The Arte Suave Alpha, a review by GiReviews.net
Overall
The Alpha gi by Arte Suave is one of my favorite Gi designs in recent memory, but it falls short in the comfort department. It is the lightest of the light. If you are on safari or traversing the Sahara, this Gi might be for you.
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Measurements
A: 7
B: 29
C: 20
D: 24.5
E: 20.5
F: 12.5
G: 8.5
H: 37
About the Alpha from Arte Suave
Premium Lightweight Design:
- 420 Gram Pearl Weave
- 100% Pre-Shrunk Cotton
- 8oz. Rip-Stop Pants
- Green Contrast Stitching and Accents
- Reinforced Stitching
Jacket:
- Embroidered Logos
- Black Trimmed Cuffs
- Inner Taping with Logo
- UVA foam collar with rip-stop material
- Mouthguard pocket
Pants:
- 8oz Rip-Stop
- 6 Belt Loops
- Green Drawstring
- Black Trimmed Cuffs
- Inner Taping with Logo
- Reinforced Knee pads
Price: $139.99 – Size tested A2, my dimensions: 5'10” 195lb.
Top
The top fit me great. I can't stress its lightness enough, it almost feels like paper.
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I thoroughly enjoyed the artistic logo embroidery throughout the Gi top, the lightning bolt, Arte Suave logo and “The Gentle Art” phrase across the back.
A strong negative however is the very scratchy seam tape throughout this Gi. (Many gi companies can learn from Da Firma when it comes to seam tape) The wrists seam tape are so scratchy I didn't enjoy wearing the top at all, regardless of how cool I thought it looked. (Note: Scot from Arte Suave has looked into this and will be fixing it for their next gi, the Bravo).
Besides the seam tape, I didn't notice any other defects in the top. It wasn't restrictive or falling apart, but due to its thinness I can't imagine this Gi lasting for the long term.
The Gi top material is actually kind of coarse and tough for opponents to grab.
La Trousers
Like the top, the pants are extremely light. Beyond belief light even. They are 8oz ripstop and are as thin as rice paper.
Like the wrist's seam tape, the pant bottoms suffer from the same scratching, which on the top of your foot can be quite distracting.
The pants are kind of small from the crotch to the top of the pants and this led to them sagging in the back on me, and was restrictive while I rolled. (Note: Scot from Arte Suave has also noted that the pants' tightness will be fixed in the Bravo gi as well.)
The pants are also a different shade than the top, which kind of threw off all of the aesthetic appeal that the gi brings to the table.
The belt loop system works as advertised but the traditional drawstring can be tough to undo once soaking wet.
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Conclusion
A great concept that lacks in execution unfortunately. The Gi does come with a stylish Gi Bag… which is quite roomy compared to most and looks great.
