Battle Gear is one of the newer brands to come out of the UK and they present us with several models of kimonos. Today, we will be looking at their “Wind” Kimono and whether it is a suitable choice for you.

Size sampled – A2

First Impression:
The first thing I thought when I received the package was that the gi looked like a high quality product just from the vibrant colours and the thick feel of the material. The blue, white and yellow combination of the colours worked quite nicely. Naturally, I was excited to unfold the gi and try on Battle Gear’s newest kimono.

Design:
It’s a cool looking gi, there is no denying it. There are no patches, just embroidery, which adds to the quality of the gi. The placement of the embroidery is well chosen and although the gi features six different embroideries, you don’t get the feeling that the gi is too busy. The quality of the embroideries themselves are not perfect and you will find a few minor defects in the stitching but it won’t be anything very noticeable.

(Below) Cloud embroidery on the sleeve.

Jacket:
The jacket has a great feel. The sleeves and bottom were well cut for my 165 lbs. and 5’10 lightweight frame. As advertised by Battle Gear, the top did feel quite light and spacious for my shoulders. The only issue for me was that the waist was slightly tight. I do not have a ‘V’ shaped body, so I would say that this would be better suited for guys with thinner waists, if you want the perfect fit. The lapel is thick and sturdy – it won’t be easy for guys to pull of loop-chokes on you with this gi. And lastly, the patches on the top are quite cool. The cloud logo is a nice touch, it looks like the ‘nimbus’ cloud from Dragon Ball Z (a good example for any of you who used to watch the show).

Pants:
The pants are even better than the top, although they turned out to be far baggier in relation to the top. They are made of thick cotton and have a thick cord-tie string that makes it very easy to tighten and loosen the waist, however, due to the their thickness, it will not stay tied very long.

Brand:
This is the first review for us with Battle Gear, but what we’ve seen so far has been great. For the price of the gi, approximately $100 US, you get an extremely high value. The logos used are fresh and it’s clear that Battle Gear has a keen eye for placement. They also carry two other gi models and several other apparel items. This is a great gi to purchase for beginners who don’t want to spend too much, or for hardcore enthusiasts who just want to grab a spare gi. Either way, for the money you spend, you get a great product.

(Below) Pant leg logo embroidery.

For more on Battle Gear and their kimonos, click here