It has an extra large area to protect the shoe from abrasion when the foot rolls on a metal strip. They're extra light and extra durable, especially in the fencing-specific wear zones. They have an antibacterial lining which helps prolong the life of the shoe. Like the Blade, the base of the shoe is a little unusually wide to help the fencer hold the strip better.

The Leon Paul Scimitar can be found at Fencing.net for about $160.

The Nike Ballestra fencing shoes were developed by Nike specifically for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. They were developed by working closely with high level fencers in order to try and properly capture the needs of modern fencers.

By all measures, they have found success. The shoe is reported durable, lightweight, and very supportive in the appropriate places. I've yet to get my hands on any to really thoroughly test with, so I'm going to reserve personal judgment on them for now, but they come highly recommended by anyone I know who has owned a pair.

And the reason why I'm reserving judgment is because they are essentially currently sold out. Nike is not selling any on their website (except for the occasional small handful that shows up). They are not planning on generating another run on their own. The current word on the street is that Fencing.net is working with Nike to produce another run, but due to the recent economic developments, Nike has undergone some internal shakeups which have lead to delays on the new run of the shoe. We will update this page as appropriate when new information comes in.

The Leon Paul Blades, made by Hi-Tec, are a fencing shoe staple. They were developed by Leon Paul to be a high quality, durable fencing shoe. Most people seem to agree that they are a quality mid-range standard by which other shoes can be compared.

The shoe itself is durable, but as a result, somewhat stiff. They take a little bit of time to break in. In addition, the main complaint seems to be that they are specifically wide, which causes annoying situations for people with narrow feet/heels/etc.. If you're unsure, it would be wise to try these on first before committing to a purchase to see if they're agreeable. The support, both in the arch and the heel, as well as the padding are both very good and targeted towards fencers.

The Leon Paul Blades can be found at Fencing.net for about $119.

In general, these consensus on these shoes seems to be that they will last you around 9 months to a year before wearing out completely. They also seem to be lacking in proper heel and/or arch support. A heel cup and/or special insole may be needed. If this is reasonable for you, then they are a good buy. There are definitely shoes that will last you longer, as well as ones that will wear out faster. There have also been some complaints that the shoe tends to wear down faster on metal strips, but this isn't a consistent complaint, so it may simply be circumstantial.

"Budget-line" is relative for Adidas, though. They still run around $100. Fencing.net carries them for $89. This is a bit higher than some of the other available shoes that are of comparable quality.

Absolute put a lot of work into improving the quality and features of this line of shoes. They improved materials for increased quality, comfort, and longevity. They added extra heel and arch support for those fencers who need it. They increased seam durability, making it harder to simply breaking through the seams (a common problem in inexpensive fencing shoes).

The Absolute Fencing Elite 2 is billed as "the best fencing shoes for under $70", and Fencing.net is currently carrying them for $60. They suggest considering a heel cup for extra support, specifically in Foil/Saber, where hard lunges sometimes require extra padding. The AF Elite 2 is a very solid mid-range fencing shoe. It has very good value for its price, and has a wide range of available sides -- you'll find sizes appropriate for large men down through youth fencers.

Click here to purchase the AF Elite 2.