Section 2: Equipment
2.1 Weapons
Each weapon has precise FIE specifications governing weight, length, blade profile, and electrical components (Material Rules m.1–m.24):
- Foil: Maximum total weight 500 g (Material Rules m.6). Maximum overall length 110 cm (m.7). Flexible rectangular-section blade, maximum blade length 90 cm (m.8.4). The blade terminates in a spring-loaded button (pointe d'arrêt) requiring more than 500 g of depression force, with a tolerance of ±2 g, to register a touch (m.11.3). The bell guard must pass through a cylindrical gauge of 9.5–12 cm diameter (m.9).
- Épée: Maximum total weight 770 g (m.14). Maximum overall length 110 cm (m.15). Stiffer triangular-section blade, maximum blade length 90 cm, maximum width 24 mm per side (m.16.3–4). The spring-loaded pointe d'arrêt requires more than 750 g of depression force, with a tolerance of ±3 g, to register a touch (m.19.2) — heavier than foil to reduce accidental registrations. The bell guard must pass through a cylindrical gauge of 13.5 cm diameter (m.17.1), larger than foil's to protect the weapon hand, which is a valid target.
- Sabre: Maximum total weight 500 g (m.22). Maximum overall length 105 cm (m.21). Approximately rectangular blade, maximum length 88 cm, that can score with the entire cutting edge, the flat, and the point (m.23). The guard must pass through a rectangular gauge measuring 15 cm by 14 cm (m.24.2). No spring-loaded tip — any contact with the blade registers.
2.2 Mask
The mask is the most critical piece of safety equipment. FIE-homologated masks must meet the manufacturing and safety standards set out in Annexe A to the Material Rules. For foil, the mask bib is non-conductive (bib is off-target, except for the small conductive strip beneath the chin per Technical Rules t.77.1). For sabre, the entire mask including the metallic mesh and conductive bib forms part of the valid target area and is wired into the scoring circuit. Épée masks have a non-conductive bib since the head is valid target regardless. All masks must display the FIE homologation mark for international competition (Technical Rules t.64.1).
2.3 Protective Clothing
- Jacket: Must cover the torso and arms to the wrists and conform to the resistance-against-perforation standards of Annexe A to the Material Rules (Section 3).
- Plastron (Underarm Protector): A mandatory protective under-plastron worn beneath the fencing jacket on the weapon-arm side, made of cloth able to resist 800 Newtons (Technical Rules t.64.5).
- Breeches (Knickers): Knee-length trousers fastened below the knee. Must also meet the Annexe A penetration-resistance standard.
- Chest Protector: A rigid or semi-rigid plastic protector worn under the plastron.
- Glove: Padded glove on the weapon hand. In sabre, the glove cuff must be conductive and connected to the lamé to form part of the valid target area.
- Long Socks and Fencing Shoes: Socks must cover the leg up to the bottom of the breeches. Fencing shoes have reinforced soles and lateral support for lunging.
At the start of every pool, team match, or direct-elimination bout, the referee must assemble both competitors and verify that the FIE guarantee label is present on all clothing and masks, that the conductive jacket conforms to the relevant article for the weapon, and that each fencer is wearing a regulation protective under-plastron (Technical Rules t.64).
2.4 Lamé (Conductive Over-Vest)
Foil and sabre require a conductive lamé worn over the jacket to define the valid target area electronically:
- Foil lamé: Covers the torso (front, sides, and back) and the groin flap, matching the valid target defined in Technical Rules t.77. When the foil tip depresses against the lamé, it completes a circuit that illuminates the colored (on-target) light on the scoring box.
- Sabre lamé: Covers everything above the waist — torso and both arms — and connects to the conductive mask and glove cuff, matching the target defined in Technical Rules t.97. Any blade contact with this conductive surface registers an on-target touch.
- Épée: No lamé is worn. The entire body is valid, and the épée tip registers against any grounded surface (the opponent's clothing or body).
2.5 Electrical Apparatus
- Body Cord: A wire running from the weapon, through the fencer's sleeve and jacket, connecting to a spring-loaded reel at the end of the piste.
- Scoring Reel: A spring-loaded cable reel at each end of the piste that maintains electrical connection while allowing free movement.
- Scoring Box (Apparatus): The central electronic unit that detects circuit completion and displays touches via colored lights. On-target touches illuminate a colored light (red or green, one per fencer). In foil, off-target touches illuminate a white light. Each weapon's apparatus applies its own registration window, set out in Annexe B to the Material Rules: at foil, once a hit is signalled the apparatus locks that side and, after 300 ms (±25 ms tolerance), stops registering further signals on it — during that window the opposing side's hit can still register (Annexe B, Foil, Principles, para. 6); at épée, hits arriving less than 40 ms apart register as a double touch, hits more than 50 ms apart register only the first, and the apparatus is calibrated with tolerance between those two limits (Annexe B, Épée, Timing); at sabre, once a hit is registered, a subsequent hit from the other fencer registers only if it arrives within a maximum of 170 ms (±10 ms) (Annexe B, Sabre, Principles, para. 8).
- Wireless Scoring: FIE-approved wireless systems may replace body cords and reels at international competitions. These systems must meet the same timing and sensitivity specifications set out in Annexe B to the Material Rules as wired apparatus.