View Full Version : Keep my new Tozando gi?
SteenSuder
04-11-2006, 01:13 PM
I've just received my new Tozando gi (deluxe model, AG-600, size 5L) and pants (also deluxe, AP-500, size 5L).
I'm 187cm (6 ft and 2 inches) and weigh in at ~100 kg (~220 pounds).
I'm now a bit worried if this gi is too large:
* Sleeves are (just) covering/reaching my wrist line, arms down.
* Sleeves are quite wide.
* Legs are right on the ancle bone.
* Waist of jacket seems to be perfect, though.
The sizes are right on the spot according to schemes, though.
* Is it "OK" or...?
* How much will this type of gi shrink?
* How much *can* I make it shrink?
--
Best regards,
Steen Suder,
Denmark
Michael O'Brien
04-11-2006, 05:29 PM
Steen,
Sounds like a pretty good fit to me. If you wash it in cold water and drip dry then you will have no shrinkage at all.
Wash in warm/hot water and tumble dry in the dryer then (and I'm guessing here) you could expect anywhere from 1/2" - 1 1/2" of shrinkage.
My laundry skills are basic at best, but I have shrunk more than item (non martial arts related) to the point I can no longer where them. LOL
pezalinski
04-12-2006, 03:57 PM
As long as you are not showing your elbows, belly, or knees while wearing it, and you are not tripping on the pants legs, it's probably the right size for you, :p
They make 'em roomy so we have something to grab onto, without having to grab 'meat' every time.
Enjoy!
MaryKaye
04-12-2006, 04:35 PM
If the sleeves just cover your wrists, and you plan to wash it in warm water, my experience is that you have exactly the right size. (First time this happened I thought the gi was too big and hemmed up the sleeves. I regretted it quickly.)
My advice is not to return it, and not to hem the sleeves unless they are still too long after several warm-water washings. A new gi should be quite roomy. If it isn't, better plan on washing it in cold and drip-drying. My last purchase no longer meets in front, and I swear I have not gained *that* much weight....
Mary Kaye
Please post an update on size after washing.
I'm just about to order a similar sizing and would like to know.
SteenSuder
04-17-2006, 12:11 PM
Please post an update on size after washing.
I'm just about to order a similar sizing and would like to know.
I was about to ;-)
Anyways... first I did a 40 deg. Celsius wash in the washing machine and hangdried it afterwards. As far as I can tell, it did nothing to the size - still roomy. I attended a single training pass (Easter Camp with Arisue Sensei ;-) in the dogi and it was a tad to large.
Then I did a 60 deg. Celsius wash in the washing machine followed by some 50 minutes in the drier.
I have not done any training in it after this, but it definitely seems like it has an almost perfect fit now.
The size of the sleeves are more in "harmony" now, I think. Perhaps they have shrunk like 1-1½cm in length , but not more.
It has also shrunk a bit in width (waist).
Now I just need like six months of training to see how it will "fall".
To sum up: I think the size recommendation from Tozando is about right in my case.
Please dont hesitate to ask if I can give you further information.
--
Best regards,
Steen Suder
Josh Reyer
04-17-2006, 02:36 PM
I was about to ;-)
Anyways... first I did a 40 deg. Celsius wash in the washing machine and hangdried it afterwards. As far as I can tell, it did nothing to the size - still roomy. I attended a single training pass (Easter Camp with Arisue Sensei ;-) in the dogi and it was a tad to large.
Then I did a 60 deg. Celsius wash in the washing machine followed by some 50 minutes in the drier.
I have not done any training in it after this, but it definitely seems like it has an almost perfect fit now.
The size of the sleeves are more in "harmony" now, I think. Perhaps they have shrunk like 1-1½cm in length , but not more.
It has also shrunk a bit in width (waist).
Tozando keikogi are designed to shrink little, if at all, with just washing. Most people in Japan hang-dry their clothes. It's the drier that will shrink them, but this can be minimized (perhaps even controlled) by drying on the coolest setting (tumble dry, permanent press).
Yesterday I just got a new Tozando keikogi top, the AG-250 "Ryo" (cool) summer aikidogi. Listed on the English site as "Seersucker Aikido Gi". It's just really excellent. My old keikogi was a cheap, run-of-the-mill one I got at a local sport shop. Whenever I did suburi the whole thing would ride up when I lifted my arms, even though on the whole it was on the big side for me. This new one, though, has a great fit, and doesn't ride up at all.
cguzik
04-17-2006, 05:36 PM
I bought the AG-600 4-5 years ago, size 3L, and the sleeves came right to the wrist line. Now, they are two thirds of the way to my wrist -- perfect. I washed and dried them about at least a half dozen times with fairly high heat before they did not feel too big.
SteenSuder
04-18-2006, 01:04 AM
I bought the AG-600 4-5 years ago, size 3L, and the sleeves came right to the wrist line. Now, they are two thirds of the way to my wrist -- perfect. I washed and dried them about at least a half dozen times with fairly high heat before they did not feel too big.
How about width/waist and across your chest?
--
Best regards,
Steen Suder
NathanD
05-10-2006, 06:32 PM
Steen,
How do you like your Tozando dogi? How does it compare to other dogi you have used? I have studied Kenpo for a long time and am new to Aikido, so I have always worn Karate dogi. I just bought a pair of Tozando Aikido pants and they seem pretty nice so far. I'm thinking about buying a Tozando top as well.
Nathan
Nathan,
Tozando gis are great. I bought size 3 and 3L. The size 3 fit me well, but I like the extra length of the 3L which prevents the jacket pulling out of my belt.
Do it, you know you want to.
Vic
SteenSuder
05-12-2006, 02:50 AM
Steen,
How do you like your Tozando dogi? How does it compare to other dogi you have used? I have studied Kenpo for a long time and am new to Aikido, so I have always worn Karate dogi. I just bought a pair of Tozando Aikido pants and they seem pretty nice so far. I'm thinking about buying a Tozando top as well.
Nathan
It's a very fine dogi as far as I'm concerned. It's very different from, say my old karategi which is made from canvas.
It's also varmer, due to the heavier quality.
The pants has a very good fit and sits tight, even though it has the same drawstring-system as my old pants.
I can only recommend it. Just be aware of the warmness of the dogi.
--
Best regards,
Steen Suder
Neal Earhart
05-18-2006, 11:49 AM
Yesterday I just got a new Tozando keikogi top, the AG-250 "Ryo" (cool) summer aikidogi. Listed on the English site as "Seersucker Aikido Gi". It's just really excellent.
Those Gi tops are excellent ! I purchased one last year for the summer months and it has been great. It fits well (it has shrunk a bit from numerous washings), and doesn't "stick" to your skin when you perspire like lightweight Karate Gi tops tend to do.
Josh Reyer
05-18-2006, 02:01 PM
Those Gi tops are excellent ! I purchased one last year for the summer months and it has been great. It fits well (it has shrunk a bit from numerous washings), and doesn't "stick" to your skin when you perspire like lightweight Karate Gi tops tend to do.
Indeed, I'm quite happy with mine. It absorbs sweat quite well without feeling disgusting, is roomy without being baggy, and moves smoothly and freely when I'm doing suburi after a 60 minute taijutsu session. It's worked out quite well so far. The real test, though, will be the ridiculously humid summer months.
Kent Enfield
03-07-2008, 05:10 AM
The real test, though, will be the ridiculously humid summer months.As I'm thinking of getting one of Tozando's seersucker iaidogi specifically for summer, I was wondering how you faired in yours, now that you've had a chance to go through a summer with it.
Tambreet
03-07-2008, 11:09 AM
As I'm thinking of getting one of Tozando's seersucker iaidogi specifically for summer, I was wondering how you faired in yours, now that you've had a chance to go through a summer with it.
I don't know about him, but I have a Seersucker Aikido Gi Jacket-5, and I love it so much I think I'm going to order another one.
The one I have lasted about a year and is starting to get a little frayed now (disclaimer: I wash it between every use, so about 2-4 times a week).
I train in Chicago, and it's worked for me both in the freezing winter and through a very hot and humid summer (and I am somewhat of a sweater).
Aiki1
03-07-2008, 01:33 PM
I don't know about him, but I have a Seersucker Aikido Gi Jacket-5, and I love it so much I think I'm going to order another one.
Mind if I ask - what's your height and weight? I'm thinkiing of getting a Tozando gi as well and am unsure of what size to get....
Tambreet
03-07-2008, 02:11 PM
Mind if I ask - what's your height and weight? I'm thinkiing of getting a Tozando gi as well and am unsure of what size to get....
5'10", roughly 180 pounds. The size 5 is good but maybe a tad large. For the new one I may try a 4.
Aiki1
03-07-2008, 02:43 PM
5'10", roughly 180 pounds. The size 5 is good but maybe a tad large. For the new one I may try a 4.
Thanks - I'm 5'11" around 165, so close. Do you know if they have half-sizes? I hate paying shipping from Japan and finding out I got the size wrong.... :)
By the way, anyone ever bought or seen the Super Soft Gi Jacket they sell? It's the AG800 I think....
DanielR
03-07-2008, 03:45 PM
Hi Larry,
I'm about your size and weight. I have one Seersucker jacket, size 5, one Super-Soft jacket, size 5, and one Deluxe, size 4L.
The Seersucker is relatively new; it hasn't shrunk much and feels too long to me; I might end up having to cut its sleeves and (whatever you call the bottom part of the jacket), or maybe give it a few more hot wash and dry cycles in the hopes it'll shrink more. I would roll up its sleeves rather than cutting them, but the fabric is too thin for the rolled-up sleeves to hold throughout the practice. Overall it feels a bit insubstantial to me; after practicing in it for a bit I decided that I prefer a thicker gi, but that's just a personal preference.
The Super-Soft and Deluxe have been in active use for about two years. I'm very happy with both, the best gi tops I ever tried (not that I tried that many though). The 4L Deluxe now feels a tad smaller than I'd like, although fine overall. The 5 Super-Soft feels nicer volume-wise, but I do roll up its sleeves.
I'm a bit confused with Tozando's sizes at this point: being more or less satisfied with my 5 Super-Soft, I ordered the Seersucker of the same size, but with that jacket size 5 doesn't seem to work as well.
As far as the "softness" of the Super-Soft, I can't say I feel much difference between it and the Deluxe at this point. I'll probably go for another Deluxe if I decide to get another Tozando.
Just in case you find this useful - I have Tozando's Deluxe pants of sizes 4L and 5. 4L is perfect for me, 5 is a bit too large/long.
Aiki1
03-07-2008, 04:32 PM
Hi Larry,
I'm about your size and weight. I have one Seersucker jacket, size 5, one Super-Soft jacket, size 5, and one Deluxe, size 4L.
The Super-Soft and Deluxe have been in active use for about two years. I'm very happy with both, the best gi tops I ever tried (not that I tried that many though). The 4L Deluxe now feels a tad smaller than I'd like, although fine overall. The 5 Super-Soft feels nicer volume-wise, but I do roll up its sleeves.
As far as the "softness" of the Super-Soft, I can't say I feel much difference between it and the Deluxe at this point. I'll probably go for another Deluxe if I decide to get another Tozando.
Great, thanks. Are there any "other" differences between the Super-Soft and the Deluxe? Weight of fabric, collar, anything? What about the anti-bacterial stuff, do you notice it? I think I might be allergic to it. Does the Super-Soft gi have it as well? Also, how heavy are the two gis - double weave?
Thanks for all the info, by the way. I really appreciate it.
DanielR
03-07-2008, 06:54 PM
Are there any "other" differences between the Super-Soft and the Deluxe? Weight of fabric, collar, anything? What about the anti-bacterial stuff, do you notice it? I think I might be allergic to it. Does the Super-Soft gi have it as well? Also, how heavy are the two gis - double weave?
The gi's are both double weave. Pretty heavy by comparison to others I've had. A huge pain to pack for a trip. I can't say I feel or notice much difference between the two; what difference I do notice I'd attribute more to difference in size than to anything else. I mean Tozando does claim difference in fabric, but I can't say I see much of it. Heck, they might've sent me a Deluxe instead of a Super-Soft! :-) Don't know about the anti-bacterial stuff - both stink equally bad if I don't take good care of them :-) I don't think the Super-Soft has it though.
Aiki1
03-09-2008, 12:10 AM
Thanks for the help.
vBulletin Copyright © 2000-2012 Jelsoft Enterprises Limited