To some people, a jiu-jitsu gi is just a tool to be worn out, used and replaced. To them, any scrap of cloth shaped like a gi will do. But some of us choose our gis with about as much discretion as we would a brain surgeon (or collect them like some women collect shoes). And for us, this survey is just too cool to ignore. Check out this article.

Aesopian has spent a TON of time on this survey and it shows. Big props to him for putting his time and effort into this – I think it’s a huge service to the BJJ community at large.

I reviewed 5 or 7 gis for this survey (I honestly can’t remember) and am pleased to note that the gis I prefer to wear training ranked highly in the results. Whether or not you participated, this survey is a great starting point to buying a new gi.

Most interesting to me is that apparently in the top 33 brands of gi, there is no significant variance in quality (Black Eagle is not on the top 20, for example, and I consider their product to be better than some of the other top 20). There are really hundreds of factors that influence results, and I’m looking forward to seeing how Aesopian breaks it down and interprets the data.

I for one am thrilled that many of the top brands are under $130 retail.

Check it out and let me know what you think.

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I’m late for the bus. Not the first time this has happened to me, but the sinking feeling of panic never goes away. I abandon my breakfast on the countertop, fling my books over my shoulder and run down the driveway. Just as the bus begins to pull a way, I pound frantically on the door. Breathless as I run up the stairs, I stomp the snow off my shows and turn to face the bus full of my classmates. Then it happens. A cold draft of air wafts up my leg. From the back of the bus, someone yells “Hey, he’s not wearing any pants!”

http://usa.venumfight.com/

For any of you who still have dreams like this, where you’re the victim of some humiliating situation, buy some Venum Ultimate Vale Tudo shorts and wear them to bed. These babies keep you so secure that there won’t be any room for paranoia.

First questions first: what is the difference between a vale tudo short and a traditional fight short?

The biggest difference it is that vale tudo shorts are form-fitting. They hug your body and flex with you. They do not hide bulges and curves, like looser fight shorts would. In other words, they cover your butt, but they don’t hide it!

Venum Shines Through

My biggest question when Aaron from BJJHQ sent me these was how to accurately review a product meant for cage fighting. I was definitely not going into the octagon just to test these babies out.

Aaron saved me on this one: “Many people wear them under their gi pants. You need big…wait…you need a lot of body confidence to rock them alone.”

Well, I have only moderate…uh…body confidence. So that solved it. I would wear and test them under my gi pants.
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Apparently I’m like the 4938′th blogger to review the Black Eagle Raptor.

Well, that just means there are 4937 other lucky grapplers out there who get to wear one of these to training every day. Black Eagle really outdid themselves with the Raptor.

Lest I sound like a gawking fanboy, you should know I found a few problems with this model that I’ll be exposing in my review; and one flaw in particular would really make think twice about buying it unless they fix it for the production model.

If you want the short version, here’s the video. For you die-hards, continue on after the video for specifics in measurements, weight, and to find out whether or not I got made fun of for wearing a gi with purple flowing letters on it.

Video Review

360-degree Photos

(click to view in slideshow)

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No use sugar-coating it. My Macbook Pro died last week. Or, at least the hard drive did…right in the middle of a backup.

I was hoping that it would be fixed by now so I could finish up some of the crucial parts of my Submission Light gi review and post them this evening. Unfortunately, it’s still out of commission and an important segment of the review is not completed as a result.

Today I got another computer with the right software that I’ll be using to finish the job. Sorry about the delay, especially to Shakib at Submission Fight Co., who sent me the gi quite a while ago and has been waiting patiently.

Keep checking back!

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So, after I made a point of showing how plain Black Eagle’s gis are, turns out they are taking a stab at the “bling” market as well. Here are the images for the Raptor, courtesy of Steve at Black Eagle.

When it comes to preferences, I reside somewhere in the gray territory between plain and bling (says the guy who dyed his kimonos bright yellow and red) so if I end up reviewing the Raptor it will also represent my first step in the bling direction.

Looks pretty cool so far! Apparently this gi will come into existence sometime later this year. Hopefully Steve will let us know if they plan to line it with rashguard material or just print inside, whether it will be based on an existing cut or if it’s an entirely new creation. What I do know is that men and women will be able to buy the lavender version. Hmmm…I just may have to try that…then dye it green. Or not.

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YO! Because I’m feeling really good about life, there is an Easter egg hidden in this review. Find the Easter egg (hint: click around) and figure out out which brand of gi I am reviewing next, and you be entered in a drawing to win one of these epic ninja shirts. Send me an email with your answer before July 1!

It seems like UK companies are serving out quality BJJ gis like belts at a taekwondo school.

UK-based Black Eagle recently sent me their latest BJJ gi for review: the Predator MKII. I’ve had about a month to sink my teeth, sweat and blood into this uniform (in that order). I can honestly say the Predator MKII is the most unique-fitting gi

I own. This is unmistakably a BJJ uniform…not a modified judo uniform, not a stamped-out clone.

Black Eagle touts it as being “competition cut.” I asked what that means, and here’s the reply I got:

That’s a confident claim. I can’t verify that this gi will make the difference between winning and losing, but I have rolled in it enough to give you a solid opinion.

First Impressions

In a world of blingy gis, Black Eagle kimonos come across as rather plain. Which is not necessarily a bad thing, if you think gold filigree is overkill for a grappling uniform.

Good thing I really dig the embroidered Black Eagle logo. It’s simple, it’s effective, and it’s classy. I wouldn’t call the Predator MKII an “eye catcher,” but I think it’s a sharp-looking gi. I prefer embroidery over patches any day.

The pants fit great and felt great; they’re soft and light but still tough.

The jacket is comfortable, too…much softer out of the bag than I have come to expect from pearl weave uniforms. I was surprised at how comfortable it was, and at how different the cut felt on my frame.

Measurements and Weigh-In

At 3lbs 1.4oz (A3 and A4 mix), the Predator MKII is indeed one of the lightest gis on the market…on par with gis such as the Vulkan Ultra Light.
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Rockin' the Padilla

I am about to tell you about my favorite kimono. It is not my most expensive kimono. It is not my most stylish kimono. And despite being “lightweight,” it’s not even my lightest kimono.

But for some reason, putting on my Padilla & Sons Lightweight just feels like coming home. Maybe it’s because I’ve owned it for over two years now. But I think the real reason is that it’s just a fine piece of fightwear.
As a testament to the mat time this gi has seen, here’s what remains of my school patch on the back:

And yet, if I were to re-dye it cobalt blue, it would look brand new. There are no holes and no fraying except a little on the inside reinforcements. That’s quality.

Buying Experience

Working with Joe Padilla and his family was a pleasure. Other reviews I’ve read mention similarly good experiences. If I’m not mistaken, Joe’s wife responded to one of the calls I placed, and Joe also responded personally to emails and calls. Both were extremely gracious in helping me determine what size of gi I should order.

We decided that I was in between an A3 and an A4. The solution was to pair A4 trousers with an A3 jacket, which turned out to be perfect for me. I was charged an extra $10 to mix and match sizes…but considering the modest $95 price tag, this was not painful in the least.

My order arrived promptly, and included specific washing and drying instructions along with the gi. Oddly enough, one of the instructions is to not machine wash it. I thought that was a little weird, kind of like saying don’t take your tank to the carwash. I’m not sure how it could damage your gi to machine wash it in cold water, I’m definitely not going to take the time to hand wash it.

Decoration

Right Shoulder Logo

If ever there was an understated gi, this is it. The lightweight is completely devoid of flourish other than two small shoulder embroideries and a small patch at the bottom of the lapel. I’m not a huge fan of shoulder patches, so this really appeals to me.

Left Shoulder Logo

The cool little shark logos are the only reminders that this is indeed a branded, professional piece of fightwear. The odd thing is, it still seems to attract attention. People ask what kind of gi it is. Either that, or they say “a Padilla, huh? Nice…” and make some sign of approval.
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