by Luz Chavez

Introduction

I’m pretty happy with the overall quality of this Fuji gi. The size I received is a W1. It’s not only cost-effective but also durable and well made.

However, I do feel that it could be further adjusted to fit petite women better. I don’t see there being any issues with this gi if you are 5’3” and above, but because I am just under 5’2” it did need some shrinking to fit well.

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Overview

I received this gi free to do this review, and when I received it I was excited to finally have a gi that was made for women. The Fuji Pink Blossom gi has lightweight pants and a single-weave jacket. It is IBJJF approved and advertised to have a couple modifications to fit a woman’s body, which I hoped, meant no more low-rise bottoms.

The website states it has slightly shorter arms, a smaller waistline, and also tapered sleeves and pants. Another added benefit of this gi is that parts of the proceeds go to breast cancer research.

When I was first told that I would be receiving this gi, I was a little anxious and excited. I have never owned a women’s gi and I did not think it would fit well. I own 4 gis and they are all for men; 3 from Atama and a single-weave Adidas gi.

I have always been very hesitant to buy a woman’s gi. I’m barely 5’2” and currently weigh 140lbs. I’m not only short but also have a pear-shaped body. I never fit within the ranges and there were never any women, with similar body shapes, reviewing the gis.

So I always bought the men’s sizes and shrunk them to fit.

Design

This gi has just the right amount of pink and has a simple design that I really like. It has pink blossoms and the Fuji logo along the shoulders. The lower left side of the jacket has the breast cancer ribbon and kanji. The kanji is also on the right pant leg. The back of the top also has the Fuji logo.

Pants

My favourite part of this gi has to be the fit of the pants. All of the gis I own rest low on my hips and when I roll, they have a tendency to pull at my hips. These pants actually have a longer rise and lay on my waist.

They are about a half-inch longer than my other pants, but as you can see in the picture, they hit right below my anklebone. However, I do wish they were thicker and better reinforced in the knee area.

These pants have the traditional flat strings, instead of the cable style cords.

I did not shrink these pants and as a quick note, I also don’t think anyone with larger measurements in the hip area will fit into these pants without feeling restricted in your movement.

I am at the heaviest end of the size range, at 140 lbs., my waist is 28”, and hips are 42”. If your hips are smaller, but your waist is about another 2 inches bigger, these pants will still fit.

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Jacket

When I tried the jacket on, I was surprised at how big it was compared to the pants.

I had to wash this in very hot water twice to get the size that I needed.

I have a smaller torso, so I shouldn’t have been surprised, but the sleeves went up to my knuckles, the shoulders were too wide, and the skirt was about an inch too long. The collar is a good thickness and is comparable to the feel of my Atama single-weave.

After shrinking, I could tell that the waist did feel smaller compared to all the men gi’s that I own, which makes it a better, tighter fit. In terms of preference for my own body type, I do wish that when the waist was taken in, the hip portion of the jacket had been left with more room.

I also wish the sleeves were about a half inch shorter. I don’t think anyone shorter than myself, could purchase this gi and fit well in it. I have it at a perfect size now after two washes, so I’m not sure how much more it could shrink.

Just to give you something to compare your size to, my measurements are 42-35-28 (shoulders-chest-waist).

Rolling Performance

After shrinking once, the moment it became sweaty I could tell that it needed to be shrunk one more time. The jacket has a tendency to hang heavy when wet and because it was still a bit large, I had to keep fighting the urge to roll up my sleeves.

Now that it fits better, I still feel as if the sleeves hang a bit long. However, I feel it’s only because I am used to having the sleeve hit at my wrist bone and this one comes a little past it when wet. I do prefer this cut much more, and the fit of the pants makes it easy to move when I’m rolling.

Conclusion

As I originally mentioned, I really like the quality and feel of this gi and for the price, I think it’s a bargain. I do think that there should be a smaller size range for shorter women, or even the possibility of buying different sizes for your top and pants.

For all women who do fit within the size ranges, I think the Women's Fuji Pink Blossom is a great gi for your collection, which will last.

Recommended read: FUJI BJJ GI REVIEWS

Purchase

Find out more about the Fuji Sports Gi Pink Blossom through their website.

Check out the Fuji Women's Blossom Gi (blue or white) from Amazon

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON NOVEMBER 30, 2012