Gi Weight

Sailor Sindbad · Yellow Belt

Hello, I'm looking for some advice on how to determine what is what in terms of weight.

I'm pretty much sold on Hirota, and am trying to decide between the MH-11 and MH-12.

Right now, I have two Kamikaze America, both considered by Kamikaze to be "heavyweight." Kamikaze lists the America as 11 oz.

The Kamikaze America is to heavy for my liking, so I want a middle weight gi.

Hirota advertises the MH-11 as it's middleweight, but... it's 12 oz.

That being said, if I get the Hirota middleweight... would I end up with something heavier than what I have now, and would be better off with the MH-12 (lightweight 7.9 oz)?

Bottomline, I suppose... when looking at brands, do I judge by the advertised ounces, I do I judge by the advertised lightweight/middleweight/heavyweight?

sensei8 · KF Sensei

Welcome to KF, Sailor Sindbadl glad that you're here!!

I go by ounces because I understand and trust the weight that way. Whereas, lightweight/middleweight/heavyweight is a description that's not always the same from manufacture to manufacture.

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Sailor Sindbad · Yellow Belt

sensei8 · KF Sensei

scohen0300 · Blue Belt

Sensei8 said it best!

Anything lighter than 8oz is just too light for me, the 8 is even pushing it. Then I tried a 10oz from some random company off amazon, and the material was just terrible - restricting my movement.

My Meijin tropical, which is a 12oz, is still my favorite. As I’ve stated in more than one of my previous posts

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JR 137 · Black Belt

I haven’t seen a Hirota gi, so I have my insight may be off...

Hirota is a Japan made gi. They use the Japanese cotton that Shureido and Tokaido use. The cotton used by these brands is different than what Kamikaze and others use. Different weave, different breathability, different feel. Shureido doesn’t use weight designations, they use numbers, such as #10 canvas, #11, etc. While not good from a marketing standpoint, it’s a better system if you understand their material. Their material isn’t like standard non-Japanese material. It breathes significantly better, it’s softer, it keeps its shape better, stays whiter for far longer, and is far more durable. Tokaido used to use the same number designation, but I think they’ve gotten away from it.

A dojomate of mine wears a Kamikaze America. It’s a nice gi. Better than the standard non-Japanese gis. The material is very similar to my Ronin heavyweight, but seems a bit heavier. It’s thick and stiff. It seems like body armor in a sense. I wear a Shureido K-11. Significantly lighter, softer, and far more breathable. My K-11 isn’t a lightweight gi. But it feels like one in a good way. I sweat a lot, and it helps me stay cooler than anything else I’ve worn. And I’ve worn quite a few. The Japanese gis are expensive, but they’re worth every penny if you’re after a gi that’s comfortable, durable, holds its shape and look, and keeps you from overheating. No other material comes close. The difference becomes apparent after you’ve worn it a few times. Opening it up from the package and putting it on the first time wearing it around the house to see if it fits right doesn’t do it justice.

Poke around the net and see if you can figure out which number canvas the particular gi you’re looking at is. The numbering is a bit confusing. #10 is heavyweight, #11 is middleweight, #9 is light. #9 is a twill material rather than the canvas, but it’s a quality material. Definitely not the see-through and free gi ith sign up material.

I wear a Shureido K-11 gi, which is their middleweight gi. The K-10 is their heavyweight. I owned a K-10 for several years and loved it. When I replaced it, I bought a K-11 because I wanted something a little lighter. My current dojo doesn’t have air conditioning; combine that with my sweating more than the average person, and it’s understandable why I’d want something lighter yet retaining the quality. The K-11 is perfect for me. I bought a K-9 as a second gi but returned it without wearing it to class. The quality was definitely there, but I wanted a K-11.

I have no personal experience with Hirota, but everything I’ve read says they use the Japanese cotton. If this is a blended gi (cotton and polyester), then all bets are off. The Japanese companies make those too, but descriptions state the material type. I haven’t worn a blended gi to give any insight.

Edit: I believe Spartacus Maximus wears a Shureido gi and has worn others. He can most likely give insight on the Japanese cotton vs others as well.

Edit 2: To the best of my knowledge, the Japanese gis use the same cotton. I’ve worn a dojomate’s Tokaido gi, and the material felt exactly the same. Different cut, same material. I’m assuming Hirota is equivalent.

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