IS THERE A MARKET FOR SECOND HAND GI's, DOBOK's

I've been wondering, all those people who start training, buy the Gi, T-Shirt get, 1 or 2 belts etc and then "....can't be bothered...." Is there a market for buying and selling second hand Gi's, Dobok's Belts, Kick Pads, shinpads focus mitts etc as I am sure there are a few who rather than spending £65+ on a descent Gi would rather spend £35+ on the same but second hand Gi what do you think?

Rather spend the money and break it in myself, something about wearing someones used gi that just doesn't sit well with me.

We have parents in my class that will donate the doboks and sparring pads their kids have out grown. Every now and then we get a student that can pay for class but can't afford the sparring pads and uniform. We donate it to that student. When we are ready to get new bags we sell the old ones to students and use the money to get new bags.

Casey

with or without sweat stains?

OMG no no no! I take them home and wash them myself. I use the hottest setting and bleach on them. They look good as new. Kids out grow uniforms pretty quickly (usually about every 6-8 months). The toughest stains I have to get out are grass stains and dirt on the knees from the kids playing in their uniform (there's a playground outside our facility that the kids will play on if they get to class early). If they are too bad then we just don't allow it to keep in circulation.

Casey

I say no. If I'm in this I want something new that I am the first to wear and break in. I don't want somebody else's sweat, blood or tears ... I will have my own.

Our club however does collect items that for those people that are less fortunate that they too can have uniforms and/or equipment. My daughter and I donated her uniform to another child who's family could not afford much and we felt good about it. Some people in our club have posted equipment for sale and usually it is for cheap and in many cases they never sell it or just hand it in to be redistributed (as noted above). Perhaps in ones own gym selling may be an option but as a business I'd say no. If you really want to sell something then you are better off doing it on e-bay as then you don't have overhead and stuff.

We do the same as the other schools with outgrown kids gis, many parents do not want to outlay much for their kids especially if little Johnny is one of those who changes his hobbies frequently like sox.

I've just got rid of my old gis as the colour of my "official attire" has now changed since I did my last grading so there was no point in keeping them as I am unable to wear them.

The less well off members have snapped them up as spares and as they were nice and clean and tidy [washed straight after each use] no-one had any objections buying them.

I personally prefer buying new ones and sweating them in myself...