r/Hema • u/byteonium • 3d ago
Change of gear: Advice on jacket choice needed
Hi dear HEMA-Practitioners,
I'm currently about to change my gear from a mixed-setup jacket, which has been the standard for our club for a long time (standard fencing jacket with a padded coaching vest and separate throat protection), towards a more standard HEMA one.
The old combination of gear has the advantage of being very flexible around the arms and shoulders and low weight but hits to the upper arms can be felt very intensely and since this setup does not have a built-in blade catcher I have to rely on the blade-catching element of my throat protector, which makes me feel like I need more protection with increasing experience in feder fights.
At this point I'm on the fence whether I should either go for the "Uhlmann/In-Motu St. George" (St. George Fencing Jacket 800N Men for Historical Fencing/ HEMA - IN MOTU Shop) or the "SPES/Histfenc Hussar" (Hussar HEMA Jacket NG 800N).
I read that the Hussar gets very (!) warm during more intense sessions and reduces one's mobility around the shoulders but that it delivers a significantly better protection than many other jackets.
On the other hand, the St. George seems lighter and less bulky but has very long delivery times and seems to be used less in the HEMA scene.
I also want to keep using my (rather bulky, but tested and true) throat protection with the new setup, but I don't know how well this would fit under the standard neck width of the Hussar.
Any advice?
Edit:
Since it was late when I wrote the question I totally forgot to mention that I'm looking for 800N gear because of rules within our club and the relevant tournaments we tend to participate in.
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u/Dreiven 2d ago
General advice: The heaver a jacket is, the more protective but hotter it is. So if you check the Spes jackets according to this, you will see that the hussar is the heaviest they have on offer, eventhough the sellsword jacket is more like a coat and has additional material on the legs. As 800N jackets usually use 350N rated fabric in a double layer, those jackets will be heavier and hotter by default.
A different but important aspect for shoulder mobility is the jackets fit. If you go to a high guard and the jacket rises up, you pull all of the jackets weight up with your arms. What should happen with a well fitting jacket is that it doesn't rise up on the torso (or just minimally), so your arms only move the weight of the jacket sleeves around.
Having said thar if you are looking for something lighter, take a look at the Spes AP Light.
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u/uisanata 3d ago
hussar does get quite hot indeed, but ive never had it be unbearable. shoulder mobility hasnt been a problem with it, except maybe at the start before you break it in. biggest advantage is honestly the inbuilt forearm plates and elbows, they offer super good protection with almost no movement restriction, as compared to separate forearm protectors.
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u/pushdose 3d ago
Uhlmann makes great Olympic fencing gear, but I haven’t really seen this jacket in many reviews except for Oliver Janseps video here.
It looks slick and modern. Really advanced fabrics and padding. The newest version also includes arming points on the arms. I’d be interested in it if there was more customization and colors, but it definitely seems like it can stand on its own. Price is a concern.
The hussar jacket is a heavy and hot beast. Too heavy for me. The hussar pants are also too heavy. They sit in my closet collecting dust. I don’t really think 800N gear adds much and unless it’s mandatory by rules, it’s a bit much.
For reference, my current setup is a SPES Officer jacket which I’ve up armored with custom Kydex shoulder and upper arm plates that I made myself. It gives me a combination of lightweight, not too hot, and just protective enough for all weapons.
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u/FiolnirViking 2d ago
How about this one?
It is lighter, mobility is better and additional protections do the job.
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u/byteonium 2d ago
Looks really good, thanks for the hint! Unfortunately, I have to go for 800N because of the rules within our club/group of clubs.
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u/twentyattempts 2d ago
I have the Kaftan from Spes, its better for arm mobility but thinner compared to other jackets.
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u/byteonium 2d ago
Yeah, that thing looks awesome. Too bad that it's 350N :-/
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u/twentyattempts 2d ago
Yea. Do you need the 800 for tournament regulations? Considering regular safety 350 is totally fine.
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u/HungRottenMeat 2d ago
I’ve been using Hussar for a good while. I think it was working good when I was more of a beginner, but these days it’s a bit much. I’m personally looking for SPES light jackets next.
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u/ainRingeck 3d ago
So, my first question is why you are looking only at 800 N gear? If it's for local tournament requirements, that's fine, go with the Uhlman. If it's not required, 350 N is perfectly sufficient. 350 will also be lighter, more breathable, and more movable.
Second question, how much do you value mobility versus bruise potentially? The Uhlman is on one end of the spectrum of light and mobile but with less protection while the Hussar is the exact opposite, it is heavier and much more protective. There are options between these two extremes, with the AP light being closer to the Uhlman and the AP standard being more protective.
Also, where are you located? This might change the options available.