all cost way too much.
3. Groin – Protect the Goods
Self-explanatory. Don’t cheap out.
4. JACKET/GAMBESON
Unlike Kendo, where you only score on four target zones (and you have to yell KIAI every time you swing), HEMA and other weapon combat arts are a bit more… creative. In HEMA, people attack pretty much any legal part of your body (everything except the obvious no-go zones: groin, back of the head, ankles, etc.), and they’ll do it with any move two arms, two legs (or sometimes four wheels) can manage — cuts, thrusts, slices, đơn-thủ-trường-kiếm-chi-kĩ (單手長劍之技) you name it.
That’s why a dedicated HEMA jacket is essential. It covers you from neck, torso, and shoulders down to your arms and hips, shielding you from those “oops, didn’t mean to stab you there” moments.
Built with thick padded layers to absorb and spread out blunt force from feders.
Made of stab-resistant fabric (350N or 800N), which can literally save you if a blade breaks and leaves a nasty sharp edge.
Many jackets have attachment points for extra armor: vambraces, elbows, armpit protectors, etc.
Functionally, it’s the modern version of a medieval gambeson.
And just like medieval gambesons, these jackets can also act as a base layer for adding real steel armor if you’re feeling knightly. The difference? Thanks to breathable modern fabrics, they’re slightly less of a medieval sweat torture device. Oh, and you can throw them in the washing machine — try that with a 14th-century gambeson.
Designs range from:
Traditional gambeson looks
Asian-style cross-collar jackets
Superhero-inspired patterns (yes, people actually order these)
The good news? HEMA doesn’t force you into a single uniform. Which is why, at any given tournament, we basically look like a global circus of armored clowns hitting each other with swords.
Browse our HEMA Jacket & Gambeson — from classic cuts to custom weirdness
Palatini Basic HEMA Jacket 350N
2.200.000 ₫ – 2.800.000 ₫
5. Arms & Elbows
Your jacket or gambeson usually doesn’t come with heavy-duty sleeves — otherwise you’d move like a padded scarecrow. That’s why you need extra protection. Think of it as strapping on chitin shells (okay, fine, it’s just plastic, but you’re basically (wearing) a lobster anyway).
Arms and elbows are among the easiest targets in sparring, and they get hit more often than you’d expect. Many beginners skip elbow guards at first… right up until their first nasty shot. After that, nobody forgets again.
👉 Grab our Armguards — because sparring with working elbows is a lot more fun than explaining bruises at work the next day.
Wuwu Shoulder Protector and Arm Protector
600.000 ₫ – 1.250.000 ₫
6. Legs & Knees
Downward cuts don’t always land where they’re aimed — sometimes they smack straight into your legs. That’s why leg protection is never wasted.
Shin and knee guards are the basics, but if you really want to fence without worrying about surprise leg shots, consider dedicated HEMA pants. These are padded trousers that protect from the waist down to the thighs, giving you extra coverage where simple shin guards won’t.
And here’s the fun twist: once your legs are armored, opponents are free to target them. Sounds bad? Not really — it’s actually good. It forces you to practice effective, realistic footwork and experience fencing as a true full-body fight, not just an upper-body slap fest.
7. Gorget – Throat Protection
Some high-end jackets, like the premium lines from Yilang, already come with a built-in hard gorget integrated into the collar. That means your throat is shielded without needing extra layers strapped around your neck. If your jacket doesn’t have one, though, do yourself a favor and add a gorget — it’s a small piece of gear that prevents a very big problem.
8. Chest Protector / Plastron – For Direct Hits
Even with a padded jacket, a strong thrust to the chest can feel like someone dropped a hammer on your ribs. A plastron or chest protector, worn under your jacket, helps spread out the impact of hard thrusts and keeps you training longer without worrying about cracked bones (or bruises shaped like sword tips).
9. Shoes – Medieval Footwork Deserves Better
Good footwork makes or breaks your fencing, so don’t sabotage yourself with bad shoes. For HEMA, barefoot-style shoes — especially five-finger shoes — are fantastic. They keep you light, close to the ground, and strengthen your joints over time. Perfect for medieval footwork, perfect for long training sessions.
For authentic medieval footwork: wear leather turnshoes for that extra slippery experience.
What not to wear?
Running sneakers (too bouncy, terrible grip for lunges)
Heavy boots (clunky, stiff, joint killers)
Crocs (don’t even think about it)
Bare feet (seriously, you never know what’s on the floor)
Priority Gear Buying Order
If you can’t (yet) buy everything at once, here’s the order most fencers recommend — based on our gear guide sections:
Mask + Overlay (Head Protection) – non-negotiable, always first.
Gloves (Hands) – second most important. Fingers don’t heal like bruises do.
Jacket / Gambeson (Torso) + Chest Protector – the padded core of your kit.
Arm & Elbow Guards – save your joints.
- Gorget (Neck) – small piece, big protection.
Leg & Knee Guards / HEMA Pants (Lower Body) – footwork doesn’t work if you’re limping.
Shoes (Barefoot Style / Five-Finger) – essential for proper movement.
👉 After this, you can add all the extras and upgrades as budget allows. But at minimum: mask + gloves + jacket is your survival starter pack.
HEMA Protective Gear Checklist
Before you go stabbing friends for fun, here’s the proper order to gear up:
HEMA Pants
Groin Protector (Kuki) / Codpiece – protect the family jewels
Leg & Knee Guards
Shoes – barefoot-style, never Crocs. Honeycomb slippers (Dep to ong) are acceptable.
Chest Protector / Plastron
Gorget
Jacket / Gambeson
Arm & Elbow Guards
Mask + Overlay
Gloves – last but never least, protect your fingers
✅ Final Step: Check your partner’s gear too. Better to catch a missing gorget before the fight than after.
⚔️ Then pick a sword,
salute properly… and impale your buddy (responsibly).
Wrapping It Up
HEMA is chaotic, sweaty, and way too fun for something that looks this silly from the outside. Gear won’t make you immortal, but it will keep you safe enough to spar, learn, and walk away without explaining purple bruises at work.
Suit up in the right order, double-check your buddy’s armor, and get ready to join the circus of armored clowns smacking each other with swords.
Want to order your gear set?
Just make a simple list of what you need (mask, gloves, jacket, pants, whatever), and email it to us. We’ll help you confirm sizing, check availability, shipping and get your order rolling.
The email in question: medenraider@gmail.com
