As I write this holiday gift guide for fencers, I can’t help but think about the past eleven years of my life as a fencing parent. Four children, countless tournaments, early morning or late night practices, and a journey that has taken us from those first wobbly steps on the strip to national- and international-level competitions. If you’re reading this, chances are you’re looking for the perfect gift for a fencer in your life. And so I decided to take a completely different approach when I worked on this guide. Let me share what I’ve learned along the way, not just as someone making a list, but as a parent who has seen what truly makes a difference in a young fencer’s journey. So this would be my most personal holiday gift guide for fencers.

One note about this guide that it is absolutely different from any other guide I wrote in the previous years. Since I give here just ideas and not exact products (with the exception of LARQ Bottle and Fencing Star Shoes), I decided not to provide links to any of the products. For me, the most difficult part is having an idea of what to gift, but finding an appropriate item once you have formulated your idea is an easy and fun process. So read the ideas below and do your own research online.

A Gift from the Heart of the Fencing Community

Before I dive into my traditional list of gift ideas, I want to start with something that embodies the spirit of our fencing community. As a fencing parent, there’s nothing more heartwarming than watching young fencers grow not just as athletes, but as innovators who give back to the sport they love.

This summer, I witnessed something special unfold at our club. Two of our former fencers, now MIT students, returned with more than just stories of college life – they came with a dream realized. They had created Fencing Star shoes, designed specifically for fencers, by fencers. I still remember the excitement in their eyes as they showed us their samples, the culmination of countless hours understanding what fencers truly need in footwear.

What makes this story particularly touching for me isn’t just the quality of the shoes (though my children swear by them), but what it represents. These young women, who once practiced in our club day after day, took their passion for fencing and transformed it into something that serves the entire community. They noticed a need – fencing-specific footwear that truly understands the demands of our sport – and had the courage to fill it.

When my children first tried these shoes, their immediate reaction told me everything I needed to know. The difference was clear in their movement on the strip, their comfort during long practice sessions, and their confidence in their footwork. Now, walking through regional and national tournaments, I smile seeing so many young fencers wearing these shoes, knowing they were created by two of our own who understood exactly what fencers need.

For this holiday season, these young entrepreneurs wanted to make their shoes even more accessible to the fencing community. They’re offering a 20% discount on all shoes with free shipping – not because they needed to, but because they remember what it’s like to be a young fencer wanting quality equipment. Here’s the link to the Fencing Star.

This is more than just a product recommendation – it’s a testament to the spirit of our fencing community. When you gift these shoes, you’re not just giving footwear; you’re supporting young innovators who’ve poured their heart into improving our sport. You’re participating in a story that began on the strips of our local club and has now spread across national tournaments.

Special Holiday Offer for AFM Blog Readers The Fencing Star team is offering an exclusive 20% discount to AFM Blog readers. Use code Gift24 to get 20% off the list price plus free shipping. But hurry up – the discount code is valid until December 2, 2024!

Note: I don’t receive any commission or financial benefit from Fencing Star sales. I’m sharing this because I love our students and want their success and I believe in supporting innovative products created by and for our fencing community.

Beyond the Blade: Recovery and Wellness

The story of a fencer’s success isn’t just written on the strip – it’s written in those crucial moments between bouts and after tournaments. I learned this lesson watching my children compete in back-to-back events, their faces showing the strain of long competition days. That’s when I discovered the game-changing impact of recovery tools.

The massage gun became our family’s most prized possession during tournament weekends (well, when my kids remember to pack it, that is). I think we run through a bunch of them, some being lost and others being broken from unreasonable abuse, yet still this is a must item on our list. I remember my son’s relief after a particularly grueling day of DE bouts, as the targeted pressure helped release the tension in his legs muscles. While there are many brands available, look for one with multiple attachment heads and variable speeds – fencers need different pressures for different muscle groups.

Speaking of recovery, the compression leg massager might seem like a luxury until you’ve seen your child fence eight hours of pools and direct eliminations, day after day in big regional or national tournaments. Use one in the evening after a long event and you’ll see that the difference in their energy levels was remarkable. It’s not always an easy item to bring with you to the far flung tournament, so if you don’t, the therapy upon your return from competition is still worth it.

For daily maintenance, we’ve found that simple tools often work best. Foam rollers and roller sticks have become as essential as water bottles in our fencing bags (if your fencer doesn’t leave it in a competition venue). In general, these tools are excellent in preventing those common fencing injuries that can sideline even the most promising athletes.

The Comfort Zone: Personal Care and Wellness

Every fencer parent knows the unique… aroma that comes with this sport (especially when your child after the whole day competition leaves her or his wet uniform in the fencing bag to marinate to the right condition). After trying countless solutions, we discovered that a good shoe odor eliminator isn’t just a nice-to-have – it’s a necessity for family harmony! But beyond the practical aspects, I’ve learned that personal care is crucial for young athletes’ wellbeing. (And it’s always good to throw a few scent napkins into a bag and laundry for prophylactical reasons.)

The LARQ bottle recently became our next line of defense in the war against tournament funk. Because let’s be honest – when your fencer is on their sixth DE bout of the day, that regular water bottle that’s been sitting in the bag since morning starts to look suspiciously. The self-cleaning feature isn’t just a fancy gimmick – it’s salvation when you’re three days into NAC and everything within a five-foot radius of the fencing bag has developed its own unique ecosystem. And also you feel better knowing that you can fill the water from a questionable water fountain, click the button and convince yourself that all the germs died in 20 seconds as advertised. Self-conviction is a powerful trait for fencers and, as it seems, for their parents.

Speaking of post-tournament recovery, bath bombs could become your family’s secret weapon. A relaxing soak helps not only with muscle recovery but also fantastic nerves calming creation. The epsom salt varieties are particularly good for those “I fenced zillions DEs and now I can’t feel my legs” moments. If your hotel room has a bathtub and not a shower, of course. But it is definitely worth packing for tournaments. The trick is finding scents that don’t clash with that special tournament bag aroma that’s permanently embedded in everything they own.

And here’s a pro tip I wish I’d known years ago: keep a separate small emergency kit with travel-size deodorizers, fresh socks, and scented wet wipes in your spectator bag. Trust me, there will be that one tournament where your fencer has back-to-back events, their spare socks have mysteriously vanished, and you’ll become the most popular parent in the venue when you can offer emergency freshening supplies.

A Few More Personal Care Must-Haves

Let me share a few more personal care items that have a potential to become lifesavers in your tournament survival kit. Fast-drying sports towels might seem basic, but they’re game-changers when your fencer has three events in one day and their regular towel is still soaked from the first round. Plus, they take up minimal space in an already overstuffed bag.

Travel-size fabric refresher spray is a welcome addition to your fencer fencing bag. You know those moments between events when there’s no time to properly air out the uniform? A quick spray can make the difference between your fencer being welcomed or avoided. (Though I should note, this is more for everyone else’s benefit – most fencers seem surprisingly unbothered by their own unique fragrance.)

Cooling neck wraps – the gel-filled kind – offer a different kind of relief from the neck fans we discussed earlier. They’re especially great for those tournaments where you’re trying to cool down between bouts without getting your uniform wet. Just don’t forget to pack them in a sealed bag.

Anti-chafing balm or powder might not be the most exciting gift, but trust me, your fencer will thank you during those marathon tournament days. There’s nothing worse than watching your child struggle with uncomfortable chafing while trying to focus on their DE.

The Mental Game: Focus and Preparation

One of the most profound lessons I’ve learned is that fencing is as much a mental sport as it is physical. This understanding has influenced many of my gift choices over the years. The Apple AirPods or Airpods Max (or any quality headphones) have proven invaluable for my children’s pre-bout routines. Whether it’s focusing during warm-up or maintaining concentration in a noisy venue in between bouts, good headphones are worth their weight in gold. I found the only drawback in them: as they can’t hear me talking when Pink Floyd blasts into my son’s ears or Billie Eilish (or what’s her name) into my daughter’s, I started to converse with them via texting, and found a hidden benefit in doing it – there are much less snarky answers from my teenagers.

I heard from many that bone conduction headphones have been a game-changer during training. They allow fencers to hear both their music and their coach’s instructions. I’m curious if they don’t filter out parental instruction too.

Speaking of mental focus and tournament survival, here are a few more essentials that can make a difference for your family:

Portable White Noise Machine Those hotel nights before big competitions can be tricky, especially when you want your fencer to be able to tune out of the noises outside the room. A small, portable white noise machine can save you during many tournament stays. 

Kindle Paperwhite or Similar E-reader Between pools and DEs, there’s often a lot of downtime. While phones are great, kids can’t ignore their friends texts, and the constant social media updates about how everyone else is doing can amp up competition anxiety. An e-reader provides the perfect escape without the digital distraction. As a bonus, it’s much easier on the eyes during those long tournament days especially since many venues have less than perfect lighting.

Comfort Through the Long Days

Let’s talk about surviving those endless tournament days. You know the ones – where “we’ll start DEs at 2pm” becomes “maybe by 5pm” and your fencer is trying to stay fresh through what feels like the longest day of their life. This is where some seemingly simple items become absolutely crucial.

The portable neck fan might look silly, but it’s a lifesaver in a packed venue. When your child is wearing three layers of protective gear in a convention center that seems to have forgotten what air conditioning is, this little device becomes as precious as their backup weapon. 

HOKA recovery slides have become another tournament essential. After hours of lunging and bouncing on concrete floors, having these clouds for your feet can make the difference between walking normally to dinner or hobbling like they’ve aged 50 years in one day. Yes, they’re not the most fashionable footwear (though try telling that to the teens who’ve somehow made them trendy), but when you’re on your fourth event of the weekend, fashion takes a definite backseat to comfort.

The Warp Light Packable Jacket by Lululemon might seem like an odd choice until you’ve experienced the classic fencing tournament timelines. Tournaments can be unpredictable – one moment you’re warming up, the next you’re waiting in a cold venue for your next bout for hours. Yes, you can spend hours between pools and your first DE’s, and warmups or jackets are life savers. Having a light, packable layer that can easily fit in an already overflowing fencing bag is invaluable. 

Technology and Training Tools

The Apple Watch or Fitbit might seem like standard gifts, but their impact on training has been remarkable. Many athletes use them to track their activity levels during practice, monitor their sleep during tournament weekends, as well as a lot of other useful stuff. The data has helped them understand their bodies better and manage their energy more effectively. If you are a technology-inclined parent, these devices are worth to consider.

Tournament Nutrition

Parents of new fencers might be surprised to learn that tournament nutrition isn’t just about packing a few snacks. When your child is fencing from 8 AM until who-knows-when, proper fueling becomes critical. This is where some carefully chosen equipment can make a huge difference.

The personal blender has become many parents’ morning tournament ritual. I had a discussion with one mom who told me that after discovering that her hotel’s idea of breakfast wouldn’t sustain a fencer through their pools, she started making her own protein smoothies. It’s compact enough to travel with, and the difference in energy levels is noticeable. You would need to visit a local grocery store upon your arrival, but that’s a good idea anyway.

Speaking of nutrition, those tournament venues give you two choices: overpriced concession stand food or… well, that’s usually the only choice. A good quality insulated food container is worth its weight in gold. It keeps hot food actually hot and cold food cold throughout the day.

And let’s talk about electrolyte supplements. I’m talking about proper electrolyte tablets like NUUN or powders that can be added to that LARQ bottle we discussed earlier. Watching your child cramp up during their DE because they’ve been surviving on nothing but enthusiasm and convention center hot dogs is not a fun experience. Trust me on this one.

Making Memories Last

Every fencing parent knows that underneath all the stress, exhaustion, and occasional drama, these years are creating memories we’ll treasure forever. This brings me to some gifts that might not seem obvious at first, but become precious over time.

A medal hanger might seem like a simple gift, but it’s more than just storage. Customized with your fencer’s name and “Fencing,” it becomes a visual journey of their progress, a memorable display of their achievement, and each medal tells a story (even if some of those stories start with “remember that tournament where everything went wrong until…”).

Speaking of memories, some of our most valuable gifts haven’t been physical items at all. Inspirational books, such as Andre Agassi’s autobiography, have provided crucial insights about mental toughness and perseverance. These stories show young fencers that every athlete faces challenges and doubts, and that’s part of the journey. There are a lot of memoirs and biographies about athletes, coaches and many other people (such as musicians, artists, etc) whose road to success was paved with a lot of effort, and if you are thinking about this category for a gift, you can easily search for it on Amazon.

Beyond Fencing: Games

Games aren’t just fun – they’re a perfect way to keep training fresh and exciting! Who doesn’t love a bit of variety in their athletic journey? Maintaining enthusiasm for any sport means keeping training varied and engaging. Games like Spikeball and Tetherball have become favorite cross-training activities in many families, improving agility and reaction time while providing a welcome break from formal training. The indoor putting green might seem unrelated to fencing, but it’s excellent for developing focus and precision. But frankly, you don’t need all this justification of what and how these games develop, you can gift them just because they are super fun!

Closing Thoughts

As I look back on these years of fencing parenting, I realize that the best gifts aren’t just about the items themselves – they’re about understanding and supporting our young athletes’ journeys. Whether it’s a high-tech recovery tool or a simple inspirational book, the most meaningful gifts show that we see their dedication and want to help them achieve their dreams.

Remember, every fencer’s journey is unique, but I hope sharing what has worked for my family helps you find the perfect gift for the fencer in your life. After all, we’re not just buying presents – we’re investing in their passion, supporting their goals, and showing them we believe in their journey on the strip.

A Quick Note on Holiday Timing: If you’re planning to give any of these items as holiday gifts, consider ordering early, especially for customized items like medal hangers or specialized equipment like the Fencing Star shoes. This ensures everything arrives in time for your holiday celebrations and gives you plenty of time to try things out before gifting them.

From one fencing parent to another, happy gifting!

The opening image was generated from the prompt “Holiday Gift Guide for Fencers”. The result is a three-legged fencer-wrestler. As I recently read at The Fencing Coach post discussion about fencing analytics and he claimed that it is a he third leg in a fencing footwork. I guess the good folks from the Magic Hour took it literally