Longtime readers know I’m a gamer. With that hobby comes a habit: I read reviews not just for entertainment, but for the reviewer’s analysis to help me decide whether to buy a game.
The comments on these reviews often fixate on scores, especially with IGN, which gets memed for its frequent “7 out of 10.”
Back in 2018, Polygon scrapped review scores to focus on “criticism and curation,” aiming to move beyond what they called “the tired structure of review scores that has accumulated like verbal plaque.[1]”
Eight years later, I think that change paid off. Polygon’s reviews feel richer, with more detail and nuance, all without forcing games into arbitrary numbers.
For years, I’ve ended my gear reviews with a score. It was a neat, tidy way to wrap things up: a quick “7/10” snapshot of my opinion. But lately, I’ve realized that snapshot is often blurry. Worse, it sometimes forces me to grade on a curve when every product deserves to stand on its own merits.
So starting today, I’m dropping numerical scores on The Fencing Coach. Here’s why, and why I think this shift will make my reviews more useful for you.
The Problem with “The Score”
The biggest issue with scoring systems is that they encourage us to skip the details. In a world of short attention spans, it’s tempting to scroll straight to the bottom, see a “9,” and decide a product is great without understanding why.
But fencing gear is subjective.
A grip that feels like a “4” for a fencer with large hands who loves posting might be a “8” for someone with smaller hands who prefers a tight, pistol-style feel. A jacket that “scores low” on breathability might be perfect for a fencer in a cold club who values heavy padding over ventilation.
For example, I rated the PBT Fencera’s a “10,” because even though I personally never wear them, I found them to be extremely fit for purpose for fencers with a particular en garde stance and foot shape. I suspect a lot of people went right to the score, perhaps purchased a pair, and then missed the finer details about who those shoes were for, and who they weren’t for.
My goal isn’t to review gear based on what I like. It’s to provide enough detail to show who a product serves, and assess, as objectively as possible, whether it meets that audience’s needs. Bonus points when it can serve multiple audiences.
Reducing equipment to a single digit strips away context and risks making you prioritize the number over the nuance.
Words Over Numbers
I’d rather use words to explain why a product shines or falls short than spend time agonizing over whether a glove deserves a 7 or an 8.
Going forward, my reviews will focus entirely on the qualitative experience:
- Design/Aesthetic: Is this thing pretty or ugly? Does its design make sense?
- Function: Who is this product for? Does the product do what it’s designed to do, and does it do it well?
- Pricing/Value: Is the craftsmanship and performance worth the price tag? How does the product compare to similar products on the market?
- Durability: At initial publication, my reviews are written based on 1-2 months of heavy-duty testing. That timeframe doesn’t always give a sufficient window to test durability. So, if a product breaks early (or lasts years), I’ll go back and update with a durability assessment.
- Overall: I provide an assessment of whether the thing is good or not. I’ll provide a summation of what the thing does well, and what it could do better.
If a product is excellent, I’ll tell you exactly who it’s for and why it deserves a spot in your bag. If a product is poor, I’ll explain the specific design choices that let it down.
The Goal: Better Decisions
My goal has always been to help you make informed decisions about the gear you trust with your health, safety and performance. Let’s face it: a lot of fencing gear isn’t cheap, and I want to give you a thorough, honest, and complete assessment of a product so you can make an informed decision. By removing the arbitrary scoring system, I’m hoping to encourage deeper engagement with the review itself.
I want us to talk about the products, not the points.
Thanks for reading and I’m looking forward to bringing you more in-depth, score-free reviews soon. Next up: the Octav Fencing Shoes.
[1] https://www.polygon.com/reviews/2018/9/4/17689100/polygon-reviews-no-scores/#:~:text=We%20equally%20want%20our%20writers,the%20game%20has%20to%20offer.
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