Fencing Masks

[Jonathan Newhall]

Not the best for free-play, I know, but it is cheap and convenient. Just a quick ponderance if anyone has any experience with adjusting masks that are slightly oversized (vertically, front to back it's tight and left to right it's pretty snug too)? If so, what was your solution?

[Sal Bertucci]

Here's an idea. I know the Hammaborg guys sew in a bag that contains high density foam to the back of their masks. This gives the back of your head a bit more protection. If you sewed yours into the inside front of your mask then it would still give the back of your head protection, fill in the gap, and would give you some extra cushion when you completely miss blocking that full power shaitylhaw.

[Cooper Braun]

Wear a bandanna, or arming cap. I have heard that getting helmets a size large and then wearing a rugby helmet underneath works nicely too.

[Jonathan Newhall]

For future reference, the hood of a sweatshirt jacket/hoodie works pretty well except it's rather stiflingly warm in there. Provides some good extra padding too.

[John Trojanowski]

The previously listed answers are good ones. Fencing masks are fairly easy to make slight adjustments, but due to their construction, you have to trade off. If it is too large top to bottom (chin to crown) you can place the crown against your side and s-l-o-w-l-y squeeze the chin with your arm. This will compress chin/crown dimensions but widen the left/right (ear to ear) axis.

I encourage slow pressure. You mask may last for quite some time this way.

[Ken Hallenberg]

A little bit of closed cell foam (like camping pad or orthopedic foam) glued in with contact cement works nicely.

Ken Hallenberg
ARMA Austin

[Jonathan Newhall]

Yeah, I just got hit pretty good in the mask I bought and I'd figure that some additional foam padding would not only make it fit better but also would definitely help to mitigate the rather jarring experience of being hit full-force on the top of the head.