At our gym and online there are a lot of questions about a specific gi vs another gi. Usually the questions are specific (like which has the stiffer collar). Well, I had the good fortune of buying a new Sekai and Estilo 5.0 during the Black Friday/Cyber Monday deal period and my friend Cop John let me borrow his new Suparatio...and with that a plan was hatched. Below is my best attempt at an in-depth assessment of the Fuji Suparatio, Sekai, and Tatami Estilo.
Some things to know for the review below:
- I have taken my picture in each of the gis. Sorry, Chris Pratt was unavailable, so you will have to do with my less than stellar mug.
- I am 5'8", 165 pounds. I have a 71" wingspan. My torso is longer than my legs.
- All 3 of the gis are A2.
- I am a 1 stripe purple belt. I have been training for about 6-8 years (a few of those were judo and sambo years). Currently, I try to train 5-6 times a week. This means I go through a lot of gis.
- An incomplete list of the gi brands I have owned:
- Fuji (superlight, double weave, Sekai)
- Howard Combat Kimonos
- Atama
- Keiko Raca
- Bad Boy
- 12NV
- Probably others I am forgetting
- I have linked to the companies' webpages, in each description. This should help you if you want to know more about the company.
FUJI Suparaito
The super burrito (what we call it in our club and how I will refer to it for the rest of this blog) is Fuji's super light offering in their Summit collection. The main points:
- Amazing Ripstop pants
- Pearl weave jacket, 350 gsm (couldn't find an official weight from Fuji, but his was cite several places)
- Ripstop collar
- Contrast stitching
The Sekai is Fuji's "light" gi. They do not suggest on their page that it is part of their Summit line, but they do suggest it is a competition Gi.
- The jacket is thicker than the super burrito, but not by much.
- Jacket is pearl weave and around 420 gsm...but that is my best guess.
- The collar does not appear to be ripstop like Suparaito
- Awesome ripstop pants (same as Suparatio)
The Estilo is another competition gi. Tatami is based in Europe. They report that the gi is the culmination of years of R&D.
- 550 gsm pearl weave jacket
- The collar is much stiffer than the Super burrito or Sekai.
- Canvas pants, with a bungee cord string.
Below are videos of me breaking down each of the components of the gis.
Fit:
Sekai - Super Burrito
In general, the Sekai and Super Burrito have exceptionally similar fits. Obviously, the Super Burrito top is going to be a little lighter fabric/weave, but the cut is really similar. They both have great range of motion for me. The shoulders, lat and chest fit close with minimal additional fabric, but do not restrict motion. The sleeves on the Super Burrito are a little more narrow (in circumference) than the Sekai. That seems like a small advantage (for the Super Burrito over the Sekai) when people are gripping for sleeve control. The lapel is pretty pliable, which helps with the jacket laying flat, but also allows for easier choking and manipulation when using lapel based guards.
The pants are amazing. They are super soft ripstop. I have had a Sekai for about a year and wear it 2-3 times a week. They show no sign of breaking down. Several guys at my gym have a Super Burrito and have not reported any issues with the ripstop tearing. The pants fit great and stay tied. Several people have said they really make my booty pop.
Estilo 5.0
The Estilo has a much different fit. The jacket has a much tighter cut through the lats. This leads to less fabric to grip, but also a little less range of motion. I have a feeling I will like the restricted fit once I get used to it. Right now, I feel like I can lift my arms as high as I can in the Super Burrito or Sekai. The collar is much stiffer than either of the Fuji gis. In the pictures above you can tell that the fit is far different in the way the gi lays on my body. Several training partners have said it is harder to manipulate the Estilo gi/collar. The down side of the stiffness, is that the Estilo comes out of the belt and has to be tucked in... a lot. I have washed 10-15 times now and the stiffness seems to remain. So, if you like a stiff collar, this is your jacket, if not.... The opening in the sleeves is closer to the Super Burrito, so a little more narrow than the Sekai.
The pants are canvas. I don't like canvas pants, so I am a little biased. I sweat like a yeti in a sauna, which means they are heavy and soppy (is that a word) after 2 hours of rolling. That being said, the fit and durability is great. If you prefer canvas pants, this is your gi. If you sweat like it is your job, be prepared to waddle around like a pregnant hippo getting out of a marsh.
Aesthetics:
All 3 gis are pretty great looking. I tend towards minimalism, so the Super Burrito and Estilo are really my speed. I don't love the embroidery on the Sekai shoulders, but I love everything else about it. Obviously, the Estilo also has embroidery on the shoulders, but the white on white gives it a clean look. The contrast stitching gives the Fujis a fun touch. The Sekai has a large rubber map on the inside (it is cool, but annoyed my skin when rolling without a rash guard), the Estilo has a silky neck yolk... it is fun to look at.
Durability:
Sekai
This is my second Sekai. I love it and it is impressively durable. Over the course of a year, my first Sekai has been through several comps, 2-3 days of training a week and washing after every use. There are a few pulled stitches, but it has held up better than a majority of the previous gis I have owned (Atama, light weight and double weave fuji, Howard Combat Kimono, etc.). Minimal shrinkage after all the washes (I line dry my gis), I would estimate less than 10%.
Super Burrito
Cop John is on his 2nd and 3rd (he bought to on Black Friday) SBs and reports similar durability to the Sekai. He has competed in several tournies with his gi, rolls in it 2ish times a week and washes/line dries after use. He reports minimal wear and tear. I actually took a picture in his new and old SB and couldn't not tell any shrinkage.
Estilo
I do not have the durability experience/data on the Estilo that I do on the Fujis. That being said, I have worn the Estilo 10-ish times, it seems to be wearing really well. Some of the stitching on the nape of the neck embroidery is starting to pull out. This is really not a big deal, other than it is annoying on a really new gi.
Performance:
All 3 gis perform pretty similarly. As I mentioned above, the main differences:
- The collar is much stiffer on the Estilo
- The ripstop pants are amazing on the Fuji gis
- The sleeve opening is bigger on the Sekai
- The heaviness of the fabric from lightest to heaviest goes - Super Burrito - Sekai - Estilo.
Really, those are the only meaningful competition/performance differences.
Overall/Summary:
First off, I don't think you can go wrong with any of these gis. All 3 of these gis were purchased for between $80-$99 on Black Friday deals. So, if you can get any of these 3 gis between $80-$99, go for it. Honestly, if you have the money, buy two. The only deciding factor would be preference on the differences listed above.
Normal prices for each gi are around:
- Super Burrito - $133
- Sekai - $169
- Estilo - $169
If you are basing your decision off of these prices, I think the Super Burrito is the way to go, with the near exact durability, construction, and look for $30 less. When I got my blue belt, I bought an Atama Mundial 7 for $189. It held up for a few year, but wore down pretty quick. I amazed at the quality you can get in a lighter gi, for less money. It would appear the adage "you get what you pay for" only rungs true up to a certain price.
Hope this helps. Please email me if there is info. left off you would like to know.
Bill
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