need advice on online bogu supplier

[titus]

Hey everyone, I'm trying to decide on a supplier for my first own bogu. Got about a year of experience in kendo, been using a friend's old bogu for the last six months.

I'm trying to find the best set I can for about a thousand US online.

I got my double-layered gi and #8800 hakama from Tozando, very happy with both, and thinking about getting my bogu there.

They've got a 4mm machine-stitched bogu with titanium men, 50bamboo do, for 1000 US.

Of course, places like e-bogu seem to offer more for less money. Any opinions? Suggestions for other places? I'm guessing that Tozando would be better because it's all from Japan rather than somewhere else.

[Lukas]

Hi
I have the bogu you are thinking of - also from Tozando.
I think it is a good deal - quality is very good, bamboo Do is nice and Do lacquer is nice and mine still shines (not many scratches so far although 6 months of hard usage - pretty good surface)
Stitching is nice and also mune design is up to my expectations - very nice.

Titanium mengane is indeed very light - I have a comparison with my old club bogu with steel, heavy mengane.

Kote and Tare are very nicely fininshed and so far I only have one small remark to my particular bogu - my Men got cracks near the mengane.
Its a place where middle rod of mengane enters Men padding at your forehead and is finished with lacquered skin. At this place - where metal and skin are in close contact and where you receive hard hits actually, the skin of my Men got broken for about 3mm. My sensei told me that these things happen and it will not damage Men but anyway it should be fixed.
I glued it with epoxy abd it seems that it will not spread further but anyway thats what worries me a little - as for new bogu that shall not happen.

However, maybe this is due to fact that in Poland climate is rather dry at this time of year and also my younger clubmates tend to hit VERY hard which damages bogu in geometrical rate ;)

As compared to Korean bogu, as Neil wrote some posts ago, my 4mm Japanese set has stitching AT MOST 4mm while in many places, like Men padding near mengane, stitching is 2mm or so.

If you are looking for reliable supplier try also Koei. For me both are equally good: Tozando and Koei. Most of my equipment is from Tozando while many of my friends have stuff from Koei and it is also nice and of good quality.

The web page of Koei:

http://www.koei-budogu.co.jp/index.htm

I hope that I've helped you a little.
Good luck with your bogu!

Lukas

[Neil Gendzwill]

Where are you practicing? Make sure to consult with your sensei before making any purchases.

For Koei online in North America, check www.bogubag.com.

[titus]

Thanks to Lukas and Neil for the help!

I'm in Vancouver, but also practiced quite a bit in Hong Kong because of business trips the last year.

I'll be in Beijing as of September of this year, until January of next. Thinking of joining Beijing Kendo Club there, seems to be the biggest and most international (only one in China to take trips outside the country as far as I know).

[titus]

Got another question, thinking Bogubag might be easier to order from. However, I noticed that this place as well as others says no returns on custom orders. Does that include bogus?

I'm worried that if something doesn't fit I'll be up the river. Any suggestions?

[Neil Gendzwill]

Uhmm.. Vancouver doesn't narrow it down a whole lot.

Anyways, if you're only spending $1000 US, you're not getting custom. I suggest e-mailing Stroud-sensei, he can answer all these sorts of questions for you.