Fenom Features
Two things immediately strike anyone encountering a Fenom, the superbly soft weave and the slick branding. The jacket and trousers are velvety soft and have remained so after two training sessions and two washes (without softener) and air drying. My Koral are superb, but their burlap texture does not compare with Fenom’s impeccable softness. While soft, the weave is sturdy and has a ‘proper’ BJJ-gi weight; I’m not a fan of the ultra-light gi.
Fenom’s inaugural gi is black with pink gothic-style ‘F’ Fenom branding; smaller ‘F’s adorn the shoulders and a larger emblem is stitched at the foot of the right trouser leg. Fenom’s belts and internal tags also include a pink stylised lotus. Classy, feminine, but understated and not too saccharine or over the top (I’m not the sort to rock a Kyra Gracie pink kimono and it is nice to have a feminine gi that’s not exceedingly ‘girlie’).
Fenom Performance
I’ve trained in Fenom twice, so while I can’t comment on the longevity of the gi (though it looks and feels sturdily constructed), I find it exceedingly comfortable. The cut and, especially, the fabric really can’t be beat. I think the boys are jealous their gi aren’t as baby soft!
Fenom Fit
Fenom Size
The Fenom suffered minimal shrinking after washing at 40 degrees with negligible change after a 60 degree wash; I air dry gi, either on a clothes line or on drying racks hung from radiators.[2]
Measurements | Before(cm/in) | After 40°C(cm/in) | After 60°C(cm/in) |
---|---|---|---|
collar to cuff | 64.8/25.5 | 61.7/24.5 | 61.5/24.25 |
back of collar to skirt bottom |
69.9/27.5 | 63.5/25 | 62.7/24.75 |
width at elbow | 20.3/8 | 20.3/8 | 19.5/7.75 |
width at cuff | 15.2/6 | 13.9/5.5 | 14.5/5.75 |
width at knee | 25.4/10 | 25.4/10 | 25/9.75 |
length of inseam (to seam above gusset) |
69.9/27.5 | 67.31/26.5 | 67.31/26.5 |
Conclusions
I heartily recommend Fenom and look forward to additions to their collection over the coming months. Not only is Fenom bringing a super product to the market, they are really channeling the ‘strong-woman vibe’ and working hard to bring more women and girls onto the mat. This is the sort of business I am keen to support, and with such a fine product, it is no hardship.
Disclaimer
All reviews are based on my independent observations. I have no formal qualifications, I am not sponsored by any company and I do not endorse any one brand. If you chose a gi based on my review, please let the manufacturer know that MegJitsu persuaded you. This will not benefit me financially, but can help me to get more gi to review. As always, thanks for reading.
Addendum: Meerkatsu has published a fine interview with Fenom founder, Triin Seppel, here.
[2] While I measured the waistband, I am sure that I made a mistake and the prewash measurement is not reliable (88.9cm/35″). Accounting for human error, there is no further shrinkage after the first wash.