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Padilla&Sons Gi Review (Ki Int, Sfam Noris also) VERY DETAILED

StoicDude

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Sorry guys for the extensive review, but I think it shows a ton of detail. Somebody come up with Cliff Notes version if you can. :icon_chee

I just got my blue Padilla gold weave and managed to wash it and roll in it.
As everybody said, Joe
 
Collar width:
DSC04046.jpg


Pant length BEFORE wash:
DSC04048.jpg

DSC04047.jpg


Pant width at the bottom BEFORE wash:
DSC04049.jpg


Here are the pictures after the wash and one class.

DSC04053.jpg

DSC04054.jpg
 
The sleeves shrunk a bit and the width is now only 6 inches, so Joe must have changed the design of the kimono.
DSC04062.jpg


Sleeve length got a bit shorter as well.
DSC04063.jpg


Pants shrunk about an inch.
DSC04065.jpg


Pant width AFTER wash.
DSC04074.jpg


This is how the pants fit. They are certainly the most comfortable pants that I own. The other two pants, Ki International and Gracie academy, are tighter and feel more restrictive. Ki ones are the worst. On both, the Ki and Gracie, the material underneath the butt seems to be sagging, which is not the cas eon the Padilla.
DSC04073.jpg


Gracie Academy pants (size 5, 190).
DSC04070.jpg
 
Ki International pants (size 4)
DSC04067.jpg


WEAVES
Sfam Norris Weave(Double)
DSC04083.jpg


Padilla Weave (Gold)
DSC04085.jpg


Ki International (Single. At least I think its single)
DSC04086.jpg


I have two other gis, which are certainly not fitting me right.
The first gi that I bought was a Ki International judogi, which I picked up at the local martial arts store. This was about 2 years ago and at that time I just wanted something cheap, because I didn’t know how long I would be able to stick with BJJ. I think that I paid $60.
The guy at the store sized me up and gave me the gi, size 4. It fit nicely before the wash, but it progressively shrunk. Main shrinkage was in the sleeves and pants.
The sleeves are about 10 cm away from my wrists (5 cm is the limit as far as I know).
The sleeves are pretty wide as well, but being a judogi, what do you expect.
I never really cared about the sleeve width, because I think that it makes you just work harder if somebody grabs your sleeve.
The collar on this one is really thin, narrow and “pliable”. Again, it never bothered me. I can attest to being caught in more collar chokes with this gi than any other one, but that was when I just started. People can certainly hold on tighter to this gi, but for practice it is a solid piece of equipment. After washing and drip drying the gi, it is really stiff and abrasive. I usually tend to shake it and twist it to make it a bit more “supple”.

Ki International fit. Not as bad as the Sfam, but still too short.
DSC04071.jpg

DSC04072.jpg
 
The other gi is a Sfam Norris judogi which I received from a friend in Germany. He competes professionally there and this was one of his old gis, so he just gave it to me. It was only the jacket and the size inside is 180, which, I am sure, refers to height in centimeters. I am about 183cm. This gi was already worn and washed, so I don’t know what the original shrinkage was. The sleeves on this one are even shorter than on the Ki. They are about 15cm away from my wrist. The sleeves are even wider and the skirt lower.
It is a double weave and a good gi. Considering it was free and used for practice, I figured I would keep it.

As you can see it is way too short in the sleeves.
DSC04068.jpg

DSC04069.jpg


Now to the comparisons.
Pants from left to right: Ki, Padilla, Gracie academy (Gracie academy pants were bought because I ordered some stuff from their website and needed another pair of pants. I figured they were cheap and would be ok for practice).
DSC04075.jpg


As you can see, the Padilla pants have a very large reinforcement around the string. Ki has a small piece and the Gracie pants have none.

Pant cuff reinforcement (Ki, Padilla, Gracie):
DSC04076.jpg

The other two pants are simply folded over and stitched with two rows of thread. The Padilla is folded over, covered by extra fabric, and stitched with 5 rows of thread.

Padilla pants reinforcement from middle of the high to the cuff of the pants. Ki has reinforcement around the knee only and Gracie pants have nothing. The reinforcement is done by overlaying another piece of fabric. and stitching it underneath.

Here is the comparison of the sleeves and their reinforcement. Padilla has double the fabric width compared to the other two and is stitched with 5 instead of 2 rows. Bottom gi is Sfam, middle is Ki and top is Padilla.
DSC04080.jpg


Here are the pictures of the gi on the inside.
Padilla:
DSC04091.jpg
 
Ki International:
DSC04087.jpg


Sfam:
DSC04092.jpg


I would say that Padilla has the best reinforcements from the gis that I have. I dont have any other high end gis, so I really cant provide a fair comparison. If anybody has a gi that they would like to send me for review, I am a size A3:D.

On a serious note, Padilla is my favorite gi as of right now.
The Ki gi is not bad for the price and considering that I have been using it over the last 1-2 years, it has held up quite well.

If anybody has any questions, I would be more than glad to answer them.
 
Crap, forgot to add something that I measured:

Padilla:
Sleeve width: 6"
Sleeve Length (as measure in the pics above(from end of collar to end of cuff): 27 7/8"
Collar Width: 1 7/8"
Jacket length(From shoulder to bottom of jacket): 31 1/8"

Sfam:
Sleeve width: 8 1/4"
Sleeve Length (as measure in the pics above(from end of collar to end of cuff): 24 1/4"
Collar Width: 1 7/8"
Jacket length(From shoulder to bottom of jacket): 34 1/2"

Ki International:
Sleeve width: 8"
Sleeve Length (as measure in the pics above(from end of collar to end of cuff): 25"
Collar Width: 1 6/8"
Jacket length(From shoulder to bottom of jacket): 32"
 
If Joe can officially confirm that he has, indeed, decreased the sleeve width to 6" (from 7"+), I will buy a new P&S Gold Weave kimono

edit: oh, and great review!
 
that's one good review mate, well done. Puts my reviews to shame :'(

~Foz
 
Awesome review, dude. I'd never have the patience to make one as detailed as this. Great job.
 
Thanks for the comments guys. IT took me a long ass time to do it, but I think it is worth it. Many people have very specific questions and I figured this would answer it.
 
That looks like a great value. I really don't like that huge split up each side, though. That thing is mammoth.
 
The sleeves shrunk a bit and the width is now only 6 inches, so Joe must have changed the design of the kimono.
DSC04062.jpg

I received official word from Joe and I'm happy to confirm that yes, he has made structural changes to the sleeve width, pants length, and jacket length within the past six months.
I am certain, now, to buy a new P&S gold weave gi :)
 
i bought the P&S single weave and it feels great to roll in and fits really good. it has all the same reinforcements as the gold.
 
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