The foil has a flexible rectangular blade, approximately 35 inches in length, weighing less than one pound.  Points are scored with the tip of the blade and must land within the torso of the body.  The valid target area in foil is the torso, from the shoulder to the groin, front and back.  It does not include the arms, neck, head, and legs.  The foil fencer's uniform includes a metallic vest (called a lamé) which covers the valid target area, so that a valid touch will register on the scoring machine.  There are two scoring lights on the machine.  One shows a green light when a fencer is hit, and one shows a red light when his/her opponent is hit.  A touch landing outside the valid target area (that which is not covered by the lamé) is indicated by a white light.  These "off target" hits do not count in the scoring, but they do stop the fencing action temporarily.

The epee (pronounced "EPP-pay"), descendant of the dueling sword, is similar in length to the foil, but is heavier, weighing approximately 27 ounces, with a larger guard (to protect the hand from a valid hit) and a much stiffer blade.  Touches are scored only with the point of the blade.  The entire body is the valid target area.  Because the entire body is a valid target area, the epee fencer's uniform does not include a lamé.  Off-target hits do not register on the machine.  Whenever a fencer hits his/her opponent, he/she is awarded a touch.

The modern sabre is descended from the classical northern Italian dueling sabre, which is a far lighter weapon than the slashing cavalry sword. It is 1.05 meters (roughly 43.3 inches) in length, which makes it slightly shorter than the foil though they are similar in weight.

The major difference between sabre and the other two weapons is that the sabre is a point-thrusting weapon as well as a cutting weapon (that is, use of the blade edge is allowed). In modern electric scoring, a touch with the sabre, whether with the point or the edge of the blade, to any part of the opponent's valid target area will register a hit. To simulate the cavalry rider on horseback, the target area is anything from the waist up (from the bend of the hips - both front and back - to the top of the head), excluding the hands. Right of way applies much the same as it does to foil.

The sabre fencer's uniform includes a metallic jacket (lamé), which covers the target area to register a valid touch on the scoring machine. The mask is different from foil and epee, with a metallic covering, since the head is valid target area, and a head cord that connects the mask electrically to the lamé.