TheWilykatBJJBlog: Kieko Raca Limited Series Kimono

Keiko Raca is a Brazilan company, they began making their own kimonos in 1995, so in the young sport of BJJ they are pretty old. Additionally the kimonos are made and designed in Brazil, they remain one of the most popular producers of kimonos in the BJJ world. Some of the biggest names in BJJ have worn these on their way to glory. Typically Keiko Raca kimonos are for taller and skinnier athletes, so it ought to suit me.

You can order the Limited Series Kimono in white, blue, black, navy and red. You can chose from a0, a1, a2, a3, a4 or a5 so you should be catered for. A solid advantage, and part of Keiko Raca's success, must surely be from how established they are and how easy it is to get ahold of their gear in any continent. Usually this gi will sell for around £100 to £110, exclusive of shipping, the white kimono is usually slightly cheaper. It's not the cheapest or most expensive Keiko Raca available, but represents a middling price option in their range.

I've always found Keiko Raca kimonos to be highly attractive. Especially in navy or black. With my Tatami Estilo accidentally sneaking into the tumble drier and shrinking I needed a new gi, why not the desirable Limited Series Kimono!

Order

I ordered a navy a2 Limited Series Kmono online from www.grapplestore.co.uk, costing £109.99 without shipping. It took about a week to arrive, decent service from the online store with a prompt process and sending system. I don't recall the shipping cost, but that's easy enough to find out if you order one and it wouldn't be too much with it being sent from within the country.

Fitting

I ordered the a2 based on their size chart and the advice from a team-mate at my gym, he confirmed that they were suited to taller and skinnier athletes. The gi arrived sealed in a plastic bag and folded into a tightly pressed rectangle. Chucked the gi on and gave it a twirl in the mirror. Honestly I was rather puzzled by it. The gi definitely has the length and shape for lanky customers, but it doesn't have the fit of other kimonos. Cuffs and ankles in particular seem excessively large and baggy, the skirt is of average length and the kimono has a nice thick collar. I will say that the jacket fits the trunk of the body very well, better than the vast majority of kimonos I've tried on. The trousers are well fitted, however they don't taper enough towards the ankles for my preference. Overall it's definitely comfortable to wear, but I'd have to try it on the mat to decide on the fitting situation. See performance for this.

Reinforcement

Standard reinforcement at all joints, strong and clean stitching. Reinforcement patching at all stress points, no worries in this department. Well made and well thought-out by the designers. Additionally the material used, which is described as double weave (somewhere between pearl weave and single weave), provides a durable and quality feel, 800gsm in fact, so almost twice as much as a standard pearl weave. This also makes the kimono quite heavy when compared to alternatives. The trousers are made from an average weight cotton and use a rope drawstring to keep them up, reinforcing at the shins and knees is also found. Cuffs, ankles and the lining of the skirt all use a thick seam to hold the ends together. In the navy gi this is a pale grey, and in other gi colours you get contrasting seam colours. These seams, aside from being there for aesthetic reasons, provide reassurance of reinforcement quality.

Design

It's a beautiful gi for sure. One of my favourites to look at anyway. The choice of colours, the patch placement and design and the trims all work nicely together to produce and iconic design. A mix of embroidery and patchwork are used on this gi. Patches along the shoulders and down the chest lapel complete the jacket patchwork along with a small patch on the trouser shin line. Small embroidery patterns are found on the arms and behind the neck of the jacket. If you'd want to remove the patches you should be able to with a sharp knife or a stick pick. The gi is compatible with international competition standards, provided you buy an acceptable colour.

Performance

I've been rolling in the Limited Series Kimono for about 4 months now. The reinforcement has remained intact and there has been no real damage. However the gi has at times looked tatty, with the odd seemingly excessive thread becoming loose, no biggy though really. The double weave fabric has begun to look matted too, but I feel this adds to the look and personality of an iconic gi. So the jackets held up. Unfortunately the trousers have been disappointing. Many modern manufacturers produce great jackets, but much weaker trousers. The Limited Series Edition is an example of this in my eyes. The threads in the trousers didn't fill me with confidence by becoming fluffy at stress points or abrasive points, nor did the drawstring by becoming frayed and sorry looking. The trousers were also rather uncomfortable in high tempo sparring when the drawstring would be pulled against your hip, I think further padding is needed around the waist loop that encloses the string. Generally the fit is good for sparring, the cuff and ankle holes are problematic for me however. I dislike being stuck in spider guard and the baggy sleeves are easily grabbed and secured by my opponents. The ankles are also easy to grab, making passing easier in some situations. At both points the trim can act like a handle too. Because of this it's going to be good for training in class (more advantages for opponents), but bad for competition.

Conclusion

Solid kimono, although personally I'm let down by the fit. I regard the fit as the most important factor in selecting a kimono, if the fit ain't right I ain't happy. The fact that the sleeves and ankles don't taper enough is bizarre for me, is due to traditional design? If so Keiko Raca may need to update and take note of what their rivals are doing. If you like baggier wrists and ankles in your kimono then this is going to be a good buy. Eventually I ended up disliking the double weave material used for the jacket, after a hard session I'd hold quite a lot of sweat and weight. It'd also likely be too warm in hotter climates I feel, despite it being made in Brazil to a Brazilian Design. Nonetheless great looks and solid manufacturing are the strengths of the Limited Series Edition, also depending on your preferences for a fit you may have your ideal kimono. I'd recommend finding someone with one of these and asking for a look if you're considering buying it.

Overall Score: 7/10 (solid build and pretty looks, shame about the fit)

Build Quality and design: 7/10 (well made and well reinforced, however doesn't wear as well as rival kimonos, very nice design aesthetically)

Fit: 6/10 (modern companies should offer in-between sizes for lanky or stocky customers, Keiko Raca seems to focus on the lanky customer only, and even then the cuff and ankle sizes aren't for me)

Performance: 8/10 (stands up well to rigorous training and doesn't deform or stretch when stressed)

The simple but stylish shoulder patch, I like the matching colour between the patch and jacket in the navy