For sparring Doce Pares prepare for full contact tournaments to test their stick fighting skills by using live sticks. Padded sticks are not encouraged in Doce Pares. Clearly the resulting injuries could be fatal or at least severely debilitating. For this reason Supreme Grand Master Diony Canete devised the head gear and body protector. This body armour allows the Eskrimador to spar and compete in full contact stick within relative safety. There are now many replica helmets and body protectors but in Doce Pares only the Canete designed armour is used.
For those not competing and only sparring in lessons there is armour provided.
