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Limited Edition ‘Raptor’ Women’s BJJ Gi Pre-review

12 Aug 2011 By Meg Smitley

This is a pre-review based on the prototype. Read a review of the production version

Leoni Munslow and Meg Smitley
Leoni Munslow (BJJ School) and Meg Smitley (Dartford BJJ) rocking the Raptor
I have the good fortune to collaborate with a number of BJJ gi brands, including UK-based company Predator BJJ.[1] Predator BJJ is the newly born, dedicated Brazilian Jiu Jitsu apparel wing of established UK martial arts brand, Black Eagle. Black Eagle/Predator BJJ is including a women’s gi range as it launches its brand with earnest this autumn, including the lightweight competition gi, the Predadora, and the special edition Raptor which I’ll discuss here.

The Raptor may be purchased by pre-order only and orders can be placed throughout August 2011 for a November 2011 delivery; the gi is priced at £99.99. Jacket and trouser sizes may be chosen separately and the gi is available in white/purple, black/red and white/black and with or without back patch. This pre-review is based on the white/purple F3 (top and bottoms).

The Look


The Raptor is a heavier weight training gi, as compared to the lightweight competition gi Predadora, and includes a pearl weave jacket with ‘rash guard’ inner lining and heavier weight cotton canvas trousers. The women’s Raptor boasts a lot of embroidery and detailing, which makes a strong impact. The purple is a more pastel shade on the red end (versus the blue end) of the ‘purple spectrum’, think ‘a lavender mauve’ versus ‘an indigo purple’.[2] The stitching, embroidered patches, drawstring and the piping along the hem of the jacket are all in this shade of purple. Ornate patches are included at the shoulders, the bottom of the right trouser leg and a ‘mega patch’ on the back. Cursive script with the words ‘Special Edition Kimono’ appears on the front over-lap and back skirt; here I might make a slight modification and ditch the writing from the back of the gi, but overall I think Seymour Yang aka Meerkatsu did a superb job designing the Raptor patches. Inside the jacket are further details, such as a sublimated version of the back patch on the inner lining and a bright ‘royal purple’ ribbon to hide the seam connecting the lining to the jacket. Put together a little video to give you the flavour of the gi – check it out!

The Fit

The Raptor is a very comfortable gi that performs well in the heat due to the jacket’s inner lining which wicks sweat away from your skin, keeping you cool. While I cannot comment on the exact dimensions and shrinkage until I have a production version to test, I can say the the principle of the cut is beautiful but that the proportions are slightly eccentric.[3] The jacket has a tailored fit, like the Predadora, with a good sleeve length and lack of excess bulk and the shoulders, however it has a very fitted over-lap which may be ill-fitting on more voluptuous women. While the jacket seems designed for women of smaller top proportions, the trousers seem designed from women of grander bottom proportions; an extreme ‘A’ shape, if you will. In principle, this results in a really beautiful A-line silhouette to the kimono, however, I think that this gi may fit better on more women with a slightly more generous over-lap to the top and slightly cinched in trousers. Nothing radical, but a tuck here and a letting out there would ensure that the top fits women of a wide range of cup sizes while the would trousers work for the slimmer-legged and the bootilicious, alike. Indeed, based on the feedback from myself and the other women testing the gi, Predator BJJ does intend to tweak the measurements of the production version along these lines.

Conclusions

The Raptor performs well and represents a luxurious training gi. This is the first gi I’ve worn with the rash guard inner lining and it is a tremendous evolution in BJJ gi! Not only is it insanely comfortable, it is very functional in terms of keeping the sweat off your skin so that you feel cooler regardless of the weather; I happened to test this gi on one of England’s rare ‘heatwave’ days and honestly felt cooler in this gi than in lighter weight versions without the inner lining. In fact, I’d love to escalate the use of the inner lining and slap that stuff inside ripstop trousers – HEAVEN!

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.

Credits

Thanks to Black Eagle/Predator BJJ for offering me a gi to test and for soliciting feedback from several female players in an effort to develop a product for us.

[1]These collaborations are not for my financial gain, though I do receive gi to test and review in exchange, rather brands work with me to solicit feedback on their BJJ apparel for women and with the help of friends of MegJitsu on Facebook, we hope to develop the gi that women in BJJ want.
[2]The production version of the women’s Raptor will use a deeper purple throughout, rather than the lavender-mauve.
[3]For reference, I am 163cm/5’4.5″, 60kgs/130lbs and have bust, waist and hip measurements of 86.4cm/34″, 68.6cm/27″ and 91.4cm/36″; this review is of the F3.

Predator BJJ Clothing: Women’s ‘Predadora’ BJJ Gi Pre-review

3 Jun 2011 By Meg Smitley

Predadora front
Predadora front
Over the past few months I’ve had the pleasure of working with Predator BJJ Clothing, the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu apparel wing of trusted UK martial arts brand Black Eagle, in the development of their women’s BJJ kimono. Black Eagle has been creating quality BJJ gi for some years now and sponsors male and female UK athletes (not to mention our Q1 London BJJ Women’s Open Mat); the development of the Predator BJJ wing of Black Eagle’s business represents a renewed and dedicated effort to create a wide range of men’s and women’s gi and no gi clothing. The Predadora women’s BJJ gi is the first step in this process as far as kit for the ladies goes. In collaboration with Predator BJJ and the readers of MegJitsu on Facebook, we’ve developed the Predadora, a lightweight competition gi tailored for women. I’ve had an opportunity to road test a sample of the Predadora and offer you this pre-review of the gi; a fuller examination of the wherewithal and cut of the gi will follow once we’ve got access to production quality versions (a sample gi gives an insight into the final product but by its nature isn’t fully representative of the tailoring).

Predadora: Who Is She?

Predadora Gi Shoulder
Silver eagle and pink lettering on shoulder
The Predadora, named using the feminine form of ‘predator’ in Portuguese, is a lightweight women’s cut gi and will be offered in three colour options:

  • white with turquoise lettering and silver eagles
  • blue with pink lettering and silver eagles
  • black with electric blue lettering and grey eagles

My sample gi is the blue version and you can check out Predator BJJ’s Facebook Page for mocks of the three colour combos. Predator BJJ made a huge effort to get the colours right with the option of the much-loved turquoise, a wee bit of pink and a poppin’ blue on white, blue or black backgrounds, respectively. The idea is to provide alternatives to pink that are feminine and fun to wear. The Predadora will be offered in women’s ‘F’ sizes with the option of buying jackets and trousers as separates. Expected retail price is £74.99 (white) and £84.99 (blue and black) and expected availability is September from the Black Eagle shop.

Predadora Stats

Predadora in complimentary gi bag
Predadora in complimentary gi bag

The Predadora is a lightweight uniform designed for competition and daily training, especially in the warmer months, and weighs in on my scales at 1.4 kgs. All versions are pre-shrunk and the blue and black versions are processed using a fast reactive dye to reduce and prevent fading. I have washed my blue sample on a warm 60°C wash three times, once with a white gi, without any significant loss of colour or shrinkage (full details on measurements when the production version is reviewed). The jacket is a soft pearl weave with detailing at the shoulders, lapel and rear skirt; in the production versions, all lettering will read ‘Predadora’ while the lettering on the rear skirt will be in the same colour as the lapel and shoulder embroidery. The trousers are ripstop and the ‘Black Eagle’ branding in the production version will be replaced with ‘Predadora’.

Predadora Wear

Predadora back
Predadora back
I’ve enjoyed a good two weeks ‘test driving’ the Predadora sample, and I am very excited for this sweet little number to be available! The pearl weave of the jacket is very soft and the blue and pink contrast is attractive but not over the top. Indeed, this is an understated gi, with some nice detailing on the jacket but a straightforward offering for business-like ladies who are less fond of ‘girlie’ designs or too much ‘bling’. Ever since getting my OTM SupaStar I have been a big fan of ripstop trousers, so this is a big plus of the gi, to my mind. Indeed, the cut of the Predadora is reminiscent of the SupaStar, with a very fitted jacket and somewhat voluminous trousers. The Predadora jacket fits me very smartly, with a great sleeve length and shoulder width and not a lot of gaping at the front, however the trousers are cut very generously in the thighs and bum; I end up with an unfilled balloon effect where my booty is supposed to be. This cut will, I believe, work for the majority of women’s shapes, namely the H, A and X shapes; a 2005 study at the of over 6,000 women at North Carolina State University concluded that 46% of women are H-shaped, 20% are A-shaped, 8% X-shaped and 14% are V-shaped. While the roomy bottom of these trousers will work for many women, if not a majority, it is less optimal for those with broader shoulders than hips. However, Predator BJJ is solving this problem by offering the option of buying as separates; for me an F3 jacket and F2 trousers works best and this approach should allow women of all makes to work this gi.[1]

Credits

Big thanks to Steve Turner and the rest of the Predator BJJ Clothing team for getting me involved in their women’s BJJ collection; can’t wait to see how it evolves. Thanks too, to readers and FB ‘likers’ who helped set the direction of the gi. Hope you like it as much as I do!

[1] For reference, I am 5’4.5″/163cm, 130lbs/60kgs and have bust, waist and hip measurements of 34″/86.4cm, 27″/68.6cm and 36″/91.4cm; this review is of the F3.

Atama Leticia Ribeiro Limited Edition Gi Review

13 Jan 2011 By Meg Smitley

Butterfly guard
Butterfly guard
December 2010 saw the much-anticipated release (at least by women’s BJJ gi lovers) of the Atama Leticia Ribeiro Limited Edition kimono (here for the US). Why the excitement? I’ll tell you why – PURPLE BUTTERFLIES AND STARS! You see, while there are plenty of girls that can pull off the Kyra Gracie-style pink gi, equally there are many of us that want limited or no use of pink in women’s cut gi, such as the black and white Fenom Lotus, and I am really pleased that Atama has added a new option to the women’s gi world. This is my first Atama and after a few rolls and washes I am very happy with its performance, cut and styling. Atama is in the ‘premium’ gi range and the Leticia Ribeiro Limited Edition set me back $208/£132.[1]

Atama features

Embroidery at upper left leg
Embroidery at upper left leg

The Leticia Ribeiro Limited Edition is all about the insanely cute, yet understated, detailing. Dark purple and deep pink embroidered butterflies and stars at the shoulders and upper left trouser leg make this gi extra special. Much like the OTM Supa Star kimono, the Leticia Ribeiro Limited Edition uses very considered accenting with bold, feminine colours on a white gi to create a spectacular and unique overall effect.

Embroidery at shoulder
Embroidery at shoulder

In addition to the embroidery, the Leticia Ribeiro Limited Edition has lovely dark purple Atama-branded piping on the inner cuff and around the outside hem of the jacket. The placement and design of the embroidery and piping gives an impression of great attention to detail. There is, however, one small aberration: while the label inside the jacket names the gi the ‘Leticia Ribeiro Limited Edition’, the trouser label names the gi as the ‘Kyra Gracie Limited Edition’. Now, there *is* a new Kyra gi out, and while the embroidery on her new gi looks beautiful, I’m not quite to the point of wearing that much pink (though I am loosening up on this score). Nevertheless, considering the hard work in design this gi suggests, it is a bit of a shame there was less consideration in the implementation. (Amendment: this may be a one-off mistake as feedback in the comments suggests this isn’t the case with all trousers.)

Atama fit

Sweeping from butterfly guard
Sweeping from butterfly guard

With the Leticia Ribeiro Limited Edition, I am getting closer to a perfectly fitting women’s cut gi, for me. While I am a particular fan of the Fenom Classic, the Fenom Lotus and the OTM Supa Star, there are aspects of each of these gi that aren’t quite right for my ‘V’ shape.[2] I believe that this has everything to do with Atama’s willingness to sell jackets and trousers separately and this adds weight to my argument to gi vendors to offer women’s gi as separates; this review is of the F3 top and the F2 trousers.[3] (Note: the US-based site asks you to choose a size to add to the cart, this is actually the jacket size you want. You are then prompted to choose a trouser size. It it unclear to me if the Atama Europe site allows similar flexibility in ordering.)

Nearly there
Nearly there

I love the short, flared skirt on the Fenom Classic, but my undersized derriere is lost in the trousers. The OTM Supa Star jacket’s shoulders cut perfectly on me and I adore the A-line silhouette, but I’m not booty-full and the trousers look more than a little outlandish from behind. On the one had, in Fenom I wear an A1 and I am at the absolute top of the size range, yet the trousers aren’t great for my shape, though the A0 would surely be too small in the jacket. On the other hand, while I am dead centre in the F3 size range, I’d need at least F2 and probably F1 trousers in the OTM though the F3 top is just right for me. This is the crux of much of the trouble with creating women’s gi. All women are different individuals, of course, but women’s body shapes come in four generic types – A, V, X and O – and it can be very difficult to accommodate all these shapes with one product. Knowing the trouble I’ve had with other women’s cut gi in fitting my bony behind, I was psyched when I could purchase the F3 top and the F2 trousers, which has resulted in a much better combo for my V-shape.

Mount!
Mount!

The Leticia Ribeiro Limited Edition has an A-line silhouette, similar to the Supa Star. The jacket fits neatly at the shoulders and opens out to the bottom of the skirt. The skirt of the jacket is of the longer style, similar to the Tatami Women’s Zero G and the Fenom Lotus, versus the shorter skirts of the Fenom Classic and OTM Supa Star; I have a personal preference for the shorter skirts, but the Leticia Ribeiro Limited Edition jacket does fit well and allows for freedom of movement. The trousers have the greater room in the seat, hips and thighs as expected in women’s cut gi and work with the jacket to produce a lovely tailored outline. The gi is a single weave construction advertised as, ‘identical to that of our Mundial Model #9’. The jacket and trousers are 100% cotton and I can’t help but feel that I would be in state of crazy-bunny-boiling-obsessed-love if this gi had rip stop trousers as in the Mundial Model #9, rather than in my current a state of warm but controllable, affection.[4]

Atama size

Atama gi are not preshrunk and you can expect skrinkage up to 5%. I wash my gi on a warm (60C) wash against manufacturer’s instructions, but found that shrinking stayed well within acceptable parameters. Further, the deep colours of the embroidery did not bleed onto the white of the gi.
Measurements

Measurements Prewash(cm/in) 60°(cm/in)
A 70/27.6 68.5/27
B 71/28 70.5/27.8
C 25.5/10 24.5/9.6
D 27/10.6 26.2/10.3
E 95/37.4 93.2/36.7

Conclusions

Getting to grips with Atama
Getting to grips with Atama

This is a beautiful gi and it preserves Atama’s reputation for high quality, well-constructed and superbly-designed women’s gi. The Leticia Ribeiro Limited Edition is soft on the skin and comfortable when rolling. I would suggest that Atama’s celebrity limited edition gi might be better with rip stop trousers like their Mundial Model #9 cousins. Finally, if you are a fellow purple belt and a fellow fashion victim, may I suggest the Fenom belt and the Scramble Newaza Hoodie as the purple used in these items matches the gi perfectly.

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.

Credits

Thanks to Dave Birkett at Dartford BJJ for playing uke in my photos. Thanks to Seymour Yang/Meerkatsu for accepting my imitation as flattery; the gi dimensions diagram is a useful innovation!

[1] I purchased my gi from the US-based website. At the time of writing the Leticia Ribeiro Limited Edition was on sale for $156/£99!
[2] For reference, I am 163cm/5’4.5″, 60kgs/130lbs and have bust, waist and hip measurements of 86.4cm/34″, 68.6cm/27″ and 91.4cm/36″; this review is of the F3 jacket and F2 trousers.
[3] Addendum: as of 27 Jan 2011, Fenom Kimonos offers jackets and trousers as separates.
[4] For a discussion of the different gi weaves (and for the best collection of men’s gi reviews on the planet) check out Meerkatsu’s blog.

OTM Women’s BJJ Gi Review: Trouser Fit

22 Oct 2010 By Meg Smitley

OTM SupaStar
OTM SupaStar
In my gi review of the OTM Supa Star gi, a women’s BJJ kimono I very much enjoy wearing, I noted that the sizing of the trousers was overly generous for my body shape:

The trousers, ‘modeled off the fit of a baggy women’s jean cut’, are very wide across the bottom and legs. On the one hand, for me, if I wear the trousers at the waist I get a huge unfilled balloon effect across the bum, and while this is somewhat reduced when worn more hipster style, they are much bigger through the rear than I would ideally prefer. On the other hand, the generous width of the trousers makes for comfortable and unrestricted wear, accommodates curvier shapes and enhances the A-line design of the gi. While it is great that there are women’s gi more sensitive to women’s proportions, there seems to be an assumption that all women are curvy. While women do have different waist to hip ratios than men, women too, come in a variety of body shapes and it would be optimal if women’s gi could be bought as separates. In this case, while the F3 jacket is perfect for me, I definitely need the F2 and possibly the F1 trousers.[1] This is especially so with the Supa Star as not only is it very generously cut, but, for better or worse, it is extremely resistant to shrinkage.

I now have the photographic evidence of the usefulness of selling women’s gi as separates. Behold, the OTM Supa Star’s back panel does absolutely no justice to my rather junkless trunk!

Meg is no Beyoncé, but she's no Kate Moss either
Meg is no Beyoncé, but she's no Kate Moss either
I ‘swear’ that my bottom is not so flat as these trousers would suggest; the cut doesn’t favour the less ‘A-shaped’ woman. While I couldn’t ask the F3 jacket to fit any better, the trousers are just too massive; I am sure other women would encounter similar issues and might very much like to mix and match jackets and trousers. It is fantastic that BJJ gi manufacturers are seeing the wisdom of designing for women, I hope, too, that they soon recognise the benefits for their customers of selling jackets and trousers as separates.

[1] For reference, I am 5’4.5″/163cm, 130lbs/60kgs and have bust, waist and hip measurements of 34″/86.4cm, 27″/68.6cm and 36″/91.4cm; this review is of the F3.

Crazy-ass gi challenge finalists!

29 Sep 2010 By Meg Smitley

The day has come: the finalists for the Crazy-Ass Gi Challenge have been announced! The last two months have seen some wild, hilarious, and beautiful gi-designs submitted for consideration and I applaud Meerkatsu for organising such a fun competition to get the BJJ-community’s creative juices flowing. Now, the dust has settled and it is time to vote!

Meg’s Top 3

There are three which share some characteristics with my own ridiculous Megjitsu design and, as they share my tastes, I heart them:

'Double fish' by Keyvan Arabsolghar
'Double fish' by Keyvan Arabsolghar

I love the back patch of the ‘Double Fish’! I am really feeling the Eastern-vibe, the yin yang motif and beauty of the image. An intricate and attractive back patch was a big part of my gi fantasy and this design comes top for me in this respect.

'Blue Clouds' by Keloi Hoang
'Blue Clouds' by Keloi Hoang

I am really digging the wrap-around Eastern-style clouds of the ‘Blue Clouds’ design; I dreamt of clouds and a design that flowed around the body. This gi does this concept the best, to me.

'Girls Gi' by Rodolfo
'Girls Gi' by Rodolfo

This contest has produced so many wonderful designs and it is tough to choose from the great selection of finalists, but in the end I’m plumping for the ‘Girls Gi’. The image on the back of the gi which is followed through on the trousers – an idea integral to my fantasy – is done to great effect with a minimalist approach. The stitching is also a nice touch and enhances the ‘samurai’ flavour of the design. While this baby has got my vote, it would have been nice to have a ‘girls’ gi’ that wasn’t pink and had a slightly fiercer name.

Cast Your Vote

My top three reflects my taste and my own fantasy-gi desires, but what about you? Would you rather dress in a Kobra Kai gi or rock the mat as Scorpion? Join the Tatami Fightwear Facebook group and click ‘Like’ on your favourite design to cast your vote! Get on it, you’ve only got until 23:59 EST 12th October 2010 to ‘Like’ your favourite gi!

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