Opinion on Black Belt Brands

[Ninjanoir78]

Interesting. I ordered the Tokaido brand and they sent me a Shureido instead. Its about $1.50 more. I'm guessing they may have been out of the Tokaido. Real nice belt. 11 rows of stitching. Thick belt. stitching looks real good. Even all the way.

Now, ask me in a few years how it wears.

So... How is your belt, do you have a shureido BST-C or C2? I mean regular coton(bst-c) or extra wide and thick (bst-c2) or in satin ? is it with embroidery? The service with doshin is good?

[Ninjanoir78]

Tokaido and Hirota make the best belts. They are expensive but worth it especially if you want your name written in Japanese on it. You can get them directly from Japan through a couple places like tokaidojapan.com and kuroobiya.com

Do you have hirota belt?? if so, what kind?

do you prefer hirota or tokaido (quality belt and embroidery)

[Holland]

My original shureido is now 15 years old and it has held up well. Frayed but still good looking.

You will enjoy that obi.

[mjh1969]

Good to know, I just bought a Shureido belt.

[SLK59]

KI International High Quality Black Belt, 100% cotton, 1 3/4" width and 12 rows of stitching. Price begins at $23.00, plus $36.00 for stitching on both ends. Excellent belt!

[mjh1969]

KI International High Quality Black Belt, 100% cotton, 1 3/4" width and 12 rows of stitching. Price begins at $23.00, plus $36.00 for stitching on both ends. Excellent belt!

Agreed I actually went down to the KI warehouse in Inglewood, CA last year and purchased one of them. Very nicely made belt. It's a simple durable belt as well, worth the money.

[Sailor Sindbad]

This is something that I'm thinking about, as I'm getting closer to brown belt. Things I'm thinking about first:

1. It appears that, at my dojo (ISKF Shotokan), you're given a plain cotton black belt (of the same brand and product lineup as the colored belts) upon reaching shodan. At nidan, you're gifted an embroidered 1.5 inch cotton Tokaido belt.

2. I don't know whether or not I'd be required to wear the plain cotton belt for the duration of the time that I'm a shodan, or if I can upgrade it myself if I want. There are two people in my class ahead of me (the lower of which is six months ahead), so I'm going to watch what they do.

3. Even if I'm required to wear the plain belt until reaching nidan, I don't think I'd want the Tokaido belt that's gifted to nidans. I'd want a 1.75 inch satin or silk belt that wears. In lieu of dan bars or coral/red belts (which Shotokan does not have), I would like to have something to show for my experience as I train beyond shodan.

The bottom line, of course, is whether or not it would be considered disrespectful to buy your own belt if you don't like the one that's gifted to you. Is there a general answer on that?

[aurik]

At our dojo you're given a plain cotton black belt when you reach shodan. Most of our adult students have purchased an embroidered belt to match their own tastes. We generally get our style in kanji on one end (Uechi Ryu or Uechi Ryu Karatedo) and our name in katakana on the other end. I personally purchased a kaataro belt mainly because they can do longer belts, and also because they have the widest range of coloured stitching. I opted for "soft" 1.75" belt and their metallic blue stitching:

I've now had it for a little over a year and it's held up very well.

[Nidan Melbourne]

This is something that I'm thinking about, as I'm getting closer to brown belt. Things I'm thinking about first:

1. It appears that, at my dojo (ISKF Shotokan), you're given a plain cotton black belt (of the same brand and product lineup as the colored belts) upon reaching shodan. At nidan, you're gifted an embroidered 1.5 inch cotton Tokaido belt.

2. I don't know whether or not I'd be required to wear the plain cotton belt for the duration of the time that I'm a shodan, or if I can upgrade it myself if I want. There are two people in my class ahead of me (the lower of which is six months ahead), so I'm going to watch what they do.

3. Even if I'm required to wear the plain belt until reaching nidan, I don't think I'd want the Tokaido belt that's gifted to nidans. I'd want a 1.75 inch satin or silk belt that wears. In lieu of dan bars or coral/red belts (which Shotokan does not have), I would like to have something to show for my experience as I train beyond shodan.

The bottom line, of course, is whether or not it would be considered disrespectful to buy your own belt if you don't like the one that's gifted to you. Is there a general answer on that?

To the bolded; i'm a Nidan myself and have been an Instructor for close to 20 years. Personally I don't believe that it is disrespectful to buy your own belt.

Generally people I know will just go with what their given, but for me I give all my Black Belt/Dan Grade Candidates a choice when it comes to receiving a new belt. They can choose the Brand, Style (ie Satin, Cotton etc) and also Color of the writing of their Name.

For me, when I was promoted to Shodan-Ho my club awarded everyone an Adidas Black Belt regardless if they opted for names to be put on the belt. All grades after that, we don't provide new belts unless they are given a special belt - ie 1/2 Black 1/2 Red or the "Candy Cane" Belt. Or if they are receiving a Menko Kaiden or a Hakama.

[sensei8]

This is something that I'm thinking about, as I'm getting closer to brown belt. Things I'm thinking about first:

1. It appears that, at my dojo (ISKF Shotokan), you're given a plain cotton black belt (of the same brand and product lineup as the colored belts) upon reaching shodan. At nidan, you're gifted an embroidered 1.5 inch cotton Tokaido belt.

2. I don't know whether or not I'd be required to wear the plain cotton belt for the duration of the time that I'm a shodan, or if I can upgrade it myself if I want. There are two people in my class ahead of me (the lower of which is six months ahead), so I'm going to watch what they do.

3. Even if I'm required to wear the plain belt until reaching nidan, I don't think I'd want the Tokaido belt that's gifted to nidans. I'd want a 1.75 inch satin or silk belt that wears. In lieu of dan bars or coral/red belts (which Shotokan does not have), I would like to have something to show for my experience as I train beyond shodan.

The bottom line, of course, is whether or not it would be considered disrespectful to buy your own belt if you don't like the one that's gifted to you. Is there a general answer on that?

To the bold type above...

Yes!! My general answer is this...It's just a belt!!

How one covets the belt is of a personal choice, of which, should be respected by others.

Imho!!