Gi Review - Black Eagle 'Basico'

Short Review: Just like the Predator, this gi is both light and comfortable (though not quite as light as the Predator, as the trousers are cotton rather than ripstop). It is also similarly treated to prevent shrinkage, which again means the white is especially bright. The main point of difference is the almost total lack of embroidery, apart from the two eagle logos on both shoulders. There are unfortunately still patches on the leg, which are a bit awkward to remove, though they are at least partially obscured when wearing the jacket. Available to buy here in the UK, for a reasonable £64.99.

Full Review: One of Black Eagle's best features is that they listen to their customers. In the course of producing their BJJ gis, Black Eagle frequently has extended consultations with various figures in BJJ. For example, Meg Smitley provided plenty of input on their female cut gis. Black Eagle are also sponsoring fellow blogger, Liam Wandi, for his writing rather than competing (AFAIK). There is even a blogger-designed Black Eagle gi, in the form of the swish Raptor by gi reviewing champion, Meerkatsu.

Flashy gis have been popular for several years now. With the advent of brands like Shoyoroll, the gi has become a fashion item. I'm sure this was true in the years before I started BJJ as well, but the clever marketing strategy of Shoyoroll (tense pre-sales, limited edition runs, 'rebel' sloganeering, etc) has accelerated that perception. On BJJ forums, gi threads often run into multiple pages: everybody has their favourite.

Yet there are also those who don't want a fashion item. They simply desire a piece of reliable, practical equipment, without any bells or whistles (as I discussed in my article on the topic). For that market, Black Eagle have produced the 'Basico' plain gi. I've mentioned numerous times that my ideal gi design is basically the same as on the Black Eagle judogi: two small logos, nothing else.


I was hoping for something similar after I heard about the Basico. For many years, my favourite gi has been the Padilla & Sons gold weave. That was partly due to the price and the quality, but also the relative lack of embroidery and patches. I've been wanting to get something even plainer, but until now the only option was either a judogi or to go overseas, where American companies like Killer Bee offer a completely blank gi. Therefore I had high hopes for this new, plain option from Black Eagle.

As far as I'm aware, Black Eagle is the longest running UK BJJ brand. The company was founded on the 1st June 2005 in Hampshire, starting as a general martial arts supplier before it made a major move into the BJJ market. Black Eagle dipped its toes into BJJ as a reseller for Atama and Kwon back in early 2006 (possibly earlier, as I'm just going off the Internet Archive) Eventually, the company would produce its own Black Eagle branded gi. A year or two after I started BJJ in November 2006, the Black Eagle standard issue gi became ubiquitous at the Roger Gracie Academy.

I was never fond of that design, which IIRC was launched in September 2007. The eagle logo was coloured by the Brazilian flag, which I thought made it look like a bird of prey wearing a t-shirt. I've also never liked large text written on a gi, which on that first offering was along the shoulders (a common practice, so once again, it's an entirely subjective matter of taste). The next incarnation, on the Mundial, shifted to a more stylish logo, but still plenty of text. That was followed by the popular Predator (which I reviewed last week), where for some reason the logo tilted, joined a few months ago by the blingy Raptor.

The Basico is a very similar gi to the Predator, being cut from the same pattern, except that it thankfully lacks the large wedges of text along the shoulders, next to the collar and across the jacket skirt. The eagle on each shoulder remains: I prefer the logo placement from the Black Eagle judogi, where they are on the arm and leg instead, but this works too. In a slightly unusual design choice (which looking again I now see is the same on the Predator), these eagles aren't arranged to face each other when you have your arms at your sides, as you might expect. Instead, they look in the same direction, which I found a little odd. However, that's not a flaw, just something I wasn't expecting. ;)

There are a few minor design shifts in the jacket, restricted as far as I can tell to the choice of patches on the lapel and inside the collar. Rather than the monochrome eagle logo used by the equivalent patches on the Predator, the Basico is a bit more colourful, taking the Brazilian flag as a template. The main distinction is that the jacket weave is also different: the Predator was a pearl weave, while the Basico uses a gold weave. The length from cuff to cuff was the same, at 153.5cm, staying there after a wash at 30 degrees Celsius. There was some slight shrinkage elsewhere though, as the jacket feels a bit tighter across the chest after washing.

If you're wondering how exactly all these gi weaves differ, in simple terms, there are three: single, double and gold, with ripstop being a recent fourth addition (for more on that, see my review of the Gorilla Fight Gear all-ripstop gi, here). Single is the thinnest and lightest, while double is much thicker, meaning that it is stronger but retains heat. Gold is a combination of the two. All other names are essentially used by companies to differentiate their gi, but there often isn't all that much specifically different. For some more discussion on that, check out Seymour's brilliant post on buying a gi, then scroll down to 'weave'. In Black Eagle's case, their use of 'pearl weave' refers to their usage of a softer, tougher yarn, getting the 'pearl' name from that shiny white resulting from the anti-shrinking techniques applied to the material.

Black Eagle has the uncommon feature that their gis not only come pre-shrunk, but they guarantee it won't shrink more than 1% or 2% further, as I discussed at length in my Predator review. Normally I would get an A2, but due to that lack of shrinkage, I decided that the Black Eagle size chart indicated an A1 would be more sensible. Prior to these two Black Eagle gis, I've never owned an A1, so I was interested to see if that would fit me better (as I'm a pretty small guy, at 5'7" and about 65kg). Thankfully, it did: the cut is apparently competition legal, but it is definitely tighter than I'm used to, which I like.

The trousers for the Basico are almost exactly the same as the Predator, with two exceptions. First, that they are regular cotton rather than ripstop. Secondly, at 95cm my A1 Basico trousers are 4.5cm longer than the A1 Predator, without any noticeable change after washing at 30 degrees. I would have preferred that there was a third exception, but that similarity extends to the two large patches on the upper legs (except that they say 'Black Eagle' rather than 'Predator'). As with the embroidery on the Predator, it is possible to remove them if you're willing to put in the time.

I used a pair of cuticle scissors to gradually chop my way through the threads. The scissors broke almost immediately, but I only needed a blade to slide underneath the stitching. You then have to pull out the loose stitches, along with the adhesive fluff on the back of the patch. If you aren't careful when removing, the sticky residue from the back of the patch will stick to the trousers, rather than coming off attached to the patch.

If that adhesive remains on the trousers, when you roll with somebody wearing a blue gi, it will pick it up (though the adhesive seems to go after a wash or two). The needle holes left behind aren't too noticeable on the Basico cotton trousers, but they can be clearly seen if you remove the patches on the much thinner Predator ripstop. I'll update the Predator review if those holes cause a rip (though that wouldn't be Black Eagle's fault: after all, they aren't expecting you to remove the patches ;p).

Available to buy here in the UK, for a reasonable £64.99. The Predator is £79.99, for which you get lots more embroidery, ripstop trousers and a pearl weave rather than gold weave jacket. Either way, the Basico would be my choice, though hopefully in future they'll get rid of the trouser patches, perhaps also shorten them slightly.

Update August 2014: Sadly, the company no longer exists, as per this status update on their Facebook page. To quote the founder, "Due to the incompetence of the people we effectively sold our business to, and from which we still earn a living through a percentage of sales, Black Eagle has now ceased trading. Those concerned still owe us £20K, plus earnings, and have left us completely penniless. So, if you see cheap Black Eagle gear being sold, please don't buy it, we get nothing for it, and you will just be lining the pockets of the liquidator."

Gi Review - Black Eagle 'Predator' MK II

Short Review: This is a comfortable, well-fitting gi, which is also very light. Due to the pearl weave and ripstop trousers, along with a tapered cut, the Predator is ideal for a competitor close to their weight limit. It is also both sanforized and mercerised, which not only makes the Predator a notably brighter white, it more importantly guarantees the gi won't shrink more than 1 or 2%. That means you should check the size chart carefully: I bought a size below my usual option.

The only downside for me was the amount of embroidery and patches: the word 'Predator' is emblazoned all over the gi. However, as I discuss later in this review, you can remove the embroidery, it just takes a long time. The Predator is available to buy here in the UK for £79.99.

Full Review: I hadn't expected to receive a Predator, as I was waiting on the new 'Basico' offering from Black Eagle. However, having both of them drop through the letterbox meant I could be comparative, which is useful. The Predator was a big step for Black Eagle in 2010, completely redesigning their previous BJJ offering. It was then followed in 2011 by a considerable marketing push for the Mark II: this review joins many others around the web. That also inaugurated the Predator BJJ range, which has become a broader BJJ product line including equipment for nogi (a website is in the works, AFAIK).

A relatively unique feature of the Predator gi (or at least I haven't owned any other gis that make the same claim) is that it is guaranteed to not shrink beyond 1-2%. That's something which has been tested by Meerkatsu, who surprisingly found that it actually got bigger after repeated hot washes. SkinnyD discovered that it would still shrink if you put it in the dryer, though generally that isn't part of a gi washing routine: personally, the only reason I ever put a gi in the drier (for the very few who might be wondering, I've seen it spelled both ways) is to shrink them.

Washing my own Predator, I kept it at 30 degrees Celsius, which perhaps unsurprisingly didn't result in any change. The width from cuff to cuff stayed at 153.5cm, while the trouser length didn't deviate from 90.5cm. Apparently that resistance to shrinkage is because the material of this gi is not only 'sanforized', but 'mercerised' as well. I've seen those terms mentioned before in other Predator reviews, but until joining those reviewers myself, I had no idea what they meant.

Looking around the internet, Wikipedia tells me sanforization dates back to 1930, when the process was patented by Sanford Lockwood Cluett (1874–1968), who hailed from New York. You might well have seen the 'sanforized' label inside a pair of jeans (unless you're me, as I don't wear jeans: not enough pockets ;p). There is a link to the OED on the wiki, so as I happen to have access to an electronic edition, here's the definition: "A proprietary name for cotton and other fabrics which have been preshrunk by a special process." Which doesn't tell me much.

Fortunately the other link on the wiki is rather more expansive, with an illustrated description. In short, the actual method itself is called 'Controlled Compressive Shrinkage'. That involves running the material through a machine, which first sprays the cotton with water and steam, squashes it in various ways, then finishes off by drying to lock the threads. CCS is entirely mechanical, rather than chemical.

The etymology of 'mercerised' is similar, but this time it owes its name to a gentleman from Lancashire (nice to see the local County Council is proud of him), John Mercer. Incidentally, he's appropriately named, as 'mercer' means "One who deals in textile fabrics, esp. a dealer in silks, velvets, and other costly materials". Mr Mercer was English, so as you might expect, that means the innovation dates back to the Industrial Revolution (1844 to be specific, patented in 1851), when Britain was the global power rather than the USA.

According to the wiki, Mercer wasn't the man who popularised the process that bore his name: that was down to H.A. Lowe, who made some changes in 1890 (though I guess not enough to warrant 'lowerised'). The wiki states mercerising apparently strengthens the fabric, this time thanks to a chemical (sodium hydroxide) instead of a machine. Tom Beaudet goes into a lot more detail:

John Mercer was granted a British patent for work he had done pertaining to cotton, linen and other vegetable fibrous materials that in effect caused certain changes in the character of the fiber when subjected to caustic soda, sulfuric acid, and/or other chemicals, etc. He went on to list a number of these changes, one of which was that caustic soda caused the fiber to swell, become round and straighten out (but it did not impart any change in luster). At the time Mercer introduced these processes, the British cotton trade showed no interest in any of it and it all sat in obscurity for about forty years. In 1890 Horace Lowe was granted a British patent in which he claimed that by applying Mercer's caustic soda process to cotton yarn or fabric under tension a resultant high luster (a result of the light reflection off the smooth, round surface) was imparted to the fiber. It became an overnight success and revolutionized the cotton industry. The rest is history.

Research into random fabric processes aside, this gi is comfortable and light. The top is pearl weave, which in this case results in a thin, soft but still sturdy jacket. It's very light, comfortable, and due to all that sanforising and mercerising, a notably brighter, shiny white compared to other gis. The ripstop trousers also felt fine, though my training partner did find them a bit hard to grab (which may be down to size rather than material). The Predator also dries quite quickly, taking less than a day, which is another big plus point in its favour.

The foam collar feels relatively strong, and like the sleeve and trouser cuffs reinforcement, it is covered in ripstop material. I'm not sure if that has any particular benefits, though I would assume that it helps make the gi lighter, as well as speeding up the drying process. If you don't know what ripstop is, I've got a long description over on my review of the Gorilla Fight Gear all-ripstop gi, here.

There are a whopping six belt loops on the trousers, which create a point of contrast, as they're black as opposed to the otherwise white fabric of the gi. The drawstring is black too, and also slightly longer than usual. Black Eagle have opted for a flat drawstring rather than rope. Although I know some people love the rope tie, I'm not overly bothered either way. The flat drawstring is perhaps marginally my preference, as there is no danger of it forming a large knot that digs into you. Then again, I've not yet had that problem with rope drawstrings, as they've been sufficiently soft that I haven't noticed the knot causing any pressure.

The design isn't to my taste, as there is embroidery down the front of the jacket, shoulders and the back of the skirt, plus patches on the upper legs. As I've mentioned before, I especially dislike large text on a gi, as it makes me feel like a billboard. That meant while wearing the Predator, I kept thinking that although I quite liked the fit (which works for big guys too, as discussed by Big Stew in his review), it was going to take a long time to remove all that bling. Fortunately, another Black Eagle gi was due to arrive which I hoped would solve that problem: the Basico. Look out for the review next week.

It is possible to remove embroidery, but the procedure is even more time-consuming than getting rid of patches. You need a range of tools, patience and a lot of time. From what I read, it also isn't easy to avoid damage to the fabric. At best, you'll still probably leave behind some discoloration. Still, I'm suitably anti-bling to at least give it a try, so I headed for the sewing kit. As it turned out, the process itself isn't that complex: shave the back of the embroidery with a beard-trimmer (not essential, but speeds things up), then as with patches, carefully cut your way through the strands of thread, again from the back. Finally, pull out the loose threads with a pair of tweezers (you can use your fingers if you prefer). But be warned: just getting rid of the 'r' on the jacket skirt embroidery took me over an hour, as there tend to be several layers of stitching.

At £79.99, the Predator isn't cheap, but it isn't ridiculously expensive either. If all that science lives up to its claims, it's a fair price for increased quality and durability. Available to buy here in the UK.

Update August 2014: Sadly, the company no longer exists, as per this status update on their Facebook page. To quote the founder, "Due to the incompetence of the people we effectively sold our business to, and from which we still earn a living through a percentage of sales, Black Eagle has now ceased trading. Those concerned still owe us £20K, plus earnings, and have left us completely penniless. So, if you see cheap Black Eagle gear being sold, please don't buy it, we get nothing for it, and you will just be lining the pockets of the liquidator."

Gi Review - Black Eagle Judo Gi

I first tried a proper judo class in 2005, but got injured three sessions in, so it was long past time I gave it another try. That previous stint of training meant I already had a gi for my next attempt at judo in October 2008, but because I wanted to bring my gf down to class too, I'd need a second suit. Black Eagle offered their basic 'Adult Elite' judo gi for the fairly low price of £25, which seemed a good deal (especially as they were running a 10% discount promotion at the time).

Although I haven't trained as much judo as originally planned (largely due to a change in circumstances that means I'm not at Warwick Uni as much as before), I've had no problems with this gi in the judo sessions I've made it to so far. It hasn't shown any signs of wear and tear, and after a few washes and one 30 minute session in the spin-drier on high heat, it has shrunk sufficiently for comfort.

This gi felt a lot baggier than my other judo one, which is especially noticeable when I've worn it for BJJ, as that provides my training partners with more handles and makes it easier for them to secure a choke. On the other hand, just means I have to work harder on my defence, which is probably a good thing. It also enables me to use my own gi to attack, wrapping up their limbs, or at least it would if I had any idea how to do that properly. ;)

It is also fairly light and not too stiff. That means I often grab this when I want to bring a smaller gi, as the Black Eagle packs up tighter than my Padilla counterparts (especially the single weave). It didn't cost me very much, so I'd also be more likely to take this one traveling, as it wouldn't be as much of a hit to my wallet as if I lost a higher quality purchase.

Compared to the Black Eagle BJJ gis, I prefer the simpler design of their judo gi. There aren't any large rectangular patches with 'Black Eagle' in huge letters, just a subtle and quite stylish eagle logo on the arm, with a small patch displaying the full logo on the trousers and lapel (the eagle picture, some kanji and 'Black Eagle'). I've never been fond of large patches, so this is a big plus point for me.

Unlike some gis, you also get a white belt included: all in all, perfect for somebody just starting out in grappling, who therefore may not want to splash out on something more expensive (although the white belt is for judo, so lacks the black BJJ rank strip). Once you've decided you want to stick with BJJ, and are therefore willing to spend a bit more, my BJJ gi of choice is Padilla & Son (particularly if you are in the US).

Update August 2014: Sadly, the company no longer exists, as per this status update on their Facebook page. To quote the founder, "Due to the incompetence of the people we effectively sold our business to, and from which we still earn a living through a percentage of sales, Black Eagle has now ceased trading. Those concerned still owe us £20K, plus earnings, and have left us completely penniless. So, if you see cheap Black Eagle gear being sold, please don't buy it, we get nothing for it, and you will just be lining the pockets of the liquidator."