Review: Sirius Athletic Ultra Lite Gold Weave Kimono

Inspired by Jason Clarke's excellent review of the Padilla and Sons gold weave BJJ gi, I decided to write a short review of a gi that has gotten some very positive word-of-mouth on the web: the Sirius Athletic Ultra Lite gold weave.

My point of comparison is the Koral Classic that I have been using for almost five months. The criteria I am concerned with are fit, comfort, features, and price.

Fit
I am 5' 11' and about 195 pounds. I ordered the A3 traditional style from budovideos.com because Sirius themselves were sold out. Out of the packaging, the jacket was a bit big but the pants were perfect. I washed the jacket in cold water and dried it on medium heat for 10 minutes at a time until I got the fit I wanted. I like the length on the sleeves, though some may consider them a bit short. There is a bit of bagginess in the body, but it's not excessive. I probably would have dried it more if I were not concerned about the sleeves shrinking too much. When the kimono is pulled closed, the hip splits ride right on my hips where they should be. The skirt is longer than the one on the Koral, so the lapels don't get pulled out of my belt as often.

The pants have an enormous waist, but so do the Koral pants. When I have the waist cinched up over my hips, the cuffs come right to my ankles. Wearing the Koral pants the same way results in a slightly higher cuff. I've got big thighs, but I've got enough room in the Sirius pants, while the Koral pants are a little more form-fitting in the upper leg area.

Comfort
The Sirius jacket is very soft and light. Even after a wash on cold and a hang dry, it retains its softness and flexibility. My Koral sets up very stiff and scratchy. I would not want to wear the Koral jacket without a rashguard after hanging it dry, but the Sirius is as comfortable as a bathrobe. Though nominally a gold weave, the Sirius jacket fabric is thinner than Koral's, which I would consider a single weave. Despite this, I find the Koral much more breathable and cooler when training.

The Sirius pants are soft as well, despite being considerably heavier and thicker than the Koral pants.

Features
First off, I love the collar on the Sirius. It is thick and dense. Though I'm well aware that one shouldn't rely on a collar as protection against chokes, it is a nice safety blanket. My training partners have a hard time grabbing and holding on to the Sirius collar, since it does not deform easily. While the Koral has an adequate collar, it is rubber, so it is much easier to grip and manipulate. A downside of the Sirius collar, and a flaw that rubber collars are designed to address, is the drying time required. It takes a day and a half, hanging, to be fully dry. The Koral dries in about twelve hours. Not a huge problem, since I've got two kimonos now. The dryness of the southern California summer should also increase drying rates in a few months.

The other key feature of the Sirius is the tie system on the pants. There is a rope tie, instead of a fabric tie, which makes a world of difference. Tangling within the waistband is greatly reduced. I can pull the rope tight without thrashing around like a hooked marlin. It's heaven. Even better, there are three loops, instead of two. This helps keep the front of the pants from dipping under the knot and falling down, even though the rope is tied tight.

Price
Koral: $145.
Sirius: $95.
'Nuff said.

Conclusion
The Sirius ultra-lite gold weave deserves the praise it has received, especially at this price point. The pants are stellar, from the fit, to the fabric, to the tie system. The jacket has a great collar, but could be a little more snug in the body. I would like a more fitted sleeve cuff as well, but the already short sleeve length prohibits me from drying this baby again. Time will tell if the durability is there, but I have a good feeling. If this one or my Koral springs a leak, I'll be sure to post about it here.