I fenced years ago and want to come back. What should I expect, and will my old gear still pass?
Come back, and expect your hands to remember more than your legs do. People return after five, twenty and even thirty years away, and technique usually returns faster than fitness, timing and distance. Ask the club whether returning fencers can join a beginner or refresher course for a few weeks and borrow gear while you decide. Nobody is judging your age or your rust. Class placement is about current ability, and returning fencers tend to move up quickly once the basics settle back in.
The biggest mistake is fencing like your old self on day one. Your brain will ask for lunges your hamstrings, calves and Achilles tendons are not ready for. Keep the first few weeks short: footwork, a lesson, a handful of bouts, then stop while you still feel good. Add running or cycling for stamina and two or three strength sessions a week. Expect to lose to people you would have beaten years ago. That fades as your timing returns, usually within a few months of steady training.
Check old gear before trusting it, starting with the mask. Look for tears in the bib, rubber trim around the edge that is cracked or peeling (it can catch a point), broken or pushed-in mesh, and welds where the side mesh meets the front. For USA Fencing domestic events, the mask needs a back strap that actually holds it snug, and worn elastic can be replaced. The newer two-part retention systems are required at FIE international events and by some other national federations, and certain mask models require their own specific strap at every USA Fencing event. Sabre fencers need an 800N glove at all USA Fencing levels. When in doubt, ask an armorer or check the current USA Fencing equipment rules before you travel.
Rules drift while you are away, so skim the current rules before competing. Non-combativity (passivity) penalties in direct elimination bouts catch returning fencers off guard, and end-of-bout etiquette may differ from what you remember. Renew your membership, look up where any old rating stands, and pick a local event for your first outing. Adults over 40 can also enter veteran age groups, which is a very friendly way back into competition.