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Post by MLanteigne on Nov 25, 2014 18:01:52 GMT
My post disappeared. Drat! Well, I would recommend buying hakama and do-gi from Ali Express. I have bought a pair of hakama and two do-gi tops from them, and the quality is excellet. Hakama were $32 shipped, and are a cotton-poly mix, and the do-gi's were the same price, also with free shipping. High quality cotton. So once you figure out what your dojo's colour scheme is, you are set. They also have decently cheap Iai obi, and kendo tabi that are double layered and have a leather sole. Hakama: www.aliexpress.com/store/group/H ... 51849.html Do-gi: www.aliexpress.com/store/group/G ... 51848.html Sets: www.aliexpress.com/store/group/S ... 48893.html
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Post by atrixnet on Nov 25, 2014 22:22:38 GMT
MLanteigne and all those who have messaged me privately as well as publicly: thank you. The funny posts in this thread were indeed fun, but helpful pointers to good vendors are very valuable and appreciated just as much.
(My post got deleted also. Did we get the big forum upgrade last night?)
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Post by wazikan on Nov 29, 2014 6:08:08 GMT
I got my hakama from nine circles. It was more expensive but they last. Everyone's given you the proper info. Always ask your teacher,
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Post by Kirin on Nov 30, 2014 6:32:17 GMT
SERIOUS ANSWER WARNING - IGNORE IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A JOKE.
What sword style are you planning to study?
Please note that for iaido gi, there are different sleeve styles for iaido and kendo. There are kimono like curtain type sleeves and karate/akido style sleeves.
There are also different fabrics. Aikido gi are going to be tougher and generally more durable due to being designed for grappling. Iaido or Tae Kwon Do style gi tend to be thinner. And of course, there are summer or winter fabric variations of a style's uniforms if you have enough money to go specialize.
As a side note, I find that tetron hakama hold their pleats quite decently. I would also recommend that you have one with pleat stitching to help maintain the sharpness of your hakama pleats.
When you start using a live blade, you may want to wear a thicker top that covers up to your mid forearm at first in case you have some sheathing issues. However, this will generally be a issue to worry about later in your sword studying career. Most newbies tend to start training with wooden swords or iaito.
In addition, colors for uniforms are not universal. They tend to by style specific.
Kendo - Commonly Indigo/Navy Blue top and bottom or Navy Blue Top with Black Bottom. Some Korean styles may have all white. Sometimes Female Kendoka will use an all white armor with all white gi. One of the annoying problems I had with wearing anything non-dark colored was that indigo stains appeared on my gi top from the armor or straps.
Iaido - Common Black Gi/Hakama although it varies by style.
Koryu - Varies. Generally you do not wear anything that stands out unless you are an instructor. For a student, the nail that stands out, gets hammered.
Like everyone has said before, ask your sensei first before you buy. In some cases, a dojo will provide you with your first uniform.
Either way, it is nice to have senior students or an instructor teach you how to tie an obi or hakama properly. Bad things happen when those get loose during sword training.
If in the US, I recommend E-Bogu. If you order above a certain price threshold, your shipping is free. If you order a complete set, it should be free shipping.
Hope this helps.
Sincerely,
K
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Post by atrixnet on Nov 30, 2014 19:46:34 GMT
Thank's K! I'm seeking admittance with a koryu. They practice the Meishi Branch of Mugairyu which involves many kata, sparring, tameshigiri, and iaido. I don't know everything about it yet, since I'm attending the first meeting this wednesday. I'm grateful for your advice =)
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