Summary

Combat Corner has made a splash in the gi market lately, mainly by selling their products as standard “gym gis.”  By this I mean they offer their gis wholesale to gyms and then gyms sell them to new students.  I recently had the opportunity to review one of Combat Corner’s higher end gis, the Eco 4.0.  This gi exceeded all expectations during its review period!

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Introduction

When I see standard gyms gis I make certain assumptions.  I generally assume that the gi will be somewhat durable and made of coarse fabric.  I assume the gi will be relatively unimpressive.  I can honestly say that the Eco 4.0 went above and beyond.

One trend I’ve noticed in recent times is that when a gi is made in China vs. Pakistan it tends to be of somewhat higher quality.  This Combat Corner gi seems to have fit that description.

The gi came with a white belt, which tends to be standard from some companies.

Fit

I’m 6’1, and weigh between 195-205.  The size that tends to fit me best is A2L.  This Combat Corner gi is an A2 and fit me well.  I may have liked a slightly longer skirt, but that’s what A2L is for.

A: 6.5

B: 29

C: 30.5

D: 24

E: 22

F: 11.5

G: 8.5

H: 38

Design

The design of this gi is simple, but attractive.

The model I reviewed is the royal blue version, which features light gray contrast stitching and plain twill seam tape.

The only branding on the gi are patches on the arms of the jacket, the same patch design on the right thigh, and on the bottom left skirt of the jacket a neat little embroidery.

I’d say that the design has enough flare to be recognizable from across the room, but is simple enough to avoid being ostentatious.

Jacket

The jacket fit me well, it was a bit snug, but I actually prefer my gis to fit like that.  The length of the arms and the skirt were perfect.

For me, the biggest selling point of this gi is its Chinese pearl weave.  I find that pearl weave made in China tends to be softer on the inside, coarser on the outside and ages better than its Pakistani counterparts.

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The lapel of this gi is another selling point for me.  Combat Corner’s twill covered EVA foam cored lapel held up really nicely, and made grips hard to get on the gi.

Combat Corner went with plain grey twill seam tape, trim and gray contrast stitching which I think look good on the royal blue gi.  I also really like the little embroidered graphic on the bottom of the left lapel which features an ode to Combat Corner, it is an X with two C’s and a P in 3 of the quadrants, and “est 2007” in the bottom.  I thought this was a nice little logo hit that differentiates the gi from a generic gi, but doesn’t feel obtrusive.

My only complaint about this gi top is that Combat Corner’s inner patch had a coarse enough edge that when I did judo drills in the gi it chafed the back of my neck.  Otherwise it gets high marks from me!

Trousers

Similar to the jacket, the pants are simple but attractive and fit me well

Featuring a nice supple twill, like the jacket the pants have light grey twill trim and seam tape, and light grey contrast stitching.

The pants feature a 6 loop system for the stretchy rope which came tied and melted.

Rolling Performance

I really liked rolling in this gi as the fabric is soft on the inside and coarse on the outside.

The lapel being hard to manipulate was a nice little touch, so I enjoyed the 10 session review period.  My only complaint about the gi is the rough patch inside the yoke that when pulled on a lot throughout a session caused a bit of irritation, otherwise, this is a near perfect product.

Conclusion

For a “basic” gi company that doesn’t really do much in the way of wild graphics or limited editions, Combat Corner seems to have done an excellent job putting together a fantastic product in their Eco 4.0 gi.  If you like simple yet attractive designs and high-quality fabrics you should definitely consider this gi.  You can find this gi and other products by Combat Corner at www.combatcorner.com

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Disclosures: This Gi was submitted to me free of charge (by way of gireviews.net) for review.  I have never done any work with or for Combat Corner.