Gi expertise needed!

[Lachrymosa]

It has been around 8 months I have started studying Karate and my Budo-World light weight Gi is starting to get worn out. I have searched a lot on these forums about different brands and weight and I have a couple more questions.

Is a heavyweight Gi that much warmer than a lightweight one? At my school we do not have A/C and it can get hot during summer and I sweat and get hot quite easily. As a yellow belt, I do not do a lot of bunkai / throw down so I do not yet need the sturdiness of heavyweight Gi. I am 27 too so I will not outgrow my Gi anytime soon and I have not started to shrink yet!

Does a heavyweight Gi last longer than a lightweight Gi and is it worth it to buy a good quality lightweight Gi?

For lightweight, the only one I found that seemed interesting was the Arawaza Diamond.

For heavyweight, there is lots of choice, tokaido, kamikaze, arawaza (must ship to Canada) but its hard to know even the difference between two heavyweight Gi of the same brand. (There is Shureido, but I was not able to find any online site that ship to Canada)

I am open for suggestions and comments!

Thanks for your time

Lachrymosa

[bushido_man96]

I prefer heavier gis, but that is just my preference. I like the pop in them, and they last a bit longer.

As for brands, I don't really recommend any. I just wear what my instructor orders. I have heard good things about Shureido, though.

[dineshm]

https://www.kuroobiya.com , the site owner is very knowledgeable and should ship to canada

.

Yes heavywieght Gi are warmer.

I guess it should last longer, though they are making lightwieght uniforms pretty good lately.

I personally have only owned heavywieght uniforms with the exception of one.

If you have the money, the Shureido New Wave 3 is a good buy, expensive, but light and sturdy while still giving you the snap and feel of a heavywieght uniform.

[white owl]

I perfer my karate depot gi (med. weight)I have had 3 years and still wearing it. I recently purchased a heavey weight gi for tournaments and did wear in class this spring it was very hot compared to my med. weight gi and we do not have ac either. and I do throws and get thown in my med. weight gi every once in while I have to resew a tie in it. But the price is right.

[JohnASE]

Yes, as a rule, heavy weight gis will be much warmer than light weight gis. Of course, your light weight gi is probably poly/cotton, so it's already warmer than a 100% cotton light weight gi, but I think most heavy weights will still be noticeably warmer.

If you don't want to go too heavy, there are some gis that are about 10 or 11 oz instead of the usual 12 to 14 oz of the heavier gis. They're heavier than the typical medium weight and often made of better quality cloth, but they're lighter and cooler than the typical heavy weight.

I believe the Adidas Contest Karategi is in that range. I'm not sure, but maybe the Tokon Spirit, too. I probably shouldn't say if I'm not sure, but if you're interested, you can follow up on it. There are others, too.

I just looked up the Arawaza Diamond you mentioned. You know that's a kumite gi, right? It's designed specifically for kumite. I'm not saying you shouldn't get it, but I wanted to make sure you knew what it was. It should breathe well, but it's probably very flexible, unstructured material. Comfortable, but it won't give you the pop that bushido_man96 mentioned, so it's not a great kata gi. I think most people use them primarily for kumite competition, not as a regular workout gi.

Oh, and with proper care, a heavy weight gi will likely last a lot longer than a light weight gi.

Good luck finding the right gi!

[Lachrymosa]

I knew that the Arawaza Diamond Gi was a kumite gi, but my concern was more about breathability than the popping sound. I though it would make a difference compared to a normal lightweight Gi. It does dry faster but I am still as hot and I sweat just as much.

The Gi is also weird looking since it is embossed. It reminds of paper towel. I also find the Gi a bit too long, I though I would be correct since size 5 is 5'6"-5'8" and I am 5'7'' but I have the wear the pant above the waist line and I find the top to be too big. And since it is a poly/cotton blend it does not shrink when you wash or dry it.

I will probably buy another one in the near future since I am not too happy with the one I bought.

[JohnASE]

Yeah, kumite gis are designed to fit bigger and looser than standard gis to allow for better freedom of movement. Maybe their sizing chart is off, too.

Kumite gis tend to have odd texture. I guess it's an attempt to add structure without adding weight. Adidas and Tokaido kumite gis both have it, too.

Sorry you're not happy with your purchase. I bet there's no getting away from being hot and sweaty when you work out in a hot (humid?) environment. For your next gi, you might find cotton more comfortable. It definitely absorbs sweat better. Of course, that means it won't dry as quickly.

[Lachrymosa]

My problem was not that much about sweating and drying but more about being too hot. Arawaza Diamond is suppose to be the best at breathability but it was not up to my expectations. It is not worse than my other standard lightweight Gi but I really do not like the cut.

I will probably try to go for a medium or maybe heavyweight 100% cotton Gi for my next purchase. I guess with time I will find the Gi that best fit me.

[Shoto4Life]

Try juka.com They have a 10oz dragon tournament cut gi thats really good quality -actually like a 12oz - good snap. Its the same thing as the tokon spirit.

Or kiintl.com try their mugen black label 12oz tournament gi.

Both are quality cotton canvas qis which is what you want. The dragons run tighter in the chest that the mugen and the mugen comes in half sizes. So get a half size smaller in the mugen than what you would get in the dragon. They are both only $70 bones!

People always talk about heavier gis being hotter. I dont understand this as hard pratice will make you hot either way! The difference is that with a good gi it will soak all the sweat up and it wont stick to you. Get a good 12oz cotton canvas gi and you will be happy for years.

[Mokuso]

If you are still looking for a Shureido Gi, don't look any further. Tokyodo International (Shureido's new name) is now available in Canada, fully customised and personalised (if wanted). See https://www.karategi.ca.

If you are looking for a heavy weight gi, I would recommend the K-10. The K-10 is an improved version of Shureido K-10. Or, if you can afford it, Tokyodo's top quality gi, SP-1000.

Tokyodo International is currently in the Top 3 of best quality gi, made in Japan.