Spats Review - Samurai in Combat (Combat Skin)

Short Review: The second spats available from Combat Skin draw upon the classic martial arts image of the samurai, with several changes since their last pair of tights. The drawstring has gone (personally I'm glad to see it go, but your preference may vary), as have the anti-slip cuffs on the ankles. That anti-slip waistband is still there, but more comfortable this time around. The spats are also a little longer and wider than before (at least in Medium), making them a slightly better fit on my 5'7 and 66kg frame. Available to buy for $59 here.

Full Review: Since launching in November 2013, Combat Skin has continued to expand. I previously had the opportunity to try out their Combat Warrior spats, part of owner Steven Loi's inaugural market offering. That featured a design by Meerkatsu, replicated across a number of different BJJ fightwear products. The latest design I've been able to test, the 'Samurai in Combat' spats, has received similar treatment. Just like Meerkatsu's artwork, the Samurai in Combat appears on a t-shirt, rash guard and even a gi patch, as well as a gi.

It is not a new design: those samurai had already been revealed when I wrote my last review in March, although at that time it was being sold on a t-shirt. Notably, those sales had a charitable element. 20% of profits went to Bulig Isko, an organisation connected to disaster relief after the Haiyan Typhoon in the Phillipines. That's part of Combat Skin's stated aim of 'giving back to the community'. They've continued to back up that part of their mission statement, not just with various sponsored athletes, but helping out community projects and events too.

For example, Combat Skin provided the t-shirts for Jodie Bear's GrappleThon held in August, where she raised money to support the Donna Louise Trust. Jodie is herself now a sponsored athlete: you can check out her (slightly out of date, as she's since earned her blue belt) page on the Combat Skin website here.

Another part of the mission statement regarded using artists that train, something in evidence with the Samurai in Combat design. The two samurai that feature on these Combat Skin spats were created by Jay Acosta, who is based in the Philippines. He is also known as 'JayBhoi', the name under which you'll find his work on sites like deviantART and behance.net. His artwork on the left leg features a pair of samurai in full battle-dress, one wearing red armour while the other is in blue (there is a clearer picture of the design over on his Facebook page).

Drawing on Japanese tropes is a good move for a piece of BJJ fightwear. Anything Japanese is especially popular in martial art circles, from manga to cultural rituals. BJJ's titular Brazilian heritage has counter-acted judo's original stiff formality, although a few schools have poured some starch into the old Brazilian laid-back vibe. Still, although we might not be swishing our hakama skirts, the grapplers of BJJ nevertheless tend to love ninja and samurai just as much as the Japanophiles of a karate or aikido school. That also gives me an excuse to babble about samurai in general. Hooray!

The term 'samurai', which apparently translates as 'those who serve', was first used in a purely military context during the 10th century (according to military historian Stephen Turnbull). Their significance ramped up over the coming centuries: for example, the Gempei War (or Genpei War, depending on how you transliterate from the Japanese) in the 12th century, the rather fortunate repulse of the Mongols in the 13th century (the weather helped quite a bit), the Onin War of the 15th century and the following Period of Warring States, lasting around 150 years.

Tokugawa Ieyasu emerged as the victor of all that warring, after climactic battles at Sekigahara in 1600 and Osaka in 1615. The next two centuries would be remarkably peaceful by comparison to what came before, meaning that the samurai didn't have to do a whole lot of fighting. The fanatical Christian aspect of the Shimabara Rebellion in 1638 (one of the exceptions when the samurai did need to dust off their armour) triggered Japan's withdrawal from the world, codified in the 1639 Exlusion Edict that banned almost all foreign trade, barring a tiny selection of Dutch merchants based in Dejima. By the time Commodore Perry shattered that arrangement in 1853, the samurai had gone from feared fighters to pen-pushing bureaucrats.

From what I've read, the historical reality of samurai is not particularly elevated, much like the reality of European knights is far less 'chivalrous' than the Arthurian mythos might lead you to believe. Similarly to their European counterparts, samurai started off basically as mercenaries and bodyguards. Bushido was about as relevant to the original samurai as Idylls of the King was on the medieval battlefields of Europe (in other words, not very much). The samurai myth (again, judging by a few books and internet sites, so I could be wrong) was largely a 17th century creation, just when the real samurai were transitioning from a life of constant warfare to a life of political intrigue.

There's an article about myth versus reality over on TheGoldenEggs: I'm not sure how well researched that is as there aren't any footnotes, but it makes for interesting reading. Or have a read of this piece about a scholar of Asian history, which has several intriguing quotes. For example:

Samurai rarely used swords in battle — instead they most often used arrows. So the idea of the sacred Samurai sword isn't exactly accurate. Their weapon of choice was actually the pike, which was essentially a spear. Swords were very expensive, so they weren't used often, which also explains why they survived. [...]

Loyalty has been grossly exaggerated. Warriors were interested in reward and recompense. Conlan found evidence that warriors moved from one side to another depending on the reward they would receive.

Of course, outside of academia it doesn't matter all that much what samurai were actually like. What matters is their status in popular culture. In that context, they're undeniably cool. Whether that's in Kurosawa films and the work he inspired (Star Wars being perhaps the most notable example), Ghost Dog or countless katana-wielding anime warriors, samurai through modern eyes are sleek, graceful and honourable to a fault. The positive image of the samurai as an intensely loyal aesthete with a sword, despite not being borne out by history, also remains powerful, as does their rather better founded status as elite soldiers. One of my own BJJ heroes, Saulo Ribeiro, has proudly described himself as a "samurai of the modern world." So, samurai imagery is an easy sell to BJJers (including me).

My knowledge of samurai armour comes mainly from Akira Kurosawa and playing Wizardry (hence why 'ashigaru' is a familiar word to me, as they kept stabbing my characters to death), but Wikipedia has an impressively detailed picture with a complete key of all the parts. Based on that, it looks like JayBhoi has kitted his samurai out with ō-yoroi ('great armour'), rather than the later more mobile dō-maru. That also means I've now learned a new word: I'm a fantasy and history geek so I love armour and weapons, but 'poleyn' isn't something I've read before. Apparently that's the bit that covered the upper leg through to the knees (4 on the diagram). ;)

JayBhoi's Red Samurai is trying to chop into Blue Samurai with a blood-stained katana. However, Blue Samurai has managed to overcome him through - of course - jiu jitsu (I somehow doubt BJJ would help you against a great big sword in real life, but it's a cool concept for BJJ fightwear). The difference in armour tone is a satisfying touch, as it makes Blue Samurai's triangle-armbar attack much clearer.

The main body of the spats is a rich blue, setting off the red stitching that continues the colour scheme of the samurai. That blue background contains a blown-up watermark of the samurai design, extending across the entire surface of the spats. Directly behind the two combatants there is a large oriental dragon, mouth agape and claws raised. She looks partially armoured herself, further enhancing the samurai theme. The ethereal light blue colour presumably indicates that this dragon represents the fighting spirit of the samurai. On a personal note, it fits pretty well with some of Jodie's own dragon artwork, which she tattooed on my left foot a few months ago. ;)

At the bottom of the left leg, Acosta's personal logo (a quizzical stylised head, atop a plate with 'JAYBHOI' written across it) stares out. On the right leg, 'Combat Skin' is written down its length in large white letters. The 'CS' logo sits at the top of the leg, looking like it has just been sliced in half. The waistband of the spats has 'Comabt SKin' written all along it, separated again by that CS logo (untouched by a sword this time).

Acosta's artwork has the standard sublimation to prevent cracking, peeling and fading, while the spats have the equally standard flatlock stitching for comfort. The tags are sublimated too, greatly preferable to those irrtating flaps you get in most clothes. Combat Skin have also helpfully pre-washed the tights, so you shouldn't have to worry about the various chemicals from the manufacturing process that can linger in new clothes.

There have been a number of changes compared to the Combat Warrior spats. The Samurai in Combat do not have that 'waxy' sheen, presumably because instead of 80% polyester and 20% lycra, they are 82% polyester and 18% spandex (the same blend as the Mashuu 2.0 from Strike). The dimensions for 'Medium' have changed as well: the Samurai in Combat is noticeably longer than its predecessor. They remain a good length for my 5'7 and 66kg frame, because I prefer spats to extend to my ankles. They are 93cm rather than 85cm (unstretched), while the width is 34cm, compared to the Combat Warrior's 31cm (measuring it flat on the floor on one side, again unstretched). Overall I'd say these are an improved fit compared to the Combat Warrior, which was already among my best fitting spats.

Those Combat Warrior anti-slip bands on the ankle cuffs have gone, with added reinforcement: the Samurai in Combat has three lines of stitching on the cuffs compared to the Combat Warrior's two. The drawstring has gone as well. There is still an anti-slip waistband on the Samurai in Combat, but it's more comfortable than on the Combat Warrior. As you can see if you click on the picture, the pattern of stitching on that waistband is different too. For me that again is an enhancement. Drawstrings have been superfluous in my experience with spats so far, though if the elastic loosens over the years, the Combat Warrior drawstring will have renewed purpose.

The Combat Warrior spats arrived in a small plastic pouch. This has been upgraded to a mesh bag for the Samurai in Combat, with a toggle drawstring. That's perfect for wet clothes you want to compress, so I'm currently using the bag for my old travel towel. The Samurai in Combat spats are available to buy from the Combat Skin website for $59, here.

Equipment Review - Combat Warrior Tights (Combat Skin)

Short Review: Combat Skin have produced a range of Meerkatsu designed equipment, encompassing both nogi and gi. Their Combat Warrior grappling tights feel a little different than others I've tried before, with a 'waxier' (for want of a better word) sheen to the material, but they're still comfortable to wear: a Medium was a good fit on me (for reference, I'm 5'7 and around 66kg). They also have anti-slip bands on both the waist and ankle cuffs along with a drawstring: this is intended to keep the tights in place, but in my experience it isn't entirely necessary. However, if you've had trouble with tights slipping, you'll be able to fasten these very securely to your hips. The design is a vibrant orange Qilin from Chinese mythology, with 'Combat Skin' written down the other leg in bright yellow. Available to buy from Combat Skin here for $55.

Full Review: The fightwear market continues to grow, but in a shift from recent years, the potential product line has also evolved. Previously, it would be a matter of sending off a gi design to Pakistan or China then releasing a gi largely the same as every other company, just with different patches and perhaps some embroidery. Now, it has become fairly standard to also offer rashguards and grappling tights (known alternatively as spats). I would assume those are also often made in Pakistan and China: not all of my rashguards and spats have a label stating where they were made, but of the three that do, two are from Pakistan.

In November 2013, Steven Loi (possibly the same Steven Loi who runs BJJ Video Vault) officially launched his contribution to that expanding market, Combat Skin. It's a good name, bringing up associations with cool sci-fi armour from films and computer games. I first became aware of the brand due to another positive pop culture reference from my past, in the form of their 'Street Jitsu' t-shirt, paying homage to classic beat-em-up Street Fighter II.

Over time, I have realised that a good product and customer service are not the only aspects of a company that matter to me, though both are of course important (I'm therefore going to babble about that for several paragraphs: to skip straight to discussion of the product, click here). In my case, I am equally swayed by how the company responds to what used to be called 'Corporate Social Responsibility' back when I worked in business. The Combat Skin mission statement indicates that is indeed one of their central concerns:

Our success will be based on how we serve the martial arts community and this includes:

* Creating the best designs and fight wear for combat arts/sports

* Providing a high quality service that leads to exceptional customer satisfaction

* Using designers and artists that train

* Supporting practitioners by giving back to the community (e.g. sponsorships)

The first two points are to be expected: pretty much any business is going to want to create the best product possible and aim to deliver high quality service: if they did not, then unless they are operating a monopoly, that business would not last long. The third and fourth points are more interesting. I can't think of any other fightwear brand that has a specific goal of only using designers and artists that train. There are quite a few in jiu jitsu, so I'll be interested to see what new artists may get a chance, along with established jiu jitsu designers such as Meerkatsu and Gawakoto.

Many companies claim to 'give back to the community': Combat Skin have attempted to back up their advertising copy with a charity t-shirt featuring a samurai image on the front. Combat Skin have also shown their willingness to engage with their potential customer base, using Facebook to discuss those charitable efforts. For example, for the samurai charity shirt, they first asked on Facebook if people thought it was a good idea, then went ahead and donated 20% of the t-shirt's profits to an appeal supporting the Haiyan typhoon survivors. A few weeks earlier, they announced they would be supporting the Inspire women-only open mat. I'm not sure what exactly that support involved (perhaps providing some t-shirts for the event), but either way it's a positive sign of their commitment to more than just lip service to the oft-quoted goal of 'giving back'.

Finally, 'giving back' can be seen in the Combat Skin approach to sponsorship. According to Facebook, they examine several factors on top of competition results. In fact, they specifically state you don't even have to compete. That greater scrutiny of potential candidates is important, given that there are both people and whole teams out there who can prove they have plenty of jiu jitsu talent, but possess a less than stellar reputation off the mats.

Moving on to the actual product, this is the sixth pair of spats I've owned. Although I only rarely train nogi, after getting hold of my beautiful Pony Club Grappling Gear unicorn spats, I've gotten into the habit of always wearing both spats and a rashguard under my gi. The Combat Warrior tights have a slightly waxy feel to the material compared to my other spats, a texture I have so far previously encountered in rashguards. That's not meant to be at all negative, I just can't think of a better word to describe it. The last time I encountered that kind of material was when I wore a rashguard Conor lent me to train nogi in Houston. While writing this review, I also received some rashguards from Odin Fightwear that felt similar.

That feel could be down to the mixture of materials. The Combat Warrior tights are 80% polyester and 20% lycra. That contrasts to the 82% polyester/18% spandex on my Strike Fightwear spats and the 80% polyester/20% spandex of my RGA Bucks Tatami rashguard. However, the Gentle Chief rashguard I reviewed a while ago has a comparable blend of 82% polyester/18% lycra, but lacks that same slightly waxy texture. I would therefore guess the Combat Warrior tights are either a bit thicker or perhaps has had some kind of treatment: either way, it's only a minor difference and doesn't affect my comfort, so I'm mainly speculating out of interest.

Unstretched, the Combat Warrior spats are 85cm long and 31cm wide, but keep in mind there is a lot of stretch in them due to the fabric. They have proved to be a decent fit on my 5'7 and 66kg frame. I prefer spats to pull down past my ankles, meaning they end lower than my gi trousers. In comparison to my other grappling tights, Combat Skin fall in about the middle of the range, although those tights are in a range of sizes and indeed each company has quite different ideas of what constitutes a 'Small' or a 'Medium'. As can be seen by lining them up, the Meerkatsu 'Medium' is by far the longest, followed by the Pony Club Grappling Gear 'Medium' and the Combat Skin 'Medium'. The Meerkatsu flaming rooster bunches at my ankles as it is too long, so the best fitting spats I have are from PCGG and Combat Skin (though the larger size of the rooster spats does mean they are the easiest to put on).

Like the Mashuu 2.0 spats from Strike Fightwear, the Combat Warrior tights have an anti-slip waistband, as well as smaller bands stitched to the ankle cuffs. I ended up removing the waistband from the Mashuu 2.0 and expected I'd experience the same unpleasantly constrictive feeling with Combat Skin's offering. Initially I thought my expectations had been confirmed when I heard that same ripping noise as I struggled to pull the waistband over my hips. However, while I assume that means that again the threads attaching the waistband to the spats were breaking, I think that first impression was misleading.

The Combat Warrior waistband is not as tight as the anti-slip waistband in the Mashuu 2.0 and the width is also broader. The compression around the legs is a lot more comfortable than the Strike Fightwear spats, though I would assume much of that is because I opted for Small in the Mashuu 2.0 when I should have gone for Medium. It's also worth noting that I like a tight fit, so it is possible you might want to get the next size up in the Combat Warrior tights or consider removing the anti-slip waistband.

The Combat Warrior tights have a drawstring in the waistband, as do the Meerkatsu flaming rooster spats I bought a few months ago. Personally, I think that's a superfluous addition in both the Meerkatsu and Combat Skin tights, but that is probably just a matter of preference. Especially with the anti-slip waistband in the Combat Warrior spats, I have had no need to use the drawstring to keep them up above my hips. I have never bothered tying the drawstring on either pair of spats and had no issues with slippage. Then again, I also haven't regularly trained with them in a nogi class, so perhaps that would pose more of a challenge. You could also argue that wearing them under gi trousers increases the friction and risk of slippage compared to nogi class. Either way, they stayed put.

In terms of the chosen design, I enjoyed the vibrant sublimated graphics, a mix of orange, red and yellow. This stands out against the black, in a way reminiscent of the Mashuu 2.0. This is subjective, but I think that Combat Skin have done a better job than those Strike Fightwear spats regarding the design proportions, resulting in a sharper finish on the main illustration. In a similarly subjective judgement, I am less keen on the text dominating the other leg (as I prefer graphics to text when it comes to spats), but I do like the bright yellow colour they've chosen.

Combat Skin decided to release multiple products off the same Meerkatsu concept, meaning you can kit yourself out with a whole Meerkatsu wardrobe (Seymour put up a post about it here). That includes a gi, rashguard, spats, t-shirt and shorts. The specific artwork builds on the mythical Qilin figure, explained on Combat Skin's website as having "the head of a heavenly dragon, the body of a lion, scales of a Koi fish, a tail similar to a raging bull and the hooves of a great stallion."

Along with that large Qilin design down one leg, there is a Combat Skin logo on the upper right and a Meerkatsu one on the lower left leg. The spats arrived in a small display bag, with a monochrome Qilin printed on the back and a clear plastic panel on the front. Combat Skin's product description notes that these are prewashed, meaning that you can wear them straight away if you're concerned about chemicals used in the production process. At $55, the price is close to other spats on the market: available to buy from Combat Skin here.

Equipment Review - Mashuu 2.0 Spats (Strike Fightwear)

Short Review: The Mashuu spats from Strike Fightwear are a gloriously bright yellow, featuring a sublimated Meerkatsu design down the leg. There are anti-slip elasticated bands on the waist and the ankle cuffs, which personally I didn't find all that comfortable but are meant to prevent slippage. Be careful of the sizing: I went with Small, but it was much tighter than I expected (though in fairness I got used to it after a few months). I bought them from here for £15 on sale, but they will presumably be at least twice the price once (if?) they come back in stock.

Full Review: As I was so pleased with my beautiful Pony Club Grappling Gear 'Jessica' spats (reviewed here, with a potted history of grappling tights), I was keen to pick up some more. Somebody on reddit mentioned Strike Fightwear were having a sale, leading me to snap up a pair of Mashuu spats back in August.

The selling point for me is that the spats are bright yellow: I'm a big fan of colourful nogi equipment, in direct contrast to my preference for plain and simple gi design. The macaque design adorns almost the entire left leg, Mashuu covering the back of the leg as well. The right leg is plainer, staying yellow down the upper leg and past the knee, followed by a black section around the calf. That has 'SF//' in white text, finished with a kanji in a white circle at the very bottom. The same SF// design is repeated along the waistband, interspersed with the word 'Strike', in black text on yellow. Finally on the upper right leg, there is a monkey wearing a kabuto (samurai helmet) in front of crossed katana, with some more text below it and the Strike Fightwear logo. The monkey with the helmet was not designed by Meerkatsu: instead, it was modified from something he created earlier.

Strike Fightwear started in 2011 and has since become known for offering extremely cheap gis. Based in the UK, Strike FW have also often worked with designer Seymour 'Meerkatsu' Yang, who created their Red Dragon gi along with a range of nogi artwork. The macaque was one of Yang's early designs, featured on both a rash guard and grappling tights. Dubbing the macaque 'Mashuu' was a result of a Strike Fightwear naming contest, won by another UK blogger, Will Wayland. Apparently, it is a little-used Japanese forename. Doing a quick Google, there is a Lake Mashū in Japan as well.

There was no size chart on the website, which is a major problem, particularly if you're buying in a sale and don't want to risk the product selling out (otherwise I would have emailed them to check the size). I therefore decided to base my decision on the PCGG spats I already owned, given that they are a size Small and fit well (I normally wear 30 inch waist trousers, to give you a point of reference).

As it turned out, a PCGG 'Small' is much more generous than a Strike Fightwear 'Small': having since bought several other spats, it's become clear that there is no sizing consensus across different fightwear companies. Therefore while I can generally trust an A1 gi will fit me, I lack that certainty when it comes to spats. To any fightwear companies reading this, it would be really handy for the customer if you could make sure you stick in a spats size chart (preferably with full waist circumference numbers), if you don't already. ;)

So for me, the Mashuu 2.0 initially felt far too tight, especially the waistband. I struggled to pull that over my hips. Once it slid past my hip bones, I didn't feel discomfort (unless I pulled the waistband over my underwear and directly onto my skin), but the insufficient size was noticeable when I looked at my legs. The fabric on my legs was stretched out to such a degree that not only could I see the hair on my legs, strands actually poked through when I was cycling. I am assuming that this was purely down to the fact that the spats were too small for me, rather than the fabric itself being much thinner than that used for the PCGG spats.

There was another possibility to try, which was removing the thick rubber waistband. This also explained the ripping noises I had heard earlier: they were caused by the loosening of threads attaching that waistband to the spats. I cut the rest of it free, a simple process until I got to the heavily stitched main join between the band and the spats. That thin strip at the back was too entwined with the spats to remove all the threads, but I could still cut it off with some scissors.

This resulted in a much more comfortable fit, although of course that doesn't help the material straining on the legs. Having said that, I'm now used to them after four months of use, to the extent that my PCGG spats actually feel a bit loose. I have also since bought a pair of spats that feel even tighter, but I'm hoping that like the Mashuu spats, they will begin to feel looser after continued testing.

In terms of specific measurements, when the Mashuu grappling tights are lain flat on the floor unstretched, the waist is 10 inches (26cm) wide. From top to bottom they are 82cm long, while the ankle openings are 10cm wide. Needless to say, there is a lot of stretch: I wear 30 inch waist trousers and can wear these without discomfort, despite my initial concerns when I first tried them on. According to the inner label, the construction is 82% polyester and 18% spandex.

The anti-slip bands are supposed to stop the leggings from shifting up or down. I did not like the feel of the waistband, hence why I removed it, but that may have been down to tightness rather than the anti-slip ridges. I left the anti-slip strips on the ankle cuffs: they do a decent job of stopping the tights from riding up my legs, of particular use if you're rolling in spats and a rash guard for nogi.

I rarely train nogi myself, but always wear a pair of spats underneath my gi trousers. That's partly for warmth, as the venue where I currently train is quite cold, but I have also found the compression helps relieve the niggling groin injury I've had since last September (I've been to two different physiotherapists since then, so it's possible that's more psychological at this point). As with any pair of spats, the tightness takes some getting used to: I don't mind a really snug fit, but you will want to choose your size very carefully.

If you have no issues with a tight fit and are a similar size to me, then the Mashuu in Small should work, but a Medium is probably a better bet for the average person. It is a good idea to contact the supplier with your measurements, though even then you may not get the right size. Best of all would be asking any training partners who also wear spats, or checking reviews like this one to get an idea of the actual size. Should they come back in stock, the Mashuu 2.0 grappling tights can be bought here.

Equipment Review - 'Jessica' Unicorn Spats/Tights (Pony Club Grappling Gear)

Short Review: For lovers of colourful kitsch, there is little on the nogi equipment market to rival Pony Club Grappling Gear's spectacular 'Jessica' spats, featuring a Meerkatsu designed pair of unicorns complete with a rainbow. The material is tough but smooth: it's also both tight and stretchy, so be aware the sizing differs as a result. Compression legwear is a considerable change if you're used to training in a rashguard and shorts/gi trousers, but after a few weeks of rolling in the Jessica unicorn tights, I've been converted. The Jessica is available to buy (while stocks last) here, for $65. For a slightly lower $50, you can plump for the less flashy Yang and Bader spats.

Full Review: Among the things I love, three rank highly: '80s music, '80s cartoons and grappling. Pony Club Grappling Gear, as you can probably tell from the name, manage to combine all three with their fabulously kitschy artwork. I've stuck the PCGG patch on my BJJ-patchified hoody and have been proudly wearing the t-shirt for several months. However, despite the fantastically bright logo, the PCGG t-shirts are currently available in the 'safe' colours of black, grey and white. It's an understandable move for a new company, but I was therefore very excited about the distinctly not-grey 'Jessica' grappling tights.

The company was founded in Australia by Reem Fekri, who late last year earned her BJJ blue belt there, under Eduardo Dias and Ricardo Franca at Garra BJJ. Fekri studied at several universities in the UK and has a background in art and journalism, which no doubt served her well when both deciding on the design ethos and promoting Pony Club Grappling Gear. It might also explain neat little details, like the quote running along the waistband of the tights. Fekri is currently based in Dubai.

If you're wondering why these tights are called 'the Jessica', that's due to one of Pony Club Grappling Gear's sponsored fighters, Jessica Penne. It's a naming convention that can be seen throughout Pony Club Grappling Gear's product range. For example, the original 'Yang' tights were named after Seymour Yang, the artist responsible for their look, while the 'JJ' shirts come from another sponsored fighter, JJ Ambrose. It is an endearing personal touch that reflects Fekri's friendly personality and PCGG's community vibe. ;)

These are the first grappling tights I've either worn or reviewed, meaning I can't help doing some research into their history (to skip my waffling on that topic and get to the discussion of the Jessica tights, click here). In an effort to find the earliest mention of 'compression leggings' on the net, I limited the search to between 1980 and 1995. That brings up two results, both medical. The first, a pdf from the NHS, has been updated multiple times. It states - under the heading of 'Caesarean section' - that "compression leggings or boots, should be fitted to all women."

There are various other medical discussions of compression tights post-1995, remarking on their alleged health benefits. There is a piece on MayoClinic.com about how compression tights can alleviate deep vein thrombosis. I am sure they don't mean the kind of tights you'd see in grappling, but the principle that "pressure helps reduce the chances that your blood will pool and clot" sounds reasonable (I know there is at least one qualified medical practitioner potentially reading this, so feel free to chip in if you have any thoughts ;D).

Daylong.co.uk goes into further depth about a variety of conditions that it claims compression gear can combat. Reassuringly, there is a list of sources at the bottom of the article, but not being scientifically trained, I can't vouch for their legitimacy:

- Research in flight attendants showed that wearing light level support stockings and tights resulted in a significant reduction in tired, aching legs with discomfort and swelling also reduced.

- Several studies have shown that wearing correctly fitted compression garments does prevent post-thrombotic syndrome, a serious and sometimes life-threatening complication of deep vein thrombosis.

- Professionally manufactured compression garments, made to prescription, have been shown to reduce healing time in leg ulcers.

- In cases of serious injury, such as spinal cord injury, where patients are unable to move their legs, using medical grade compression garments helps to keep the leg veins in better condition, reducing the risk of deep vein thrombosis.

- Compression, prescribed as part of complex decongestive therapy for lymphoedema has been shown to reduce pain and swelling and increase the use of the hands and fingers

More recently, you can see articles about tights in the context of sport, such as basketball. The activities I would normally think of with regards to tight leggings would be cycling and athletics. I could see quite a few tights on show in the Olympics coverage last year. Indeed, RunnersWorld talked about it in 2005, stating that:

It's well known that tights can help you run warmer; now, some high-tech models may help you run better, too. This new generation of tights uses compression to support the major muscle groups, allowing them to function more efficiently and recover more quickly.

"It’s based on the science, or art, of kinesiotaping," says John Wilson of Wacoal Sports Science, makers of the CW-X tights. "It’s what athletic trainers have been doing for years to support athletes’ muscles, and in Japan [where the product originated] it’s evolved into an art form."

There is another sport (of sorts) which may be the progenitor: pro-wrestling. Looking around the web for old pictures of pro-wrestlers, you can see the legendary Frank Gotch (1878-1917) in leggings from a picture that apparently was taken shortly before his death. As pro-wrestling got increasingly flamboyant and based on spectacle, the costumes became ever more impressive, resulting in numerous examples of men in tights ranging across the colour spectrum. This floral number modelled by the future Governor of Minnesota on the June 1982 cover of Pro Wrestling Illustrated would not look out of place in a Pony Club Grappling Gear catalogue.

I would guess that the use of grappling tights in nogi and BJJ emerged from the strong connection between pro-wrestling and MMA in Japan (especially as Japan is name-checked in the RunnersWorld piece above as well), but that's just an assumption. From what I can google, it appears pro-wrestling took off in Japan during the '50s, thanks to Korean-born sumotori Mitsuhiro Momota, better known as Rikidozan. Based on these pictures, he was another fan of wearing tights.

A couple of decades later, Antonio Inoki (who famously kicked away at Muhammad Ali's legs in 1976) created 'New Japan Wrestling'. Nobuhiko Takada, who would cross over into the MMA world with PRIDE FC, debuted in Inoki's promotion back in 1980. Searching through PuroresuCentral.com, there were numerous tights afficionados at New Japan Wrestling, such as Mitsuharu Misawa and Toshiaki Kawada, who both also emerged in the early '80s.

The person who is probably the most famous proponent of tights for grappling comes from Japanese MMA: Shinya Aoki. His attire was presumably influenced by pro-wrestlers like Misawa and Kawada. The chaps from GiReviews.net point to a useful Aoki tights timeline. In that list, it appears Aoki started wearing his now trademark tights at PRIDE Bushido 12, an event held on the 26th August 2006.

Yet that timeline also notes that Aoki was not the first to wear them, as in an earlier Aoki fight on the 19th December 2004 at Smack Girl, Yuki Kondo was wearing a pair of black and red tights. This would make sense if I'm right in thinking that the use of tights came from Japanese pro-wrestlers shifting into MMA. Kondo was probably not the first grappler to pull on a pair of tights in an MMA fight either, given Japanese wrestlers had been wearing them since at least the '50s. Perhaps if MMA ever becomes popular in Mexico, lucha libre could act as a similar tights-tastic influence. :)

I did not see tights gain much traction in the UK grappling scene until Matt Benyon - at least partially inspired by Aoki, as far as I'm aware - started selling them, using the term 'spats'. He can probably lay claim to being the originator of that description in the UK, in the context of BJJ and nogi (most people would associate 'spats' with '20s gangsters from Chicago, so I'm not sure how it came to also mean 'grappling tights'). Other UK based fightwear companies - like Tatami Fightwear and Black Eagle, then more recently Strike Fightwear - followed suit. Grappling spats are now relatively easy to get hold of, although shorts remain the typical method for covering your legs in no gi.

The sizing of the 'Jessica' grappling tights/spats is potentially confusing if, like me, you're not used to wearing spats (well, aside from the occasional drunken night out at university in drag, but those tights would not hold up to sparring ;D). That's because Pony Club Grappling Gear tights will stretch a long way. I normally wear trousers that have a 30" waist, which I thought meant that the Medium size of grappling spats (29") would be the logical choice. The other sizes are Extra Small (23"), Small (26") and Large (32").

After emailing Reem, she suggested the Small rather than a Medium. The Small has turned out to be a good fit. The elasticated waistband does not slice into your flesh, though the spats are certainly snug on your legs. I'd suggest being careful as you pull them up over your ankles. Over-zealous yanking could strain the stitches. Slide it on gradually to be certain you aren't going to damage anything. It may be less of an issue if you're closer to PCGG HQ, but I'd rather not have to get a replacement pair shipped from Australia any time soon. ;)

I was worried all that stretching might leave the material weak, perhaps resulting in a rip, but so far the Jessica grappling tights have held up well in training. Up until now I have only noticed one potential sign of damage: there was a loose thread poking out by my knee. I didn't realise there could be loose threads by the knee, given that there isn't any stitching in that area. I'm still not entirely sure what that was, but it's simple enough to cut off. The stitching in general looks to be good quality.

Previously I have preferred to wear gi trousers for no gi grappling: I don't like having bare knees pressing into the mat. The Pony Club Grappling Gear 'Jessica' tights perform the same function. They're obviously not as protective as the thicker material of gi trousers, but thus far it's been enough of a barrier to prevent mat burn. That should also assist in reducing infections that require broken skin to develop (as from what I understand, cuts, mat burn and other abrasions help bacteria find a route to your bloodstream).

You might also expect the tights to ride up or down your legs, but those unicorns remained in place, with no movement from either my waist or ankles. I can therefore confirm there is no need to worry about the spats suddenly slipping and exposing areas you would rather keep hidden. That said, given how snug the PCGG spats are, it does not leave much to the imagination. For the more modest, you have the option of wearing shorts over the top, though having tested that sartorial option, it can get hot if the sun is out.

I found it more comfortable to train without the shorts over the top. The slipperiness of the spats helped in terms of escapes, especially as the first time I wore them it was around 32 degrees celsius, due to an insane heatwave the UK was having at the time. On the flipside, one of my training partners mentioned that they found it easier to escape my triangle attempts. Of course, my triangles are pretty bad anyway, but that's worth keeping in mind.

You could make an argument that if they do reduce friction once you get sweaty, that means your triangles are going to improve, as you'll have to get the technique that much tighter. I should also note that I am comparing this to wearing gi trousers. If you normally wear shorts, there won't be as much difference, as you'll be used to your legs getting similarly slippery.

Wearing them underneath gi trousers was a lot less sweaty than I expected. Although it was relatively hot that day, I never felt uncomfortably sticky, as often happens when I wear a rashguard under my gi jacket. In fact, quite the opposite: with the spats, I actually felt cooler. I also felt more fluid than usual, which I wasn't expecting. That could have just been psychological, but it felt like the spats enhanced my movement, particularly sliding through for guard passes and transitions.

I washed them at the usual 30 degrees celsius and air-dried, turning them inside-out first just in case the washing machine had any impact on the colour. The graphics are sublimated, which should remove the possibility of fading, cracking or peeling. The colours did not run, though I was only washing at a low temperature. Perhaps due to the moisture-wicking material, the Pony Club Grappling Gear tights were already fairly dry right after I took them out of the washing machine, ready for the mats a few hours later.

I didn't notice any shrinkage: measuring them without stretching them at all, the spats remained at 88cm long (69cm inseam), with a waist width of 31cm and ankle width of 10cm. If I yanked them between both hands, then I could without much pressure extend the length to 110cm, the waist to 45cm and the ankle cuffs to 18cm. If you really pushed it, I'm sure that would increase considerably, but I didn't want to risk damaging them.

Demonstrating the multi-purpose nature of the unicorn spats, I even tried going for a cycle in my Pony Club Grappling Gear tights, which worked pretty well for that purpose. Again it was a very hot day, but I felt cool and dry with the tights pulled up onto my legs: on top I was wearing my Fenom rashguard. The librarian probably thought I looked a bit odd, especially as I was wearing a pair of Doc Martens boots as well, but with impressive English reserve she didn't bat an eyelid. ;)

Initially it might be surprising to read (in this interview with Reem) that 80% of Pony Club Grappling Gear customers are male. However, that makes sense when you consider that the sports where you might wear grappling tights - MMA, BJJ, submission wrestling - unfortunately suffer from a massive gender imbalance. To make up some arbitrary figures, let's imagine 5% of the people in those sports are female. If only 15% of the remaining 95% are interested in Pony Club Grappling Gear, those men are still going to form the overwhelming majority of its customer base, even if every single female grappler buys some awesome unicorn spats. At least I think that works: I was always terrible at maths. ;)

A fellow '80s fan I know was very excited by the design: she suggested Thundercats would be good source material for the next one. Cheetara and Tygra spats and/or rashguard, maybe? Or perhaps Mysterious Cities of Gold with golden condors? Or best of all, She-Ra, which would be appropriate: not only was She-Ra a powerful warrior, she flew around on a rainbow-winged unicorn. I would definitely rock She-Ra Swift Wind spats. Make it happen, Reem! ;D

Comparing the cost, I can see other popular spats priced at $54, $59, $69 and $79, so Pony Club Grappling Gear's price of $65 (around £42 at current exchange rates) sounds fairly reasonable. Having said that, it would need to be shipped from Australia, regardless whether it is light enough to presumably qualify for a lower rate. The Jessica is available to buy (while stocks last) here, for $65. For a slightly lower $50, you can plump for the less flashy Yang and Bader spats.