buying an expensive GI as a white belt

[Shojiko]

I've noticed that several of my teammates (blue belt and above) wear Shoyoroll (which tend to be on the pricey end)

One day, a much higher belted teammate made a joke about a white belt who rolls and wears a Shoyoroll for class.

Of course, anyone can dress however they like, but I believe there is a stigma associated with a newbie wearing expensive gis to train, especially among the more experienced belts.

[Zaine]

Weird. One of the first thing I tell people who seem to be intent on sticking around is to buy a good quality gi (I don't recommend a brand per say) because it will last them longer and feel better (not to mention give good snap). Maybe there's a belief here that higher quality gis are for upper ranks? Or perhaps they think the white belt a fool for dropping over $100 on a gi that they might not use do to turnover. Who know. I tend to not care very much what anyone wears, as long as they're in uniform.

[Zaine]

I just took a peek at the prices of Shoyoroll on their website. It's very likely that the disparaging tone is coming from spending $250 on a gi for a hobby that you've only just started.

[DarthPenguin]

Tbh different academies can be different. My current one no-one cares what people wear as long as they train hard : some guys come in camo gi's etc.

Personally i have always had a rule that i won't wear a black gi until i get my purple belt, but that is more as an internal motivator as i think they look great!

I think if people are training enough then no-one will make any comments. They might comment on the guy who comes along occasionally once a week in the new Shoyoroll but the guy who is there 4 times a week in the same they won't bother about.

If you are considering a Shoyoroll i still use my Americana that i got years ago and it is still probably the most comfortable gi i use. I usually vary between that and an Atam Mundial i got a decade ago. Not sure what the shoyoroll quality is like now though - i always heard that the quality varied batch to batch.

[Nidan Melbourne]

I have only seen a handful of White Belts go out and buy an expensive Gi over the years.

Although i've trained for 20 years, and i've only bought 1 expensive Gi (Seishin) over the years. But can't bear to go buy another any time soon. That might just be my hip pocket talking and not wanting to dish out over $200 on a uniform that i'd have to get customised anyway.

[sensei8]

I try to discourage beginning students from purchasing an expensive gi until they're sure that training in the MA is what they want to do long term. I highly encourage beginning students in putting their hard-earned money in a Student Uniform, several nationwide MA supply companies offer them for purchase at a great low price.

[Nidan Melbourne]

I try to discourage beginning students from purchasing an expensive gi until they're sure that training in the MA is what they want to do long term. I highly encourage beginning students in putting their hard-earned money in a Student Uniform, several nationwide MA supply companies offer them for purchase at a great low price.

I agree, i've heard from several former students who quit after participating in their first grading and bought an expensive Gi then complained that they should never have bought it in the first place.

Which is funny as they passed on the uniform that we generally give to students as part of their introductory program. Which we also sell at the price we purchase them at.

hmmmmm $200 Gi over a $50 one that is still pretty good quality.

[Zaine]

That's a very good policy. A lot of dojos (mine included) will give you your first gi after you've made your first tuition payment. No need to push $100+ dollars on a fancier gi right out of the gate.

[Sailor Sindbad]

I moved from a dojo that gives free gis to new students to one that requires students to purchase their own.

I like the latter policy better.

The free gis given at the former are of obvious low quality and don't look very good. In my estimation, I'd assume that the intent of those free gis being issued is to get a student started immediately to give them time to purchase their own later, but it doesn't always work out like that. I've seen people make it all the way up to shodan with the free uniform, but not too long after, they purchase one that's higher quality (I'm assuming they were probably told to by the kancho).

I like the idea of students being required to purchase their gis from the beginning, because it requires them to compare gis and make selections based on those comparisons - i.e., they're more likely to select ones that are of higher quality.

I'd much rather see a white belt in an expensive gi than a black belt in a cheap one.

[DarthPenguin]

I moved from a dojo that gives free gis to new students to one that requires students to purchase their own.

I like the latter policy better.

The free gis given at the former are of obvious low quality and don't look very good. In my estimation, I'd assume that the intent of those free gis being issued is to get a student started immediately to give them time to purchase their own later, but it doesn't always work out like that. I've seen people make it all the way up to shodan with the free uniform, but not too long after, they purchase one that's higher quality (I'm assuming they were probably told to by the kancho).

I like the idea of students being required to purchase their gis from the beginning, because it requires them to compare gis and make selections based on those comparisons - i.e., they're more likely to select ones that are of higher quality.

I'd much rather see a white belt in an expensive gi than a black belt in a cheap one.

Not wanting to be confrontational here but can i ask why? The quality of someone's gi (in my opinion at least) has no bearing at all upon their skills.

Martial arts is an expensive activity so i don't see why you would want to price people out by almost making them use a pricey gi?

I know that wherever i have trained they would much rather you turned up and trained in an old gi than didn't train at all - for me the decision to pay the greater fees for training more often vs an expensive gi is a no brainer.

I am probably being slightly hypocritical here as i just ordered myself a new Hirota karate gi which wasn't cheap and i use quite expensive bjj gi's too but i have never really looked at someone else's gi other than wondering what one they had as it looked a decent fit and they look the same size as me etc!

Can i ask what would be wrong with the black belt being in a cheap gi? Doesn't the colour of the belt show their dedication and commitment to the art?

Again i hope this doesn't come across as confrontational, i am genuinely curious as it is an opinion that i haven't heard before and it might be a line of thought i am oblivious too and a gap in my own knowledge!