[Christopher B Lellis]

I was told that lacrosse gloves work well but that some are too bulky making for bad handling and some are to light, making for poor protection.

There is a pretty big selection of them on this website, http://www.lacrossemonkey.com/gloves.html can someone advise me on which would be the best ones to get for long sword sparring? We will be using albion The Liechtenauers' so yes a good whack with one of those on bare knuckles would cause some real pain, even injury.

[Alen L]

I would recommend going with the AF gloves, or the custom ones by Jeremiah Smith.

Otherwise, http://www.lacrossemonkey.com/warrior-lacross...oalie.html are pretty good, because they have plastic in the thumb and reinforced end of the thumb. They're not perfect though, as the gaps between fingers are rather large and the sides of both the index and pinkie are almost unprotected. The thumb mobility is quite good, especially after you break them in. Can't say much about the others, as I've never tried them.

[Christopher B Lellis]

What does "AF" stand for?

[Scott Hanson]

AF is "Absolute Force". They make a HEMA specific glove.

I just got the Jeremiah Smith gloves. I'm still getting used to them, but they seem pretty good so far. A little bulkier than the Revival kevlar gloves I had, but also way more protective. I wouldn't have trusted my old gloves to save a finger from a hard shot; these would.

[Mark T]

Hi Christopher,

The last few years have seen some significant shifts in gloves for HEMA. What were once the 'gold standard' a few years back, Brine Supercrosses, were discontinued. There are other options, but usually with some key gaps in protection. The last year or so has seen a lot of HEMA groups move to using the Polish Sparring Gloves, AFs, or Jeremiah Smiths. There are also a couple of others in the works, or on the market in what is possibly a 'beta' stage, such as those from SPES. The main place you'll probably find detailed and up-to-date discussion about protective gear is at the HEMA Alliance Forum.

Hope that helps!

[Sam Gordon Campbell]

Might I suggest steel hourglass gauntlets.

[Johan Elder]

I think a lot of HEMA groups don't allow steel gauntlets because if you move in for any grappling you risk injuring your partner with the steel gauntlet.

If you're training/sparring with nylon swords, then you can use a good pair of lacrosse gloves. You will experience pain occasionally, as the gloves are missing coverage on the sides and tips of the fingers/thumb. If you are training with steel, then I wouldn't use them. The foam in lacrosse gloves is not dense enough to provide adequate protection from the narrow steel of a feder blade.

I bought myself a pair of the AF gauntlets a couple of months ago. They do provide a good amount of protection, but they really affect the dexterity of your hands.

I may be looking into a pair of Jeremiah Smith's gloves in the new year if my budget can handle it. From what I have read online, they are as bulky as lacrosse gloves, but protect your hands much more.

And, as mentioned, there are also the Ensifer gauntlets, which have gotten good reviews, but are pricey. And the SPES gauntlets which are not yet released for sale.