Head Protection

[david welch]

We used FIST Maximum Protection Helmets last weekend.

If you are looking for helmets that will let you spar as hard as possible you might want to check these out. They seem to protect quite a bit better that a motorcycle helmet, and way more than a hockey helmet. I took some really hard elbows wearing one, with straights, crosses and hammer fists. You probably don't want to really generate all the power you can when you hit somebody wearing protective headgear while training ( you are still rotating their head on their neck ), but you won't need to "pull" your blows either. These are also used by police for baton training, so they also ought to provide more than enough protection for waster light sparring and drills. They also give you good peripheral vision.

We ordered two of them and should have them by the end of next week, and I will give a more thorough review of them after we weapons spar with them. We paid when we ordered, and when you "pre-pay" you get a pretty good discount. We got two helmets with shipping for $215.

http://www.fist-inc.com/tg/acc/703.htm

[Aaron Pynenberg]

I have also used FIST gear in the past. I agree with everything you had to say about it-my only caveat being how large the stuff is. It makes your head like three times it's normal size which aside from just plain looking silly, can cause some distortion in training. (the head is much easier target to hit due to it's size.)

So it is pretty good, but far from ideal- Aaron

[david welch]

So it is pretty good, but far from ideal- Aaron

I agree with you... nothing is going to be perfect for when you are getting hit in the head.

But that brings up another question for me. I have read in several places that strikes were not used in armoured combat because "obviously", striking does no good with your enemy encased in armour.

However, the FIST helmets are purpose made of modern materials to do one thing... let you take blows to the head. They don't have to worry about stopping cuts, stopping penetration by spikes, etc. They really are so padded that your head looks enormous. And yet, even though I weigh 260, my wife at 120 with proper form and a good drop step could almost, if not in fact can, knock me out with an elbow while I am wearing one of the FIST helmets. That is just the nature of elbows... they are brutal.

If I was fighting an armored opponent and was able to get my off side hand ( or the cross of my sword ) on the back of their neck to pull them into a horizontal elbow, I wonder how hard a striking knockout to an armoured opponent would really be.

Do you armoured guys work head strikes much, and have you ever made or come close to a knockout? If not, have you been able to at least stun them enough to have your way with them? <img src="/forum/images/icons/laugh.gif" alt="" />

[Aaron Pynenberg]

Actually I was going to say that the best protection I have expirenced-and I have been in all sorts of headgear across multiple disciplines, is the historical basinet with klapp visor that I picked up in Columbus. That thing is awesome where you would expect it to ring your bell it's a dull thud, and I quite like it's ability to soften impacts. For those of you who maybe have never thought about getting a historical helm, my expirences so far have been very exciting- Aaron

[david welch]

Just remember though... unlike a historical helm, sparring equipment is designed to help protect both the striker and the strikee.

A metal helm would do a number on an unprotected hand or elbow.

[Craig Peters]

Just remember though... unlike a historical helm, sparring equipment is designed to help protect both the striker and the strikee.

A metal helm would do a number on an unprotected hand or elbow.

Ironically though, the latter choice is probably the better as far as we're concerned. Since ARMA is interested in historical accuracy as much as possible, it doesn't make sense to give a nice, "padded" target for striking with the unprotected hand and elbow. It's probably better that people wear helms so that their opponents get the idea that strikes to the head can be hazardous for themselves.