4 things to consider when buying your first Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Gi
Aug 12th, 2008 by admin
Welcome to the Jiu Jitsu Gi blog, this is my first post of many to come! I will tell you a bit about myself at the end of the post, but for now will just get to the point, which is…
Four things a beginner to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu should consider when buying his first Jiu Jitsu gi:
Color
If you are a total newcomer to the sport please stick to a white or a blue jiu jitsu gi to start. Of course I cannot stop you from buying a red or camouflage gi (personally I don’t mind but many think its kind of flashy for a newcomer). Usually the guys wearing colored gis can back it up on the mat, and if you walk into an academy wearing a camo gi you might as well wear a target on your back. 
Price
I don’t want to discourage anyone from starting brazilian jiu jitsu, it’s a great great (did I say great?) sport. However, the sad truth is that many quit after a few weeks or months. Having said that there is nothing wrong with buying a relatively inexpensive jiu jitsu gi to start with. I would recommend the Fuji Jiu Jitsu Gi. (see sidebar) I can say from first hand experience it is a great durable “first gi”, and you cannot beat the $69 price tag! If you stick with BJJ then you can totally get a “pimped-out” second gi, trust me you will need it, as washing one gi a few times a week is just too much work! And you don’t want to be “that guy” with the stinky gi.
The Weave
You can purchase a single-weave or double-weave jiu jitsu gi, however double-weave is usually a bit more pricey, see my comments about “price” above. There are many single weave gis out there that are very durable, and I would recommend going single-weave until you know how often and how hard you will be training. Also, if you live in a hot weather area you may want to consider sticking to a strong single-weave gi. Trust me air conditioning probably wont help you and comfort is important! A double-weave gi can get pretty heavy and thick when full of your sweat.
The Cut and Collar
Make sure you buy a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu gi. You could probably get away with a Judo gi, but do not purchase a Karate, Tae Kwan Do, Chuck Norris Do or whatever other martial arts style gi. It will be ripped to shreds in one week if you do. You need a gi with a thick collar (why a thick collar? you will find out fast ) and reinforced areas of padding (knees, shoulders, ect). Pay special attention to the cut of the gi you are considering, if you are “abnormally” shaped… meaning you have really long legs and a short torso, or long arms, ect… you may want to have a gi adjusted for you, and often this can be done for an extra $20-$30 if you notify the manufacturer.
So I hope that this little overview on the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu gi has been useful to you future BJJ-ers. If you are looking for a good begginer gi, again I would really recommend the Fuji Jiu Jitsu Gi, the price/quality balance can’t be beat!
A little about me… I have been training BJJ for a little over two years and am currently a blue belt. I started this blog for a few reasons:
- To help welcome and inform new people to the sport
- I hope this will eventually grow to be a very useful collection of information both for BJJ beginners and veterans alike
- I wanted to “blog” and I’m about 4 years late!
Cheers and stay tuned for more! If you like the blog please socially bookmark and share to help get the word out.
Also, feel free to hit the “Contact Us” tab and submit your own gi review, experience or anything jiu jitsu related! I would love to hear from you guys.
-Marko V.
Thanks for the great article. It was exactly what I was looking for. I took my first BJJ class at Machado JJ in Dallas last night, and need to get my first gi.
I was looking at the Fuji gi, but was turned off by the cheap price. After reading your post, I feel more secure in knowing that I would not be throwing $70 out of the window.
Thanks again!
You are welcome Jac, and best of luck with your training… just remember to relax and stick with it if you are enjoying it. In about a years time some submissions and positions will become second nature, and that is when the real fun starts!
-Marko
Thanks a ton for the advice. I also am a beginner and was in the market for a good, durable gi. Its a relief to know I can find one without breaking $100 for my first gi. I also appreciate the color choice, too hahaha I’ve seen the camo and stylized ones that can prob single you out at any dojo! Thanks again and again!