I am really glad that we had the chance to review this gi. It seems these days that hemp is going to be the material to replace cotton. Hemp is supposed to be stronger, lighter and more resistant for retaining bacteria than cotton. Submission FC’s Hemp Sensation gi is leading the way with its 70% hemp and 30% cotton blend, so here is the breakdown of their innovative product:

First Impression:
Since everyone is accustomed to cotton gis, I was really curious to know how a hemp gi would feel, and even smell, once I got it out of the package. The gi was indeed lighter and had a very sturdy feel to it. The stitching was well done everywhere and it had a completely different smell, as you would expect from hemp. The smell is not overpowering - so don’t worry about it. I also noticed that the pants were very soft and thick and the same time, it was just something that stood out for me, especially since with gis, the pants are always the first to tear…usually.

(Below) Bottom front stitching

Design:
The Hemp Sensation goes for a cleaner look. There is no patching and the only standout embroidery is on the shoulders. The embroidery is high quality and that goes for the stitching all over the gi. It’s very impressive and probably some of the best stitching I’ve seen so far.

(Below) Bottom back stitching

Jacket:
The jacket is a pleasure to roll in. It can be a little large as an A2 on a 5’10/165 lbs. frame, but the gi allows for a 3% shrinkage, so it will even-out. And that’s another great factor about the gi, it’s already pre-shrunk, and we all know how convenient that can be.

Once again, the stitching is great and if you love a clean look for your gi, this is a great way to go.

Pants:
The pants are just as comfortable as the top, if not more. The drawstring pulls smoothly and it holds tightly around your waste. One issue is that with such a thick drawstring it can get undone quite easily, so be sure to give it a super strong tug when tying.

Cut:
The cut of the gi seems to be best suited for someone with a longer torso and mid-length legs. I have longer legs, so the pants were slightly shorter and the top was slightly larger. So if you’re one of those long legged spider-guard players…you may want to mix and match your gi top and bottom. But the pants were not too short, but also not perfect in length.

Brand:
This is the first gi we’ve reviewed from Submission FC, but it seems that they are on the right track with the Hemp Sensation. If hemp is so superior to cotton, it won’t be a surprise when most brands start to crossover to this newer material. We would like to see more of what Submission FC will have to offer in the future.

For more on Submission FC and their Hemp Sensation kimono, click here