A few weeks ago, I posted a cheap BJJ gi offer that was available for less than £40. This was a great offer and I bought one immediately. It is very rare to find a gi at that price and it would have been stupid not to pick one up. I said I would post my own review of the gi so here it is.
Service and Delivery
I bought the gi on a Friday and it had arrived the following Tuesday. I didn’t use the next-day/express delivery option, so I was pleased with how the order was completed. There were no problems at all with the online ordering process. I have ordered from Black Eagle quite a few times, and I was expecting an excellent level of service. They didn’t disappoint me here.
First Impressions
When I opened the packaging, the first thing I noticed was that the gi was MASSIVE! It reminded of tent more than a BJJ gi. I am about 5ft6 and weigh 72kg (just over 11 stone) so I bought an A2 sized gi. As with most gi’s, they need to be shrunk down to the right size after a few washes. There was no chance that I was going to train in a gi that big so I immediately put it in the washer on 30 degrees and waited to see what happens.
I ordered the plain white gi and it did look very comfortable. The collar wasn’t too thick or stiff and the jacket itself was similar to my Keiko Raca gold weave. I was very impressed with this. The trousers felt a bit softer and thinner than the other gi pants I own, but they look sturdy enough to withstand training. There weren’t many patches on the gi other than the Black Eagle logo on it, but some people like that plan look.
Anyway, after the first wash, the gi pants and jacket did shrink a lot. For most people, I think one wash is enough to shrink down to size. However, I’m a short and stumpy guy, and I prefer a tight fitting gi, so I tried shrinking it again. I washed it again on 30 degrees and even put it in the dryer for 30 minutes. I know they say you shouldn’t dry your gi in the dryer, but I felt it needed some “extra help” in the shrinkage.
After two washes and a dry, the gi was pretty much right for me. Still a bit baggier than I would like, but definitely ok to train in. I’m sure it would shrink a little bit more in the next wash.
First training session
Like I said before, the gi top was very comfortable. I had absolutely no problems with training in it. Some of my class mates were also impressed with the gi. The trousers were also loose enough for my to play various types of guard.
I believe the gi on offer is a first generation BJJ gi from Black Eagle, and they have made further improvements to their latest range of gis. I believe that if gi’s were cheaper, then more people may get involved in the sport. They are great gi’s for first timers, or people that still aren’t sure whether they like the sport. In the past, there was nothing worse than trying to convince someone to start BJJ, only to tell them that a gi would cost around £100. I have nothing against the other brands, but as much as I love the Korals, Vulkans, Shoyorolls and even Lucky Gis, they are beyond the price range of a lot people. I believe the Black Eagle gi’s are half that price, and offer the same quality.
The BJJ gi sale is still on at the moment, but I’m not sure for how long. If you want one, I would recommend getting one soon!
I will write another update after a few training sessions in this gi also!
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June 20th, 2009 at 2:35 pm
Here is a review from Jude Samuels, a BJJ Black Belt in Roger Gracie:
Reviews of training equipment really cannot be done over a few weeks. They have to be done over a few months, especially with grappling equipment. Items that feel good on the first day, may feel horrible 6 months later. As an instructor at the Roger Gracie Academy and an active competitor, I feel that the Black Eagle BJJ Kimono ticks all the correct boxes. The major problem with most Kimonos are the shrinkage, but especially the bottoms. With the sizing that the Black Eagle BJJ Kimono has, I can still wear the pants 6 months on and not feel they are so short I have to give them to my little brother. The same applies to the design of the jacket. It overlaps well and fits almost like new 6 months on. Often when competing you are a little worried about the sizing of you gi and if it will fit the minimum requirements of a competition regulation Kimono, however with this product there are no such worries. It great that there is a finally a product that you pay a low price for and get above ‘the bar’ quality. Good work!
Jude Samuel
Instructor at The Roger Gracie Academy and Director of The European Fight Network
June 24th, 2009 at 10:58 am
I too brought one of these gi’s in the sale and as steve said it does really need 2 washes to fit correctly (i’m a bigger guy so I have an A3). The gi is very comfortable, maybe a little hotter than my GB offical gi but I wore it at the weekends British Open and it performed very well, very very please with this gi well done Black Eagle!!!
June 29th, 2009 at 9:31 pm
Here are my thoughts after a second and third training session in the gi:
After two more training sessions in the gi, I can say that although the gi is labelled a gold weave, it feels a lot thicker than other gi brands, such as Atama or Keiko Raca. The UK is currently experiencing a mini-heatweave (thats any temperature over 20 degrees C!) and I was sweating my butt off after the warm up! Although the gi is hot, it does not feel that heavy or uncomfortable.
After a futher two washes, I would say the gi is “almost” where I want it to be ie. almost snug fitting. I think one more wash will do the trick.