Specifications
The gi weights 2kg in size A2S. The jacket is made out of 550 grams per square meter Pearl Weave fabric. It has the Panda logo’s embroided on the shoulders. You can tell right away that this BJJ gi has been designed by someone who also does jiu jitsu, with comfort in mind. The collar is quite sturdy, but not too thick and it’s covered with ripstop fabric. The seams on the inside are covered also with ripstop fabric, which makes it feel really soft and prevents skin chafing. The slits are reinforced with an extra layer of fabric and additional stichting, and the cuffs also are reinforced with ripstop material and a few extra rows of stichting.
The pants are made out of 12 ounce rip stop material, and has a pearl weave gusset. The ripstop is a little bit thicker then what most brands use, but that makes it more durable and still light weight. Also here you can tell right away that this is done by someone who does BJJ. Inverted Gear added fat loops which prevent the drawcord from coming out. On the inside it has a small pocket where you can keep your mouthguard or your ID card for competitions. The pants also have reinforcements: the slits on the sides, the knee area has a dubble layer of fabric, and the ankle cuffs are reinforced with an extra layer of ripstop and extra rows of stichting.
Fit
The fit of this gi is a little bit different from all of my other gi’s. My height it 183cm/6ft and I weight about 77kg/170lbs. First I tried on an A2, but overall the gi was too short and too baggy. So I went for the A2S, which stands for slim and tall. The A2S gi was still a bit roomy, and almost too long. For comparison I wear size A2L Rios Gear and Fuji, both fit me perfectly.
I’m glad it shrunk a little bit after a few washes, even though the jacket still feels roomy it’s not too big anymore. What I really like about the pants is that the upper part is a bit shorter than most pants, so I can pull it up high without having to tie it under my armpits.
Conclusion and rating
To conclude this review I will rate this on design, fit, comfort and value.
Design 4/5: I think the gi is very well designed and I rate is 4 out of 5. Construction wise they really took an effort to improve the gi with specific reinforcements and comfort in mind. I love the minimal styling and the colourway, the only downside for me is that the yellow details turned a bit green-ish after a couple of washes.
Fit 3/5: The fit for me is really personal and I rate it 3 out of 5. I couldn’t get the perfect sizing, I do think I picked the size that fits me the best but for my taste it’s still too baggy. However, I know a lot of people don’t have this problem and Inverted Gear has a lot of different sizes available.
Comfort 5/5: The comfort of this gi I rate 5 out of 5. Even it feels like I have a lot of fabric around me, the gi feels really comfortable. The covered seams really make a difference and I have more than enough movement space.
Value 4/5: I rate the value of this gi 4 out of 5. With a price of €144,95 it is quite a lot of money for a gi, but I feel this gi has a great built quality which will make it last for a really long time.
This sets my overall score for the Inverted Gear Panda 3.0 gi at a 4 out of 5. If you can get the sizing right, I would definitely recommend this gi to anyone who is looking for a really great gi!
by Bram