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Friday, November 19, 2010

Journey of the Gi Part 1 (Review)

It's funny to see how your style of gi changes from the time you first stepped onto the mat until the present. It is always the big question when you're first starting out, "What kind of gi should I purchase?" or "Where should I purchase a gi?" It seems to me that the beginners who do not ask these questions either go with one of two extremes: They get the cheapest gi they can find to save money and it ends up being a piece of crap that falls apart or they go the expensive route in hopes of getting that perfect gi that'll last forever, but in reality it's just another gi with a price tag far more majestic than it's quality. With this stated I will take you on my kimono journey.

My first gi actually happens to no longer be available (Atama recently put it back up for sale, but when clicked it says out of stock) as it was  coming to the end of it's run as I purchesed it. It was 2005 and Atama was discontinuing their Judo gis, leaving them all on clearance; I snagged this bad boy for about 70 bucks. Also, let me say one thing about the delivery, Atama is AWESOME!! The gi always winds up at your house within a couple of days, can't beat that! Due to the fact that it is no longer up for sale, I won't spend much time reviewing it, but it was a good gi and lasted me quite some time. It didn't have extra baggy sleeves or an overly long skirt like we think of in your stereotypical Judo uniform, but fit more like BJJ gi and was a great choice.

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After a few months of training in the now defunct Atam Judo model, summer was coming up and I had noticed Atama had a summer weave out and I figured,"Hey, it's gonna be hot out soon, I had a good experience with Atama before, why not?" Well, the 'why not' would be because it flat out sucks. Of all the gis I have ever owned, this is the only one I have shown a particular hatred for. I mean, I literally go to class everyday hoping that this gi rips and I no longer have to deal with it! But, I did spend the money on it, so it reamins with me. To describe this gi, just picture your pants and put that exact material on the jacket. You would expect this to deter your partner's grip by not having enough traction, but sadly, no. All it does is make it more comfotable for them when you try and rip grips. This, combined with the overly long sleeves, seem to give your partner a grip from hell. Your hands are constantly falling into your  sleeve, making it impossible for you to grip back. Honestly, I would rather wear a gi made of used toilet paper than ever be tricked into buying this again.

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The next gi that came my way was one of the better Christmas presents I have gotten over the years. It was the Keiko (not so) Limited Series. I don't know if something got lost in translation here, but this seems to be the only limited series I know of that has been on the market for multiple years, not only that, but they even revamped the look of it about a year or two ago. Anyways, this is a great gi that I still own today and would recommend it to anyone. It is very comfortable, not too baggy, and the weight isn't too bad either. The only that thing I can think of on the downside is that the price has gone up over the years: $125 when I got it Christmas of 2006 compared to a solid $140-$170 depending on where you go, http://www.jiujitsuprogear.com/ is probably your best bet. This gi has gotten me through many tough competitions and training sessions; this 100% has my approval (if that means anything).

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Come back in a day or two to check out part 2 where I'll tell you about two Korals and a Fuji!

6 comments:

  1. Funny post. My first gi was academy fodder. I don't even know what company made it. The lapel ripped, the sleeves got holes. After I felt "worthy" of a new gi, I bought an Atama.

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  2. Atama is always a great way to go!!

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