Hi Milo,
Since you have time before your first event, budgeting for a weapon is definitely a good idea. As far as where to buy, for internet sites my preferred go-to sites are Dark Knight Armoury (
darkknightarmoury.com/
) and LARP Exchange (
larpexchange.com/
).
DKA carries just about everything under the sun and their customer service is excellent for answering questions. I've been in live chat as well as on the phone with them and not only do they have an extensive database of product specs, but if you have a specific question on an in-stock item they will actually go out to the warehouse, get one, and then literally measure or describe whatever you'd like to know.They are based in Princeton, IN which is a 2-day ground ship to camp as well as most of the tri-state area. If they item is in stock it will likely go out the next day, and if you use any sort of rush shipping they will process the order that same day if it is before 2pm. Very good if you need a weapon ASAP.
LARP Exchange is run by a member of the KR family and is right fine to do business with. He will always try to get you the best possible price.
There are also vendors who visit Knight Realms an offer the added perk of being able to examine the actual weapon.
As far as manufacturers offered on those two sites go, my personal preferences as a heavy fighter are below. If anyone has any other opinions by all means, I have not used many of the later generations of weapons and my information may be outdated.
2-handers/polearms: Calimacil. They have the least whip and offer the best control. Their foam is a bit harder so more care is needed when swinging. Order well before the event and practice.
Note: I have not used any of the latest generation forgotten dreams or Windlass so I don't know if they have improved on their whip issues.
Staves: If it is meant more to be a prop such as a wizards staff, anything. If it is meant to be a combat weapon like a monk's staff, Calimacil. Same reasoning as above.
1-handed swords/Maces: Any. Really it comes down to what you want your weapon to look like. Forgotten Dreams and Windlass tend to be the lightest and least top-heavy and offer the most control.
Axes: Calimacil. Axes are a rough weapon type as they can get tangled and snagged easily and as a result the head can tear faster than with a sword. Calimacil foam is a bit more durable and can take a better beating. You still want to be careful, however. Additionally, Axes are top-heavy and take a lot more wrist and forearm control in order to check your swings. Order early, practice, and get used to the weight. Also, wrap your wrists.
Daggers: Whatever you like, go nuts. Just make sure when you are buying one that you are not buying a throwing dagger accidentally. Throwers have no core and you cannot strike with them. I don't just mean according to the rules I mean you literally cannot strike with them as they will flop all over the place. Calimacil is notorious for not mentioning some of their weapons are, in fact, throwers. If you find a calimacil dagger that seems way cheaper than the rest do some research on it, either via google or through the customer service staff and confirm if the weapon has a core or not.
Other sites you can check out are Ateliers Nemesis (
www.ateliers-nemesis.com/
) and Eldritch (
www.eldritch.com/
). These are amazing custom weapons, however they run on the expensive side and also involve international shipping.
As always, regardless of what weapon you buy, it will need to be inspected and approved by a marshal before it can be used.
See you in the lists!
