I've had the reverse experience. I have plenty of padding on my thrusting tips and get "light" calls on thrusts on a regular basis. But I still need more padding.
This looks a whole lot like using safety to tip the playing field in favor of swings rather than thrusts. It's gamesmanship IMO in safety clothing.
Any behavior that takes deliberate advantage of an opponent’s chivalry or safety-consciousness, or that takes deliberate unfair advantage of an opponent, is prohibited.
If you call a thrust light, you are in violation of this one. Remove the thrusting tips and try it again IMO.
People get bruised up all the time with swings from swords. But very, very rarely do they get bruised up from a thrust. It might sting a bit if I hit a tender spot, but not bruised up.
Does anyone have ANY pictures of a bruise caused by a thrusting tip (or even LACK there of)? I've seen many pictures of bruises caused by swings rather than thrusts.
My son and I will get dressed up in my armour (he'll wear my flight suit) and attach helium ballons to the end of a spear and fight that way. We'll take pictures and video and post it as "New Safety Rules With Spear" for April 1st.
"The new rules allow for safer play! IF someone strikes you and the ballon pops, it's good! This also makes sure that spearmen can only take so many shots as they have helium ballons on the tips of their spears, to make it fair for the combat archers who can only carry so many arrows. There may be some minor psychological injuries due to the popping of the ballons, but the SEM will collect the data to determine the extent of the threat before safe, quiet areas with harp music and beer are required for each event to comfort the emotionally disturbed."
And most guys in ansteorra would fight like that. It was all about minimal armor due to the heat.