A great variety of BJJ gis on the market today may seem a bit confusing, especially if you are a newcomer, and it is your first gi. As for experienced Jiu Jitsu grapplers, buying a new gi may look like a more common thing. However, both categories of players might benefit from my research.

This article can serve as a practical guide meant to bring balance between cheap and expensive, gis for training and competition, for beginners and advanced players.

As an experienced BJJ fighter who has to buy a new gi quite often, I can provide you with some tips to help get a kimono. I further discuss what is most suitable for you in terms of price, materials, colors, requirements, overall look, and usability.

Don’t forget to get a mouthguard!

The Best BJJ Gi of 2020 Reviewed

Here are the gi models that are popular in 2020 among Jiu Jitsu practitioners.

Tatami Fightwear Estilo 6.0 Premium BJJ Gi

Score: 9/10

Material: pearl weave + canvas

Color: black/white/ blue

Price: $130

Brand: Tatami is by far the most popular brand on the market. Estilo is the longest-running gi in their history.

Fit: This gi for Jiu-Jitsu is very comfortable. It has a unique Y-shaped jacket vent that makes you look as sharp as Al Pacino in an Italian suit.

Collar: Rubber collar providing strength and durability.

Material: 550 GSM pearl-weave and 12oz pants. That might feel quite heavy, but it is incredibly durable.

The Tatami Estilo 6.0 has received a lot of positive reviews. It seems that Tatami has collected all the positive feats from their previous gis and combined them all to create a perfect product that inspires athletes.

This gi looks excellent with every detail thought through; they feel like neither too much nor too little. The prints and embroidered Tatami and Estilo logos are not intrusive either.

The woven tape lining in the cuffs and the base of the jacket adds a nice touch. This gi provides freedom of movement. However, the pants can stick to the legs, especially when I squat down or kick the legs out.

Pros:

The gi feels excellent and is very comfortable.

The jacket is suitable for athletes with longer arms.

It is very durable with its pearl weave.

There are attractive colors and superb details.

Cons:

Pants might stick to the legs.

stick to the legs. The gi may feel a bit heavier than other models.

It can be too warm for hotter summer days.

Fuji BJJ Uniform

Score: 9/10

Material: pearl weave + cotton

Color: black/white/blue/navy/pink

Price: $74 – $109

Brand: Fuji Sports has been making the perfect garment for Jiu Jitsu and judo practitioners since 1969. It is difficult to find the best BJJ gi that could meet all your needs as perfectly as Fuji Sports products.

Fit: This lightweight gi is designed as a pretty standard garment with no frills. It is always a perfect fit, quite light and comfortable in any weather. All the sizes are available both for men and women.

Collar: The collar is made of the rip-stop rubber material, which is soft and comfortable while quite durable.

Materials: The jacket is made with pearl weave, which is super light and durable. The pants feature cotton twill with a traditional bungee cord or drawstring.

All technicalities aside, this gi is super comfortable, durable, and well-fitting. It works well both for practice and competition. Many best Jiu Jitsu experts trust the Fuji BJJ Uniform, and it is among the most popular Jiu-jitsu garments on the globe.

Pros:

It is super durable.

Steep price for a high-quality garment

The garment is very reliable and trusted.

Cons:

It is a bit too heavy for hot weather conditions.

The gi dryer-friendly.

Sanabul Core Series Competition Gi

Score: 9/10

Material: single weave + cotton

Color: black/white/blue/silver/red/grey/orange/navy

Price: $76

Brand: Sanabul started as a brand in 2014, but it has already gained its popularity by its gi’s with a great variety, moderate cost, and availability. The company also manufactures such sports gear as guards, hand wraps, gloves, pads, shin guards, and shorts.

Fit: This series is pre-shrunk, meaning that you don’t need to worry about the gi after washing. You need to buy one size down for the best fit. If you still need to shrink it, just wash your gi in hot water and use a dryer.

Collar: The gi has a cotton collar fill, the fabric has antimicrobial treatment applied to it, avoiding dirt and bacteria.

Materials: It’s the single weave that makes the garment so light and comfortable for summer sessions and hot-weather competitions—no need to worry about durability. Exclusive technology is used to make this single weave gi much more durable than double-weaved ones. The material is cotton, but it had anti-odor and antimicrobial treatment all over the garment.

There are many attractive details in Sanabul Core Series Competition Gi. Cross stitching on the pants, embroidered logos, and a denser weave in the upper part look elegant and reliable. There is no loose material on this gi for an opponent to grip either.

As a fierce competitor to Fuji, they’ve improved this gi and launched the pre-shrunk Essential v2 model, which has already sold over 2000 times on Amazon!

Pros:

The design is elegant and attractive.

It is very lightweight.

The gi is highly durable and long-lasting.

The best price-quality ratio.

IBJJF certified and acceptable for both training and competition

Cons:

It shrinks when washed in hot water.

The sizes may not correspond to the body parameters.

Hayabusa Lightweight Jiu-Jitsu Gi

Score: 8/10

Material: pearl weave + cotton + polyester

Color: black/white/blue/gold/green/grey/navy/stone white/pink/teal

Price: $130 – $187

Brand: The name ‘Hayabusa’ originated from the Japanese word meaning ‘a peregrine falcon.’ The brand embodies the power, strength, speed, and precision of this bird. All its products are highly appreciated by jiu-jitsu and other martial arts lovers.

Fit: All the sizes are available per the brand’s sizing chart. The fit is perfect – not too tight and not too loose. The gi is lightweight and comfortable fitting any temperatures and weather conditions.

Collar: The material is cotton reinforced with a rubber drawstring. It allows for avoiding many problematic situations in the competition.

Materials: The jacket is made of pearl-weaved cotton, and the pants feature the rip-stop blend of cotton and polyester with stretch drawstrings. This BJJ gi is reinforced on lapels, sleeves, knees, and other stress areas. While washed in cold water and dried on the line, it keeps its shape and does not allow any shrinkage.

The Hayabusa Lightweight gi is the best for training and competition.

Pros:

It has a traditional, simplistic, and elegant look

Reinforced stitching for increased durability and strength

The gi is lightweight and suitable for training in warm weather

Cons:

The gi is not tapered, can look a bit baggy.

The pants can get loose with time.

The material may fade and shrink after a while.

Gameness Jiu-Jitsu Pearl Gi

Score: 8/10

Material: pearl weave + cotton + polyester + rip-stop rubber

Color: black/white/blue

Price: $118 – $151

Brand: Gameness is a popular brand that has been around since 1998. They produce BJJ gear (including gis), rashguards, and belts, as well as equipment for other sports, for example, boxing gloves. In 2015, the company improved the look of its popular model, the Air Gi, and so the Pearl Gi model appeared.

Fit: Extra soft and comfortable, this kimono is made of pre-shrunk cotton and strengthened by super stitching. You don’t need to worry about shrinkage after washing.

Collar: Though some people complain about the restrictive collar and its tight fit, it’s made of rip-stop rubber and provides excellent comfort. It protects a fighter from unexpected grips and neck chokes that occur in sparring.

Materials: The jacket is made of pearl weave with two comfortably located patches and a rubberized collar. The newly-designed twill pants are made of a blend of cotton and polyester that maintains exceptional durability.

All in all, the model of the Gameness Pearl Gi is exceptionally comfortable, durable, affordable, nice-looking, and reliable. If you are looking for a BJJ gi that could withstand hard training sessions, keep you from overheating, and last for a long time, this choice is right for you.

Pros:

Durable and reliable

Lightweight and keeps you cool

Excellent price-quality ratio

Cons:

Pants may appear stiff and tough

Might shrink after washing

Things to Consider Before Buying a BJJ Gi

As a person who has been doing Jiu Jitsu for many years, I understand the worries of people who want to shop for the best Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gi online. The main concern is fit and design because sometimes we can receive a form that completely differs from what we have seen online.

The traditional BJJ gi is a lightweight piece of clothing that consists of three parts: loose-fitting pants, a jacket, and a cloth belt, and you need to know about it to make the best choice.

The next step is about deciding what type of BJJ gi you need. A good gi should be both lightweight and durable to last in hard sparring. Jiu Jitsu sessions are usually quite intensive, and your garment needs to preserve your comfortable body temperature and withstand all types of damage. Another thing is that your BJJ gi should not restrict movement though it is required to be of a slim fit and feel tight.

Also, other factors can influence your choices, such as color, material and weave, collar fill, and cost. Let’s examine all of them in detail.

Cost

Price is essential because your new Jiu-Jitsu gi must not cause a disaster to your wallet. It should be worth the money spent on it. I once bought a 40-dollar BJJ gi from Decathlon, and it was horrible. This was my first year of training, I was not sure that I would continue, and I didn’t want to waste my money.

The typical price for a BJJ gi ranges from $40 to $400. Popular brands such as Sanabul or Fuji start at $50, while Origin begins at $150 and goes up to $300. This price fluctuation may seem strange, but there are reasons for that. So, if you are a beginner and not 100% sure that you want to continue, look for a cheap BJJ gi.

Keep the price-quality ratio in mind.

Color

The typical Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu colors of gis that are accepted by the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation are white and blue. Keep that in mind if you are planning to compete.

However, many manufacturers nowadays have started making gis in different colors. If you don’t want to compete and need a BJJ gi just for training, you can choose any.

Fit and Shrinkage

All gis fit differently around the chest, waist, and shoulders. Some of them shrink much, and others are pre-shrunk.

The sizes vary from A0 to A5, where an ‘A’ stands for ‘adult.’ These are the most common sizes. Make sure to check the size chart provided by the brand.

Every gi also has its rate of shrinkage. That’s how much a gi shrinks after washing. The smaller the shrinkage rate is, the better a gi will fit after you wash it.

Collar Fill

Usually, gi collars are filled with rubber or cotton. Rubber is a more popular material for the collar. However, cotton is more appreciated by some players because it feels more comfortable. As for rubber collars, they can make you more vulnerable to collar chokes. Their most significant advantage is their resistance to bacteria that are harbored in millions by cotton collars.

Different Types of Weave

The type of weave for your best BJJ gi is also essential. They differ in quality, durability, and breathability. The choice of the weave is a matter of comfort and durability for most. It’s not fun to roll with a double weave in hot weather; this, I know for sure!

Single Weave

The single weave is for the most inexpensive gi’s. Such garments are lighter and very basic, so they will be suitable for very hot weather or when you are starting out. However, if you are an advanced athlete, I would not recommend it.

Double Weave

A double weave gi is much more durable because of the extra thickness of the material. The double weave gi is not too expensive though it is long-lasting and efficient for hard and grueling sessions. Because of good quality, such a gi is more comfortable and popular among Jiu Jitsu practitioners.

Gold Weave

Gold weave combines the qualities of both single and double weaves. Such a garment is reliable, durable, and strong while lightweight and comfortable. The gold weave may appear more expensive, but it is worth every penny spent on it. If you want a lightweight gi that can last you for years, buy a gold-weave gi.

Pearl Weave

It is a new type of material but has already gained its popularity as one of the best. It is lightweight, strong, and durable, allowing smoother airflow. Your body will be kept cool and comfortable, no matter how hot the place is and how hard your training session may seem. I would highly recommend you to purchase a pearl weave gi.

Frequently Asked Questions