Tozando dogi recommendations, austere training
 

Hello,

Its time I purchase a new dogi. I am looking for something that lays flat (I almost passed out when sensei had me in jujinage (while explaining a teaching point) because my Swain uwagi has a super thick collar!), has a nice, fit, is comfortable and light, but is durable enough to handle more austere training. I won't be taking it to judo or jujitsu class, but our aikido training gets pretty dynamic from time to time, and we do a lot of kneeling techniques, so I don't want to tear up a $170 uwagi or pants right away.

Specifically I am looking at one of the summer dogi or seersucker. If anyone has any experience with either of these, or other Tozando dogi fitting the above description, please let me know what you think.

Thanks!

Re: Tozando dogi recommendations, austere training
 

I buy pants seperately from Toraki. They have extra thick leggings that runs very high and very low over the leg to ensure good coverage of the knee. Also nice they come in 1/2 size incerements to get just the right fit. Longest lasting pant I've found.

As for their uwagi ... great for getting choked out while wearing- no nage required, almost.

Re: Tozando dogi recommendations, austere training
 

:D

Re: Tozando dogi recommendations, austere training
 

I've bought both the Tozando seersucker gi and the waffle style. I thought the seersucker was the most comfortable gi I've every owned. Unfortunately it didn't last as long as I would have liked for a gi at that price point. It would definitely NOT stand up to a judo type of practice.

It looks like they redesigned the waffle gi since I bought mine. I was never really comfortable in the waffle gi. It seemed to rub in all the wrong places. After a hard practice I'd have raw marks on my neck. After about 10 uses and washings I put it on a shelf and haven't touched it for a couple of years.

Based on some recommendations on aikiweb I bought the very inexpensive 9 oz gi from ninecirclesusa.com and have been pleasantly surprised. They are cool enough for our Florida summer training, seem to wick sweat well and have been standing up to a lot of training and washing. It's definitely become my preferred year round gi for life in Florida.

I own one of Tozando's heavy weight Premium gi tops. It's great for our occasional cold day and would also work well for judo. Very good quality.

Re: Tozando dogi recommendations, austere training
 

Thanks!

Re: Tozando dogi recommendations, austere training
 

I received my waffle style gi. I ordered it late Tuesday night and received it Friday around noon, very fast and easy experience. I actually ordered football tickets from Stub Hub the same day (they came from a seller two hours away from me), and the gi got here first! Uniform is very light and very much reminds me of a high-quality, lightweight, bathrobe you would find at a high-end hotel like JW Marriott. The material is definitely thin and light. I've only been through one class so far, so durability is hard to judge. It does 'fell' less durable than what I'm used to, even brushed cotton karate go I sometimes wear to aikido class. Its was a little big (I'm 5'9, 180lbs), but shrunk up to a perfect fit with two, 30 minute, dryer sessions on low heat (with a few hour break in between the two dryer sessions). The drawstrings are very very short...both on me and my friend who has a narrower waist than I do (I'm a 32, he's a 30). For last night's class I just tied it in the back, but will replace stock drawstring with one from another gi pant.

So far, so good.

Re: Tozando dogi recommendations, austere training
 

I've got both the waffle and the seersucker - plus the standard aikido gi. The latter is by far my favourite, but on the very hot days I'll jump into my waffle gi. BTW - if you ask them they will put strings on the front of the gi for tying it together.. that's quite nice unless you do judo style practice which will just rip the strings off.

I was quite fond of the waffle gi's for a while - especially when I go to a seminar and want to bring more gi's but I also thing they tend to be harder on my skin than the other gi's. Also they get a strange color after being washed a couple dozen times I think.

The seersucker gi I own is a bit too large, so I don't use it that much, but I do prefer the fabric to the waffle gi's. However I also end up going back to my standard Aikido Gi. It is the best of my Tozando gi's. Nice quality at a fair price even though the exchange rate between danish money and Yen is really bad right now (for me that is).

Most of my students use the standard aikido gi from Tozando with names on the sleeve and some with the tie-string. It's holding up very nicely for both soft and vigorous practice.

Enjoy your gi :)

JJ

Re: Tozando dogi recommendations, austere training
 

Thread necro. So I ended up purchasing the seersucker gi. Its lightweight and packs up neatly and compactly. My biggest issue is when you are sweating it absorbs all that moisture and tends to stretch out significantly. Also its not the most durable. I've had it for a bout a year and, during some vigorous randori, it ripped from armpit to the skirt...and not even along a seam. I would say its find for light training and travel, but wont really hold up to travel. And it getting loose and stretching out really bothered me. So far my favorite gi is a Tokon Europa brushed cotton karate go. I can even wear that for judo/jujitsu class.