Cold SteelTraining Sword - Made of High-Impact Polypropylene, One Size, Gladius Trainer

Durable and effective trainer.

The Coldsteel Gladius Sword Trainer has very beautiful design and very durable quality. It is very comfy with the grip and heavy weight of the trainer. It can be trained together with a Coldsteel Shield or a blade. It is value for money. I am very glad with the purchase. Thank you very much.

You want a training sword to be properly rigid, lifelike in appearance and size, and to be as close to indestructible as possible. Cold Steel has a long tradition of making superior training weapons, and have delivered yet another winner with their Gladius.First, the sword feels "just right" in the hand. The weight is well balanced, not too heavy but not too light. The grip is very good for my medium-sized hands and is not too slippery when wet from sweat. People who wear gloves medium size and above will have no problems. People with very small hands may find themselves having to develop more forearm strength - not a bad outcome if you ask me.Though made from plastic (not just any type of plastic though) it is very stiff and will not easily bend when you hit a training dummy.It's also as close as you can economically get with plastic. After sustained use with a dummy target, my Gladius has some slight surface scratching but barely has a nick along the edge.If you're looking for something to swing around while watching Gladiator or Spartacus, this is just the right trainer for you.

I was surprised at how much this sword weighs. It’s bulkier than I expected. But it is made from high grade rubber. As a gift it was a great idea. I will definitely do it again! The design is great. The cost is amazing!

It's durable, looks great, and affordable. The blade is thicker and blunt like a club. But it has some weight to it so it's perfect for getting a feel for a real sword. Overall it serves it's function.

I’ve purchased a number things from cold steel over the years. I’ve never been disappointed with their quality, and this practice sword is no exception. It’s extremely durable and solidly built. It’s a good weight and a wonderful way to practice without risking lopping someone’s ear off.

Want to know what it feels like to swing a gladius? This is what you want. It's correctly weighted and balanced for quality training. EXTREMELY high quality construction will leave you with no fear of breaking or damaging this trainer even when putting it through its paces at high speed. I would expect nothing less from Cold Steel. All genuine cold steel products are virtually indestructible. Unfortunately, Cold Steel does not currently manufacture a real gladius.Notes to anyone who is actually looking at this item: a gladius is worn on the strong side, and is not cross-drawn. This is because you need to be able to draw it in tight formation without cutting your buddy. With a strong-side draw, the point will travel across the front of your own body. Also, there's not a whole lot of information out there on proper gladius technique. Be aware that the methods used in actual combat were completely different than the methods used in the arena. In actual combat, it was all about tight infantry formations, staying behind a wall of shields, advancing with small steps, and giving the enemy a small poke with only the last 4 inches of the blade whenever he got close. Use in the arena was much more similar to "modern" swordplay (i.e. think about defensive and offensive quadrants of the body... way too much to explain here... get some professional training if you actually want to learn)

I have used this thing mercilessly on a 4x4 wooden training dummy I built, and I do mean mercilessly. I -tried- to break the sword and so far all I've done is dent the plastic. It has taken chunks of wood out, cracked pieces of wood, and all in all dealt more than it's worth in punishment. I end every sword swinging cardio session drenched in sweat with bits of 4x4 littering the ground and the training sword is no worse for wear. 10/10 this thing is indestructible.