Review: Scramble "Shadows" rashguard

BJJHQ were kind enough to send me this rashguard. Prior to being contacted by them I didn't know they existed but ended up finding a completely new concept unknown to me. They sell one article a day at discount prices you'd not find in a regular online store and that's it. You check their daily deals... daily, and try to grab your stuff before it's sold out (which happens often, shocker right?). I myself have it on my RSS feed which I personally prefer but that's entirely up to you. Their customer service is pretty up there also so that's another plus.

So, on to the rashie!

Review: Black Eagle Basico Gi

(Também disponível em Português!)

Time passes, many things change in the world and pretty much in everyone's lives, and that's certainly been the case since my last review.
One thing that has not changed though is my preference for less expensive gis and my growing lack of enthusiasm regarding bling gis versus my love of simpler and, dare I say, more tasteful, classier designs.

When faced with the opportunity to review another one of Black Eagle's jiu-jitsu gis I was given the difficult choice between the Predator BJJ Gi ("Predator" being Black Eagle's brand dedicated to BJJ) and the Basico BJJ Training Gi. While the Predator does a damn good job balancing a more exclusive design with a classy and clean look while keeping a reasonable price tag, I had to go with the Basico because I'm a sucker for budget kits and that way I'd be able to do a direct comparison to Tatami's Nova Basic gi and Tuff's Lightweight BJJ Kimono – two direct competitors in the same price category!

So let's get started, shall we?

Preview: Black Eagle Raptor BJJ Kimono

"Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed."

And it landed indeed. Part of Black Eagle's ongoing move to separate their BJJ product line from their other martial arts lines, Black Eagle did a bold move proposing a limited run of their Raptor gi - a pre-order only edition limited to 500 units. There's a Black model with red stitching/embroidery, a White model with black stitching/embroidery and my favorite, a White model with purple stitching/embroidery.

Please note that this is a pre-production model and there are several differences to the final product which you may now pre-order at Black Eagle's website!

Review: Tatami Nova Basic BJJ Gi

( Também disponível em Português! )

Those who know my opinion on gis know that I am not interested in any BJJ gi above €75/£65/US$100 unless it's either tailored to my size or mixed and matched from several size options outside the usual A1/A2/A3 sizes. So, as soon as Tatami came out with the Nova Basic BJJ Gi, I was already liking it. It was understated and plain (I don't like flashy/pimped gis) and it wasn't expensive. It was made of gold weave which I'm not a big fan of since it tends to shrink unevenly, but I could live with that if I was to buy one.
Then, Tatami came out with the current, improved version with a different weave they named "High Tech Weave Jacket" and my interest spiked and I wondered how good it was and how it compared with some of the other offers in the same features/price-range.

The wondering comes to an end now when I not only review the gi on its own but also compare it to the Tuff Lightweight Kimono.

Análise: Protecção dentária feita à medida pela Bridge Dental Lab

( Also available in English! )

Um par de meses após ter iniciado a prática de Jiu-Jitsu Brasileiro (JJB) senti necessidade de proteger a minha dentição, como a maior parte dos praticantes de artes marciais sentem. Como a maioria faz, fui a uma loja de desporto e comprei uma protecção de dentes normal, das que se ferve e molda/morde (boil & bite) já que era o que todos os que conhecia usavam sem grande e aparente problema. Se alguns não conseguem que aquilo fique realmente fixo, outros tiveram de cortar parte para que servisse e outros apenas se sentem estranhos e desconfortáveis com a protecção mas aguentam. Outros queixam-se de uma combinação destas e doutras queixas e outros não se queixam de nada.

Eu tinha problemas bem piores. Eu fervi, eu mordi, eu até moldei e a protecção não ficava no sítio muito tempo. Além disso era desconfortável, mas com isso eu já contava e conseguia viver. Com o que não conseguia mesmo viver era com o facto de que mesmo sem ser atingido uma única vez, as minhas gengivas sangravam bastante após cada rola. Talvez os meus maxilares sejam diferentes, talvez seja dos meus dentes, só sei que teria de encontrar uma alternativa melhor para não arriscar os meus dentes.

A única solução era adquirir uma protecção dentária feita à medida e esta é a minha descrição do processo e a análise ás protecções.

Feliz Dia das Bruxas atrasado!

Review: Bridge Dental Lab custom gumshields

( Também disponível em Português! )

A couple of months after I started doing BJJ I felt the need to protect my teeth, as the vast majority of practitioners of every martial art do. As most of them, I went to a regular sporting goods store and got a 'boil and bite' mouthguard since that's what everyone I knew used without much problem. Some people can't really get it to stay in place after it's on, some have to cut some pieces in order for it to fit right, some just find it awkward but otherwise good. Others complain of a combination of these and other problems and others don't complain at all.

I had more problems than that. I did get it boiled, I did bite it, I even mold it and it didn't stay in place for long. Also, it felt awkward but with all that I could probably have lived with. What I really couldn't live with was the fact that even not getting hit one single time, my gums were bleeding bad after every roll. Maybe my maxillae are awkward, maybe it's my teeth, I just had to find a better alternative so I wouldn't risk hurting my teeth.

The only solution was to get a custom made gumshield, and this is my review of the process.

Happy late Halloween!

ArtSuave #1! (plus Tatami Zero G vs. Koral Light)

Análise: ("Licra") Masaru Short Sleeve Rash Guard

( Also available in English! )


Quão porreiro é o Meerkatsu? Muito muito porreiro, é o quão porreiro ele é.
Porquê, perguntam vocês? Ok, não perguntam, mas eu respondo na mesma à minha própria questão para a qual eu sei a resposta: porque deu-se ao trabalho de me enviar esta excelente rash guard (alguns conhecerão este tipo de equipamento como "Licra") da Masaru que ele próprio analisou no seu blog há apenas um par de semanas atrás. Aliás, ele analisou um monte de rash guards de marcas do Reino Unido por isso aconselho a darem uma vista de olhos..

Agora aqui fica a minha opinião sobre esta rash guard/licra.

Review: Masaru Short Sleeve Rash Guard

( Também disponível em Português! )


How awesome is Meerkatsu? Very awesome, that's how awesomely awesome he is.
Why you ask? Ok, you don't, but I'll still answer my own question to which I know the answer: because he went out of his way to send me this kick ass new Masaru Rash Guard he reviewed himself in his blog just a couple weeks ago. Actually, he reviewed a whole bunch of UK-branded rashies so you should definitely go over there and check it out.

Now, here are my own thoughts about this rash guard.

Análise: Preto & Branco - Tuff Fightwear Lightweight BJJ Kimono

( Also available in English! )

Após alguns meses a usar o gi Blitz Lutador e tendo começado a treinar na ArtSuave do Prof. Marcão, senti necessidade de ter um segundo (e terceiro) gis. Além de aumentar a quantidade de gis disponíveis, tinha em mente que fossem acessíveis mas com o mais qualidade possível e com um verdadeiro corte de gi de Jiu-Jitsu Brasileiro (BJJ) como deve ser, para variar.
A Tuff é uma marca Inglesa que vende material de luta em geral e este Lightweight Kimono - Kimono Leve - (ou mais correctamente, gi) tinha-me chamado à atenção há já uns meses. Diz a Tuff que este é o gi mais leve no mercado e que foi testado extensivamente para aguentar o rigor do treino, mas além disso o preço parecia ser perfeito para o que eu procurava...

Review: Black & White - Tuff Fightwear Lightweight BJJ Kimono

( Também disponível em Português! )

After some months using the Blitz Lutador and having joined Marcão's ArtSuave I felt the need to get a second (and third) gi. Besides quantity I was aiming at a cheap but quality gi which was fitted as a BJJ gi should be for a change.
Tuff is a british company who sell fightwear and their Lightweight Kimono (gi, actually) had caught my attention some months ago. They claim their gi is the lightest in the market and that it's tested extensively to withstand the rigors of training and the price seemed perfect for what I wanted.

Review: Blitz Lutador Pro-Star BJJ Kimono

Howdy boys.

Had been practicing BJJ for a couple of weeks when I got this, my first BJJ Gi.
I had no experience whatsoever with other BJJ Gis (only Karate Gis) and wanted something affordable (not much more expensive than a cheap Judo Gi) but with good enough quality to get started.

So, on to the review.