Shoyoroll
I purchased the Shoyoroll because at the time I really needed to- my faithful Atama was nearing the end of it's useful life. The collar was getting frayed to a level where a training partner could get a finger caught in it and be injured. It was time to replace it, and in the year since I had bought my Atama, Shoyoroll had surfaced as a brand with "the perfect fit" A3S. I'm 6'1 180lbs, so while a bit short for the A3S by sizing chart standards, I have been able to shrink them to an excellent fit. I ordered the Yank in A3S and the sizing has proved to be perfect. For this last batch- the ComPadre, and Americana it was the lesser of two evils as neither color combo really appealed to me. I like white Gis so I went with the ComPadre. I watched Facebook, and when the opportunity came to place my order I moved on it and sent $168.00 to BudoVideos.com. Then I waited.
Prana
I have seen some interesting web postings calling Prana "Shoyoroll Knockoffs" and then some other posts generally disparaging the brand- even mocking Prana's brand mark FloGo and calling them "Spermyoroll" (I admit I laughed)
Even though I knew this mockery was out there I went forward with an order of Prana's first Gi "The O.G." because I liked their Facebook postings, and I had a good experience ordering a T-Shirt. at $139.00 with free shipping the Gi was significantly cheaper than the Shoyoroll I ordered for $168.00 (inc. shipping) in May, and the wait was set to be much shorter. It also bears mentioning that while I like my Shoyoroll gis alot, the whole process of ordering, then waiting for several months for the Gi to turn up is generally annoying, and I was, and still am looking at alternatives to avoid it.
Hype
The thing for me about Shoyoroll is the fit. It is a matter of fact that the A3S is the right size for my body type. This is why I buy them. Sure, they are somewhat exclusive, but really I'm going to put this thing on and then roll around on the ground in it. Lets just keep that in perspective. It seems like there is a marketing coup here where BJJ players are coveting these things the way some ladies covet shoes or handbags to the point where aged SYR gis are going on Ebay for $400.00+ dollars. That is ridiculous. Equally ridiculous is laying out my cash in May to receive a Gi in October. It's tiresome. When Prana advertised a Shoyorollesque sizing chart featuring A3S sizing I figured this might be the alternative to that obnoxious process. I laid out my $139.00 and waited.
Review
Shoyoroll ComPadre $168.00 USD Shipped, wait time 5 months
The Shoyoroll is pretty much more of the same you would expect- A3S is a perfect fit, and the goldweave is light, yet very soft and comfortable. This was exactly what I was hoping for as my old Atama Goldweave is now retired, and all my other gis are pearl weave. I like having a goldweave kimono on the rack as it is the most comfortable material IMO. Given the 5 month wait, I was surprised that the Rebels seem to have fallen off on the details- for instance there is a silver lining on the inside of the lapels/collar just like there is on my SYR Yank, but on the ComPadre the stitching isn't as good, so the edges of that silver material were pretty scratchy for the first few washes.
here is a shot of the offending lining
It seems to be getting better now, but the quality lapse was disturbing.
The pants on the Shoyoroll are heavier twill material and they are absolutely perfect- these are the best Gi pants I own. The padding in the knees is great, and they feel incredibly durable- like rolling in blue jeans. they also improved their drawstring by using a narrower gauge cordage. It's a little easier to tie, and seems to stay tied better. All in all I really like the Gi, and sincerely hope the pants Shoyoroll offers moving forward are identical to these. The pants for my Yank are just too thin and feel too fragile.
Prana O.G. $139.00 USD shipped, wait time 2.5 months.
the Prana O.G. is a white gi with gray stitching, and grey/black badging
I am pretty impressed with the Prana Kimono. They got all the details right on this first attempt. It's a bit heavy compared to my SYR pearlweaves, but that is acceptable for a training Gi. All of the stitching is well done with nothing loose or scratchy like with the ComPadre, and it has something my Shoyorolls do not- it has fabric tape that covers the interior seams. This makes the kimono very comfortable to wear without a rashguard- and you need to wear it that way, because it traps bodyheat. I sweated like a beast wearing this Gi.
Here is the taping
No tape on the Shoyoroll
I bought the OG in A3S, and the pearlweave kimono sized out exactly like my pearlweave Shoyorolls- a few washes and drys and it fits like a glove.
The pants however seem a bit wide across the ass for an A3S sizing- they cinch up fine, but tend to bunch up across the back which goes to show they aren't cut from the same pattern as the SYR pants.
Here is a pic of my old ripped Shoyoroll A3S pants on top of the Prana A3S pants- the Prana Pants are a lot wider.
The pants are very well made though, they are a heavier rip-stop material. These pants have great padding in the knees, and the crotch gusset is well reinforced. I prefer the twill pants from my Shoyoroll, but since Shoyoroll doesn't offer additional pants I decided to go ahead and order a second pair of these Prana pants which I intend to use with my Shoyoroll Yank for training, this way I can save the fragile navy blue Yank ripstops for comps or whatever.
Overall I am extremely impressed with the Prana, I think I'm going to get a lot of life out of this gi as it is built to last using heavy materials, and superior manufacturing- every seam is reinforced.
So there you have it, I have 2 brand new Gis to go roll around on the ground in. I like both of them quite well. If I have to pick on value, I'd go with the Prana. It is a well made Gi, that is built to last. The fit is very good, and no corners were cut in it's manufacture. If I were choosing based on materials, then I'd say the Shoyoroll is the more comfortable of the 2. The scratching from the lining went away after the 4th wash or so, and i just love the gold weave. Also- the SYR pants are exceptional for this batch.
Knockoff?
Let me say this- if you had never seen a Jiu Jitsu Gi you might think the Prana is just a knock off of a Shoyoroll, but since I own both I'll put that to bed right now. They aren't the same. Similar in the basic design, but materials and manufacture are quite different. Trust me on that.
Asthetics, and Exclusivity
Since a lot of people are buying these things based on exclusivity / vanity- I will also say the Prana wins for aesthetics. White with the grey stitching looks great, and the badging is all stitched in rather than a patch that is sewn on. The first time I wore it one of my coaches commented how nice it looked- so if you are into that sort of thing, Prana has it goin on.
Word is out, and SYR isn't nearly that exclusive anymore. When I first wore the new SYR I walked into the academy and saw 3 ComPadres and 2 Americanas during black belt class. At another lesson at the Boulder school I saw 4 people wearing SYR gis of various batches. As far as I know I am the only student at my academy rolling in a Prana. Doesn't get much more exclusive than that since we are a big school with 5 branches. Not like that matters, but if it does to you, then there it is...
Who knows, maybe Prana will take off and the prices and wait times will go up like they did with Shoyoroll- for right now I'll enjoy the fact that I have found another manufacturer of gis that has my fit right. I look forward to their future offerings, and hope for a Prana Goldweave sometime in the future. For what it is worth, Prana has already acknowledged that their pants run bit big. I wouldn't be surprised at all to see that remedied in the next batch.
Additional Questions
A reader requested some additional info on the Gis, as is specific to the A3S sizing. The conversation is in the comments, but i am reposting here for anyone who is curious. Reader request a measurement from cuff to cuff.
I spread each of the Gis out and measured from cuff to cuff across the chest. My measurements were taken in inches
Please bear in mind that all my Gi's have been shrunk intentionally using warm water and hot cycles in the dryer
Shoyoroll Yank (Pearlweave) 71"
Shoyoroll Compadre (goldweave) 68.5"
Prana O.G. (pearlweave) 69.25"
