Foil (fencing)

A foil is one of the three weapons used in fencing, all of which are metal. It is flexible, rectangular and weighs under a pound. As with the épée points are only scored by contact with the tip, which is capped with a spring-loaded button to detect points in electrically scored tournaments. A foil fencer's uniform features the lamé, a vest, electrically wired to record hits in such cases. It is the most commonly used weapon in competition.

Women were allowed to compete only with the foil until recently.

Electric and nonelectric foils

The components common to both varieties are the pommel, grip, guard, thumb pad, and blade.

There is the nonelectric foil is known as "steam" or "dry", and an electric. Both varieties are capped with a plastic or rubber piece, with a button at the tip in electric blades. A judge is required to determine the victor in a tournaments with nonelectric foils.

The Fédération Internationale d'Escrime and most national organisations require electric scoring apparatus, although some organizations still fence competitively with nonelectric swords. Nonelectric ones are primarily used for practice.