What karate gi should i buy

The fit and cut I love Shureido's cut the best. Compared to Seishin or Tokaido uniforms, Shureido has a more relaxed cut loose cotton top and pants. These loose-fitting uniforms are designed for comfort and allow a wide range of movement during training.

Sure it's a bit baggy, but that's what I like about it. Be sure to choose the size well as Shureido uniforms are made large. The material Shureido only uses the best material; all their Gi's are made from a special Japanese linen canvas. What I like about the Shureido's fabric is that it isn't too heavy or rigid; it has just the right firmness and holds its shape very well, even after years of usage.

The material is really tough; it can handle grabs and pulls without any problem. Don't be surprised, a new Shureido gi is slightly blue-hued, which fades over time. Shureido "blues" its fabric to guard against yellowing.

The top As you guessed it, Shureido uniforms have the traditional Okinawan cut - longer jacket, shorter sleeves, and shorter pants. It feels great every time you put it on for a training session.

Because the top is loose-fitting, it's is very comfortable, and it uses unique stitchings that keeps the shape of the Gi intact, even after many times washing it. The pants Like to top, Shureido pants are looser than other Karate uniforms and are also very comfortable, which is something I love.

They sit comfortably on the waist with enough room for stretching and kicking. Depending on the model, they come with either 2 or 4 loops for the cord, and like the Gi top, they can take lots of punishment.

Overall As I said at the beginning of this article, I really love Shureido. It's actually my favorite uniform company, and it has been for years. That's why I can confirm that the quality of this uniform is fantastic and that it can deal with hard training.

Other reasons why I like Shureido uniforms so much is that they look good, and are super comfortable. With Shureido, you'll get the best quality without the slightest compromise. I've been using Shureido uniform or more than 25 years, and I'll definitely continue to do so. For more information, check the Shureido Uniform on Amazon. Together with Shureido, Tokaido is one of the major and oldest Karate uniform manufacturers.

Since , Tokaido has been providing practitioners all over the world with some of the finest Karate uniforms. All Tokaido uniforms are cut and sewn by hand by artisans whose expertise has been acquired through long years of dedication to their art.

Tokaido uniforms are made out of cotton that comes from a centuries-old process. Tokaido was actually the first company in the world to manufacture uniforms exclusively for Karate practice.

Tokaido produces two main styles of karate uniform: a standard version used more for regular training and kata competition, and a lighter version used more for kumite competition. I based this review on my Tokaido Ultimate. The fit and cut Compared to Shureido uniforms, Tokaido has a standard, slimmer cut. It's a great cut, and it looks good, but personally, I find it to be too slim and 'narrow' for my taste.

Even if the uniform is labeled as "Japanese cut", the sleeves, pants are a little longer than the Shureido cut, but shorter than the European cut. Because Tokaido uniforms are slimmer, I would advise to buy one size up just to be safe. The material Like other uniforms in this list, Tokaido uses only the best fabrics. High-end Tokaido uniforms have multiple stitches and reinforced seams for extra strength. In terms of durability, I must say that Tokaido's high-grade cotton canvas, is pretty tough and resistant - it's comparable to Shureido's material.

The top Nothing special to say about Tokaido's top except that its made of excellent quality, and will provide you with many years of service. Also, as I mentioned before, Tokaido uniforms are on the slim side. Lightweight gi are generally cheaper and sometimes downright cheap.

The brand you choose will have a big effect on the price tag. The major differences in regards to brands is often how stiff they are and how well they lay on the body. When you are shopping around, one of the best things to do is find people that wear different brands.

Ask them how they like the fit and material, and if you are feeling really froggy, ask them if you can try it on. When it comes to getting a uniform that is right for you, tactile experience is the highest priority. Email address:.

These help with circulation and sweat control, all while being designed to be even more comfortable than standard outfits and clothes.

These can cost a lot more than your standard underwear, however, so we only recommend them for people who take such training seriously. You get three pairs for just around 25 dollars, which is a great bargain. Thompson Tee is a company specialized in t-shirts and tank tops and similar upper body clothing, all of which are sweat- and odor-proof.

Check them out on Amazon by clicking on this link if you are interested! A pretty common question on the internet actually has to do with the maintenance of your gi. It is: can you tumble dry your karate gi? The reason this question gets asked so often is that there are a lot of different opinions on the topic available online. But why do the opinions differ in the first place? The two different ideas are that one: you should either never use any external heat source to dry the gi except natural elements such as air, sun, wind, etc.

One side, the one we mentioned earlier, mainly brings up two arguments for line drying your gis. One is tradition. Basically, they are the ones who say that not only should you not tumble dry your gi, you should also wash it with cold water, due to shrinkage.

The other argument we touched in in a previous sentence is the possible shrinkage of the gi. In many instances, drying the gi leads to its shrinkage, which many people do not like to deal with.

On the other hand, there are people who are totally okay with tumble drying. We believe you should be able to tumble dry your gis but do so on a smaller and lighter setting to reduce the risk of substantial gi shrinkage. Tumble drying makes it feel crisp and is also the more hygienic of the two options.

If you are interested in washing your gi and keeping it white for longer periods of time, the next section is for you, but if you are interested in whitening your gi, either for a ceremonial occasion, demonstration, or test, or just because you enjoy having the crisp whiteness on you, this part of this article is written for you.

Instead, you should use oxygen bleach. This will whiten your gi perfectly, and the only step left is to wash it with cold water in order to wash out the bleach.

Then, you should air-dry the gi for maximum effect, for the added benefit of the whitening effect of the UV light the Sun emits. So you have had long hours of training and your karate gi has a couple of bloodstains, some sort of dirt, or just gentle discoloration due to aging, and you want to reverse that. Keeping your gi white is a symbol of discipline and commitment to the art, so knowing how to whiten out your gi is an essential tool if you are looking to train karate.

The first step would be to pre-soak your gi. If there are bloodstains on it, do so in cold water, and if there is no blood but other types of dirt, use warm water not hot! To the pre-soaking liquid, add a spoon of baking soda, since it helps destroy odor molecules and neutralize smells, and also add a heavy-duty detergent like Tide to clean the gi. The reason you do not want to use warm water on blood-stained gis is due to the fact that blood coagulates from warmth.

That means that it will just get even more stuck to your gi, potentially becoming near-impossible to clean. You always have to check your gi for possible blood-stains, since mishandling a situation like this might leave your gi scarred for life.

When you have pre-soaked your gi, it is time to wash it. Add your typical laundry detergent, and in they go to the machine.

Do not place your belt into the machine, that requires a different process we will talk about in a minute. After it has been washed, you can choose either to tumble dry it or if you are more for keeping the quality of your gi as long as possible, air dry it. Your belt should always be washed by hand, in cold water mixed with detergent.

It is a sensitive piece of clothing that can easily shrink or deform if you wash it in a machine. Belts should always be given special care since they are the most sensitive part of your karate gi. Naturally, the drying process of your belt should also happen exclusively with air-drying, and by no means with tumble drying or other machine drying. The way you soften the material actually depends on the exact material your gi is made of.

Usually, heavyweight gis are crafted solely from percent cotton. Typically, karate schools require beginning students to wear white or black uniforms. Colored uniforms like red and blue are worn by more experienced students or those who have earned a black belt. Karate students rely on sizing charts to find a uniform with the proper fit. Uniform sizes range from to 8, going from smallest to largest. To begin, shoppers look on a sizing chart for their height range and then find the corresponding weight range.

Occasionally, a uniform that accommodates a student's weight will need to be tailored to attain the proper length. Karate students find lightweight to heavyweight karate uniforms in a variety of sizes and colors at AWMA.

Karate belts are fashioned for double wrapping, which means the belt wraps twice around the waist before it is tied off. One exception is a child's belt, which features hook and loop closure and only wraps once around the waist. Generally, the size of a karate belt matches the uniform size. Occasionally, students require a larger or smaller belt.