Best Fencing Gear for Beginners 2026: Masks, Jackets & Kits

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It’s the last night of an eight-week beginner course at the local fencing club. The kids (and a few brave parents) have learned to stand en garde, advance, retreat and lunge, and tonight they fenced real bouts in the club’s loaner masks, which smell like every class before them. At the door the coach hands out a short list: mask, jacket, plastron, glove, and “ask me before you buy a weapon.” This guide is that list, explained. Here’s the best fencing gear for beginners in 2026, what the 350N and 800N labels mean, what USA Fencing actually requires, and when a ready-made fencing starter kit makes sense.

Prices change often. The prices below are what we saw on Amazon in October 2026; check the current price before you buy.

Our top picks

Beginner fencing gear compared

Gear	What it is	Rating	Weapon	About (Oct 2026)
Blade Deluxe Foil Starter Set	Jacket, mask, glove, practice foil	350N	Foil	$189
Blade Deluxe Épée Starter Set	Jacket, mask, glove, practice épée	350N	Épée	$179
FEFOSAEP Foil Mask	Mask with conductive bib	CE 350N	Foil	$75
LEONARK 350NW Uniform Suit	Jacket, knickers, underarm vest	CE 350N	All three	$120
LEONARK Chest Guard	Rigid chest protector	Not stated	All three	$26
LEONARK Padded Glove	Practice glove	Not stated	Foil, épée	$30
Radical Fencing PBT Sabre Glove	Electric sabre glove	800N	Sabre	$120

350N vs 800N, and what USA Fencing requires

The numbers on fencing gear come from the European standard EN 13567. Level 1 is 350 newtons of puncture resistance, the usual rating for club and domestic gear. Level 2 is 800N for clothing, and masks for international competition carry the FIE label (often sold as “1600N” masks). FIE events require 800N jackets, plastrons and knickers and FIE masks. USA Fencing doesn’t: its handbook says FIE-labeled uniforms and masks aren’t required at its events, so 350N gear is fine for club nights, local tournaments and youth circuits.

• Clothing: a regulation jacket, an underarm protector (plastron), knickers fastened below the knee, knee-high socks, and a glove whose cuff covers about half the forearm. In foil and épée the jacket must have a groin strap. No holes or rips, and no warm-up pants.
• Mask: must have a back strap and pass the 12-kg punch test at equipment check. Foil masks need a conductive bib at every level, and masks with an electric bib aren’t allowed in épée.
• Chest protector: required for women and girls, allowed for men. In foil it goes under the plastron and needs a soft 4 mm foam cover.
• Sabre glove: the one exception to 350N. USA Fencing requires 800N sabre gloves at all levels, after the FIE made stronger gloves compulsory in 2014 following hand injuries from unbroken sabre blades.

The best fencing gear for beginners in 2026

1. Blade Deluxe 4 Piece Foil Starter Set: best fencing starter kit for foil

Most clubs start beginners in foil, and this set covers the big pieces in one box: a 350N stretch front-zip jacket, a 350N competition electric foil mask with a conductive bib, a washable glove and a practice foil with a French handle. The listing says the jacket, glove and mask can be used in any domestic competition. The listing we checked is a size Large, right-handed set, at about $189; other sizes may be sold separately. You’ll still need a plastron, knickers, knee socks and, for girls and women, a chest protector.

• Good: one order instead of four; the mask already has the conductive bib foil needs.
• Watch out: no plastron or knickers; the practice foil is a dry blade, not an electric one; only size Large, right hand, on this listing.
• Best for: a new foil fencer whose coach has signed off on the size and the grip.

Check the Blade foil starter set price on Amazon

2. Blade Deluxe 4 Piece Épée Starter Set: best for épée

The épée version swaps in a 350N competition-grade épée mask (no electric bib, which épée doesn’t allow), a Grip Pro glove and a practice épée with a French grip, plus the same 350N front-zip jacket. The listing says the jacket, mask and glove can be used in all domestic competitions. About $179, in sizes from X-Small to X-Large, right or left hand.

• Good: the right mask for épée from day one; a little cheaper than the foil set.
• Watch out: same gaps as the foil set (plastron, knickers, socks, chest protector).
• Best for: clubs and adult classes that start in épée.

Check the Blade épée starter set price on Amazon

3. FEFOSAEP 350N Foil Mask: best foil mask

If the club lends uniforms but you want your own mask (the piece most people buy first), this foil mask is CE level 1 (350N) certified, with a layer of conductive silver lamé on the bib to make it part of the foil target, and a reinforced tab for the mask cord. The lining Velcros out for washing and can be replaced, and the bib is padded with high-density sponge. About $75. For épée, the LEONARK CE 350N épée mask (about $74) has an adjustable back.

• Good: conductive bib for foil; a washable lining makes a shared bag a lot less smelly.
• Watch out: a foil mask can’t be used for épée; check the size chart, since a loose mask can shift.
• Best for: teen and adult foil fencers who borrow the rest of the kit for now.

Check the FEFOSAEP foil mask price on Amazon

4. LEONARK 350NW Uniform Suit: best uniform set

The starter kits skip the knickers and plastron; this suit fills that gap. The package includes a jacket, a pair of knickers and an underarm vest (plastron), all CE 350N, plus a LEONARK bag. It’s 100% polyester with a zipper and strap, and comes in kids’ and adult sizes. LEONARK warns its sizes differ from other brands, so measure against its chart. About $120. If you already have a jacket, the LEONARK 350NW plastron is sold alone for about $27.

• Good: all three uniform layers in one order; kids’ sizes.
• Watch out: sizing runs differently from other brands; jackets are made for one fencing hand.
• Best for: pairing with your own mask and glove, or a growing kid’s second uniform.

Check the LEONARK uniform suit price on Amazon

5. LEONARK Fencing Chest Guard: best chest protector

Girls and women must wear a rigid chest protector in competition, and many men choose one too. LEONARK’s guard is a light plastic shell with nylon straps, made in several sizes, about $26. It goes under the jacket. For foil, remember the rule: under the plastron, with a soft foam cover, so ask the coach or armorer whether yours passes before your first event.

• Good: low price, several sizes, light enough to forget about.
• Watch out: the listing doesn’t mention the foam cover foil requires.
• Best for: every girl and woman who fences, and any man who wants the extra layer.

Check the LEONARK chest guard price on Amazon

6. LEONARK Padded Fencing Glove: best practice glove

Gloves wear out fastest of anything in the bag, so a spare is never wasted. This one has a padded square of high-density foam on the back of the hand, raised PU dots across the palm for grip, stretch fabric between the fingers, a long forearm sleeve and a hook-and-loop wrist strap. About $30. Wash it often and replace it when the palm wears through.

• Good: padded back and long sleeve at a starter price.
• Watch out: no rating is stated, so it’s not a sabre competition glove.
• Best for: foil and épée practice nights.

Check the LEONARK fencing glove price on Amazon

7. Radical Fencing PBT 800N Sabre Glove: best for sabre

Sabre fencers can’t skip this one: the 800N glove rule applies at every level. This is a washable 800N electric sabre glove from PBT, sold by Radical Fencing in hand sizes 6 to 11.5, right or left hand, leather with a hook closure. About $120. It’s the priciest glove here, and the one piece where a sabre fencer can’t settle for a 350N version.

• Good: meets the 800N sabre rule; washable.
• Watch out: sized by hand (for example 9.5); some sizes show low stock.
• Best for: anyone fencing sabre in USA Fencing events.

Check the Radical Fencing sabre glove price on Amazon

How to choose your first fencing gear

• Ask the club first. Most clubs lend gear while you try the sport. Find out what they lend, what they want you to own, and when.
• Mask and glove before anything else. They’re the most personal pieces, and the easiest to fit.
• Buy for your weapon and hand. Masks differ by weapon; jackets, plastrons and gloves differ by fencing hand.
• 350N is enough for clubs and USA Fencing events. Only sabre gloves must be 800N; FIE gear is for FIE events.
• Let the coach fit the blade. Blade size and grip depend on age and hand (Y8 and Y10 events cap blades at 32.5 inches), so buy a weapon as part of a set the coach has okayed. Retire any blade with a crack or a sharp kink.
• Check fit every season. Kids outgrow jackets and masks fast, and a mask that shifts isn’t safe.

For body cords, lamés, shoes and bags, see our full fencing gear list. Starting a child? Read youth fencing. Sore knees or ankles after long lunging nights are covered on fencing injuries (and a sports medicine doctor, physical therapist or athletic trainer is the right call for pain that keeps coming back). After a long tournament day, our best recovery shoes and best massage guns guides help. Everything else lives in the fencing section and the fencing blog.

Beginner fencing gear questions

What fencing gear should a beginner buy first?

Usually a mask and a glove, since they’re the most personal pieces. Then a jacket, plastron and knickers, and a chest protector for girls and women. Ask your coach before buying a weapon.

Is a fencing starter kit worth it?

It can be, once you know your weapon and size. Kits like Blade’s include a jacket, mask, glove and practice blade, but not the plastron, knickers or socks, so budget for those too.

Do I need 800N gear as a beginner?

No. 350N gear is fine for clubs and USA Fencing events. The exception is sabre: USA Fencing requires 800N sabre gloves at all levels. Full 800N clothing and FIE masks are for FIE competitions.

Can I use one mask for foil and épée?

Usually not. Foil needs a conductive bib, and masks with an electric bib aren’t allowed in épée, so fencers who do both often own two masks.

Do women need a chest protector for fencing?

Yes, in competition. Men may wear one too. In foil it goes under the plastron and needs a soft foam cover.