Would you guys recommend traditional drawstring pants or the elastic contact fit pants for a karate gi?

Question

I am shopping for a karate gi and i'm just curious which style everyone thinks is the best. thanks for the help!

Answer 1

I've had both in my years of doing martial arts. I had the elastic first, but that can really wear out and lose some of the elasticity. The drawstring pants on the other hand are great. You can tighten them up if they get too loose or whatever.

My preference are the drawstring pants. But either way, you want to make sure that the pants are not too loose at the waist, or make sure that you tie the drawstring well. I've heard stories of too-loose/not tied well enough pants slipping down while the person was doing a form or sparring. When you are in the middle of a test or competition especially, you really don't want to have that happen.

Answer 2

I like the drawstring pants. You can adjust the tightness.

Answer 3

When I first started training my Gi had the drawstrings, they would twist around and rip off when grappling and most of the time give me a wedgie in the middle of a Kata. Then I came across the elastic ones which you can tie up, they for me are the best.  

Answer 4

The contact pants from Century Martial Arts? I own a few pairs of them and like them a lot better than the draw string pants. That is if you are talking about the draw string pants called Traditional draw string pants.

The contact pants ave a string on them that you can tie if you need to cinch them up. The traditional draw string pants are kinda a pain in the butt.

Just my personal preference.  

Answer 5

My dobak or gi has both elastic and a drawstring.  I've had just elastic and hated it.  I prefer a drawstring for many of the reasons other have stated.  My dobak/gi is of medium weight.  I think the light and medium weights are either both elastic and drawstring or just elastic. A heavier weight may just have drawstring.

Answer 6

I always buy the elastic waist with a draw string.  I have one white gi with a traditional drawstring and I am forever pulling one side too far and I have to work it back, what a pain!

The other thing I always get is a back pocket!  That's the best thing ever put on a gi.

Answer 7

drawstring for sure elastic stretches not a good thing if you want to keep your pants up lol

Answer 8

In my experiene the elastic is not as good.  Drawstring is usually the answer.  Elastic gets pulled off too easily.

But if you are not doing alot of sparring or contact the elastic will do fine.  If you do alot of sparring or contact, you need drawstring.

Some pants have a combo of both.

Hope this helps!

SocalMark