The Manto Tap Cancer Out Longsleeve Rash Guard – Choking The Life From Disease

I’ve been grappling in my Manto Tap Cancer Out rash guard for a while now and it’s great!  Initially writing this, I stumbled upon the fact that this will be a joint review.  First, this is a Manto rash guard with design input from a charity.  So if there’s a design flaw or a feature that I didn’t enjoy, who takes the hit for it?  Manto or TapCancerOut?  Who get’s the praise if there’s a feature that I love?  There are, obviously, many dilemmas with this.

Also, I have to point out my bias.  Cancer has taken both of my grandmothers from my family and I.  I feel very deeply for TapCanerOut’s mission:  “Tap Cancer Out is a jiu-jitsu based nonprofit (pending 501(c)(3) status) that raises awareness and funds for cancer fighting organizations on behalf of the grappling community.”  I almost feel as if I must provide a positive contribution to this organization.  However, I also have a personal, ethical responsibility to myself to be completely honest.  How fair would it be for me to lie to myself?  Would that help TCO?  In the long run, Karma’s a bitch and would most likely burn the shrine I’m trying to build.

Style and Design

Front view. I totally dig the red paneling down the sides. It gives the wearer a trim, fit look ~ even if you’re a fatty like me!

TapCancerOut and Manto have done a fantastic job in designing this rash guard.  The simple look of red and black is excellent.  It’s clean and simple.  I especially enjoy the red paneling that runs under the arms and down the sides of the torso, creating that superhero, masculine, framed look.  I’m also pleased that TCO kept it simple by just using the large logo on the chest and the fist and ribbon logo on the back.

Back view. Check out the simple look of the logo.

Build

Manto is known for their high quality products.  There’s essentially no worry when you buy from them.  You know, with little doubt or worry, you’re getting a piece of gear that is going to last.  They use triple-stitching throughout the rash guard, except around the neck, where Manto opted to use double-stitching.  After wearing and washing the rash guard multiple times I have been unable to find any loose threads or places where the stitching had run off the seam.

The rash guard is a fully dye-sublimated print.  What this means is that the molecules are locked into the fabric.  Unlike the old-school rash guards which are screen printed and have a tendency to crack, peel and/or fade, TCO’s rash guards will not.  They’ll hold up much longer than screen printed rash guards and retain their original colors much longer.

Fit

The Manto TCO rash guard is probably my favorite fitting rash guard.  At 6′ and 195 lbs I typically wear a size XL.  With most long sleeve rash guards the arms run a bit long and bunch up around the wrist.  Manto’s did not do this which was pleasantly surprising.

Another plus was that the crew neck cut wasn’t choking me.  Sometimes rash guards can be so tight that they create a claustrophobic feeling when you wear them.  This wasn’t the case.  Instead of being up around my throat the cut of the neck sat lower and flatter to my chest and clavicle bones.  The rash guards torso is plenty long, as well, so there’s no fear of it riding up and coming un-tucked from your shorts or gi pants.

A con for this rash guard is where the stitching comes together on the back of the shoulder blades.  The material pulls and stretches and looks as if it’s going to eventually rip at the merge point.  I can’t tell you if it will affect the longevity of the rash guard but if you have a large back or big deltoids you may want to go up an extra size.

You can see where the three seams meet. May be a consideration if you pump a lot of iron and have huge deltoids.

Performance

The TCO Manto rash guard does exactly what it advertises.  It breathes well and helps wick away sweat.  The rash guard is 89% polyester and 11% spandex, allowing it to stretch.  When it stretches you can almost see through the material making it like a second skin, which means you’re not going to overheat in it.

There’s no chaffing anywhere.  I’ve had rash guards that run up under the arm pits and actually cause a rash.  I’ve had some that roll up around the waste and cut into the body.  The TCO rash guard doesn’t do any of that.  I love it!

Summary

At the end of the day, this is a great rash guard for the money!  It comes in a short or long sleeve variation, fits great, is non-abrasive and supports a great cause!  At $50 it’s right around the average price of rash guards on the market today.  It might actually be slightly less than the average, actually.  However, instead of the profits going into the pockets of some greedy corporation, they’re going towards fighting that horrific disease of cancer!  BUY YOURS TODAY!

4.5 out of 5.

An Interview and Technique with Kid Peligro

I was fortunate enough to catch up with one of the greatest minds in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, Kid Peligro, at a Team Hopkins seminar. Any time you have the opportunity to chat with a Black Belt that’s under Royler Gracie, who just happens to be the author of pretty much every Gracie Jiu-Jitsu book on the market, you have to jump on it!  The seminar was excellent and we covered a ton of material.  Here’s just a taste:

Bump from Head Clinch to Double Leg (setup drill)

Butterfly Sweep (drill and technique)

Butterfly Guard Pass (opponent sitting up) to Cross Body Position

Butterfly Guard Pass (opponent on back) to Double-Leg Lock; to Cross Body Position

Take the Back (drill)

Take the Back (technique)

Shrimp (drills)

Escape from Cross Body with Shrimp

Counter to Scarf Hold (side headlock)

Counter Arm lock to Counter Arm Lock

BJ Penn Arm and/or Shoulder Lock from Seated Open Guard or Butterfly Guard

I wish I had taken more notes…  We covered more material than I can remember.  After the seminar I chatted him up.  He’s releasing another app and ebook which are going to work hand in hand.  I’m looking forward to that.  This man is a genius!!  He was also kind enough to show us a new technique off of his upcoming app, Counter to the Omoplata.

I did the Omoplata wrong.  If you’re going to screw something up, be like me and make sure you get it on camera, in front of your peers, while practicing with a Gracie Jiu-Jitsu master.  Go big or go home, right?!  Dammit…  Here’s the interview.  Check it out on my YouTube page.

Livin’ La Vida Luta ~ Rolling In My New Rash Guard

LUTA Short Sleeve Laser-Tech MMA Rash Guard

This review is brought to you by the good people at BJJHQ, MMAHQ, and MAS.  Go check them out.  Buy something.  End shameless plug…

Company Background: LUTA
I totally dig the cause and back story of LUTA. A small boxing club was formed on the streets of Brazil, named Luta Pela Paz. It’s Portuguese for “Fight for Peace”. In a community that was wrecked by violence, drugs and poverty; here is a glimmer of light. A place where the community’s youth can escape too, rehabilitate their lives and find something to focus their energy on. That small boxing club has transformed into a multi-combative sport club, that’s transgressed into an athletic wear company, that now has a 50% profit share with their own NGO, Fight for Peace. You can check out LUTA’s page discussing their heritage here.

Initial Impressions

When I first received the LUTA rash guard, I was pleasantly surprised.  It’s material was soft and smooth.  It’s bold white and black design allows it to pair well with almost any gi or shorts in my closet.  I wasn’t really excited about the heat bonded logo on the front.  I did like the placement of the LUTA logo on the top-center of the upper back.  I wasn’t sure about the paneling down the sides.  I was concerned they would cause irritation on the skin in and around the armpit area.

Wear and Comfort

The rash guard wears well enough.  The collar is a bit on the tight side.  When I first wore it I felt as if I was getting choked.  The good news is that you get used to it so it’s not a down side.  The polyester and elastane knitted fabric is very comfortable against the skin.  Again, it’s soft and smooth!  The rash guard also breathes extremely well.  It has kept me the coolest of any rash guard I’ve worn to date.  I usually wear long-sleeve rash guards so the short sleeve feel was a bit different to me.  It actually started to grow on me, especially for wear under my gi.  I still prefer to wear a long sleeve rash guard when playing no-gi for hygienic reasons.

One personal downside, and we’ll chalk this up under “comfort”, is that at the end of a rolling session I look like a fat kid who entered a wet t-shirt contest.  You can see my nipples and the outline of gut and belly-button.  I’m not exactly the thin kid in class so I’m a bit conscious about the way I look.  I want to look cool, damn it, not fat!  If you’re thin or in shape or shaped like Superman, this is a non-factor.  However, if you’re not, this might be a reason to buy the black and yellow version.

The rash guard wicks sweat and heat away from the body.  The paneling does not cause irritation, nor does the double-welded seaming.

Construction

This rash guard is really, really soft.  Why?  First, because of the polyester and elastane fabric.  Second, the build.  LUTA’s 6-panel construction using double-welded seams keeps the stitching on the skin to a minimum.  So smooth.  The incorporation of the vented panels down the side are really nice, too.  They breathe well and do an excellent job of venting heat away from the body.

Durability

Unfortunately, this rash guard hasn’t held up too well on the mat.  The stitching around the bottom has begun to unravel and the material has unfolded.

Also, the heat bonded chest logo, which isn’t supposed to peel, is beginning to peel.  It’s not a lot of peeling, but it’s enough that I know it’s only going to get worse the more I wear and wash it.

In LUTA’s defense, I have not contacted them about a replacement, but I’m sure their customer service department would replace the rash guard at no cost.  If not, then shame on them.

Summary

Overall, I really like the LUTA short sleeve rash guard.  I enjoy the wear and feel of the rash guard, especially under a gi.  I like the welded seeming and underarm panels.  I also really relate to the company profile.  However, there are a few hiccups that would prevent me from purchasing this rash guard, especially at $99.  I don’t like the fact that it makes me look as fat as I am, that the stitching is unraveling and that the chest logo is peeling.  For $99, LUTA can afford sublimated graphics.  3 Out of 5 Stars for this one guys, sorry.  😦

Looking Back – Top 10 Jiu-Jitsu Happenings from 2011

There’s an old quote that says, “Those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it.”  I say bring it on!  2011 was a great year for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and we’re counting down the top 10 events that helped shape the year!

10.  BJJHQ – Offering you one great deal a day, BJJHQ is probably one of the hottest deals going for Jiu-Jitsu gear.  However, their significance isn’t their gimmick – it’s their representation of the market that’s important.  We’re talking about a website whose sole purpose is to make money selling Jiu-Jitsu related products.  Not a website who is selling you techniques or is a representation of a specific breed of Jiu-Jitsu, but a third-party sales company who is making money by simply selling merchandise.  If a company can make money only selling Jiu-Jitsu gear then it’s definitely a major mile-stone for our sport and is a great sign of things to come!

9.  Jiu-Jitsu Delivered to Your Door – Jiu-Jitsu Magazine, a publication coming out of California, is making its mark in the states.  Due to the development and recent acceptance of the iPad, NOOK, Kindle and other e-readers the magazine and newspaper markets have taken a hit.  Again, it says a lot about where our sport is for a publication to make it in today’s economy.  Grab a subscription to this and expand your game!

8.  The UFC in Brazil – In 1993 the Gracie’s created the UFC in an effort to show the world that they had created the best defensive combat system in the world.  In 2011 the UFC went to the Gracie’s home country for the first time in history!  MMA is probably going to be the first truly international sport because people all over the world love to watch other people from all over the world getting their arms broken.  And the UFC is going to deliver!

7.  Earn Your Degree Online with Gracie University – The Gracie family has done marvels with growing the sport and the science of Jiu-Jitsu online.  Love them or hate them, odds are, you’re watching their videos.  They’ve also inspired others to create their own online training programs.  The difference between the Gracie’s and everybody else is that they are willing to promote you based on video evaluation.  Not only can you put on your Blue Belt at home, you can add a stripe to it!

6.  The Honey Badger Don’t Care – Fellow blogger, jitz roller, and artist Meerkatsu may have had his biggest break out in 2011 with the introduction of his Honey Badger rash guard.  It’s taken off like wildfire (so much so that I can’t even get my hands on one to review, hint hint…).  It’s turned into the “hot” item for BJJ all across the internet and developed itself into a brand, Honey Badger Fightwear.  He did it right, too, by pushing through a noted and professional company like Tatami.  I expect to see Honey Badgers on gi’s in the near future.  Personally, I think an Octopus could take a Honey Badger any day…

5.  Attack of the App – With the invention of the Android, iPhone, iPad and every other mobile device there has come more apps than one can count.  Thrown in that mix are some pretty impressive Jiu-Jitsu apps.  I’m a big fan of the Mobile Black Belt series by Gracie Barra Black Belt “Bill” Aparecido Faria.  Quick, easy techniques to watch if you’ve got 5 minutes to kill.  Another favorite is access to my Gracie University account via their mobile site.  You can make fun of those who learn watching YouTube, or you can add those tools to your toolbox.  Me?  I have more than one Black Belt in my pocket.

4.  The Match that Never Happened – Supposedly going to be the Superfight of the Decade, the Eddie Bravo vs. Royler Gracie rematch caused more stirs, murmurs and rumors than a hooker in the White House.  Set for ADCC 2011, the always cost conscious Gracie managed to put this one to bed by refusing to roll for riches.  Cash up front had to be provided or the event was to never happen.  And it didn’t.  Bloody Elbow does a good break down of events here.

3.  Grandmaster Dr. Pedro Valente Sr. – Anytime you get a new Red Belt thrown in the mix, especially in Jiu-Jitsu where it’s incredibly hard to get promoted anyway, it’s worth pointing out.  It took Pedro Sr. 58 years to put Red around his waist.  That’s a lot of time shrimping on the mats.

2.  Doing the Twist in the UFC – The Korean Zombie Chan Sung Jung hit the first Twister in UFC history!  That’s sick!  There are a lot of haters of Jiu-Jitsu in the MMA market but every time Chael Sonnen gets tapped out or somebody does something like the Twister on national and international television it blows the doors off of BJJ schools everywhere!  This technique was so smooth and so sick that it got breakdowns from Eddie Bravo and the Gracie brothers.

And the winner is…

1.  André Galvão Wins… Again! – Black Belt Galvão won his weight class and the absolute at the ADCC 2011.  That’s pretty impressive.  If you didn’t know who André Galvão was from his many other championship wins, you better take note and figure it out now.  Anyone who can defeat Pablo Popovitch and Rousimar Palhares on the big stage is worth watching down the road. The ADCC rematch between Eddie and Royler didn’t play out, but Galvao gave us plenty to watch and be thankful for.