Eminence Kimonos has developed a new line of BJJ gis for the rulers of the mats! All of their gis come in sizes for men, women, and children and if you check out their sister site, Just a Girl in a Jiu Jitsu World, you will see they have the most creative line of women’s gis on the market today.
From the blinged out zebra motif of the “Just a Girl” gi to the clean cut look of the “The Eminent One,” there’s something to suit everyone. I received “The Jester” for review a couple of months ago and I fell in love with it right away. I’ve enjoyed rolling in it very much.
Features
Kimono Top Features:
- 100% cotton 450g pearl weave
- Black with purple contrast stitching
- Green trim
- Rubberized ripstop collar
- Ripstop cuff and hem tape
- Argyle mesh lining inside the shoulder area
- Custom embroidery
- Triple-stitched seams
Pants Features:
- 100% cotton with pearl weave gusset
- Purple stretchy rope drawstring
- Green six-point loop system
- Purple contrast color stitching
- Triple-stitched seams and knees with pearl weave reinforcement
- Custom embroidery
Quality and Style
The Jester is made of a high quality pearl weave, and the gi itself has been well constructed. The embroidery is flawless, and I love the concept of The Jester.
The interior of the jacket has a liner and unfortunately, it began to fray after about six washes and wears. I spoke to Leslie Rials, founder of Just a Girl in a Jiu Jitsu World, about it and she said that in the future, all patches will be embroidered rather than sewn on. I also had an issue with the drawstring. It is the stretchy rope type and I found it too short to tie into a bow. I had to tie my pants with a knot instead, and after about twelve washes and wears, one of the ends exploded with all of the material unraveling and making a puffy mess at the end of my drawstring.
When companies first started using the rope drawstings, I was a big fan of how they looked, but I found they didn’t stay tied very well. Some brands are offering both the ripstop and stretchy rope options with their gis. In this case, the second drawstring would have come in handy to replace the faulty original. To repair an exploded drawstring, you can cut off the puffy part and seal the end, as shown in the video below. Or, to make your own drawstring, see Jesse Bellevance of Killer Bee Kimonos’ instructional video.
Other than these minor cosmetic flaws, The Jester is a high quality gi and I predict that it will last for a long time. There are reinforcements at the knees and the seam splits of the jacket and pants, but the jacket is not reinforced at the armpits.
Fit and Comfort
The Jester gi jacket fit perfectly right out of the bag. It felt as though it was tailored just for me and I was careful not to shrink it by using the hot wash/dryer method, as I have in the past. During wear, I found the opening between the lapels to be a little bit wider than some gis, meaning more of the front of your shirt is visible while wearing this jacket.
The pants, although perfect in length, have an unusual cut. The crotch is low and the legs are wide at the thighs, tapering as they reach the cuffs. This cut makes it difficult for my opponents to grab the pants material at my calves, but there is an excessive amount of material at my thighs and at the crotch. The fit reminds me a lot of harem pants, as worn by musicians PSY, Justin Beiber, and MC Hammer. I feel that there is too much fabric between the legs and when the pants get sweaty, I can feel it bunch up between my legs.
I think the pants would be more comfortable for people with narrow hips and skinny legs if they were cut in the straight leg style. As they are, the Jester pants would be well suited for those who carry weight in their bums and thighs. The pearl weave knee pad reinforcement on these pants was comfortable, and I liked that the smooth side of the fabric was facing my skin as opposed to the rough side, as I have seen on other gi pants.
Customer Service
I was sent the gi for review so I didn’t experience typical customer service. Leslie was always quick to reply and selected the perfect size to suit my measurements. Just a Girl BJJ offers shipping to Canada for $32.00 and shipping to the US for $12.00. Follow Just a Girl in a Jiu Jitsu World on Facebook and Twitter, and visit their website to see everything they have to offer all rulers of the mats! Male sizes can be purchased at Eminence Kimonos. For more photos,visit my blog.
