The following is a review of 20/20 Armor (2020armor.com) by Daniel Coe McCallum, 4th Dan Instructor, of Shins Academy Colorado
This initial review was done after appx 2 hours of use with each size (1-4) tested.
After unboxing (ships from Canada), first impression is a well built system with much thought put into ease of use and durability. The material is tough but smooth which should be easy to clean and the metal lacing hoops are well anchored and covered for safety.
Setup was easy with multiple flashcards provided for reference and posting at the dojang.
Our testing was mainly focused on the likely mostly commonly used settings
Energy Scoring: shows ‘health’ of you and your opponent during sparring. Strategy and effective striking are critical and the 20/20 gear does a great job of registering contact anywhere on the unit.
Survival: allows many students to participate at once – last one standing with health wins.
Hit Meter: shows power level of a strike. With the adjustable weight (in KG) settings, the system adjusts appropriately for the size of the striker. This allows for a younger/smaller student to see just as high of a ‘power level’ as an adult or larger student. On the highest weight setting with a size 4 hogu, it would take SIGNIFICANT force to max these out.
Price: There is good and bad news here – at $450 each (for 2), it’s still a product that not every school can afford. However, it’s still significantly cheaper than other solutions.
Overall we are impressed with 20/20Armor and are especially excited at how it promotes effective striking over just points. With multiple applications, long term durability, and future upgrades like a remote score display system planned – the value increases.
Also see 2020armor.com FAQs for common questions.
+Pros
Promotes effective striking
Settings accommodate for weight / size differences
Many modes for various training applications
Well constructed, durable
Rechargeable
-Cons
Heavier and less breathability than standard or Daedo hogus
USB mini B charge ports (instead of more universal ‘C’)
COST @ $450 per unit
Sizing
20/20 size 1 similar to Adidas size 1
20/20 size 4 similar to Adidas size 5
The following table compares the cost to have two people spar each other. Zemita isn’t common in the US so we don’t know how the build quality compares.
| System | Hogus | Transmitter | Receiver/Computer | Socks | Software Cost | Total Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daedo Gen2 | $1420 | $620 | $290 + computer | $160 | $99 | $2589 |
| Zemita | $858 | Included | Bluetooth capable phone/computer | Not needed | Free | $858 |
| 2020 Armor | $899 | Not Needed | Not needed | Not needed | Not Needed | $899 |
Sources:
https://www.tkdscore.com/TrueScore-Generation2-Preorder
http://en.zemitamall.com/product/zess-bt-e-chest-guard-1-pr-package/375/?cate_no=1&display_group=2