Datsusara Hemp Combat Gi (HCG-02)
100% Hemp Gi
Metrics:
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 155 lbs.
Size: A2
Just received the gi this weekend. Washed it, but haven't had a chance to roll in it yet. In the meantime, I'll give you my first impressions, some constructive critiques, and some pics.
First Impressions:
-Gi was soft, but not overly soft. Definitely not like my Atama Mundial #7 which felt like wearing sandpaper after hang drying. It was a little itchy before washing, not so after.
-Gi was definitely big out of the bag. It was too wide in the torso area, and sleeves and pants had some room to shrink. Before buying, I knew I had to shrink this down a bit (this is a matter of personal preference, I like my gis to be more fitted).
-Skipping the initial cold wash that was suggested in the instructions included with the gi, I went straight for the warm water wash. After the cycle I checked the gi and it had shrunken up very nicely, to pretty much where I wanted it. I'd say about a couple of inches in the sleeves, torso, and pants. I am only going to cold wash and hang dry from now on.
-This gi dries FAST! One of the benefits that Datsusara advertises is the breathability of the fabric, and it is definitely true. I washed a light single weave cotton gi before washing the Datsusara gi, and a day later, the Datsusara gi is nearly dry (the collar feels a bit damp, but everything else is dry), while my cotton gi is still moist throughout. This gi is not really a lightweight gi, so it is not the weight of the material that causes the gi to dry fast, but rather the use of hemp.
-I was pleasantly surprised by the weave of the jacket. It is truly a BJJ weave. Not a hybrid, not a flat weave (see OTM XLC 240), not ripstop (see Kauai Kimonos), it looks like a standard gold or double weave. I'm not saying this is going to pass an IBJJF inspection (it could, who knows?), but it looks like a regular BJJ weave. Jacket is also one piece in the back.
-Also when I saw demonstrations of the gi with light passing through, it made me hesitate for a second thinking the weave was loose and the jacket would stretch out. This is not the case as the weave is tight, and a few good tugs haven't stretched the jacket out.
-Pants are nice, slightly thick. Hopefully the hemp material will keep these cool. There is nice reinforced knee pads from mid-thigh down to mid-shin, which is longer than usual.
-Pants came with two types of drawstrings. A flat drawstring (default), and a rope-style drawstring. I decided to switch the flat out for the rope since I hate when the drawstring binds up after a session, which happens more frequently with the flat type.
-I followed this excellent youtube video from killerbeegi.com (
YouTube - Make Your Own BJJ Gi Drawstring and Thread It Easily) to restring the pants. I used a safety pin instead of a dowel to thread the rope through the pants. A little slower than the example, but I didn't have a dowel lying around the house.
-I have a feeling I may however end up switching back to the flat style drawstring because the rope string is just twisted rope (instead of a braid or weave). I fear that it will slowly unravel and fray with use. I hope I am wrong.
-The natural white color is definitely beige colored, so you may be shocked. I'm going to try wash it with oxiclean and see if it whitens it up a bit. I was told that back in the old days, unbleached was all the rage, so I could use this as a tribute to days past.
-A common thing I'm reading on the forums is the sleeves are a bit wide, and that is true. It's OK for me though, and you'll definitely be able to pass one of those gi checker tools if this material is ever legalized for IBJJF competition.
-Collar is damn thick. It is probably the thickest collar I've had out of the gis I have owned (Atama, Isami, Shoyoroll, Alma, Koral). I have rolled with someone with a Howard gi, and they are known to have one of the thickest collars in the business, and I would almost liken this collar to that, perhaps a step lower.
-Some people will say this is a plus, in that they think it's harder for you to get choked. I think you should protect your neck regardless of collar thickness, and no amount of collar material is going to save you from a well placed choke. The collar is also whiter than the rest of the jacket.
-Mon embroidery is awesome. Back placement is not quite optimal (lower down the back than I would have liked for art that size), but it's still nice.
-Loose threads! I read this elsewhere in the forums, but my gi was full of them. I took a long time going throughout the gi trimming all the excess so it wouldn't get worse. Some areas looked as if they were finishing a stitch, and just stopped right there and left whatever extra thread they happened to have dangling. Not a big deal since a quick trim is all that was needed, and most gis I have purchased have a few loose threads here and there, but this one definitely had a lot more than usual.
Some suggestions:
-Taper the sleeves a bit
-Fix embroidery placement, with a small patch go higher up the back, with a bigger patch go towards the middle of the back.
-Quality control, loose threads, random material markings.
Overall I was very impressed by the gi, one because it feels like a quality-made gi, and also because it is somewhat of a pioneering effort by Chris from Datsusara. I look forward to rolling with it and updating my findings tomorrow.
Now here are some pics for you to enjoy (sorry the quality is junk, I didn't have my usual camera and had to use my iphone):
Datsusara MMA patch on pants, covered by jacket when wearing gi.
I can see the light!
sleeve width
close up of the jacket weave
pants with rope drawstring
. I am surprised that the lapel appears to be much whiter than the rest of the gi, but otherwise I think it looks good. I always used mine for Judo and it held up to the forces of having people throwing me around pretty well, so I suspect you will really enjoy this gi and it'll last you a good long time.
