Middle weight/summer gi

[chiliphil1]

Thank you Chiliphil. Have you ordered from them? If you're in the U.S., did you have to pay import taxes, and if so, how much? I don't want to order something thinking I'm going to save $50 and find out I have to spend more than the savings in tariffs, and wait 3 weeks on top of that. I don't mind waiting a bit for shipping, but if I'm only saving a few bucks when's all said and done, then there's no point. I don't know anyone who's imported stuff like this before, so I don't know what I'm getting in to.

No, I have not ordered from them. I do not know if there would be duties or not though I would think that they wouldn't be much considering the price isn't very high, I know if you order a guitar from Japan you generally will not pay anything as far as imports go, as long as it is shipped with Japan post EMS it comes right to your door. The only reason I would recommend them would be for the mis matched sizes, no where else offers that with Shuriedo. If you don't need the different sizes I would say stick with discount mas, they are a bit more BUT they are in the USA.

[JR 137]

Thank you again. I've got to look up sizes because I can't remember what size my old one was. I saw measurement charts somewhere. If I need different sizes, Okinawadirect may be my best bet.

No matter what I get, I always have to have the sleeves and legs hemmed.

[chiliphil1]

Thank you again. I've got to look up sizes because I can't remember what size my old one was. I saw measurement charts somewhere. If I need different sizes, Okinawadirect may be my best bet.

No matter what I get, I always have to have the sleeves and legs hemmed.

You can look here http://www.okinawadirect.com/shopcontent.asp?type=DogiSizing

I don't know if I have ever gotten a dogi that fit right out of the box, generally it goes to the tailor as soon as I get it.

[Nidan Melbourne]

Kinda have to admit that the uniforms you guys have spoken about I have no idea about. Purely because where i train we don't usually see those brands.

All i can say is definitely shop around and find a gi that you will like.

[JR 137]

The problem is there's no place to shop around, so I have to ask opinions. It would be great if a store in the mall carried several lines of gis.

I wonder if there's some sort of storefront in Manhattan that carries MA stuff. You can find everything and anything there, so there must be one somewhere. I used to live 45 minutes away from there and never saw one or heard of one though.

Shureido and Tokaido are karate's most famous gi brands. Unless I'm wrong, and I very well might be, they're the original high-end karate gis. Tokon is very popular everywhere else where it's sold as Kamikaze. It's called Tokon in the States due to copyright issues, I'm lead to believe.

[Wastelander]

We have had good experiences with KI International at my dojo. My Sensei got one of their higher end dogi, recently, and he really likes it--maybe even more than his (several) Shureido dogi. They don't last quite as long, but they are still pretty durable and comfortable, in addition to being cheaper.

[JR 137]

Thank you, Wastelander. I'm currently wearing a KI 14 oz. heavyweight. It's a great gi for the money. It's too heavy for me this time of year in our hot dojo. July and August are going to be so much worse once the humidity rolls in. It's close to a Shureido in cut, but not exactly. Compared to a Shureido K-10, the Shureido's cost is very hard to justify on paper ($75 or so vs $200 or so). I feel like some elitist snob when I say this, but having worn both, I'd spend the extra money.

I'm about to buy the Shueido K-11, but I want to find a Tokon sizing chart before I make my final decision so I know 100% that I made the right decision. All the Tokon charts I've found are practitioner height and weight rather than actual gi dimensions.

The Tokaido TAW looks interesting too now though. From what I've learned by looking at actual gi dimensions -

I'm a size 5.5 in traditional Shureido cut

4.5 in Shureido tournament cut

6.5 in Tokaido

My current KI is a 5

By all the height and weight charts, I'm a 5.

Wondering how Tokon will fit.

The Shureido tournament cut seems closest to my dimensions. Mainly shoulder width and jacket length. Any gi will need about a foot cut off the pants and sleeves. Maybe an exaggeration.

[JR 137]

I called Shureido USA today. Very nice people. I'll definitely order from them rather than anyone else. The price of the gi is about $10 more than discountmas.com, but they impressed me with the conversation. Here's what they do...

You measure yourself - shoulders, chest, biceps, thighs, waist, etc. They can make any adjustments to the gi, and will split sizes - different jacket and pants if necessary. The cost of sleeve and leg length alteration is only $10. I'm pretty sure it'll look like a factory hem. Maybe the factory does this?

I'd have ordered today, but I called from work and didn't know they'd go that in depth with measurements. I figured it would be a situation of "these are my current gi measurements, I want this longer, that shorter, etc., what size do you recommend?

My beautiful bride has offered to pay for it as a combined Father's Day and birthday gift. My 4 year old and 2 year old have been telling her "Daddy needs a new gi for Father's Day." Jedi mind tricks.

[JohnASE]

Hi JR. I just replied to your message and popped by the forum and found this thread. Sorry I didn't see it earlier.

Glad to hear Shureido USA will cut a gi for you. I hadn't heard they do that. I'd guess they have someone here who does it. Having one customized in Okinawa and sent by itself to the USA would be pricey. I'm sure they'll do a good job. Quality is very important to them.

[JR 137]

Thank you, John. I just read your PM, and it's very informative. By the time I get the Shureido K-11, pay shipping and haven them alter it, it's really getting up there in price. I didn't know the altered gi either until I called and they mentioned it.

The Tokon Spirit intrigues me. Maybe a Spirit now, and a Shureido or Europa in January when I finally get rid of the $1500 per month daycare bill.