# Sparring Gear



## tpardoin (Jun 13, 2008)

I will be sparring soon and would like to know what type of sparring gear to buy. This gear will only be used for classroom sparring only.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.


----------



## ArmorOfGod (Jun 13, 2008)

What kind does your instructor prefer?

AoG


----------



## tpardoin (Jun 13, 2008)

The instructor has no preference as to what brand or type (foam or vinyl).  The school sells foam gear, but the instructor does not push the sell of it since it can be bought cheaper at other places.  The students use different sparring gear each with their own reasoning.  I am mostly interested gear that will give me good protection for the face since I wear contacts.  With so many brands to choose, it would be nice to find gear worth the price.


----------



## Kacey (Jun 13, 2008)

Not knowing which art you study, what gear is required, what others in your class are wearing, etc., I would suggest you ask around your class and see what other students say; see if they will let you try their gear on for size and fit.

Two things I will recommend:  1 - Buy a _good_ mouth guard.  Even expensive mouth guards are cheap... teeth don't grow back.  I like Shock Doctor mouth guards; they have a wide variety, you can buy them all over the place, and they fit better than any other guard I have tried.

2 - If you're worried about your contacts you can get sport goggles - but while I understand not wanting to lose a lens, if you are training with self-defense in mind, you need to remember that in a _real_ self-defense situation you may lose a lens, and you need to know how to deal with it if it happens (been there, done that... _love_ my LASIK!) - because someone who is attacking you isn't going to stop because you lose a lens - so yes, it's a pain, and it costs money - but it could be a good training experience too.  Just something to consider.


----------



## ArmorOfGod (Jun 13, 2008)

One cheap way to get gear is to go on eBay and type in "sparing."  Don't type in anything else and make sure you mispell it by using one "r" instead of two.  You will get some really cheap gear that way.
*I just shared one of my huge secrets on getting lots of really cheap stuff for your ma training.
;-)

AoG


----------



## JohnASE (Jun 13, 2008)

Gear preference varies from person to person.  I second Kacey's suggestion to check with others at your school.  See what they paid and what they like and don't like about what they got.

Here are a few of my thoughts on gear.

Regarding dipped foam vs vinyl covered, vinyl is usually more durable, but there's one big drawback.  Many vinyl pads have nylon where they contact the skin.  This type absorbs a lot of sweat and starts to smell pretty badly after a while.  Dipped foam can just be wiped clean.  If you get dipped foam, try not to crease it.  Many people smash their gear in their bags or wrap them up tight with the straps.  When foam tears, it's usually at the creases.

I've seen people say that brand doesn't matter, but it does, or at least it can.  As a rule, cheaper brands are lower quality.  Sometimes that means a higher chance of structural defects.  Sometimes it just means cosmetic blemishes.  If you buy cheap, no-name gear, you'll probably be okay, but with name brand gear, your chances are better, and the manufacturer will stand behind their product.  Of course, this isn't a hard and fast rule.  Your mileage may vary.

Regarding contact lenses, I assume your worried more about scratching your eyes than losing the lenses.  Either way, Kacey's suggestion about sport goggles sounds reasonable, but I have no experience with them.  I think most lens wearers don't do anything special and are okay, but there's always a chance.

Most basic head gears will not include any face protection, but there are options.  Some have clear plastic shields or metal cages available that can be attached.  Some have shields or cages built in.  Cages tend to be heavier, but they're stronger.  Shields usually have better visibility but can fog up.  Full face heads with cages tend to be better balanced than open face heads with cages.  Shields are light enough that balance isn't so important.

Good luck!


----------



## CrimsonPhoenix (Jun 13, 2008)

As JohnASE said, the dipped foam sparring gear has it's advantages. Since your gear will be sitting in some sort of bag during the times you are not sparring, the smell factor is definitely one area that is really important. For me there's nothing worse than moldy, sweaty gear. Ick.

Personally, the kind I've always used is the dipped foam kind. I've found it lasts quite awhile and the only time I've had to replace it is when it became to small. That's the drawback to starting when you're still growing. Anyway, I use the Macho Warrior brand and it has done really well for me. It has more padding than what I had at first and it still looks good after three years of use. 

I don't have any experience with headgear other than the basic kind. There's a girl that had braces and used to wear headgear with a clear plastic shield over the face. It seemed to work well for her.


----------



## Kacey (Jun 13, 2008)

I didn't mention face shields because we don't allow them - so I would suggest checking to be sure they're okay before buying headgear that includes them.  I know there are those who think that not allowing face shields is a safety risk - and perhaps it is - but hands and feed are padded, and we allow the head gear that has the cheek guards... but every person I've seen who wears a face shield doesn't block their face, and I saw one shatter (both because the wearer didn't block, and the attacker assumed the shield would absorb the attack - they were both wrong), causing much more damage than getting hit in the face would have, when bits of plastic impacted facial skin - luckily, no eye damage.  Still, whatever works for you and your class is what's important.


----------



## Supra Vijai (Jun 14, 2008)

Hey,

Take a look see at www.piranhagear.com 

They are really cheap and have a nice selection with close up images (so you can order even if you don't know exactly what the item you want is called). 

I live in Australia and have just bought a bunch of stuff from their site and even with postage to here etc, it still worked out to about 40% off what I would have paid in shops locally. 

Good luck with your search 

P.S: Having said this, I also bought a brand new boxing style foam headguard with cheek/ear protection and an open face for around $10...


----------



## Nolerama (Jun 14, 2008)

Wear a cup (if applicable).


----------

