I've tried most of the various Gi (or 'Dogi' or 'Ghi'... a karate uniform) that are on the market today, and some have been better than others. But none of them were great. Well, my wife thought that I should treat myself to a nicer-than-average uniform as a "gift" in celebration of my promotion* to the rank of black belt. I thought this was a nice idea—I always like to spend money on myself—so I began a quest, scouring the web for the nicest uniform money could buy. Of course, I mentioned it to my sensei first to make sure he was OK with it (many schools derive a good portion of their income from equipment and uniform sales... and I do feel somewhat guilty robbing them of a a few-bucks profit, so I'll stuff an extra few bucks in the water jar the next time I'm at the dojo).
Anyway, to make a long story short, we found a very nice-looking Gi that was phenomenally expensive. Sticker shock hit, and I though "no, the money could be used better somewhere else". Then I thought more and more about how nice it would be to have a brand new uniform for the promotion test, cleaned and pressed and newly-adorned with school insignia and patches. So I caved in and we ordered a karate-style Dogi from BuJin Design. It totaled (including express shipping) just over $150. Ouch.
But today it arrived...
It is beautiful. While its hard to tell for certain (it is cut to accommodate shrinkage, and so its too big at the moment) it seems to have a superior fit than most. It is very obvious that they've taken a very personal interest in designing a Gi that will be used by real students. It is both well stitched and uses good materials. For instance, in place of the small strip of stitched cotton that is often used to tie the Gi, there are medium-weight nylon strips, knotted at the free end and sewn to the body at both the point where it attaches and then again at the point of stress. I've had so many of these things rip apart (often ripping the gi beyond repair) that I was happy to see this innovation. Another unique feature is the pants-closure. It is a combination of a zipper placket, a velcro closure (in place of a snap or button) and a nylon belt that is threaded through an elasticized waist (traditional drawstring pants are also available).
I'm dying to wash this puppy up and get it shrunk down to where it is a better fit. I'll reserve final judgment until then, but I'm guessing that this uniform was well worth the money, and that it will end up being my new favorite. I predict buying other colors as soon as our household economy allows.
* Yes, I am counting my chickens before they hatch. But I've been training so hard that even if I fail I'll still be able to rationalize the purchase as a consolation prize.
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