Muryama or KendoStyle? Going tomorrow....Any help would be very appreciated

**judojewelry.com** · 7th February 2010, 12:46 AM

Hello everyone,
My name is Bryan and I am new to Kendo. I have only been going to class a month or so but I have enjoyed watching and have been fascinated with kendo for many years. Tomorrow (Sunday the 7th) I'm going to two bogu companies in the San Jose area and I'm not sure if their products are very similar in quality but I think I need a little extra help to figure out which company makes a better bogu. I have read the bogu facts post and looked up lots of different information about bogu but I'm still brand-new and don't know enough about these companies or bogu in general to make an accurate decision.

The first company I am going to is Muryama & the second company is kendo style. The guy at Kendo style told me he was running a special, 2 mm bogu for $800.
I think the guy at Muryama wants more like $900 or $1000, but I'm not %100 sure on that!

I asked them both if they were made of deer hide or synthetic materials and both told me dear hides and other high quality materials.
A few of the students at my club have bogu by Muryana, But nobody has any by Kendo style. I wonder if this is because of the quality difference or if they just like the guy?

Some people have given me advice to get something simple and inexpensive as my first set of Bogu. I really don't know if I want to do that and this is my thinking why....

Number one, I am definitely not the type of person to take up something and not follow through %100 so good quality bogu would not be a waste in my opinion.
Number two, I'm a paycheck to paycheck guy, most of the time I have very little or no disposable income. I had a financial blessing happen to me recently and now that I have paid off all of my bills I still have $800 to spend on myself. I don't know when the next time will be that I can spend (or will even have) $800 or $900 for Bogu.
I am told that the tighter the stitching the better the protection and your bogu will also last longer! Another good reason to "go big" so to speak!
And third... I like to have good quality items (things that are built to last!)
So to cut down on all this blabbing what should I do?? Should I buy a 2 mm bogu from KendoStyle or should I buy a 3 or 4 mm bogu from Muryama?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you for your time and patience with such a newbie.

**judojewelry.com** · 7th February 2010, 01:06 AM

Wow! 9 views in 15mins! But not one reply??? Please guys, i'm going tomorrow and I don't want to make a $800 oops.... lol

**Orophil** · 7th February 2010, 01:46 AM

Has you're sensei given you permission to buy a bogu yet?

grtz Mathijs

**b8amack** · 7th February 2010, 01:56 AM

Your user name makes me think you are a spam user, and that this thread is just an attempt to get people to check out the websites mentioned....

**jjcruiser** · 7th February 2010, 02:12 AM

I'll bite.

First, check with your sensei. One month is usually early to buy bogu. You haven't been hit while wearing men yet. Lots of people buy armor, wear it once, then quit. See if you can borrow some first.

Second, if you have that much money, you'd be best served getting something more custom and lower thread-stitch, in my humble/beginner opinion. read the FAQ, it discusses the stitch-width issue.

Third, I've never actually heard of either company, and had no idea they existed in San Jose. But next time I'm in town I'll check them out. So if you are a spam user trying to get us to check out the companies, you've partially succeeded.

**Koban** · 7th February 2010, 02:41 AM

Why does the kendo style site, ONLY have 2mm and 6mm bogu?

**judojewelry.com** · 7th February 2010, 03:14 AM

No guys, not a spammer... I used this as my username a long time ago...I do own judojewelry.com and play judo but I also am starting kendo! I am sorry if that is bad,I will change my username or make a new account. after my reply.
Our Sensei has givin us permission to buy bogu but we will not be in it for another month or so, I just will not have a weekend to go then because of my business.

**judojewelry.com** · 7th February 2010, 03:15 AM

Im not sure but I know he has a lot more sizes at his place

**judojewelry.com** · 7th February 2010, 03:19 AM

Hi jjcruiser, I will not quit. I feel it is becoming part of me with every class I take, video I see and picture I gaze at...

**KenshiNewbie** · 7th February 2010, 03:47 AM

I am back and I changed my UserName... Sorry again, wasn't trying to be a spammer...
I have read Bogu facts again and talked to me sensei but does anyone have a KendoStyle Bogu? I have had a few people talk about Muryama but no one has said anything about KendoStyle?

**b8amack** · 7th February 2010, 03:55 AM

Why not use a web-based retailer that people on here DO recommend? Is there something special about the KendoStyle bogu that calls out to you? Something other than price... wouldn't recommend picking an unknown (and therefore unreliable) retailer on the basis of price.

**jjcruiser** · 7th February 2010, 04:23 AM

Originally Posted by KenshiNewbie

I am back and I changed my UserName... Sorry again, wasn't trying to be a spammer...
I have read Bogu facts again and talked to me sensei but does anyone have a KendoStyle Bogu? I have had a few people talk about Muryama but no one has said anything about KendoStyle?

No worries.

We don't appear to have much experience with Kendostyle. Maybe find out from them who actually makes the bogu, where it comes from, etc. See if one of your senior students can come with you to check out the stuff. If I were you, and I knew Muryama was recommended by people in my dojo, I would just get 3 or 4mm from them and avoid the other. You get what you pay for. Buying it in person would be nice. You can actually have them measure you. If that had been an option for me, I definitely would have done so.

**KenshiNewbie** · 7th February 2010, 04:37 AM

Originally Posted by jjcruiser

No worries.

We don't appear to have much experience with Kendostyle. Maybe find out from them who actually makes the bogu, where it comes from, etc. See if one of your senior students can come with you to check out the stuff. If I were you, and I knew Muryama was recommended by people in my dojo, I would just get 3 or 4mm from them and avoid the other. You get what you pay for. Buying it in person would be nice. You can actually have them measure you. If that had been an option for me, I definitely would have done so.

The guy at KendoStyle said it is materials from japan assembled in China....Don't know if I like that, but again...a newbie.

**Mr. T.** · 7th February 2010, 04:37 AM

Hi Bryan,

Welcome to KWF.

I agree with the posts above. First, get more proviciant without bogu, I believe it took 5 or 6 months before my sensei and sempai told me that it was time get into bogu. Wait a few month until your sensei tells you or hint that it is time to get into bogu. Then it is time to go bogu shopping.

When you want a bogu, go ask your sensei and others in the dojo where they got theirs. Also $800-$1000 is way to much for a beginners bogu, unless you're loaded (or your daddy is paying for it). In my beginners opinion, a 3 mm is MORE that enough. It will last you for years.

This thread written by our very own spaminator (http://www.kendo-world.com/forum/sho...ogu-Buying-FAQ) is very usefull. Please read it. It was written for guys (and girls) like you.

If you have any questions after that, please ask them.

Again welcome and enjoy the mayhem called kendo world.