REVIEW: Padilla & Sons Blue Goldweave Kimono available from www.matrat.us
Size: A3
Quote:
Size 2 (A0) 4’5” - 5’ 75-110 lbs.
Size 3 (A1) 5’ – 5’6” 110- 135 lbs.
Size 4 (A2) 5’6” - 5’9” 140- 165 lbs.
Size 5 (A3) 5’9” - 6’ 170- 190 lbs.
Size 6 (A4) 6’ - 6’4” 195- 245 lbs.
Size 7 (A5) 6’ - 6’5” 250- 275 lbs.
Size 8 (A6) 6’5”- 6’9” 290- 325lbs.
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Heralded by many in the community for making very affordable but high quality kimonos, Joe Padilla's kimonos do indeed live up to the hype. For past years I'd heard mention of them here and there, read reviews on other dedicated GI review forums but didn't quite take too much of an interest as I was first and foremost a nogi grappler.
Having switched up to Judo in recent months, I began looking at new kimono's that would provide me with quality and durability to get me through training. Unfortunately not being in the judo-niche forums, I had no idea what to look at as far as brand kimono's go (aside from Mizuno), so I stuck to BJJ gi's since, well even though I didn't train GI, it's kinda hard to not learn and listen over the last what, crap 5 years on this forum? (I am getting old sheesh)
I had been looking for a good kimono for competition, and the fact is, nobody will ship a Lucky Gi to Australia and I'm not really looking to make loan payments to get one haha. Gameness is always solid but I wanted to try something else, so I picked up a Gold Weave from Joe.
Front shot of the kimono PRE-shrinking on my bed
The gi top and pants are heavier than my other kimonos, which was to be expected, I mean this was my first kimono which wasn't in the 'summer' category (i.e. the lighweight gi's). Nothing insanely heavy so you get used to it and it is not a hindurance.
Shot of the kimono pants PRE-Shrinking
Me in kimono pants
Collar is relatively thick, not too hard to grab onto, but solid.
Stitching throughout the gi is strong. I haven't had any frayed ends yet or anything loose that has been a bother, I've washed the gi maybe 5-7 times so far including my washes to shrink it.
Review continued next post
~Foz