What size of Gi?

Hi, I am new to this, only a few months, and I want to get a gi. I have been researching and it seems that tozando is a good choice. But my problem is that I dont know what size to order because I am fat. My height is 170 cm or 5.57ft and weight is 102kg or 225lb. I emailed them 2 times and one person said to get a size 3 because he was 6ft tall and his weight was 250 and used a size 4, but in the other mail someone else responded me that a size 4 would suit someone my height but wouldnt recomend it for someone with my weight and also that a size 5 would be too long, so I ended up a little confused. Also in another place I asked and they said that for a mizuno a size 6 would fit. So if someone can help me pick a size that would be great because everybody say something diferent.
Thank You

Hi

Why don't you get a cheap one from a local shop first?

Tozando ones can be pretty expensive and returning a bad fitting one is a lot of hassle - you'd be better off if you could accurately size yourself.

Hey - with luck and hard training you may also shrink quicker than the gi so why risk being left with a tent in 6 months time and having to order another?

Alternatively...get to class early and try on a few others suits to get a good idea.

Regards

D

Remember that each company has a different "size 5"; they are by no means universal.

I owned 2 or 3 "cheap", local, no-name Judo gi before "investing" in my first brand-name one, and it's always a bit of a crap-shoot as to how they will fit if you have never owned one from that company before....nature of the beast when buying something online.

I usually tell newer Aikidoka that they need quantity (2~3) gis more than they need quality, at the beginning.

Part of my problem is that there is only one shop that sells budo stuff in my city and when I went there the last week of december they told me that they only had blue ones and that they had been expecting the white ones for a couple of months. So I thought about getting one from the internet. Also there is this Seminar coming next week and I really dont want to show up and be the only one with out gi. But Ill go today to the shop to see if the white ones have arraived and if not I guess that until I lose some weight Ill buy my gi.
Thank You

It maybe of little use but Nine Circles in the UK allow you to specify your height and weight when purchasing a dogi. I have little problem with the one I bought from them and they are always having a sale on jujitsu and aikido dogi, The only problem you may encounter is they charge a premium (IMHO) for delivery and the GBP is very strong against other currencies (aiki dogi will could cost 100 usd + delivery).

If ordering online turns out to be your only option, and you are up against the wall so to speak, I would try a five and expect that you'll have to do some hemming with the sleeves and the pant length. The pant length will be an issue since the knee patches may end up below your knees, so if you can talk them into a 4 pant and a 5 top (many will do this, I'm a 4 pant and a 5 top from a lot of suppliers). Ordering online is always a bit of a crap shoot, but most of us that don't live in a big city have to do it and manage to pull it off most of the time.

I do agree with the above, going Cadillac for a first gi probably isn't necessary, and saves you staying with a gi that may not fit well just because you laid out a lot of cash for it.

I hope this helps some, have a great time at the seminar!

Paul

Today, I went to class with a brand new unbleached aikidogi. About an hour and a half before class started, I found myself in a shop that was really more of a hallway with boxes on shelves on one side and various jackets and other equipment displayed on the other.

The sales rep gave me a size 5. I asked if there was a place I could try it on, but I could only try on the jacket. She said it was too small, so she had me try on a size 6 instead, and sold it to me.

So I went to class with a size 6 unbleached aikidogi, where I tried on the trousers. They were tight, but I didn't think *too* tight. But then I helped to lay down the mats. I thought bending over was too difficult in those trousers, so I knelt on my right knee. The left inseam *ripped* from the crotch to the knee, in front of everyone else. All I could do was laugh and shuffle back to the changing room and the jogging trousers I had been wearing.

How many newbies like myself have this sort of problem?

I have the opposite problem I need a (bjj size gi's are different then judo/aikido sized gi's) A3 top and an A2 pant. This is mostly because my tops always seem to shrink up on me in the shoulders and I have a longer torso and then shrink in the skirt. So I end up with 1 inch of skirt below my belt if I wear an A2 top.

I've been a loyal customer of Tozando for years. The good thing about them is that you buy the Gi and pants separately. Also beware that every model has different sizes according to your height, size 4 from 1 model does not correspond the same size from another. Lately they have been very slow in shipment, you can expect them to ship from 1 up to 3 weeks from the date you place the order. But the goods are worth the wait, ymmv.