Finally got the time to take pictures of my recent purchase from budovideos of my new clinchgears. After listening to everyone hype them, and having waited forever for new nogis to be released, I took the plunge. Got them about two weeks ago and have had a little bit of a chance to put them through their paces.
Design:
The shorts themselves are sharp looking, although the colors are nowhere near as rich as in the product image when ordered. In the picture below, a pair of the nogi bones are underneath to provide some perspective of length. They rest a bit higher on my hips, but not overwhelmingly so. The side panels and crotch allow a decent level of stretch and have not had any trouble getting "caught" on my knees or having the shorts not flex enough.
Design (con't):
The shorts do get wet very easily and change colors drastically. Hitmans do not absorb water, and my Nogis are rather water resistant (and when they do begin to absorb water they do not turn a whole different color). These shorts do change color and this makes a big difference. Not that it is embarrassing in the gym, but it just feels kinda weird to have your shorts SOAKED by the time you walk out.
As in the very last picture below, the screen printing on the shorts is not the highest of quality. It may be due to the fabric on the sides, but they absorb water (sweat) VERY easily, change color, and at this point you can see that the logos bled. When they inked these shorts, the ink slightly bled out from the logo. When wet, it just looks inaccurate and not too high quality.
Durability:
While only two weeks in, the shorts should have a rather long expected life. The stitching is all double or triple tacked, so I'm not majorly concerned about that. Surprisingly there were no loose strings, which EVERY other pair of shorts I've ordered has come with at least one.
The shorts feel very light. Except for the waistband, which you can feel against you due to the heavy closure, the shorts feel almost effortless.
Closure:
The closure is the top down velcro that clinchgear has used for years, and it feels like a very strong closure. I've yet to hear any little pops from the velcro as it gets pulled on, and the waist feels pretty strong. It does NOT flex very well, so that is definitely something you have to get used to (although it is not noticeable once the shorts are on.)
This type of closure means that these shorts are VERY hard to fold. You cant fold them in any traditional style, so you have to fold them creatively. Or use a hanger with clips (lol).
Sizing:
The shorts are true to size. I am a:
- 31/32 in most jeans (especially near fight/tournament time).
- 32 in nogis (esp after washed a bunch and they shrink ever so slightly)
- 32 in hitmans (although those are fairly baggy now).
- 32 in ClinchGears.
There is NO drawstring, so adjusting it is not an option, although as of yet it has not presented any hindrance to wearing them.
Pros:
+ True to Size - shorts do not move around much.
+ Stretch just enough for most fighters, not overly so to be uncomfortable.
+ Feel very very light.
Cons:
- The logos are not high quality and look very poorly printed.
- Cant fold the shorts to fit in a drawer.
- Absorb water very easily and retain it for hours.
Overall, the shorts are designed VERY well, but the execution is far from flawless. The closure is great, but should have a split in the center so the shorts can be folded flat. This would be a very easy change for them to make, along with adding a drawstring for those fighters who shrink alot when cutting weight. My biggest gripe is that the screen printing is rather low quality. That may sound petty, but at $50 bucks a pop, the quality should be higher.
If fighterswearhouse or budo posts a coupon code for these @ $35, by all means rush, but at $50, I wouldnt rush out the door for them.
Total: 6.5/10.
