SPES Light Forearms Overlay Review - By Tony Huang

   I have had these arm guards since they first came out in 2019. They have served me well in the few tournaments I have fought in (thanks to Covid) and I mostly used them for longsword.

TL:DR I absolutely recommend them (9/10)

     Breaking in: These come as a flat sheet, so you will need to roll them really well. You can try using a hair dryer to soften them, but be careful not to melt them with a heat gun. When I first tried to roll them to curve around my arms, I was gentle. However, I should have rolled them very tightly and put some weight on them to hold them in place for a day. That would have been much faster.

     Durability: A common problem people have with older styles of forearm protectors is that they are made of plastic or rely on plastic. As most of you know, plastic will eventually break. These are made of thick styrogum, which is thicker than what is used to make sparring gloves (SG, I hope you are taking notes). This means that unless you are fighting with sharp swords, these will last longer than your feder. Mine still show no signs of wear and tear, and the elastic has not broken or worn out yet.

• Suggestion: I'm not sure if it is possible to design the elastic so that it is not exposed to sword hits.
  
  

     Fitting: For exact measurements, visit the website (https://histfenc.eu/en/speslab/100-light-forearm-overlays.html) and click on the "Size Chart". I absolutely love how short these are. I am 194 cm (6'4") and I find that shorter arm guards are just as effective as longer ones because they do not get in the way of my cuffs or elbow guards. They are ergonomically designed to fit the motion of your arms.

• Suggestion: Offer regular and extra wide sizes, or just come as extra wide and allow people to cut them down to fit. (By extra wide, I mean extending the shorter outer part to cover the inside of the forearm. It does not need to cover the length, just the width.) These are made of styrogum, so you just need a good knife to cut them down. This is where they did not get a full 10/10 from me. They do not wrap around my arms, so they are exposed to hits from above. I have not received many of these hits, but when I do, it is unpleasant. See the video.
  
  

     Protection: You will feel the hit. These are made of hardened foam, which absorbs impact instead of deflecting or spreading it like plastic would. This is where plastic is better for protection. However, for HEMA, these are much better for many reasons. I have not received a hit that hurts, but I just feel the hit. This reduces the chance of people continuing to attack because they did not feel it, and it is also a great teaching tool to know where you were hit.

     Mobility: This is the most important part that people often talk about when it comes to arm guards. Traditionally, off-the-shelf HEMA arm guards have been heavy and bulky. These solve that problem. The styrogum has some friction, so it does not slide. They are very light and great for traveling, allowing me to fight as if I was wearing nothing at all (stupid sexy Flanders).