BJJ Gi Buyer Guide
Author: Grappling Store
BJJ Gi Buyer Guide This guide give you some ideas into what you should look out for when buying a BJJ Gi.
BJJ Gi Buyer Guide
Buying a BJJ Gi used to be easy when there were only a handful of Gi manufacturers. Nowadays with the 100 plus new Gi manufacturers out there, it's hard to decide what is the right or best Gi to buy. The obvious choice is recommendations. Talk to your fellow BJJers at your club. Some may prefer a particular brand, others a particular style while others prefer a particular colour or design. Either way, you can go past the Classics. History tells us that the oldest companies out there are still going strong because they are tried and tested. Companies such as Atama have been around since 1989 while another big name Koral started in 1997. Another brand that outdoubles the age of these is Fuji which began more than 20 years before the big-name Brazilian companies that specialised in Judo uniforms and brand with it experience and build knowledge. It offers value for money as well as high-end Japanese-made BJJ Gi's which are prestigious as a Japanese silk kimono. So with all that being said how do you go about buying your first BJJ Gi?
1.) Go the Club Gi
Most schools have either their club uniform or a recommended colour. We suggest going white as your first option so that you blend in rather than stand out on your first day on the mats. A white Gi in some schools is the only choice. This will show dedication to your school and will force you to wash your Gi on a more regular basis as it will show signs of dirt quicker. Club Gi's help raise revenue for clubs which helps pay rent, electricity, the mats you roll on etc.
2.) How often are you training?
If you are totally in love with BJJ you'll be hanging to roll. BJJ is infectious so be careful as you may end up hooked and in the gym 5 days a week so you'll most likely need more than one Gi in your wardrobe lineup.
This is great if you can't keep up with the washing cycles. We recommend having a minimum of 2 Gi's so that you can wear one while washing and waiting for the other to dry.
It is advisable to purchase 2 Gi's not just for the washing/drying process but also if you're looking to compete. Keep in mind that the IBJJF are looking got move to a White and Blue Gi-only policy just like our Judo friends.
The advantage of having more than one Gi is that it allows you to wash and wear a clean Gi every session. But the biggest attraction would be that you would prolong the life of your Gi. If you only have one Gi and train 2 times a week you will be washing and wearing your Gi over 104 times a year. IF you have 2 or 3 BJJ Gi's in your lineup you would only wash and wear each Gi 52 (2 Gi's) or 35 (3 Gi's) times per year each rather than loading 104 wash wear cycles on just 1 Gi.
Traditionally Judoka only wore white Judo Gi. This changed in 1964 after the Tokyo Olympics where Judo was introduced. The Tokyo Olympics was the first ever live TV telecast. Television in those days boys and girls was black and white. Now watching 2 Judoka in all-white uniforms doing Newaza (that's groundwork in Japanese) on a black and white TV with a hint of snowy reception (no HD Ultra 4K TV back in 1964) made it very difficult to see where one Judoka started and the other ended. So it was decided that one would wear White while the other wear blue to help give the TV audience a better view of what was happening.
3.) Go with a trusted name from an Authorized Dealer.
Nowadays, there are many Gi's to choose from. On top of that, there are many sharks out there counterfeit the big names such as Koral, Atama, Shoyorol and Fuji just to name a few.
If you buy from an Authorized Dealer you are getting the genuine article. Rest assured that you can have a full factory warranty as well as great customer service from your Authorized Dealer.
Steer away from those who claim they manufacture for large companies. We get many emails claiming that they are the official manufacturer of a certain brand and that they are capable of supplying us etc. But truth be told they are counterfeits looking to make a quick sale and abandoning you after they receive your money. Be warned, my friend. A poor man pays twice! Go with a trusted brand or walk into a store. This allows you to try on and compare before buying.
If you can't make it to a store or live in a remote area, then ask around, talk, and network with other like-minded folk. Maybe even try on a friend jacket and see if the cut and material feel nice.
Note to self... Try this before class starts, may be sweaty after class.
4.) Living in hot climates.
If you live in a hot climate, we suggest going for the lightest possible Gi. This will allow your body to stay cooler and allows your body to regulate its temperature. This means you will not fatigue as quickly and can push on in your training session rather than hitting a wall early. Avoid heavy-weight uniforms. Back in the early days guys wanted the heaviest Gi as they thought this would last the longest and was harder to grip. This was also the theory of many Judoka while the Japanese would always go for a soft material. This gives they better cooling features as well as better reaction time. If a Gi is thick and stiff to wear and your opponent pulls it, you are one with the Gi. Now if the Gi is soft and payable, if your opponent pulls on it it has some slack which gives you a slight advantage in reaction time. This valuable split-second reaction time could just be the advantage you're looking for and sometimes give you the winning edge that you need in a competition. But in general, go for a lightweight Gi for warm weather climates.
5.) Budget.
This is one we like talking about. Does the higher price Gi come with more bells and whistles? Generally yes. The higher the price tag the more bells and whistles.
For those looking to stick to a budget, we suggest going with white Gi's as these generally are cheaper to produce. Remembering that a poor man pays twice, we always suggest if you have your heart set on a particular Gi and you
can afford it then go for it. But if you like many and need to stick to a budget Gi look for the cheapest big-name brand Gi such as Fuji Victory. This is the ultimate all-around great quality Gi at an entry-level price. Less fancy, but quality nether the less and guaranteed to please. You can view our entire Gi range right here
We recommend you wash your Gi after every use for your hygiene and the respect of your fellow BJJers.
There is nothing more putrid than a stinky dirt Gi. Question to ask yourself would you want to roll with a guy or girl who wears a dirt old Gi, my answer would be hell no.
Story for another day.
