Equipment Review - 'Real Dope Pants' (Datsusara)

Short Review: A considerable improvement over previous Datsusara gi trousers I've tried, the Real Dope Pants are easily among the most comfortable gi trousers I've ever worn (and I've worn a lot in the last decade). The green and black colour scheme is striking, although the gentle humour of the embroidery may still be too much for some. I also found the drawstring was too long for me, but that is an issue with most drawstrings, easily resolved by cutting and singeing the ends. These trousers are not cheap at $75 (available here, from the Datsusara website), but if you value comfort, it's money well spent.

Full Review: Datsusara have remained the most prominent name in the hemp gi market, a profile that has risen since their sponsorship of the Eddie Bravo Invitational. On that event, you may have seen the referees wearing some stylish trousers with a green drawstring. Those are the 'Real Dope Pants', a marked departure from Datsusara's previous HCG ('hemp combat gi') model, at least in terms of the older editions I've tested over the years (the HCG-02 and HCG-03: Datsusara is currently up to the HCG-06).

Those older gis used a weave that was comfortable and breathable, if comparatively heavy. The same weave was used in the Flow Kimonos hemp offering (which I reviewed here). They've proven to be excellent training gis, but are too bulky for travel. This is in contrast to another hemp gi I own, currently my favourite of any gi: The Green Gi. I own two jackets and one pair of The Green Gi trousers. The weave is tighter than either the HCG-02/03 or the Flow Hemp, which may explain why it feels lighter and is easier to pack.

The Green Gi gets my vote for top spot because it's ridiculously comfortable. After I first put them on, the Real Dope Pants immediately reminded me of The Green Gi: they are just as comfortable. If the HCG-06 is made out of the same weave, then that is going to make for a very tempting purchase the next time I'm in the US.

The striking green and black colour scheme of the Datsusara trousers elicited plenty of comments when I first walked in wearing them, but as regular readers will know, if I own something black it doesn't stay that way for long: I like colour. I bleached and then dyed the trousers, as I wanted something I could match with my second The Green Gi jacket, which I dyed dark green a while back. Before I attacked it with various chemicals, the black was attractively set off by the green stitching and embroidery, along with a green bungee cord drawstring.

I found that drawstring overly long for my taste, though this is a problem with every bungee cord style drawstring I've tried so far. It's easily rectified, as you can simply cut the superfluous material, then singe the ends with a candle to prevent fraying. It comes undone more easily than my favourite drawstrings (which are from Fenom Kimonos), so there is perhaps slightly less friction in the finish compared to the Fenom.

I've been wearing both The Green Gi and the Datsusara trousers regularly over the last few months, culminating in an open mat where I switched between them midway through. I also asked my student Milka to test both of them, which proved illuminating. Her preference was the Datsusara, though she felt they were both excellent. To quote her:

These [the Datsusara] are the most comfortable. These [The Green Gi] are just as comfortable, thicker, so for the winter they'd be perfect. However, I can feel the stitches, because they are right across my thighs. But with this [the Datsusara], it's like wearing nothing.

As soon as she rolled in them, she was asking me where she could buy a pair. Personally, I prefer The Green Gi, but it's close. The reason is that while I find them equally comfortable, I prefer the cut on The Green Gi and they have thicker reinforcement panels by the knees. I haven't had any issues with the stitching on the trousers, though I did have the seam tape by the sleeve cuffs removed due to itchiness (I think from the seam tape edge, rather than the stitching itself).

A photo posted by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Aug 14, 2016 at 7:00am PDT

I also prefer the plain design of The Green Gi. Normally Datsusara are notably plainer than most other companies, so the shift to increased embroidery and patches on the Real Dope Pants was a departure. I don't mind the kanji, it was the 'Real Dope Gear' embroidery I found off-putting. I live in Bristol, where you will often smell pot wafting down the street. My attitude is that as long as they aren't smoking it on my mats, I don't mind: what you do at home is your business. However, even the gently pro-pot implication of the 'Real Dope' pun wasn't a message I felt comfortable displaying on my gi, especially as an instructor. I therefore covered it with a patch, though the embroidery would also be fairly easily to remove, judging by my quick test unpicking a few of the threads.

Before washing, the A1 trousers I got were 93cm long. After several months of regular washing at 30 degree Celsius, they have shrunk to 90cm. If you stick to 30 degrees, then that would indicate you can be relatively confident that the sizes on the website are not going to shift dramatically.

It will be interesting to see what the durability is like on the Real Dope Pants, so I'll update this review in a couple of years. There are many alleged benefits to hemp (see my old HCG review for more discussion of that), but as ever the only one I can currently confirm is that hemp clothing has a considerably greater level of comfort compared to cotton.

The Real Dope Pants are an impressive achievement by Datsusara, which hopefully will carry across to their gis as well, if it hasn't already. If Datusara are able to produce a jacket as comfortable as these trousers, I suspect I will soon have a new favourite gi. ;)

The Real Dope Pants are available to buy here, from the Datsusara website

Gi Review - Flow Hemp (Flow Kimonos)

Short Review: Stylish Boston-based brand Flow Kimonos have joined the growing number of companies offering a hemp gi. The appropriately named 'Flow Hemp' has a relatively beefy 550gsm jacket and 11oz (376gsm) trousers, both 100% hemp. Flow do not overdo their designs, stripping it back even further here: there are no big patches, just a few splashes of subtle embroidery in a pleasing green, black and white colour scheme.

As with their Pro Series 2.0, Flow Kimonos cater to a broader range of body types than some gi companies, with L (Long) and H (Heavy) on offer in addition to the standard A sizes. The main negative is the price, an unavoidable problem with hemp, though in comparison to the rest of the hemp market the Flow Hemp is among the most affordable. Available to buy here for $199.

Full Review: When I last reviewed a gi from Flow Kimonos (the Pro Series 2.0), I was excited by the news of another prospective hemp gi on the market. That gi has since arrived, the simply named Flow Hemp. The hemp gi market into which it has entered is growing gradually, with multiple choices now available in what was once a very narrow field. The first ever hemp gi was probably from Ground Force around 2005, judging by old threads like this, with a 2006 review of the gi here.

That 2006 review thread included a certain Chris Odell looking to buy a Ground Force gi in March 2007: he would go on to found Datsusara that same year. Odell's company is now arguably the market leader in hemp equipment for BJJ and MMA, justifiably able to take the credit for popularising hemp within BJJ, or at least proving the viability of creating BJJ equipment with hemp. After beginning in 2007, Datsusara released their first gi in 2008, the HCG-01. I reviewed the HCG-02 here, then most recently their third release, the HCG-03. Odell is currently up to the HCG-05.

A post shared by Can (Jun) (@slideyfoot) on Apr 18, 2014 at 9:13am PDT

The Green Gi (referring to their ethical stance, not the colour of their gi) have been around almost as long as Datsusra, when founder Adrienne Adams hand made her own prototype gi and promptly won a blue belt middleweight gold at the Mundials in it: I'm wearing that same gi in the picture. After a long build up, Adams recently released her first gi from The Green Gi, dubbed the Blue Dream (sold out at present). I have a factory reject Blue Dream jacket, picked up when I visited Adams a few months ago. Although it isn't the finished article - and I therefore won't be reviewing it, as that wouldn't be fair - it does provide a useful point of comparison. I'll talk a lot more about The Green Gi when I review their hemp belt: I've been testing that for around a year now.

Along with The Green Gi and Datsusara, the hemp gi market includes Lucky Gi, then finally there is the gi I'm reviewing today from Flow Kimonos. Surprisingly, both Flow and Lucky worked closely with Odell, despite the fact they are all technically competitors. That kind of community amongst business rivals is rare, though I don't know the exact details of the relationship between them. One issue where all these companies appear to agree is that they must not let fake hemp in the gi market go unchallenged. Chris Odell eventually released this video, as according to lab tests he had paid for, Submission FC were selling a 'hemp blend' that the reports seemed to show did not in fact contain any hemp whatsoever.

Each company is positioning itself slightly differently, though they all tend to comment on environmental issues (The Green Gi is probably the front-runner in that category). Lucky Gi, an old stalwart of the industry led by veteran grappler Scotty Nelson, have decided to follow the clunky 'squeeze page' online marketing of the '90s to sell its 'Hempire' model. That's a strategy popularised in BJJ circles by the distasteful antics of Lloyd Irvin, in stark contrast to the subtler approach adopted by other hemp gi companies. Lucky is also charging a massive $420 for its hemp offering, almost twice as much as any of its competitors. Then again, I haven't tried the Hempire, so perhaps it manages to live up to that hefty whack of cash. The Green Gi comes in at $239 (although I think that includes shipping: the $200 pre-order price did) and Datsusara at $230. The Flow Kimonos 'Flow Hemp' comes in next at $199, with shipping at around $13 to the US and $55 to the UK.

Like Datsusara, Flow have attempted to present a scientific basis for the benefits of hemp (for much more on the alleged benefits of hemp, see my review of the Datsusara HCG-02). However, they want to harvest your email before you get access (here). I'm intrigued that the bait on this occasion is a scientific report: normally it would be "for your chance to win a free gi!" or something along those lines. While it would be cool if people got equally excited about the chance to educate themselves, I imagine free stuff still ranks higher for most people. ;)

Anyway, the report itself isn't the usual pdf sent to your inbox. Instead, verifying your subscription to a mailing list gets you access to a page on the Flow Kimonos website (where there's an embedded pdf, so you can download that for later reading if you want). I can't be certain of the scientific veracity, as that's outside my old academic area (knowledge of post-war poetry doesn't come up much in BJJ reviewing), but it made for interesting reading. For those who do have the relevant academic background, on the fifth and final page there are eight references to look up (I'm guessing a few are biased, such as the one from something called 'Hemptech'). If true, then it further establishes the positive impact greater use of hemp could have. For example:

After cultivation [of hemp], the soil is left in optimum conditions (tilth) due to the complete weed suppression following from the high shading capacity of hemp. A study by Bócsa and Karus 1998 reports 10–20 percent higher wheat yields after the cultivation of hemp. [...]

Due to its vigorous growth, shading capacity and disease resistance, hemp can be grown without the use of herbicides, pesticides or fungicides. Hemp therefore easily complies with requirements of organic farming and is suitable for cultivation near surface water. The crop leaves the soil virtually weed-free

That fits with Flow Kimonos' old mission statement of sustainability, slightly updated on the current version, as there is now no mention of organic cotton (understandable, as the commitment to hemp demonstrates it better). A perhaps more significant change in the wording between the two versions is in the 'community service' section. At the time I reviewed the Pro Series, it read "We pride ourselves on contributing to as many projects as possible. We’re an American company based in Boston, MA and we love that the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu community is so strong. If you’re out there doing good for others, we want to help you FLOW. Seriously, if you know of a great cause hit us up and we’ll see what we can do to help."

As I said in the review, I liked the emphasis on building the BJJ community through projects, with the implication that charitable efforts and doing good would be an important goal for Flow. The current version of the statement reads quite differently. It appears to indicate a shift to athlete sponsorship rather than the charitable work that the old mission seemed to point towards: "We pride ourselves on supporting athletes and contributing to the BJJ community. We love that the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu community is so strong and want to do our part in growing the community."

Asking Flow's founder Jonathan Leung about this, he clarified that change of wording:

There's been no change of heart: I'm always looking to contribute to the community :)

When an individual or organization is trying to make a difference in their community I try to pitch in however I can. The business is still in startup stages, which necessitates that I run a tight ship, so I'm pretty selective about who I help out and to what extent.

Getting on to the actual gi, at this point, I've had the opportunity to train in four hemp gis. That includes two from Datsusara (the HCG-02 and the HCG-03), the 'Flow Hemp' from Flow Kimonos and a factory reject jacket from The Green Gi's 'Blue Dream'. Given the level of collaboration between Datsusara and Flow, you would expect some similarities between their gis. They both use a basket weave, whereas The Green Gi has gone for more of a pearl weave (if you don't know what I'm talking about, there is a primer on a few different weaves over on the Fenom Kimonos blog).

The Flow Hemp has not had any of the lint-shedding issues I've had with both of the Datsusara gis, possibly something solved in more recent editions of the Datsusara. I've been using the Flow Hemp regularly for a month, washing it five times over that period (three times at 40 degrees celsius, twice at 30) and drying it in the sun. Pre-washing, the trousers were 93cm long, shrinking to 89cm after their trips to the washing machine. The jacket started off with a wingspan of 158cm and 75cm shoulder to hem: that's dropped to 153cm on the wingspan, but stayed the same shoulder to hem.

In terms of weight, my A1 Flow Hemp jacket comes in at 800g, the same as my A1 The Green Gi jacket. When you add in the trousers, the Flow Hemp weight goes up to 1.6kg. Compare that to my HCG-03 (also A1), which is 1.1kg with just the jacket, increasing to 1.8kg with the trousers. The Flow Hemp jacket is 550gsm, while the trousers are 11oz (376gsm) hemp twill. Comparing the collars of my hemp gis, The Green Gi and Flow look similar, though the covering material has some differences in texture. On the Flow, you can see those diagonal lines I'm used to from cotton twill trousers, whereas the Datsusara has an entirely different bobbled pattern.

The cut of the Flow Hemp jacket is much tighter than the HCG-03, though there is still some give in the chest. In terms of hemp gis, the best fitting jacket I've got is from The Green Gi. Having said that, I do have narrow shoulders for a guy: as you can see from the comparative picture, the A2 Fenom jacket - which is cut for a woman - fits me quite well (for reference, I'm 5'7 and around 145lbs). As with any hemp, the white is a 'natural white', as bleach would damage it: if like me you dry the gi in the sun, that will lighten it somewhat, but not much. Having said that, I can't personally see a huge difference between the white of the Flow Hemp and the white of the cotton Fenom Lotus. The HCG-03 picture was taken indoors last year, but the Fenom and Flow Hemp pictures were taken in my garden, minutes after each other.

Hemp is significantly more comfortable than cotton, the one alleged benefit of hemp I can easily confirm. It also gets softer with each wash. There is lots of reinforcement on the Flow Hemp, with plenty of stitching at the bottom of the trousers (six rows). The sleeve cuffs are well reinforced too, with four rows. As is the case with several more recent gis I've looked at, there is no reinforcement inside the armpits (perhaps to cut down on weight), though the standard bulking up with extra material can be seen by the side vents. Leung had this to say about the gi:

The hemp gi is designed to be heavier and take the abuse of daily training while remaining super soft and comfortable. My intention was not produce a light competition hemp gi although the gi is tournament legal. Since it costs a good chunk of change, I want customers to feel the quality the second they lay hands on it.

The additional panel of fabric on the Datsusara trousers goes from just above the knee right down to the bottom of the trousers, whereas the Flow finishes midway down the shin. That's just enough to cover the knee when you're sitting on your heels (e.g., when you're on top in closed guard). It would therefore benefit from a little more length, but it does the job. On the plus side, that makes the trousers slightly lighter: this is another area where the Datsusara has some extra weight. The Flow is bulkier when it comes to belt loops though, boasting six of them grouped in pairs. The HCG-03 only has two, right at the front.

The drawstring is unusual: I can't remember seeing anything similar on another gi. It is bright red and branded with 'Flow Kimonos' in white text, made from some kind of elastic. Thankfully this drawstring is a good bit shorter than the bungee cord I'm used to from other brands, so does not dangle down to your knees. Note that the ends aren't sealed in place, it's just a knot: it can therefore come undone. A few minor dents have developed from tying it tightly, something which I haven't noticed with bungee cords, but as it doesn't affect drawstring functionality it doesn't matter. :)

The Flow Hemp gi design is similar to the Pro Series 2.0, with embroidered text in the same places. I am not a fan of text on a gi, but it is less obtrusive this time round. 'Flow Hemp', embroidered in black, green and white on the bottom of the jacket and the right trouser leg, is only eight letters (further minimised by varying the size of the two words: 'hemp' is in a much smaller font underneath 'flow'). The Pro Series 2.0 embroidery had an excessive twenty characters, due to spelling out 'Flow Kimonos Pro Series' in full. There's another small logo in green on the back of the left trouser leg, along with the upper back of the jacket.

Either way, the Flow Hemp is certainly flashier than the Datsusara. In addition to that green, black and white, plus red on the drawstring and some yellow on the patches, there is dark grey too (or is it black? I'm not always great a distinguishing finer differences between shades) contrast stitching. The same colour is used for taping on the side vents, sleeve and trouser cuffs. Much to my pleasure, the patches on the leg from the Pro Series 2.0 have not been carried over: in fact, the Flow Hemp ornamentation is almost all embroidery. The only patches are those typical to most gis, at the bottom of the collar and the top of the trousers.

On balance, the Flow Kimonos 'Flow Hemp' is the best hemp gi I have tried to date (although I should note that I haven't had a chance to try a finished gi product from The Green Gi yet, just that factory reject jacket, plus I haven't experienced the Lucky Gi Hempire). It's comfortable, stylish and durable. The drawstring has the advantages of not getting tangled as can sometimes happen with flat versions, as well as avoiding the irritating length of so many bungee cords. The Flow Hemp isn't excessively blingy, but it's got enough touches of colour to appeal to those with more flamboyant gi tastes. It is also currently the best value hemp gi on the market, available to buy here for $199.99. In general terms, that's still an expensive gi, but put against its competitors (especially the ridiculous $420 price tag for the Hempire), it's affordable, particularly if claims about hemp's durability are well-founded.

Gi Review - Datsusara Hemp Gi (HCG-03)

Short Review: Datsusara's follow up to the HCG-02 has a new cut, better fitting than the old judo-style baggy jacket (though it's still fairly baggy on my frame). As before, the 100% hemp material feels soft and comfortable, while also staying cool due to its porous nature. The stitching issues have also been resolved, aside from one small defect on the belt loop which is probably specific to the particular gi I received. The main drawback is that the HCG-03 has increased in price, meaning that cost is becoming an even more significant obstacle. Available to buy here for $199.95, in either unbleached 'natural' white or midnight blue.

Full Review: When I reviewed the HCG-02 for Meerkatsu last year, there were two major flaws that needed to be resolved with the next edition: poor stitching and an overly baggy cut. I was therefore keeping a close eye on those two potential problems after receiving the HCG-03 while I was in Texas. Georgette kindly let me have the gi sent to her home, in addition to all her awesome hospitality while I was there in November. Incidentally, she also has an HCG-03 to review: I'll update this with a link when it's up.

The new Datsusara hemp gi comes in either white or midnight blue (no black in this batch). As before, the 'white' gi isn't truly white, but unbleached, resulting in a beige hue. The price has increased by $60: hopefully it won't rise any higher, but then Odell did say previously that the price was already being kept artificially low while they ironed out any errors. That cost barrier could cause problems, as with the even more unique (and even more expensive) Gimono.

Chris Odell's explanation is reasonable, but most people will still baulk at the price. If the claim that hemp is so much stronger and more durable than cotton is true, then as with the Gimono, the expense can be justified to an extent:

On the pricing once again guys hemp is so much better than cotton, but you kind of have to use it to really understand. All I can tell you for sure is we pay 4X what other guys pay for just about any gi on the market so as you can see our markup is actually very low considering.

There have been multiple improvements to this updated edition since the HCG-02, while retaining the previous benefits. As I discussed at length in the HCG-02 review, there are many claims regarding hemp. The relevant advantages touted for a hemp gi are:

- Four times stronger than cotton
- Anti-microbial, so allegedly bacteria, mold and fungi can't live in the gi
- Green: readily renewable and the cultivation process uses limited water
- Porous: breathes well and dries faster
- Wears in rather than wears out

I can't vouch for it being anti-microbial without access to a laboratory and a science degree, but the HCG-03 still has the wonderful softness of the HCG-02 (and thanks to Georgette's washing protocol smells fantastic, but that only applies if you've washed your clothes in Georgette's house ;D). It also dries relatively fast, taking about a day, though that is still much longer than either my Gimono or my Gorilla ripstop, both of which dry in a few hours.

Importantly, the HCG-02 issues with stitching have been addressed in the HCG-03. I only noticed a couple of slightly loose threads around the sleeve cuffs, but that was trivial, especially compared to the large gaps on the HCG-02. Having said that, I was surprised that one of the belt loops broke after the second wash. I would guess that is simply a defect in the particular trousers I had, rather than something endemic across all the HCG-03 gis. It isn't hard to fix, but annoying nonetheless.

An issue that has carried over from the HCG-02 is the amount of lint. I had a pair of black trousers in the same bag as my Datsusara hemp gi, as the temperature in Houston tends to bounce from hot to cold. When I took the black trousers out, they looked like they had been rolled in flour due to all the shedding from my HCG-03. Similarly, in the shower after training it felt like I was using one of those exfoliating shower gels due to all the lint from inside the gi. The HCG-02 stopped shedding after a few washes, so I would assume the same is true with the HCG-03 (other reviews I've read mentioned it stopped after four or five washes).

The jacket is 580gsm, while the trousers are 370gsm: that hasn't changed since the HCG-02, which itself was only slightly lighter than the 600gsm CG-01 hemp/cotton blend. I am used to much thinner jackets, especially as I was testing my Gimono alongside the Datsusara in Texas, but the breathability of the hemp means that it doesn't feel as heavy as the gsm might indicate. The weave isn't typical either, as it is a 'basket weave' rather than the more common pearl, single and double weaves. It will get creased, unlike the Gimono, but not to the extent of something like the Gorilla. That's a very minor point though, which I only noticed because the Gimono has such a ridiculously crease-proof drape.

Behind your neck, the inner label of the HCG-03 has increased considerably in size and was slightly itchy at first, though it seems to have lessened with repeated washes. Unlike the HCG-02, the trousers do not come with the option of both a rope and drawstring (or at least mine didn't). You're stuck with the flat drawstring, which is fine with me as that's what I prefer anyway, but I'm aware that many BJJers favour a rope. The thread in the gi is made of nylon, as Odell stated here.

I loved the plain styling of the HCG-02, which has been kept for the HCG-03. The embroidery of the hemp seed 'mon' logo has been exchanged for appliqué. This looks much sharper than the old embroidery, with a white border trim. If you want a completely plain gi, I would expect appliqué to be harder to remove than a patch (unlike patches and embroidery, I haven't tried removing appliqué), but then there are only two of them.

On the back, the Datusara logo has been moved up higher, between the shoulder blades. That shows Datsusara once again listening to criticism, as a number of people disliked the way the HCG-02 back design was in the same spot where you would normally put a team patch. As with the sleeve, this is also appliqué rather than the old embroidery, meaning there isn't that weird effect from the HCG-02 of a ghostly white version on the inside of the gi. Then again, it would be covered up by the larger inner label anyway with the new HCG-03 design.

A more significant change is the cut. The HCG-02 felt baggy, like a judogi. The HCG-03 is tapered to the body for a far slimmer fit than the old version, in my case further helped by the fact I went with an A1 this time rather than an A2 (though it is still baggy compared to my best-fitting gis, which are probably the Black Eagle Predator and Basico). That improvement in terms of fit is due to the help from Scotty Nelson at OnTheMat, who was a groundbreaking figure in both US BJJ and US-based gi design (he mentions his involvement with Datsusara briefly during his Open Mat Radio interview from a few months ago). The cut of the HCG-03 was taken directly from the OTM 420, though Odell noted in his email to me that the HCG-04 would be changing its cut slightly. Nelson also helped in locating a different manufacturer for the HCG-03. I can't think of any other pair of gi companies who have been willing to work that closely, so its another refreshing development from Datsusara (and indeed OnTheMat).

There was a great deal of shrinkage with Datsuara's previous hemp gi, though as Seymour washed the HCG-02 before I got to it, I didn't see the process. However, he did let me know the stats, which meant that effectively the A2 shrunk down almost to an A1. This time, I got an A1 in the HCG-03 and shrinkage has been far less. I did two washes at Georgette's house at 25 degrees celsius then hung it up on a door, followed by a third wash at 30 degrees celsius in Bristol. The cuff-to-cuff wingspan started at 159cm, dropping to 155cm, then stabilising at 154cm. Shoulder to hem was originally 80cm, then shrunk to 77cm, where it stayed. Finally, the trousers began at 96.7cm, then steadily shrunk by increments for the first two washes: after the first wash it was 95.5cm, then 94cm. It remained at 94cm with the third wash.

The reinforcements look sufficiently beefy, also made of hemp. There is a large pearl-shaped section on the armpit and a square on the side vent (rather than the triangle used by some other gi companies). The trousers have a long section of additional fabric starting above the knee and stretching all the way to the bottom of the trouser cuff. That prevents the problem of the reinforced section being too low or too high when you kneel on the mat.

The Datsusara HCG-03 is apparently IBJJF legal, as people have mentioned they have won IBJJF competitions while wearing a Datsusara HCG-03. According to the Datsusara website, that is true for both the unbleached white and the midnight blue. Like last time, Odell has been engaging with his customers on various forums, perhaps most notably Sherdog, which is among the largest. For example, he immediately resolved customer complaints regarding defects on this thread, which as a result turned into positive feedback.

The development of new materials and weaves for use in gi construction has notably increased over the last couple of years. Datsusara was and still is a pioneer in the use of hemp: other companies have started to pick up on that, but as yet Datsusara remains the only one to successfully produce a 100% hemp gi. With bamboo, ripstop, hemp blends and unusual combinations like Gimono's 'Fortitude' fabric, I hope that innovation will continue in the gi world, rather than just different colour and patch combinations.

The Datsusara HCG-03 is available to buy here for $199.95, in either unbleached 'natural' white or midnight blue, although many sizes are now sold out. It is worth noting that Odell told me yet another version of the Datsusara hemp gi is due for release, with the HCG-04 expected to land around March 2013. I'll be interested to see if there are many further changes for the HCG-04. It would appear that most of the criticisms of the HCG-02 have been addressed in the HCG-03 without creating new problems, so aside from the lint shedding there is less obvious room for improvement (unless Odell can somehow reduce the cost, but I imagine that would be difficult without compromising on quality).

Update Dec 2012: Shortly after I posted up this review, Odell suggested that machine washing and drying at least once should prevent the shedding issue (I always hang dry). So, give that a try if you're having problems on that front.

As per usual, Datsusara owner Chris Odell has done a video describing the gi (interestingly, he says the shedding problem has been fixed: perhaps that's true for the midnight blue gi, but it is demonstrably still an issue with the gi I have). As I now know he is a dedicated nogi guy, it makes sense that the belt he is wearing is still white several years since I first saw him wear a gi. ;)

Gi Review - Datsusara Hemp Gi (HCG-02)

Short Review: According to Datsusara, their new gi benefits from the properties of hemp, which is allegedly anti-microbial, super strong, breathable and wears in with each wash rather than wears out. Of those, I can definitely confirm the last, as this is the most comfortable gi fabric I've ever worn. Another point in its favour, from my perspective, is the lack of bling.

However, the unbleached colour and very baggy jacket may not appeal to everyone, though it does also come in black. There were also a lot of loose threads, which is a serious problem: Datsusara stated they are looking to rectify the issue. Presumably due to the difficulties of manufacturing hemp, the gi isn't cheap, at $140. Available to buy here.

Full Review: Thanks to Seymour at Meerkatsu, a Datsusara hemp gi arrived at my house a couple of weeks ago. Meerkatsu is the place to go for gi reviews, but results in Seymour being incredibly busy: hence why he passed this one along to me. I also get to benefit from his photography skills, which is awesome. That means that rather than solely relying on my camera phone, I can put up some professional snaps (as always, click on the picture for the full size image).

As I've written numerous times in the past, I like my gis to be as plain as possible. On that score, Datsusara delivers: there is an embroidered logo on the back and the arm, along with a small patch on the trousers, but that is it. In my opinion, the logo - representing hemp - is also quite appealing, in an unobtrusive Japanese mon style, with no written text (something I find off-putting about many other gis). The back logo could possibly be placed higher, for those of you who want to add a team patch, but as I never add patches it wasn't a concern in my case.

In addition, this is without any doubt the most comfortable gi material I've ever worn. When I first tried on the jacket, it felt like a high quality dressing gown. The cut feels comparable to my judogi, in that it is loose and baggy with wide sleeves. Seymour told me that it used to be even larger, but there was a lot of shrinkage after he washed it twice (at 60 and 40 degrees Celsius respectively). I would advise that if you like a tighter fit, it would be sensible to go for the size below your normal gi. I haven't yet tried throwing it in the tumble drier for further shrinkage, but may give that a go during my next visit to my parents.

When I first wore the gi, that bagginess was noticeable during shrimping, as the collar bunched up uncomfortably behind my neck. However, that problem seems to have disappeared by the time I wore it for a sparring class. Either I've gotten used it, or it has shrunk a little after I washed it (on the quick thirty minute setting). In the accompanying letter Datsusara sent Seymour with the gi, it says that it will shrink up to 5% in the wash (something of an understatement, judging by Seymour's stats, which I've included towards the bottom of the review). It also recommended washing it at least twice: at the time of writing, it's been washed three times.

A more serious issue is the stitching. I was surprised by how many loose threads there were, to the extent that the trousers look as if they've been ripped in several places after years of training, when in fact they're brand new. It isn't difficult to remedy, as I sewed up the four most noticeable areas, but this definitely needs to be sorted out for the next batch. Although I should note that in that letter, they do acknowledge the problem. To quote: "If you find loose threads please simply cut or cut and burn the ends, we apologize for the sloppy stitching but we are working on it."

The natural unbleached colour takes a bit of getting used to, but it is relatively unassuming. The only reaction I got was that one training partner asked if it was an old gi which had faded from heavy use. My girlfriend, on the other hand, said it looked like the gi had been drenched in tea. I've heard that unbleached used to be quite common back in the day, the most famous probably being the HCK unbleached single. It has fallen out of favour more recently, but perhaps Datsusara will be part of a general return to that classic look. I prefer white, but then the lack of bleaching does make for a stronger fabric. Given that considerable advantage, I'm sure I could get used to it.

Feedback elsewhere on the internet has been largely positive, such as on The Underground and Georgette's thorough review (she mentions she wore the gi to sixty classes at the time of writing). Over on Sherdog, company head Chris Odell actively engages with customers. He also directly adresses their concerns, such as this response on the widespread stitching deficiencies:

"Sorry again for the loose threads on some gis. I talked to my manufacturer and they said they had rushed many of the units to make our deadline, hence were sloppy on a few. I am taking steps to make sure that doesn't happen again: if anyone has threads that cause the gi to lose structural integrity we'll fix it for you, just email us."

In terms of the lint problem noted by wearers of the black edition, Odell responded that "from what I have gathered, that stops after two cold water washes and low heat drying," which is supported by the experiences others relate in the same thread. It doesn't appear to be a problem with the unbleached version.

The unique selling point of the gi is that it is made entirely out of hemp, rather than the usual cotton. Datsusara are the first company to successfully market and sell a hundred percent hemp gi. Other companies have tried, but have either got stuck in the marketing phase waiting to get production off the ground (like The Green Gi), or sold a product but then folded (like EnviroGi). Datsusara have been selling various equipment made of hemp for some time now: perhaps unsurprisingly, the website makes a lot of claims regarding the benefits of hemp. Some of them I can easily confirm, such as that the material is light and comfortable. Others require a bit more research: I'm not a scientist, but I can at least have a look at what sources are available on the internet.

In the 'why hemp' section of the official website, it says hemp is four times stronger than cotton, anti-microbial (bacteria, mold and fungus supposedly can't live in it), green (readily renewable, uses limited water during the cultivation process) and porous (meaning it breathes well and dries more quickly: mine took around a day to dry fully). The website also states that the fabric will wear in rather than out, increasing in comfort while retaining strength with each wash.

The first thing you'll most likely hear when you mention you're wearing a hemp gi is a tongue-in-cheek "can you smoke it?" I've never looked into the issue much until now, but according to Dr David P. West (admittedly a biased source, as his article was produced for the North American Industrial Hemp Council), hemp and marijuana are quite different. Marijuana is high in the psychoactive ingredient delta 9-tetrahydro-cannabinol (THC), while industrial hemp is not: it is theoretically possible to distill THC from hemp, but it would be a very expensive and time-consuming process. He also runs through the various advantages of hemp, which ties in with Datsusara's claims.

The position laid out by West is corroborated by this 2001 piece in The Guardian, by Dr Claire Cockcroft from the Institute of Biotechnology in Cambridge. Here is another piece, although again from over a decade ago, which looks fairly objective.

To finish with some gi statistics, The jacket is a one piece construction, made from a 17oz (580gsm) long fiber weave. According to the shrinkage numbers Seymour emailed, the width across the sleeves ('A' in Seymour's handy gi diagram) shrunk from 165cm to 153cm, after a wash at sixty and then forty degrees Celsius. The length from the shoulder to the bottom of the jacket ('B' on the diagram) began at 80cm, then dropped down to 74cm after the washes. The width across the bottom of the jacket ('C') was 63cm out of the box, going down to 56cm after washing. Seymour noted that during his tests, the jacket weighed 1.36kg.

Similarly, the trousers are made from 11oz (370gsm) long fiber weave. There is the option of either the default flat drawstring, or a thicker rope version, included separately with gi. Shrinkage on the length of the leg ('E' on Seymour's diagram) was from 104cm to 93cm, while the width of the trousers legs ('F) went from 55cm to 52cm. The bottom of the leg width started at 25cm and went down to 24cm, then finally measurement 'H' shrunk from 43cm to 39cm. Seymour stated that when he weighed the trousers, they came out at 0.66kg.

The $140 price tag on the site is more than I would normally pay for a gi. It is also set to rise in the next batch, from what I've read. Then again, should hemp live up to the strength and durability touted on the website, that may well prove to be a good investment. If Datsusara can solve the stitching problem, this could become a serious competitor on the gi market. It will be interesting to see what happens with the next batch. Available to buy here.

Update Dec 2012: My review of the HCG-03 is now up, here.