Improvised armour/training gear

hi guys, am planning to make/do an improvised training gear/armour

would like to solicit advice, comments etc from you.

can't buy expensive armour so am thinking a cheap motorcycle helmet worth Php 500-600, could this sustain beating from a stick? coz as you all know guys, head gear cost here around Php 5000.00/pc (pls update/correct me if am wrong).

then for body armour, Filipino guys, are you familiar w/ a black rubber mat usually being used in jeepneys? Am planning to use that as an armour, fold in half, cut a hole in the middle for the head to fit in. Can you imagine it guys? (haayy...) Anyways, for those of you who can understand what im saying here, hiope to get an advice comment from you..

Its much easier to explain in tagalog eh

tnx

 

i'm a biker. so i guess i would know... those Php 500-600 helmets are dangerous. they break easily and may produce sharp pieces... that may pierce your face and etc. and... they may be really heavy.

Php 5,000? that's how much a lightweight SNELL and DOT certified for security motorcycling helmet cost.

thing is, best protection has a cost. don't try to get a cheap deal for your head protection.

 

My suggestion: second hand lacross gloves, elbow and knee pads. I can't say how much that would be in quid, but it should be well under $50 (probably under $25).

Take the money you save and invest in legit headgear (the reenforced fencing mask). Don't cheap out on head protection. I'd imaging a motorcycle face shield will crack (or shatter) pretty quickly. Buy gear that's meant for what you use it for.

As far as trunk armor, forget about it. Not worth the expense in my opinion.

- Matt

ps. a cup is a good idea too.

 

exactly what i mean to say.

 

ei sir matt & little badboy, tnx for the advice , guess you're right, i should not be cheap on protection, tnx

 

pinoy, my mom bought me a wekaf helmet when she was over there, i think she said it was around PhP2,500. she bought it in quiapo. i don't know if that helps. personally, i'd rather not skimp on my helmets, since i don't want to turn into a "special" boy.

-nico-

 

Hi,

the helmets in quiapo are actually about 3,500 pesos. I think that they just buy them from Squadronne Shop where you can get it for 2,700.

I think you shouldn't go cheap for headgear, like everyone else said. But for body armour, you can see if you can find used flotation vests, life vests. They'll protect your torso okay. You should be able to find roller blading kits that have elbow and knee pads for about 600 pesos in Quiapo or Recto.

If you have family in Canada or the Northern US, maybe you can get them to go look in 2nd hand stores for used hockey or lacrosse gloves. (Hockey gloves offer much better thumb protection, but you can get a better grip with lacross gloves.) Don't think you'll find any new or used hockey or lacross equipment here in the pinas. (Though, for a country where hardly anyone plays baseball, I can find a great selection of Louisville sluggers and white ash and aluminum bats in just about every sporting goods store. Things that make you go uhm....)

 

yep, for hand protection, you might want to go with hockey/lacrosse/street hockey gloves. personally, i like my Koho Hockey gloves, they're really comfortable.

new hockey/lacrosse/street hockey gloves here range from 19.99 to 70 bucks i think.

if you do get a second hand glove, you might want to spray it down with lysol/disinfectant before you use it.

-nico-

 

hmmm...i know what you're thinking. yes, it's used for "busting melons".


as for protection, never scrimp on what can save your life.

 

ok, for head gear, just like what the others have said. Don't bother trying to make your own, you'll end up spending 5K Php at least. for body gear....

Don't bother with the torso if you're using padded sticks, just stick with the hands. Sometimes what we do is just reinforce an old construction glove with the foam tubing that they use in the padded sticks. Foam tubing is for sale in any bicyle shop here (ok, some bicycle shops). Total cost 60 Php for a decent glove and several feet of foam tubing to spare so you can make some for your friends. This, as with any kind of glove, will affect grip though...

If you want things that look vaguely historical, chek out armourarvhive.org. Not exactly FMA but you'll learn a hell of a lot about arnor.

 

don't want to be a "special boy" either nic, tnx, have to check my purse first :cry:

 

tnx sir diego, always a great help , but have to check my purse first :cry:

tnx alsi sir shootdog

 

ei thanx ray, yup as all say, have to buy really nice head gear. re body armour, we trained w/o body armor for padded sticks, maybe we cant afford one , juz joking, kinda used to the hitting a little bit. but would like to practice spar w/ livestick, have not tried it yet, but as filipinos know/traits (my opinion only, no violent reaction pls ), if you ask or visit a school (w/ someone who knows students/master) & for maybe practice spar, it is always a fight for pride, hey am here to learn, so if someone beats me up in the practice, don't make me look bad too much :love: :love: :love:

have met people brag when they beat someone in a practice spar, so (i think) it defeats the purpose to check some technique if i can perform it properly, coz if i cant, i can be really hit hard. So I tend to just use the usual stuff

so am trying to have equipments so i can practice w/ guys who i know & really know what practice is all about, & if he gives me a whacking, he'll give me tips & we'll just laught about the bruises .

If i get the hang of it, try some livestick competition, for the experience, to whack or be whacked, am fine w/ it.

oopsss this is a thread for armour & training equipments, not for my drama in life sorry :love:

 

Am I the only one here who usually goes standard rattan against unpadded body? I've never had a problem.* Bruises yes. But they heal.

- Matt

* - Note: I would pad up if I was going up against Pat, Lucy or their stick breaking son.

 

livestick w/o body armour sir?

whew that's cool, maybe not for me though :cry:

 

I should note that I still wear head, hand, joint pads (usually) and a cup... a la dog brothers.

I dunno... that's always been the way we did it. Now I'd have issues doing that against Ironwood.

- Matt

 

Remember kids, safety second, and proving stuff to your idiot friends first! You could try the body protection that catchers wear in baseball. Or you could just wear a puffy winter jacket. You could also try a padded winter vest, or a varsity football rib vest from sports authority. I think the PDF (Personal Flotation Device, or life vest) that someone mentioned is a great idea for the torso. If you want protection for the shins, there are soccer shin guards. You could also try strapping these on the forearms.

 

hi kaiser, i would've suggested the football rib vest, unfortunately there aren't any sports authoritys in the philippines (plus football over there = soccer over here), so no one sells football equipment there since there's no demand for it.

i've always wanted to try live stick with minimal armor. but right now i don't feel that i'm good enough yet, since i only started kali december 2004.

-nico-

 

old school? oh yeah! but definitly not for:

a) beginners
b) faint of heart
c) people who haven't taken a shot to the head yet
d) sober people
e) a brain still fully functioning

it's an experience to say the least.

 

You not alone Matt (& I wouldn't mess with rees either )

I've had guys try raw stick/min armour after about 6 months. The trick is to get them playing with someone that they trust & has been doing it for a while. Somone that can control what's happening & "go easy on them", then when they've gotten over the initial fear :yeleyes: