The holiday season is right around the corner, and that means that everyone is thinking about getting the perfect present for the special people in our lives. 

If some of those special people are fencers, then you know the joy that it brings when you give them something that’s not only special, but that speaks to their love of the sport. Choosing a gift that aligns with their love of the sword makes them feel warm, supported, and, most of all, seen. 

This year, we’re breaking down our gift guide into areas of interest so that you can zone in on exactly what your fencer needs given their specific taste and personality. Not all fencers are the same, after all. Here’s your guide to selecting a gift for your fencer that will make their holiday season merry and bright!

1. Go for the Gold – Olympic gifts

Before diving into the world of fencing-related gifts, take a moment to understand the fencer’s interests, goals, and specific sport preferences. Are they focused on improving their performance? Do they have a favorite national team or fencer? Knowing these details will help narrow down the choices and ensure a more personalized gift.

With the Olympics coming up, it’s a great opportunity to indulge in some Olympic related gear. The shop at Team USA is a particularly great place to look for a gift for your fencer. There are all kinds of items here that make great gifts, and much of it is dual purpose that they can also wear or use while training.

• Stainless Steel Tumbler – for the fencing parent who needs another cup of coffee to make it through that long practice. 

• Team USA Lanyard – to keep track of the keys buried deep in a fencing bag. 

• Team USA Toiletry Bag – for the fencer or fencing family headed to competitions far away. 

• Team USA Scarf – more associated with the opening and closing of the Winter Olympics than the summer, they’re still snuggly. 

• Team USA Nike Running Shoes – for running from school to the club to home to . . . 

If your fencer has a goal of going to the Olympics, then a performance t-shirt that they can wear under their training uniform in competition or in class will get a lot of use. The simple fact of having the rings serves as a point of inspiration. 

Unfortunately, Team USA doesn’t sell fencing specific gear just yet, though there is gear for other sports available.

The Olympics themselves also have a site to order merchandise that will make them even more excited about their future and their fencing. There are specific pieces for the Paris 2024 Games, but you can also get throwback gear from past Olympics. 

• Olympic Plush Mascot Paris 2024 – One of the less embraced promotional parts of the Olympics, mascots are still a big deal. This year the mascot is The Phryges, two little phyrgian caps with big eyes. This style of hat was traditionally worn during the French Revolution.

• Paris 2024 Hoodie – It’s hard to go wrong with a classic hoodie. They’re perfect for travel and feature the logo for the Games.

• Paris 2024 Fanny Pack – Called a “bum bag”, this fanny pack could make things a lot easier when traveling to away competitions. A great spot to keep some snacks.  

• Olympic Dreams long sleeve t-shirt – Honestly, this one is hard to resist. Who doesn’t have the dream of going to the Olympics? Inspirational for sure.

There’s gear available not just for the upcoming Paris Olympics next year, but you can also look forward to the future and the Los Angeles Games in 2028. For many of the fencers who are reading this, those Games would be the thing to look towards. They’re also the Games that will be close enough for many of us to attend!

We had to include the cool t-shirts that are available from the future Olympics in our Holiday Gift Guide.

• LA 2028 White T-shirt – You can’t go wrong with a simple white t-shirt to wear under fencing gear. 

• LA 2028 Rainbow T-shirt – While we’re waiting for the Olympics to get here, we can wear some colorful style to boost our excitement. 

2. Go for Practicality and Functionality – Performance Gifts

Another way to tackle gift giving for fencers is to go for something incredibly practical that they can use in training. The good thing about this kind of gift is that it will be truly useful – you never have to worry that it will sit in a drawer. 

Fencing is tough work on the body. These gifts will help your fencer to feel better right down to their bones. 

• The Theragun Mini Massager – It’s tough fencing for long periods of time, especially during the season. This will help fencers release tense muscles after long days of practice. 

• Electrolyte powder – This is for fencers to sprinkle into water to get a big boost. You can get it in a canister or in individual packets

• Bulk protein powder – Lots of serious fencers out there are drinking protein to help build muscle and promote better performance. It’s a welcome present to get them a couple of canisters of their favorite kind.

• Tiger Balm for sore muscles – This is an old remedy that’s been used in martial arts and in fencing for decades. Put it on sore muscles, and it’ll help them loosen up and feel so much better. 

• Foam roller water bottle – We’ve talked about foam rollers before, but this is something new we’ve never seen before. You can put hot water in the bottle for a warm massage, or cold to ease sore muscles. Great idea!

• Cold Shower Cooling Towels -. Another really cool item that we haven’t seen before. These individually wrapped refreshing towels are perfect for fencing competitions when you need a quick refresh between matches. 

• Cookbook for Athletes – Every fencer thinks about what they’re putting into their body so that they can get the most out of it. A cookbook full of recipes to help reach those goals is a great gift. 

• Exercise Dice – We’re always on the hunt for ways to improve our workouts and to make things both interesting and more fun. It takes more than just being on the piste to prepare our bodies for fencing. 

•  Non-slip Headband – This is a great gift for any fencer who’s struggling to keep their hair out of their face while practicing or competing. Great for men and women, because sometimes guys get hair in their faces, too. 

• Habit tracking journal – Another wonderful way to get fencers ready for the new year, so a perfect holiday gift. This one is customizable, so they can track their fencing as well as their other supporting activities. We’ve written about the importance of keeping a fencing journal in the past, so this is a good way to start. 

• Muscle Recovery Kit – This is a whole kit with different components for helping the body to recover after hard training. Excellent gift for the holidays!

• Energy Gel Packs – These are most commonly associated with runners, but we’re seeing more fencers use boosting nutrition gels to give them an edge during both competition and training. They make a great gift, and might be something a fencer wouldn’t get for themselves. 

Fencers often appreciate gifts that enhance their performance or aid in their training routines. Don’t just think about what will be cool, but think about what will practically help them to get further in the sport. You might turn them on to a new product that will really make a difference!

3. Go for Standing Out – Personalized Gear and Accessories 

Imagine the look on your favorite fencer’s face when they unwrap a personalized mask or jacket with their name or a cool design! Custom gear adds that extra touch of style and identity to a fencer’s every day and to their competition days. 

Customized sports equipment, such as a sports bag with their name embroidered on it or a water bottle with a motivational quote, add a personal touch and show that you’ve put thought into the gift.

Here are some great fencing personalized fencing pieces for holiday gifts.

• Personalized Fencing Bag – All of the major fencing gear manufacturers will customize your fencing bag with your name. Leon Paul, Absolute Fencing, Blue Gauntlet. If your fencer doesn’t have a bag with their name on it, this is absolutely a great gift. 

• Painted Fencing Mask – The other major thing that fencers customize that’s incredibly visible is their mask. This is a place to tread lightly, as it can be super personal and you want to make sure the mask is also functional so they can use it. You can do this yourself, but if you want something extraordinary, you can get a professional mask painter to do custom artwork like the one below. Always check with the rules and regulations before you commit to this!

• Personalized Holiday Ornament – These are great if you’re putting something special on the holiday tree. Not something your fencer can use, but definitely still appreciated. 

• Personalized fencing necklace – You can get customized jewelry if you work quickly to order it early. These are incredibly unique and let fencers take their love of the sport with them everywhere. 

• Customized Referee Cards – This one is really extraordinary and it’s perfect for the fencing referee in your life

• Fencing Candle – We couldn’t leave out this really amazing gag gift for the fencer in your life. These candles are customizable, so you can add in whatever text works for your fencer. So funny and fun!

There’s nothing that will tell your fencer how much thought you’ve put into their gift as a customized fencing piece of gear or an accessory. Always remember that the lead time on these items will be longer, so make sure you leave yourself plenty of time to get your order in before the holidays.

3. Go for the Next Level – Lessons and Experiences

Sometimes the best gifts aren’t tangible items but experiences. That’s especially true for something like fencing, where it’s the time put into the sport that makes it all worthwhile. 

Consider gifting entry into fencing camp or into a workshop. You could even book private lessons in advance with the coach.  

These experiences can be both educational and exhilarating if they’re something out of the ordinary. However, you can put a lot of trust in adding additional time with your fencer’s coach, as that one-on-one time is unmatched for how well it supports fencer’s growth. 

Think about giving a gift certificate to a summer camp or a training intensive. You won’t necessarily find that you can go ahead and book things that will happen months in advance, but you can talk to your fencer’s club to see what they could offer. 

This kind of gift is worth its weight in gold!

Making the holidays brighter for your favorite fencer

Choosing the right gift for a fencer around the holidays involves a blend of thoughtfulness, understanding their interests, and aiming for something that they’ll actually use. Whether it’s inspirational gear, performance tools, or experience-based gifts, the key lies in showing that you value and support their dedication to their sport.

With the right present, you can contribute to their journey of striving, achieving, and excelling in the sport they love. Here’s to making their holiday season as vibrant and inspiring as their dedication to fencing!