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View Full Version : If I were to find a really great white karate gi...



Siper2
23rd April 2001, 02:25
...where to look? Hello all, my name's Chris, I registered (or tried to) a few months ago, but was somehow kicked off and denied by the UBB for some reason, a few times. I got busy, had other things to do, and recently remembered e-Budo.

I actually study Shaolin Kenpo. Wait, don't kick me out yet! :D Not for the immediate future, but sometime I'd like to get myself a really great karate gi, preferably a "tournament" cut. (Short sleeves & legs.) I currently own a black full-length Pine Tree that I don't wear too often, a cotton/poly. Pro Force that sees lots of use, and a couple lightweight gis that get the most use. I've wanted one of the nice white gis for a long time though, so I wanted to ask you folks.

For years I read AWMA so I was mentally sold on Tokaido, by default. Since then I've woken up :D and read about others, like Ki, Juka and Toyo. I hear great things of all of them, particularly Ki because they seem far less expensive. I know that "the best" is subjective, and I don't need, necessarily, the Ferrari of gis, but I'd like to hear of any opinions founded through experience.

Thanks much!
-S2-
New Hampshire, USA

David T Anderson
23rd April 2001, 04:10
Have a look at the heavyweight cotton gis at www.bujindesign.com. Their workmanship is great, with lots of options to choose from. I have a pair of their lightweight aikido pants, and they are first rate.

Mark Brecht
23rd April 2001, 09:25
Chris,

be so kind and follow the ebudo rules and sign with your full name. Thank you.

Siper2
23rd April 2001, 14:28
Bujin Design, I'll try that. Thanks!

Chris Seipt

Margaret Lo
23rd April 2001, 16:08
Chris,
Mitsuboshi is also an excellent brand, try Honda Martial Arts. http://www.hondamartialarts.com/
The cut comes a little smaller than Toyo and is narrower in the legs. $129.00 plus shipping from NYC.

Toyo is actually made by KI, its their top of the line gi and has a nice boxy cut in the pants. Average price $125.00 or so.

Also, try Meijin which you can get from http://www.dragon-tsunami.org/. They are US based so you can get a custom order at a good price-$120.00 plus you can get different sized pants vs. jacket, plus good embroidery.

Finally, if you have the $$$ try Tokaido Direct online and you can get one custom cut from Japan. They have someone with excellent English for overseas orders and you can get your name embroidered as well. If yen/$$ exchange rate is good, you can get one for $140 - $160 with goodies (name, tourney cut)

M

Siper2
23rd April 2001, 22:59
Yeah I just found the Tokaido website a short time ago, so I'd like to try that sometime, maybe. Previously the prices ran close to $300 at times, ouch.

So Ki makes Toyo, eh? Interesting. I definitely want a gi that's long in the jacket, meaning the lower end of the jacket is longer than usual. I can't stand gis that are short and pull out of the belt all the time. I like really long jackets. (Though not super long, like some that Kwon makes, if you've seen them.)

Thanks for the other recommendations, I'll check those out as well!

Chris Seipt
-S2-

Kuma-san
25th April 2001, 12:29
Chris,

I can speak wonders about Ki's heavy canvas (only stuff I'll wear) I'm 6' 254lbs. and I've had the highest ranked student in my class (not to mention my shidoshi) toss me around more or less as close to a rag doll as they can and I haven't had either of 2 rip yet.

Jeremiah Jackson

Siper2
25th April 2001, 14:25
Yeah, my sensei sells KI gis, so there's a good chance I'd end up with one of those. Do they sell tourney cuts?
I forget. I think they do...

Apologies, by the way, for calling them "Ki" earlier. I forgot that it was actually "KI." The product label on the bottom of the jacket wasn't a big enough hint, I guess. :D

Chris Seipt

Jussi Häkkinen
5th May 2001, 07:49
As far as I know, Shureido makes best gi so far. I have heard that Tokaido has some little glitches in their design (friend talk) but none has said anything negative about Shureido. Well, it's Okinawan, that's a little plus, too. =)

Ah, yes. Colour has a light stint of blue, so it appears "snow white" rather than normal bleached white, which is usually bit greyish or yellowish.

If you don't have so much to put in gi, try Kamikaze's line. Their "america" -model has been the best gi on price-to-quality -value I have yet run to.

Both Shureido and Kamikaze can be found via www.kamikaze.com