Hirota MH-11 MidWeight Gi Review

[DarthPenguin]

Hi,

I recently ordered and received a MH-11 gi from Hirota and i thought it might be helpful to others to post a review. I have always looked for these when it comes time to purchase a new gi myself.

Sizing

My size : 6'4" and 220/225lbs.

Size ordered : size 7

I had been undecided between ordering a size 7 or a 6.5 as i didn't want it to be too long or baggy but equally, since it comes from Japan, i didn't want it to look comically small. Eventually i decided on the size 7. I emailed Kuroobiya to ask and they couldn't recommend an exact size (due to personal preferences etc) but they did send some very helpful information on the likely shrinkage (they gave estimated lengths and %) and this was extremely helpful.

Once opened sizing seemed really good when i took it out of the packet. Slightly longer than i would ideally like and slightly baggy but i was expecting to shrink it a little to fit so this was fine. I could tell that once shrunk a little in a warm wash and dry it will be pretty much perfect size wise.

Delivery

Ordered from Japan and it took approx 6 wks to arrive. This was clearly advertised BEFORE i paid any money to place the order so no problem here. As long as i am told in advance that it will take a while i have no problem with that. I am aware that i am an unusual size so don't expect as many to be on hand.

Item was well packaged and i got regular delivery updates once it was shipped and letting me know what was happening every step of the way, which is always good

Also didn't get hit with a customs charge which is always nice!

Quality

Build quality seems really good. It just feels good quality as soon as you take it out of the packet. Everything seems well machined and put together. Will obviously have to see how it holds up to repeated training sessions over and extended period of time, but i doubt that will be an issue. If it is i will update review accordingly.

Only thing i would say is even as a MW gi it still feels really light to me, though this is likely because i am used to bjj gi's. I may be tempted to go for a HW one down the line when i feel like i need another one to see what it is like

Value for Money

No getting away from it, the gi isn't cheap. They do give a lot of customisation options which i liked (you can even request that the gi is pre-shrunk to the size ordered). I've never minded spending a decent amount on quality MA gear though as it is so much more pleasant to train in plus the longer wear saves money in the long run (i have some bjj gi's i have had for over a decade, with them initially seeing usage about twice a week each).

I will come back and edit this section in a few months as i think how something has held up over time is a better estimate of value for money for me.

Would i order again?

Initial thoughts are yes, though i would possibly go for the heavier model. Again i will update if that changes over time.

[Sailor Sindbad]

Hi,

I recently ordered and received a MH-11 gi from Hirota and i thought it might be helpful to others to post a review. I have always looked for these when it comes time to purchase a new gi myself.

I own two of these gis. Unfortunately, I had to retire them due to moving to a new dojo that only requires one patch from a dojo that required two, and didn't want to have an exposed "patch mark" at the new dojo. Also, I switched brands (to Tokaido) because I wanted the ISKF label.

I regret switching brands. IMHO, the MH-11 is the best damn gi ever. Better than the overpriced Takumi (which is for show, in my opinion. It's not very comfortable).

The two Tokaido Kata Masters (12 oz) that I currently use cost a total of $400 (which includes the chest embroidery). I'm not hurting for money, so I could buy two new MH-11's now if I wanted to; but I'm also smart with it (at least I'd like to think so), so I will probably wear the Tokaidos for a year to "get my money's worth" before switching back to the Hirota MH-11.

I am open to trying out the Tokaido Shikon/TAW (the made-in-Japan middleweight), if anyone here has worn both that and the Hirota MH-11 and can give a comparison.

[bushido_man96]

Thank you for posting this review.

[DarthPenguin]

Brief update - thats me had it and worn it several times over the last few weeks. Still very happy with it. Dries quickly and fit is pretty much perfect. Feels slightly tighter than my other gis when wearing it but is well cut and no restrictions at all in movement.

I'll add another update a few months down the line but currently extremely happy with it and quite likely to purchase another!