Gi Review: Hypnotik Base Jiu Jitsu Gi

Summary
Basic, lightweight, no-frills BJJ uniform aimed at the beginner's market, this gi was comfortable, well fitting and reasonably durable, although a few cosmetic stitching issues marred an otherwise good value for money product.

Information
This gi is available from BJJ Warehouse priced at $89.99
The product comes with a free white belt.
Shipping is free within the US.
It is also available in white.

Disclosures
I have no personal connection with BJJ Warehouse. The company does stock some of my Meerkatsu products. All views expressed in this review are my own personal opinions.




Introduction
One of the arguably under-served sectors of the gi product scene is for a decent budget/beginner's gi. Looking around at various fightwear stores, there are a few models that cost less than $100USD  - including the Fuji All Around uniform, Tatami Fightwear Nova and a couple of others. But it's not a hugely diverse market. This gi, the Hypnotik Base gi, is made by large US fightwear store BJJ Warehouse (also known as MMA Warehouse) and is very competitively priced at under $90 and includes a free white belt and free shipping (within the US). Does it represent good value for money? Hopefully my review can provide some insight into the quality of the product.

Size, Shrink, Weight Data
(I weigh 58-59kilos / 135lbs and measure 167cm tall / 5'6" - I normally wear A1 but I have long arms). Measurements in cm for a size A1 gi, first figure new, second figure after several 40 degree C washes.

A: 159 / 155
B: 75 / 72
C: 54 / 52
D: 15 / 14
E: 56 / 53
F: 99 / 96
G: 21 / 21
Jacket weight: 1.0Kg
Trouser weight: 0.5Kg

Discussion
The stats reveal that shrinkage is very minimal. Wingspan at 155cm is not bad for an A1 gi - comparable to the wingspan of the Estilo 5. Trouser length at 96cm is good for me too. Overall the lack of significant shrinkage indicates the pre-shrunk status is true to its word. Weight, at 1.5Kg in total is decent and average for a pearlweave A1 sized gi.

Jacket
The jacket is made from 425gsm pearlweave cotton. This is a very light weight of fabric and compares to gis such as the Strike Fightwear Crowd Control II and Scramble Athlete gi.

The jacket is embroidered with a spaced out monkey face on one sleeve and the Hypnotik logo on one shoulder (first photo at top). The embroidery is well applied but the Hypnotik patch is a bit weak, with fraying edges (see later). Overall, the designs are kept to a minimum and the colourway is cheerful. The colourway reminds me of the Tatami Fightwear Zero G v3 in fact.

The collar and lapel core is covered with twill cotton and it is a reasonable thickness. Reinforcements are adequte - fabric taping is used around the side vents and sleeve cuffs. The latter is especially pleasing as some tape can be scratchy, but here, the fabric is smooth and comfortable on the skin.

Trousers
The pants are made from 10oz twill cotton. They are light weight and comfortable though possibly feel a bit thin for those used to more weighty canvas cotton pants. The rope drawstring is decent and the four belt loops keep it in place without any issues.

Rolling Performance
This gi was pretty slim fitting on me, especially under the armpits, but despite this, I didn't really notice the tightness and it felt great when used in class. The light fabric used on both jacket and trousers meant I was not wearing a soaking heavy wet gi during the end of hard practice sessions. I noticed a couple of small cosmetic stitching issues - mainly around one armpit where there was a ton of excess thread over run. It wouldn't be enough for me to raise it with the vendor, I am assuming it is excess thread rather than loose and falling apart stitching, but I didn't want to pull it just in case.

The shoulder patch is rather cheap looking. I am not a fan of woven patches with unfolded edges (these have heat sealed edges). They always tend to fray or buckle and look very untidy.

Conclusion
For the price point ($89.99 or around £60UK money) this is a fantastic gi. For the beginner starting out in BJJ, which can be an expensive pursuit to begin with, a cheap gi is a wise choice in the first few months of training. For the more experienced player requiring a good quality second gi that won't break the bank, I think the Hypnotik represents a good option.






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