Time for a new gi.

[rframe]

I'm about due to pick up another karate gi, looking for recommendations.

I tend to be a little rough on clothing, so I'm looking for something strong for daily training, 12-14 ounces that will hold up to regular abuse.

The last gi I bought was a Mugen Orange Label and overall it's a great value gi but at 10 ounces it didn't wear as well as I'd like and dont care for the shorter lapel of the European cut.

I'm looking for affordability combined with durability in a Japanese cut, not name recognition or tournament quality. An affordable jiu-jitsu gi would also be an option, if I could find one free from markings.

Any recommendations?

 

[K-man]

The gi I preferred was the heavy duty 'Tokaido'. It seems to last about 5 years before the collar gets a bit tatty. I found also after that time that the canvas tears more easily. In fact my last one was on the clothes line when one of our dogs jumped up and shredded it with her claws. That old friend was about 10 years old!

My current good gi is 'Shureido' (Shihan) which is beautiful cut and nice fabric. I don't know what its life is as it is just 3 years old now and I don't wear it all the time. :asian:

 

[Grenadier]

There are many good brands out there, depending on how much you're willing to spend.

Shureido is an excellent gi, and amongst the best. At 200+ a gi, it's actually well worth it, since they do last a long time.

Tokaido, in my opinion, has been somewhat inconsistent. In the early 2000's, they were easily the equal of Shureido, but towards the middle and late part of that decade, they had a run of several uniforms with rather spotty quality.

Tokon is an excellent bang / buck. If you want a heavyweight gi that will last a long time, Markus has the Tokon Monarch (14 oz, brushed cotton), and the Tokon America (14 oz, non-brushed cotton). The America will be significantly less expensive.

 

[rframe]

Thanks for the recommendations. One other brand I've been considering is Piranha Gear, as they seem to get excellent reviews. Anybody around here ever tried their gis?

 

[JWLuiza]

Those are definitely the top of the line. MAtoday.com has a good white uniform and trimmed uniforms for TSD and better prices than AWMA. I do like AWMA/ProForce better than Century brand personally. So on a budget I would do MAtoday or ProForce. If I were rich I would get a custom shureido. I've heard great things about the Tokon and theyt are much more affordable than Shureido/Tokaido. Never heard of Pirhanna Gear.

 

[twendkata71]

kwon's premium line are really good gi for a descent price. The instructors gi is also a strudy gi.
If you have the money I would also recommend the Shureido gi. the Shihan is a rayon/cotton blend that will last a long time.
Also on the expensive end is the Hirota gi. Custom fitted. They are expensive though.

 

[dancingalone]

For someone in the US, one of the best ratios of value and durability is found in the ProForce Diamond uniform from AWMA. It's about $80 wholesale and probably $125 or so retail, but this gi lasts a long, long time. It's made of 14 oz cotton/poly canvas and the fabric is very strong. However it is not Japanese cut if this is a deal breaker for you. ProForce is a large American cut gi suited for western body types. The skirt and lapels are more than sufficient length if you don't go for the 'baggy Shotokan look'. I have students that have used this gi for five years or more, 2-3 times a week and their uniforms are still in good shape.

Another strategy is to find a decent enough uniform that fits your desired dimensions and then buy 2-3 of them so you can rotate them during your training week, thus giving sufficient time between wearings for air drying. Nothing destroys a gi faster than drying it in a heated dryer. I own dozens of gi at this point and use 5-6 a week. Frankly I expect some of the gi I have to be still perfectly usable by the time I leave this world since I take care of them and rotate through them regularly.

 

[dancingalone]

kwon's premium line are really good gi for a descent price. The instructors gi is also a strudy gi.
If you have the money I would also recommend the Shureido gi. the Shihan is a rayon/cotton blend that will last a long time.
Also on the expensive end is the Hirota gi. Custom fitted. They are expensive though.

I also like Hirota and will second their quality and attention to detail. The Kwon uniforms are a great value, but FYI for those that have purchased them - they seem to run about 1 size larger than many other brands.