Karate Uniform Buying Guide
A uniform is one of the first things needed when training in martial arts. However, not all uniforms are the same. The Karate Uniform or Karategi, gi for short, is available in different fabrics and fabric weights. Depending on the students' level of experience and the requirements of the teacher, gis are available in different colors. To help you make an informed purchase, we at Warrior Emporium have provided this buying guide.
Fabric Type
There are two types of fabric that the karate uniform comes in. The first is a blend of cotton and polyester, 55% cotton and 45% polyester. The second is 100% cotton fabric. Most children's gis are made with a cotton-poly blend for ease of wear. The cotton-poly blend uniforms are less likely to shrink than 100% cotton products. This material makes for a good everyday training uniform for adults, however, the cotton-poly blend gis vary from light to medium weight.
The 100% cotton comes in weights from light to heavy. Cotton gis should always be washed in cold water and air-dried because the material is prone to shrinkage. Often times these gis are left to instruction, demonstration, and competition.
Fabric Weight
Karategis come in three weights:
Lightweight - 5 to 6 ounces
Mediumweight - 7 to 8.5 ounces
Heavyweight - 10 to 14 ounces
Typically, lightweight gis are used by beginning students and everyday training due to their ease of movement and body cooling. These are the least expensive uniforms because of the lighter fabric.
Mediumweight gis offer a good blend of weight and durability, which makes for a popular choice for everyday training.
Heavyweight gis are mostly used for instruction, demonstration, or competition, and the material offers a long-lasting durability.
Karate Uniform Colors
Most karate schools require beginning students to wear white or black uniforms. Typically more experienced students, or those who have earned a black belt, wear colored uniforms like blue or red.
Karate Uniform Sizes
Karate gis usually come in a range of sizes, 00000 (smallest) to 8 (largest). Some students depend on sizing charts to find the correct fit. In order to avoid getting a wrong size for your body type you must find your height on the sizing chart and then your weight. Often times karategis need to be tailored to get the perfect fit unless you are exact height and weight of the size.
Karate Belts
Karate belts are made to wrap twice around the waist before being tied with the exception of a child's belt that normally have a hook and loop with a need to only wrap around the waist once. Usually the karate belt matches the uniform size and ranges from 72 inches, at size 00, to a little over 131 inches, at size 7.