Koral Classic Kimono - White

Koral is a mainstay in the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu market and is well represented by all sorts of greats. They sponsor the Mundials and just about any high level comp you watch will see a plethora of Koral kimonos getting around on the mats. They have a big reputation for quality and, some would say, a price to match. So, let's take a look at one.

Firstly, this is not my kimono. I've never been able to get a Koral in my size. I've only seen them for sale in up to A4, although I've been told you can get A5s now. So, the A2 sized gi we're reviewing belongs to a guy who is a little under 6' and weighs around 75kg (165lb). He's very lean and mesomorphic (broad shoulders, slim waist).

Material: The material is a light single weave fabric. Despite its weight it is quite stiff (no stretch to speak of) and strong. It is pretty much the equal of my Isami single weave, although the textile's pattern is slightly different. The collar is stiff, as well. This is most likely due to the fact that Koral kimonos are made from rubber.

Koral came up with the idea of sewing the cloth of the collar over a piece of rubber, rather than over several layers of folded cotton. This keeps the collar stiff. It will probably hold up that way for longer than regular collars, too. More importantly, though, you don't get three-quarters of an inch of high density material soaked through with sweat and the gi dries more quickly after washing. Big plus points for hygiene.

The pants are fairly standard fare. There is no rope drawstring, which is something I like, but I realise others don't necessarily care. The material is reasonably heavy for a single weave gi and soft. It's nearly a soft as my Gameness' pants and equally weighted.

Fit: The fit is slim. There is plenty of room in the jacket, but the arms are cut as tight as possible without being restrictive. The cuffs are quite tight. Not as tight as my Krugans, but they have a little room, like my Isami. I have a little trouble getting a decent grip when rolling. They also make it comfortably to the end of the wrist.The skirt is short, too. There is nothing to get in the way when rolling and nothing for the fancy guys to choke you with.

The pants fit well. They have enough adjustment in the waist to cover all body types and the pants reach the ankles of the average guy. They are cut reasonably slim, but leave enough room to move. There just isn't any bagginess to them.

Bottom Line: Koral is in the business of high quality, premium gis. The Classic kimono is that. It is priced with gold weaves and some doubles despite being a single weave gi. That said, it is beautifully cut and has the innovation of the rubber collar to boot. I like its clean, closely cut, non-descript look. I like the gi a lot.