Budo Nord, SBI and Fighter Gear are three martial arts brand names that have coloured most of my years in the martial arts. As the official supply to many national teams in a variety of martial arts all over Scandinavia, they have always stood for quality and diversity.
I recently reviewed the Coracao (ironically a white gi) and here is my review of the Sao Paolo (blue). I have had my hands full with a whole bunch of projects which meant I have taken my time with these reviews but as we say in Sweden: For he who waits for something good, the wait is never too long.
Here's the Part Time Grappler's review:
Sao Paulo BJJ gi, by Fighter Gear, a sub-brand of Budo Nord.
The team at Budo Nord sent me this gi to review. Budo Nord sell the Sao Paolo gi for 990 Swedish Kronor which works out to around €1, $152 or £96. Their delivery time from their massive warehouses in Sweden to Manchester, UK was a very impressive 6 days.
Gi Review:
This is a very sturdy gi. It immediately reminded me of the MKimono I reviewed not too long ago. It's perfectly suitable for both BJJ and Judo.
The gi arrived in a see-thru plastic bag in under a week! In fact, I think by the time I finished reading the email saying they had sent it, there was a knock on the door! At least, that's how it felt. As usual, I weighed myself holding the gi then weighed myself without and the difference told me that the Fighter Gear Sao Paolo gi weighs approximately 1.7 kg
Lots of gi pictures:
The gi I was sent is an A2 (keeping the shrinkage in mind as I'm 5'10'' (175cm) and weigh 185lb (84kg), measurements below:
Out of the bag
Wing Span : 156 cm (61.5 inch)
Wrist Cuff: 19 cm (7.5 inch)
Jacket Length: 82 cm (32.5 inch)
Jacket Width: 59 cm (23 inch)
Waist Width: 52 cm ( 20.5 inch)
Outside Leg Measurement: 104 cm (41 inch)
Inside LM: 74 cm (29 inch)
Ankle Cuff: 23 cm (9 inch)
After 3 washes at 40 degrees:
Wing Span : 153cm (60 inch)Wrist Cuff: 17.5 cm (7 inch)
Jacket Length: 82 cm (32.5 inch)
Jacket Width: 56 cm (22 inch)
Waist Width: 49 cm (19 inch)
Outside Leg Measurement: 98.5 cm ( 39 inch)
Inside LM: 72 cm ( 28 inch)
Ankle Cuff: 22 cm (8.5 inch)
More or less, everything shrunk, at least a little. Which is fine because the gi was quite large out of the bag and now it fits very nicely.
The only think that shrunk a little too much is the sleeve length. As you can se from the picture above, I'm showing quite a lot of wrist :)
The general fit of the gi is roomy (for someone of my height and build). The fabric is very soft even after many washes and test drives. It's comfortably cut, especially for Judo sessions, but it might be too roomy for competitions.
Another thing: It's a warm gi! It's clear to see that Budo Nord and SBI have a long history and tradition in making garments that withstand the high demands of martial arts (Sport Jujutsu, a blend of competition karate, judo and ground work, is a massive sport in Scandinavia and Germany, which Budo Nord cater for extensively).
As for competition legality, other than the shrinkage, there's hardly any patchwork on it. It's a little too heavy to be your first choice for a competition but it's a lovely gi to train in or attend seminars and gradings.
Negative points?
Just the sleeve shrinkage really. Otherwise a lovely warm, snuggly, soft gi to train in. The lack of patches makes it suitable for your own creativity / affiliation patches.
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ZHOO ZHITSU IS FOR EVERYONE!
Liam "The Part Time Grappler" Wandi
Proudly sponsored by Predator Fightwear: Built for the kill and Brutal TShirt: Made By Grapplers For Fighters
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