Hakama fabric?

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[gasman]

Got my 3rd kyu today. Hooray!!! :)

So I've been over at the tozando website and drooled a bit. But I am wondering which quality and fabric to choose... I am inclined towards the 100% cotton one, but thought I'd hear with you first... Price is no object, wearability is what I'm wondering about.

[bkedelen]

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never thought upon,
The flames of love extinguished,
And freely past and gone.
Is thy kind heart now grown so cold,
In that loving breast of thine,
That thou canst never once reflect,
On old Bujin Design.

[senseimike]

i have a Bujin and it's held up pretty well... it's 7 or so years old and shows nosigns of wear... I chose the duck/twill blend, I think. It's been so long that I really don't remember. All of their hakama that I have seen are good quality.

P.S. congrats on the promotion

[Jill N]

Depends on whether the crispness of the folds matters to you. If you get a cotton/ synthetic blend, it will not need to be ironed much.
e ya later
Jill.

[Lan Powers]

Twill is nice, duck is light, cotton is an old friend....just what you prefer to wear. Check out your friends kinds of hakamas.
I like twill.
Lan

[Janet Rosen]

I've had cotton poly blend, all cotton, and tetron. I love my tetron hak from mugendo because it never needs ironing.

[JJF]

since you're from a scandinavian country you might want to check out www.kampkunst.dk. I believe taht they sell both Tozando and Bujin Desing hakamas. The owner (Peter) is really nice and since money is no object you COULD jump on a plane to Copenhagen and be there in a couple of hours :D

I personally like my cotton/poly blend hakama 70/30 if I remember rigth. But it's not really taht good at holding the pleats. The synthetic hakamas that some of my friends own look far better at the end of a seminar.... They last long too and I have never heard any complaints about them...

Good hunting - and congratulations on the 3. kyu.

[gasman]

Thank you for the replies! I've no ironing board and iron, that suggests a polymer blend. Havent really ironed anything since my conscription. But I like fabrics that are able to transport my sweat, to a degree at least... Arrgh the agony of choice..!

JJF, tusen takk for linken! Leverer de også med brodering mon tro...?

[Bronson]

I like the Tetron...damn near indestructible. The knee areas on both my aikido and iaido tetron hakama still look new. Tozando's Aikido hakama have an added little thing, they have a loop of fabric in the front that tucks into your belt to keep the front from sagging (assuming you don't wear it with the front panel tucked over your belt).

Bronson

[gasman]

went for the deluxe polyester one in the end... (deluxe polyester, sounds like a contradiction in terms ;))

now dont tell me it was a bad choice... :)

[Joe Bowen]

I have both a cotton and cotton/poly blend. The cotton one I purchased from Tozando and the poly one I got from Iwata. I prefer the cotton one. It was my first Hakama. Tozando tends to provide a wider cut to the pant legs of the Hakama than the Iwata. Since I'm 6'3" and about 210, it feels more comfortable around my legs. The poly one holds the pleats better but if your diligent about folding the hakama after wear, it doesn't matter. I've had the Tozando Hakama for over five years now and it has held up fabulously. I've never ironed either Hakama. Just make sure you wash it by hand and hang dry it.

joe

[gasman]

My next one is a heavy cotton, for sure... Maybe for the shodan.

[thomas_dixon]

Tightly woven cotton I think is the suggested fabric in making a hakama, so I'd assume the same when buying one :)

[sharonbader]

I had a cotton one from Bujin and while it was nice it was REALLY heavy and hot. I have since had a polyester one and you barely notice it campared to the cotton one!

I'm now considering a Duck or Twill from Bujin.

I'm tending to the Duck Hakama since it is lighter, and would be cooler.

Anyone have any insight on if the lighter Duck will last as long as the heavier Twill?

[Paul Kerr]

I have had two Bujin hakama - the cotton and the twill. The twill is still in regular use but the cotton one reminds me of a scout-tent!! Well made for sure but more suited to sheltering from a hurricane than daily mat use. After 5 years it's as stiff as the day I got it. The Bujin twill hakama is an absolute joy though - hardwearing, excellent construction and needs minimal care.

I've also worked my way through a tozando polycotton hakama (too flimsy) and a tozando cotton hakama (for kendo - excellent).

My next aikido hakama will be a Bujin twill - no contest.