Swashers Care and Maintenance Information

Most of our programs make use of Swashers, which are a brand of boffer sports equipment shaped like medieval armaments. In 1995, Renaissance Adventures set out to create the perfect foam sword for our kids programs. The first Swashers were crafted by Renaissance Adventures and we went through many design changes. Since then, the RA forgemasters have continued to refine our designs and work weekly to build not only our tried and true Swashers but also to create new, incredible custom designs.

You may purchase our Swashers through our online store by clicking the button below. See information about pickup & delivery options.

Table of Contents: Why are Swashers the Best?   |  Other Boffer Types  |  Swasher Games  |  Safety Rules  |  Care and Maintenance  |  Repairs

Why are Paragon Swashers the Best?

While boffers can be homemade or purchased from a number of vendors, Renaissance Adventures helped develop, recommends, and uses one particular type of boffer called Paragon Swashers. They are designed with a combination of specific qualities that, to our knowledge, no other manufacturer uses.

Safety: Paragon Swashers are incredibly safe. They are made so that no part can enter into an eye socket. Over the course of hundreds of thousands of hours of “play-testing,” there has never been a serious injury caused by a  Swasher. Of course, like any sports equipment, participants should abide by all safety measures.

Durability: Paragon Swashers are made with sturdy materials and last for many years. Hand crafted to ensure quality worksmanship, Swashers are a kind of sports equipment that can withstand years of continued use. Besides normal maintenance needs, most of the Paragon Swashers last for over 15 years of regular use.

Medium Weight: We found there are few boffers that are a “medium” weight. Light-weight boffers – such as most latex swords – often have a whip-like motion (causing a safety and durability concern) and are unsatisfying to duel with because of the negligible leverage. Heavy-weight boffers – such as most homemade or reenactment swords – are often unbalanced, unsafe, and exhausting.

Fun Design: There are a ton of different models of Paragon Swashers and because they’re hand crafted, they can be customized. Swashers come with a cloth casing that can be a variety of colors, which can represent different elements or magical properties.

Guarantee: Paragon Swashers are guaranteed to have no manufacturing defects for up to six months from the date of purchase or we will replace your Swasher. Because they’re handmade and inspected, there are rare cases of defects so please do not hesitate to ask if your Swasher can be replaced. Note that we do not pay shipping fees related to the return and exchange of a Swasher so please inspect the Swasher before purchase. For this reason, we do not recommend ordering a Swasher “sight unseen.”

Other Boffer Types

We offer other brands of boffers, such as those produced by Epic Armoury. While these boffers do not share the same qualities as our Paragon brand boffers, they are safe and durable enough that we allow their use in our programs.  Please note, we have found that every latex boffer we have tested has not proved to be as durable as the Paragon Swashers. We do not guarantee any product other than Paragon Swashers.

Swasher Games

• Play safely, use the honor system and be honest, get everyone’s permission to duel, and have fun!
• A tag to the hand or arm means the duelist cannot use that arm and should put it behind his back.
• A tag to the foot or leg means the duelist cannot run.
• If both legs have been tagged, the duelist may only stand in place and pivot – he cannot walk.
• A tag to the torso or back means the duelist is defeated. To symbolize being knocked out, place the Swasher on the head.
• For team games, such as capture the flag, players may “heal” others by placing their hand on the target’s shoulder and calling out “Heal 1, heal 2, heal 3, heal 4, heal 5.” Getting healed means all wounds are eliminated. Players cannot heal themselves.

Besides these basic dueling rules, you may order products from the Renaissance Adventures store for use with the Swashers.

Safety Rules

• Play lightly and safely.
• Do not swing or tag hard.
• Tag with the thin padded edge only.
• Do not slap with the flat of the blade or tag with the hilt.
• Do not tag the head, neck, groin, or any place that is susceptible to injury.
• Do not throw – Swasher must be held in a hand at all times.
• Do not duel in anger.
• Do not use if fabric is torn or interior material is damaged.
• Play with adult supervision.

Care and Maintenance

To ensure your Paragon Swasher lasts as long as possible, it is important to follow these care instructions:

• Do not get the Swasher wet. Never duel in the rain or snow. Besides making the Swasher heavy and unsafe, water wears down the glue and other materials that make up a Swasher.
• Do not lean on the Swasher or put excessive weight on them.
• Store Swashers in a dry place with no heavy or hard-edged items on them. Putting hard-edged items or heavy objects on or against a Swasher – even for a short while – causes “dents.” Do not pack them together too tightly or this may also cause dents.
• To clean your Swasher, spot wash with a damp cloth. Swashers that are excessively dirty may require a new outer sheath. In this case, you may try to untape the outer fabric sheath from the interior. Peel the tape from the base of the Swasher blade and set aside. Remove the sheath and wash on a cold, gentle cycle. Put the shealth back on and retape using the same tape (or purchase a similar kind).
• Outer sheath fabric may be torn easily by tagging rough surfaces such as trees and cement – do not strike such surfaces. If the fabric becomes torn, the Swasher is no longer safe to duel with and should be returned to Swasher Maintenance for an inexpensive sheath replacement.
• The interior of the Swasher is filled with foam and a rigid fiberglass core. If the Swasher strikes a surface too hard, the fiberglass may break and become sharp. Do not tag hard. To tell whether the core or interior materials have been damaged, squeeze the foam blade from the tip to the hilt, checking for a bent core or punctured foam. If the core is damaged or the foam is ripped, the Swasher must be replaced. Send to Swasher Repairs – a replacement Swasher can be bought for a discount.

Repairs

Damaged Paragon Swashers can often be repaired at a lower cost than replacement. We do not recommend that you attempt repairs. Attempting a repair, including removing any tape, invalidates any and all guarantees.

Send or deliver repair requests to:
Renaissance Adventures
Attn: Swasher Repair
5717 Arapahoe Ave, Suite 100,
Boulder, Colorado 80303