Foam weapon

In the United States there are four major kinds of foam mock weapons in use in medieval combat sports, battle gaming, and LARPs.

Normally there are several main features of a foam weapon: A core, padding, thrusting tips, various forms of functional and artistic flourishes, and an outer coating or shell.

Cores made out of PVC, graphite,[2] fiberglass, carbon fiber,[3] bamboo or aluminium[4] are used, with standards varying between groups and countries.

[citation needed] Some core materials can be bent into a number of shapes to give variety and uniqueness to a weapon.

Sometimes a core is inserted into a pool noodle, either full length or cut into smaller pieces, which makes a firm, yet safe coating for the weapon.

Once padding and thrusting tips are secured on the core, it is not unusual for the weapon to have added flourishes for aesthetic and practical purposes.

One method within United States conventions involves a simple coating of duct tape to hold the outer foam together.

When solid coatings are applied over thrusting tips, many holes must be poked through them to allow the foam to deflate and re-inflate upon impact.

For most American battle gaming organizations the rules specify approximately one inch[7] of padding on the striking surface of any weapon under 24 ounces in weight.

For weapons over 24 ounces in weight the padding requirement typically is increased to about one and one half inch[7] of closed cell foam.

Adhesives such as contact cement, spray glue, or carpet tape are typically used to hold foam layers together.

[7] In addition, between the core and the thrusting tip there should be placed a ridged punch protector consisting of either a pipe end cap or small plastic or leather disk.

As a result, those who are into the sport, whether as a form of freestyle martial arts or within the context of LARPing, are generally encouraged to check with the rules of group with whom they plan to participate, so not to bear the pain of disassembling and re-assembling a new weapon to make it in compliance with local standards.

Foam weapons may also be used in fights more akin to martial arts tournaments, which resemble historical reenactment combat but require less protective gear.