This another review from my Old Munki husband. The Scramble Athlete is an established gi from this British BJJ brand and this is his review is of the Athlete 3 white gi. version. So here’s what he had to say…..

THE LOOK

To begin with, I did like the colourway of the gi just from the pictures. That’s what motivated me to buy it. However, straight out of the bag I was impressed with this gi. Overall the colourway of the gi is very clean, even better than the pictures. My personal preference is for white gis. They can look a little plain, but with the embroidery on this, it really stands out. The red and blue colours that have been used really do pop. Giving a simple but considered finish, which seems to be a tried and tested standard Scramble stick to. This minimalist approach to branding is something I really like.

THE JACKET

The jacket is a 450g pearl weave fabric, this is a pretty standard fabric for gi jackets. It has a shoulder lining within the gi which is a nice touch. This is sublimated with Japanese warrior style image which fits really well. These little touches and the embroidered logos show the designer has considered the person wearing it. You want to be comfortable wearing it. But also make sure it looks good for a long time. The tape on the cuffs is folded and did not scratch at all whilst wearing. The collar and lapels are covered with the same twill material the pants are made from. There are also reinforcement patches under the armpits and around the edges of the side vents. With all the external edges having tape along them.

THE PANTS

The pants are made of twill cotton,  with a rope drawstring with 6 belt loops. Double lined reinforcement in the pants goes above the knee line. So there is no problem when kneeling down. There are also a number of rows of stitching around the ankle area to keep this secure. I’m also sure when winter hits I’ll appreciate the twill cotton pants even more. All seam tapes are folded and do not scratch when wearing.

MEASUREMENTS

Out of the bag measurements:

Jacket
Arm (collar to cuff) 73.5cm
Wingspan (cuff to cuff) 168cm
Length 80cm
Width 61cm

Pants
Inside Leg 75cm
Outside Leg 101cm

After 3 wear and washes

Jacket
Arm (collar to cuff) 70.5cm
Wingspan (cuff to cuff) 162.5cm
Length 82cm
Width 60cm

Pants
Inside Leg 74cm
Outside Leg 100cm

Weight of gi = Advertised 1.8kg – My A3 gi = 2kg

ROLLING

Having now trained a number of times in this gi, I am happy to include it my main rotation of gis. It was comfortable to wear, with no major issues. I do actually prefer ripstop cotton for the pants as twill can get a little heavy and sticky when sweaty. The Athlete 3 didn’t seem to suffer from this problem, even after a hard competition class. The only downside to this gi, for me, is the jacket. It is a little roomy for my body shape. Having said that I am lean for my height (6 feet 3 inches and 86 kg/190lbs). For the A3 I bought I am at the bottom end of the weight scale it is designed to fit.

CONCLUSION

On me, the gi would be competition legal and there is plenty of room for club patches. The twill cotton pants do add a little extra weight to the over gi. However the weight of your gi is something if you compete, you will be used to dealing with. One less cookie to look good at your next competition isn’t that bad. But it has stood up well to a number of classes, with no stitching or fabric fails.

Priced at £100 with free shipping on the Scramble website it is very competitively priced. Plus as Scramble have international outlets now, it should be pretty easy to get hold of it anywhere. It’s not the cheapest gi Scramble offer, but for what you are paying it is definitely value for money.

Scramble describe this gi as having “excellent finishing and attention to detail the Athlete 3 represents the best of Scramble’s manufacturing and design innovations.”. I honestly have to agree with this statement. The only issues I have with this gi are due to my unique sizing, nothing to do with the manufacturer. If you are looking for a competition or a good training gi, the Scramble Athlete 3 would be a good option and you can find it here.