[REVIEW] Mooto Spirit 3 Taekwondo Shoes (Lumi)

Mooto (무토) Spirit 3 Taekwondo Shoes (Lumi)

1 (+) Comes in 3 colours. If you're old school and traditional, there's black or white for you. If you're feeling somewhat adventurous, you can try lumi (the one I'm wearing) which is a cacophony of neon colours - Feel the blaze of nyan cats and unicorns riding through you feet as you kick.

2 (+) Dual band structure around the shoe helps to keep it snug but not rigid. Feels like a second skin when you kick.

3 (+) Solid sole with decent grip but doesn't drag the ground when you do footwork or kick. Movement is quite fluid and seamless. Most importantly, the sole of the lumi version is green

4 (+) Doesn't seem to smell after training. Of course this depends on the intensity of training and individuals. Not vouching for flower scented shoes notwithstanding the very inflorescent and blooming colours.

5 (-) There are no shoe laces so you have to be very accurate with your sizing. Not certain of the the durability of the dual band structure and whether it will loosen over time.

Overall: 4/5 kicks

Writer's Instagram: @tkd_in_office

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[REVIEW] Marcia "Fighter" Taekwondo Pants

[REVIEW] Marcia "Fighter" Taekwondo Pants

Marcia "Fighter" Taekwondo Pants. Model is 170cm tall and wears size 170.

PREFACE

Today, I am reviewing the Marcia "Fighter" Taekwondo pants. 

Before I go into the meat of this review, the term "Fighter" requires some discussion. As we all know, Taekwondo competition consists of Poomsae and Kyorugi. Kyorugi uniforms tend to be lighter and made out of thinner syntthetic, "dri-fit" material. This helps with movement and keeping athletes dry during competition. Poomsae uniforms are instead made with thicker cotton/polyester blends.

Kyorugi competition/training uniforms have, for the longest time,  been dominated by adidas' flagship offering: the adidas "Fighter" uniform. Close to 100% of all domestic teams in Korea use this uniform. Most, if not all, national teams use this uniform as well. 

As a result, companies in Korea that produce competition uniforms made of synthetic material have taken to categorizing such uniforms as "Fighter" uniforms. The Marcia "Fighter" Taekwondo pants are no exception. The term "Fighter" is therefore more of a category rather than a specific product line, especially for Korean Taekwondo products. 

With that in mind, we turn to the Marcia "Fighter" Taekwondo pants themselves. 

FIT

Model is 178cm and wears size 180.

These pants are sized as per standard uniform sizing. If you are between 161-170cm, size 170 is for you. If you are between 171-180cm, size 180 applies. 

We found the sizing to be accurate and true-to-size. You probably do not need to upsize or downsize for this pair of pants. 

The pants are roomier than usual in the crotch area. This seems to allow for easier movement especially during kicks. 

FUNCTION

We tested these pants extensively over a number of training sessions. We used them for target kicking and sparring.

The pants are very comfortable and light. They are loose enough to allow for ease of movement. Kicking is a breeze in these pants. 

Also, the material is highly absorbent. It wicks away sweat and dries easily. Even during heavy sparring sessions, we did not find the pants uncomfortably saturated with sweat. 

There is embossing on the interior fabric of the pants. This appears to have been included with the intention of lifting the fabric from the skin; air is allowed to circulate. While we found the pants light, quick-drying and comfortable, we were not able to really feel if this made a difference. We note, however, that this feature is fundamentally identical to the interior of the adidas "Fighter" pants.

The pants also come with two other features. The first is a very hardy and wide elastic waistband. It is almost double the width of the usual waistband for Taekwondo pants. This secures the pants at your waist tightly such that you do not need to pull up your pants repeatedly. 

The second are strategically placed mesh vents.

Soft mesh behind the knees. 

These are located behind the knees and just below the waistband at the back of the pants. They are made of a special mesh material that is light and porous. It seems like they were placed there to vent heat. We found that they were comfortable although we could not really feel if heat was being vented. 

This feature is very similar to that which is offered on the adidas "Fighter" uniforms. However, there are no such mesh panels on the groin area of the Marcia "Fighter" Taekwondo pants. Also, we found the knee panelling to be a little bit too low. They seem to come up to behind the upper calf rather than behind the knees themselves. That being said, they do not negatively affect training.

FORM

The pants are clearly for training and not competition as they are black. The upside is that they will continue looking fresh and sharp for some time. This is unlike white pants which will invariably be stained and blackened by training.

High quality embroidery

Exterior detailing

The exterior material follows closely to the adidas "Fighter" design. There is also a nicely embroidered Marcia logo on the right pant leg. Apart from that, I don't really have any comments on the overall look. The pants look sharp while staying practical. 

FINAL COMMENTS

A lot of us are used to training in white Taekwondo pants. Black, however, seems to be far more practical for training. The black Marcia "Fighter" Taekwondo pants therefore present us with a great training option. If you train outdoors and need Kyorugi pants, we wholeheartedly recommend this.

Marcia "Fighter" Taekwondo pants paired with adidas training guards

As far as we know, these pants are not available in Singapore. They can however be ordered online. They cost around SGD$45.00 - a reasonable sum for their quality. If you wish to purchase a pair, please contact us via Instagram direct message (@tkd_rt). We will be happy to help!

[Review] Mooto Spirit 3 Taekwondo Shoes

Mooto Spirit 3 Taekwondo Shoes

Sometime on or around 2013, Nike exited the taekwondo market. As a result, their In-Nae taekwondo shoes all but disappeared from the market.

Prior to Nike's exit, almost 90% of taekwondo practitioners in Korea used their shoes. No other brand produced shoes that felt quite as good during training. In particular, no other brand utilised a double-sole style of construction: where the sole of the shoe was split into two separate sections (see picture below). Nike's exit therefore left a serious gap. Players were literally left without any options.

It wasn't long before Nike's competitors began to produce shoes in the same style. Brands such as Kwon, Prospecs, KPNP and others are now offering shoes constructed in almost the same manner that Nike shoes were. Of course, each brand has put their own spin on things.

Today's review focuses on Mooto's latest attempt to enter the fray: the Mooto Spirit 3 Taekwondo shoes. These shoes first appeared in the second half of 2019, although they were not available for purchase till recently. I bought a pair about a week ago and have used them for training since. These are my thoughts.

Mooto Spirit 3 Taekwondo Shoes

As with offerings from other brands, the Spirit 3 taekwondo shoes do not differ significantly from Nike's originals. The basic style remains the same. The dual-sole structure is also present (the feature, in my opinion, which made Nike's originals so comfortable and well suited for taekwondo to begin with).

Dual Sole Design

The Spirit 3 taekwondo shoes are therefore very similar to Nike's originals. With that in mind, I begin this review in earnest.

FIT

My usual size for taekwondo shoes is 270. That is the size I ordered for my Spirit 3s.

When I first tried on the shoes, I found them to be very, very snug. I therefore find that the Spirit 3s run a little tight instead of being true to size. I would recommend going up by half a size (for me, a 275 instead of a 270 would have been ideal).

That being said, as the shoes broke in after more training sessions, they loosened up somewhat and fit better. However, they remained very snug.

In addition, I find that the sole of the Spirit 3s runs narrow. I do not have wide feet, but I still feel that the sole is somewhat narrower than the width of other taekwondo shoes of the same size. If you have wide feet, you may want to consider sizing up.

COMFORT

Tightness aside, I found the shoes to be very comfortable. The sole is well-cushioned as well as the upper. I had no substantial complaints after several training sessions.

Outer elastic band

Inner elastic band

As you can tell, the Spirit 3s have no laces. Mooto has opted to use elastic bands instead. But I did not find this to be a hindrance. The elastic bands are tougher and stronger than your usual laceless shoes. They hold the front of your foot firmly in place without being too tight.

That being said, I did not like two things about the Spirit 3s.

First, I found the heel section to be a little too loose. This was probably because of the tight lock around the forefoot as a result of the tough elastic bands. There were times when it felt like the Spirit 3s would almost slide off my heel, although this never happened.

Second, I also found the soles to be a little too narrow. This was more evident on my left foot. My left sole would often roll over the footbed/sole during lateral movements. This may be because of my foot shape, so it may differ depending on who uses it.

FUNCTION

The Spirit 3s are great taekwondo shoes. The padding in the shoe protects the instep without being excessive. You get a nice balance of protection while also being able to feel what you are kicking.

Soft, breathable mesh along the medial side of the Spirit 3s

On that note, the shape of the shoe and the type of material used for the upper makes kicking very enjoyable. Kicking mitts and targets comes with a clean, sharp sound.

The Spirit 3s also do not rub against your ankle. The shoe's collar is soft and pliable, and I had no abrasions around my ankles after 2 - 4 hours of use. You can safely wear these with ankle socks.

The soles are also of a sufficient thickness. My feet felt comfortable notwithstanding that I have been training on hard concrete flooring. There is adequate cushioning and just enough "bounce" in the sole to take away the impact of training on a hard floor. At the same time, the cushioning remains thin enough to allow you to grip the floor and still perform deft footwork.

The dual sole structure allows your feet to flex and spin almost as if you were barefoot. The independent sole sections take away the stiffness of single sole shoes while retaining cushioning and support for your heel and forefoot. It was this very structure that made Nike In-Nae shoes a hit - and also the same structure that most, if not all taekwondo shoe manufacturers are currently using.

Stitching up-close

The build quality of the Spirit 3s is also very good. Glue stains are at a minimum and barely visible. The stitching is tight and properly aligned. All in, the Spirit 3s feel like they were made with care, using quality materials.

FORM

Aesthetically, the Spirit 3s look sharp. They are easily the best looking shoes produced by Mooto to date. Mooto has stuck with clean lines and a slim profile, making for a very good looking shoe. Also, it appears that Mooto has also peppered the Spirit 3s with handsome detailing. Nothing too fancy, but enough to give the shoes a premium look without being ostentatious.

 Spirit Logo in an eye-catching red

 Mooto logo at the heel

Stylised Mooto logo at the toecap

FINAL COMMENTS

The Spirit 3s are one of the best taekwondo shoes I have tried in recent years. On top of that, they come in a well-built package. I confess that I have not previously liked Mooto products in general. But the Spirit 3s are a fine turning point for me. They look great and work extremely well. The attention to detail and various features of the Spirit 3s is evident in how the shoes feel as a whole.

After training (the light blue staining comes from kicking chest protectors)

In addition, the Spirit 3s are not over-priced. They are currently being sold at around SGD$70.00. I found this price very reasonable as it appears to be fair market value.

This is a product that I think you will definitely enjoy if you are looking for a new taekwondo shoe.

Lastly, the Spirit 3s come in three colourways. I have reviewed the classic White version, but Mooto also makes them in black and "Lumi" - a new colourway with a white base but rainbow detailing. An interesting look if you are of that persuasion.

 Spirit 3s in Lumi

Preface

Hi all,

Here, we review taekwondo products and equipment. Our goal is simple: to tell you what works, and what doesn't.

Our testers include former national team members as well as former collegiate competitors.

Please feel free to write to us if you want us to review a specific product.