Kids' fencing kit: blade size and protection level by age.

Ask the club first

We suggest asking the club and coach what a child needs before buying anything: which weapon, which blade size and which protection level its classes and the child's competitions require. Where a club lends kit, British Fencing's Safety Committee notice of 20 March 2026 says it must make sure the mask is the correct size. British Fencing's Safety Guidelines (23rd edition, approved 25 June 2026) also advise that in children's classes generally no more than twelve children per coach fence at once, with fewer for young children. No item below is presented as preventing injury, and none is said to be safe or legal for any event; the national body, the club and the competition decide.

The FIE: nothing before the 13th birthday

No fencer may hold an FIE licence, and so enter an official FIE competition, before their 13th birthday (FIE Organisation Rules, August 2026, o.29.1). FIE Cadet events are for fencers under 17, and Junior events for those under 20, at midnight on 31 December of the current season (o.29.2 and o.29.3). A young fencer at an FIE event uses the full FIE kit: British Fencing's chart lists maraging blades, 800 N FIE-marked clothing and a 1600 N FIE-marked mask with two rear safety systems at all FIE competitions, and at European Fencing Confederation U17 and U23 circuit events, for all age groups (Appendix 1, 6.12). Below that, children's kit is national.

British Fencing: blade size and kit by age

Children under 10 should fence with size 0 blades, and children under 14 normally with size 3 blades at foil and size 2 at epee and sabre, or smaller, as their competitions require (Safety Guidelines, 23rd edition, 2.3). The kit follows the blade:

• The 2026 change: British Fencing announced on 1 July 2026 that breeches are now required for under-14s using size 2 or 3 electric blades in traditional club sparring with metal blades; tracksuits remain allowed for some activities, such as coach-supervised beginners' classes.
• Epee legs: in lessons and classes, epee fights must not include the legs as target unless the pupil wears at least 350 N breeches and long socks, whatever the age (4.4.2).
• Chest protection: rigid chest protection is compulsory for anyone with female breasts and recommended for girls from age ten, or the onset of puberty if earlier (1.5).
• Plastic and foam weapons: a purpose-designed plastic face mask or a regulation fencing mask, a long-sleeved top and legs covered to within 10 cm above the knee (1.8).
• Domestic events: the Domestic Variations (6 December 2023) allow 350 N plastrons at under-14 level and below, and exempt the British Youth Championships from the two-rear-system mask rule and the FIE-standard chest protector rule that apply at Cadet, Junior, U23 and Senior events.
• Consent: fencers under 18 entering a competition need consent from a parent or person in loco parentis (Safety Guidelines, appendices).

British Fencing lists a 24th edition of its Safety Guidelines, Board approved in September 2026, which could not be read; the section numbers here are from the 23rd.

USA Fencing: Y8 and Y10 blades

USA Fencing's youth categories are Y8, Y10, Y12 and Y14, by birth year (Athlete Handbook 2023-2024, 2.8). Its Athlete Handbook 2026-2027 (2.17.1) sets a maximum blade length of 32.5 inches at Y8 and Y10 competitions, with standard blade lengths elsewhere, and requires an 800 N sabre glove at every level of competition, youth included. The handbook's blade-size table gives these maximum lengths:

The 2026-2027 table was read from a PDF text extraction, so its row alignment is not fully confirmed; the 2023-2024 handbook gives the same figures. USA Fencing does not require an FIE label on uniforms and accepts a 350 Newton mask bib, as set out in the beginner kit guide.

A state example: Fencing SA

The South Australian state association (page undated) allows blade sizes 0 to 3 at all weapons for under-9s; epee 0 to 3 and foil 0 to 5 for under-11s; and epee 0 to 5 for under-13s. It asks for 350N items at U15 and younger, made a double hook-and-loop mask closure compulsory for U9 to Schools events from 1 January 2025, and requires chest protection for boys at epee in U9 to U13 and Schools events.

What the research says about children

The IOC's fencing injury chapter (Harmer, 2010) summarises a study of about 42,000 US competition participants (Harmer, 2008b, a conference abstract) that found no significant difference in time-loss injury rate between youth fencers aged 8 to 17 (0.27 per 1,000 athlete exposures), young adults and veterans. That is one study's finding, not a guarantee. An injury needs medical care; more is on youth rules.

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