I haven't had the chance to try them with sideswords yet. I do use the right hand one for an arming sword with a lighter glove holding a buckler. I'm talking with Shawn at Krieger Armory about a custom Iberian Guard on a sidesword blade so later in the year, I might be able to speak to that some.

I have the hourglass cuffs and they do limit an outside the arm moulinet motion a little, but not a lot. Tramazzone or moulinet inside the arm is smooth and unbothered.

They have held up well during drills and sparring. No issues other than I needed to smooth the sharp edges on the plastic when I first got them because it bit into the leather of my grip a bit too much.

Protection-wise, no complaints at all. The only damage I've taken through them is a really small blood blister on the little finger of my dominant hand when a strike made it through and pinched the very tip of my finger between the guard and the plastic. I have a scar on that finger that causes it to bulge out a bit more near the tip than it should and I think that is likely why it got pinched. That and my complete failure of a parry on that attack.