Foam training weapons

Foam equipment reproduces the shape of a sword or stick for practice, but models differ in length, weight, stiffness and stated purpose. Alongside chanbara swords, the group contains a foam escrima trainer and masked head guards. Soft material alone does not make every item suitable for every type of contact.

Sword lengths include 45, 60, 71 and 98 cm, with red and blue variants represented. Cold Steel Balicki Trainer uses a foam escrima form. Black, red and white head guards are listed from S to XL with separate head-circumference ranges that need to be checked.

Matching the practice rules

Length and weight should match the class programme and instructor requirements. For a head guard, the stated circumference and secure fit matter more than the size letter alone. A sword, stick and head protection serve different roles and are not interchangeable.

• type of practice and instructor approval
• length, weight and stiffness
• head guard size by circumference
• condition of foam, mask and fasteners

Checks before practice

Before practice, inspect the foam for cracks, permanent deformation and exposed hard components. Check the mask, seams and fasteners on a head guard. Remove damaged equipment from practice. Dry every item thoroughly after cleaning before placing it in a closed bag.