kendo bogu quality?

[Lan Nguyen]

I am just a kendo beginner, having several question about bogu:
1. Please give me your evaluation about the bogus from e-bogu, Kendoshop, Bogubag. I just want to know what I should avoid when I need to purchase a set in a few more months. My price range is about $500.00 up and down.

2. Is the titanium Men is a must for a long term or Duraluminum is ok too?

3. The Kendoshop use Cow leather for some set, instead of Deer leather. Is there any different in quality, useful, and durability?

4. Is 3mm, 4mm are the best choices or should I try something different which I am not going to regret later?

Thank You very much for your replies.

[Shoki]

This all depends on whether you are going to be serious Kendoka or not. If the answer is yes and you will train on a regular basis then my advice is to go for a set that costs as much as possible.

Kendoshop is a good deal as they keep their prices down with the labour costs whereas in Japan they cannot. Go for deer leather on the kote...on the men and tare it is not so necessary ...deer leather lasts longer and feels more subtle....so that's why you want it on the kote.

I would say that if you train twice a week then go for a 3mm........however this is where I come back to saying go for as much as you can afford..........the 2mm from Kendoshop will last just as long as a hand made set.........it just takes longer to wear in as it is not made to measure.........

At the end of the day you do not want to buy a better set in ayear and wish you had forked out a bit more the year previous and got what you wanted in the first place!!!! This has happended to me before with all sorts of boys toys!

Anyway.....good luck and enjoy Kendo.....you can't beat it!

Kind regards
Robert Anderson

[StanLee]

Try posting the same question on the kendo world forum. They will have a lot of answers for you there.

Stan

[gendzwil]

Originally posted by Lan Nguyen
I am just a kendo beginner, having several question about bogu:
1. Please give me your evaluation about the bogus from e-bogu, Kendoshop, Bogubag. I just want to know what I should avoid when I need to purchase a set in a few more months. My price range is about $500.00 up and down.
All 3 shops have good reputations, although lately I've heard kendo shop service is a little slow. In your budget I recommend either http://www.e-bogu.com/higper3mmmac.html or set KN 3 from http://www.bogubag.com/Bogu/Machine_3mm/machine_3mm.html

2. Is the titanium Men is a must for a long term or Duraluminum is ok too?
Lots of people happily use duraluminum. It's not as strong so for super hard practice high level people like titanium. OTOH it's lighter. Not available at your budget anyways.

3. The Kendoshop use Cow leather for some set, instead of Deer leather. Is there any different in quality, useful, and durability?
Let's differentiate between deerskin trim and deerskin kote palms. The trim is nice. The palms are a huge difference in quality. Cowhide becomes stiff with sweat and eventually breaks down. Deerhide stays supple. You'll be patching cowhide palms in 2 years or less. However, deerskin palm kote are not in your budget.

4. Is 3mm, 4mm are the best choices or should I try something different which I am not going to regret later??
I don't normally recommend lower quality than 4 mm. OTOH you should be aware that sometimes you're comparing apples and oranges. A high quality 4 mm Japanese set like Koei S-21 is superior to a cheap Korean 2 mm set. You mostly gets what you pays for.

[DCPan]

Originally posted by Lan Nguyen


2. Is the titanium Men is a must for a long term or Duraluminum is ok too?

3. The Kendoshop use Cow leather for some set, instead of Deer leather. Is there any different in quality, useful, and durability?


I went from using a Titanium Men to a Duraluminum men...I must say my "neck" likes it much better.

However, in strenuous training situations when you have occasional grille to grille contact, you may want titanium. It is also said by some that the slightly heavier grille (titanium) offers more mass to absorb "shock" by some....

They are improving in the duraaluminum technology. Honestly, I'm under the opinion that by the time it matters to have titanium, the futon would be so old you'd want a new men anyway.

Ask for Cow leather...I would AVOID cow leather kote palm like the plague. My friend's kendo shop cowhide palm kote went glossy and slippery in less than 3 month of regular practice.... Ripped not too long after.

Go for deer skin...go for deer skin...go for deer skin... :D

[Daishi]

I realize what I am saying is contrary to the opinions of people vastly more experienced than me, but when I started, I bought cheap 5mm bogu from kendoshop. My reasoning is this, when youre just beginning and don't know how long you will be sticking with kendo, why spend extra amounts of money on something you won't even use in a year or two? I have had my bogu for over a year now and it is lasting fine. I am not contesting quality or comfort, but I figure when I wear one set of bogu out, then I'm ready to spend some serious money on something that will last me a long time. Maybe by then I'll be good enough I won't embarass myself while wearing it too.
;)
Just my opinion.....


Dale Heisler

[DCPan]

Originally posted by Daishi
why spend extra amounts of money on something you won't even use in a year or two?

Because good bogu will teach you how to use it properly.

Example, in a dojo where people hit REALLY hard, those not wearing good men padding usually develop a habit of looking UP so as to receive the strike on the grille instead of the futon.

This is bad for your partner because their shinai breaks faster.

This is bad for you because:

1. splinter go into eye
2. looking up will make you regret it later when you enter without taking the center...shinai tip on throat = not fun. When you reach the level where people tsuki you regularly, you'll lose the habit, one way or another, but the process sure ain't fun :D

Body don't like pain. When bogu don't keep you from pain, you start to get "creative" about how to avoid pain...which could lead to potentially BAD basics.

The tameshigiri folks could probably can tell you all sort of things about training with a blade that doesn't cut well as well.

Your mileage may vary :D

[gendzwil]

Originally posted by DCPan

Body don't like pain. When bogu don't keep you from pain, you start to get "creative" about how to avoid pain...which could lead to potentially BAD basics.

Here's all the creative you need: closed cell foam and double-sided carpet tape. Works wonders for old soft bogu.

[DCPan]

Originally posted by gendzwil

Here's all the creative you need: closed cell foam and double-sided carpet tape. Works wonders for old soft bogu.

Nah, I just go Sorbothane... http://www.bogubag.com/Bogu/Pads/menpad_42201_L.jpg

Besides, I'm talking about "unconscious" creativity...pardon the pun.

:D

[Lan Nguyen]

Thank you all of you. I found Kendo World Forum as you suggested, great informations. Now I think I need to save more money