Here are my suggestions for gear. You don't have to get the package deals that I've linked to. You can get basically the same stuff at either of the two main suppliers, but it will cost more, and often take longer. The downside is you have to deal with paying via money order or some such.

http://supfen.com/product/full-hema-kits/hfg5233.html

http://supfen.com/product/full-hema-kits/hfg5234.html

Then all you would need are gloves and a mask.

These are the gloves I currently recommend:

https://hf-armory.com/.../fencing-gloves-black-knight/... https://youtu.be/gS-JSvNaSfw That said, the gloves sold by SoCal Swords, and PurpleHeart armory are fine as well.

Any of the masks from SoCal Swords or PurpleHeart are fine. As I said, the basic model is more than sufficient.

As for swords, I tend to recommend that you wait, and rather than spending $100 on a synthetic sword buy a good steel sword, and we have synthetics owned by the club that we can loan out.

Currently my recommendations are:

Entry level

Blackfencer https://socalswords.com/.../products/blackfencer-steel-feder

https://www.woodenswords.com/Steel.../vb.ls.std.spat.htm

Ensifer

https://socalswords.com/.../steel/products/ensifer-redd-long

Sigi