Fighter — cat_Gi Guides

While this question can easily be answered by spending a few minutes actually shopping for a gi - especially here, at the Fighters Market website, where we have some handy dandy price filters - I'll go ahead and humor the idea... as well as raise you a few insights on cost versus value. 

The vast majority of gis range from approximately $70-$90 for a simple, basic gi to approximately $160-$180 for a fancier and/or more durable gi. Of course, you can always find those off-brand jiu jitsu gis sold on Amazon for much less, but you have to keep in mind that "you get what you pay for". That doesn't mean that all basic gis aren't worth buying. I actually wrote a blog, "Battle of the Basics: BJJ Gi Comparison", about those basic gis that we felt were definitely exceeded their worth. Since then, other gi brands - such as Maeda Brand with their Red Label Gi and Progress with their Foundation Kimono - have really stepped up their basic gi game. 

So what makes a BJJ gi worth more? More often than not it's the quality of materials and construction. A jiu jitsu gi that costs more should - we would hope, anyway - last much longer than a cheaper gi. The fabric is typically a thicker or tighter weave, or is a brand new weave technology that might be lighter but is designed to withstand greater stress, or the attention to detail and care taken during construction is on a different level. Sometimes the extra cost is directed into the aesthetic elements of the gi, such as an illustrated interior jacket lining, or fancy patching and embroidery work. These latter increase the cost of labor for each and every piece made. Then, of course, there are some gi companies that can charge $200+ for their gis... but the "higher value" is usually thanks to clever branding and marketing ploys rather than any real inherent worth. 

So, how much should YOU pay for a gi?

That's really all relative to your budget and preference. If you're just starting jiu jitsu and you're an average Joe, I would suggest starting with a single basic gi until you decide that you're really going to stick with it. Once you're hooked, you'll quickly find that you'll need at least three or four gis to get you through the week. At that point, you might consider investing in a couple slightly higher quality gis, as well as a nice fancy gi that you can go compete in. If you're just starting jiu jitsu and you're the type of guy or gal who likes to show off his/her success... go crazy. Just please, make sure that whatever you buy, it fits and makes you feel like a boss. Here's a little guide on how to do that. 

See you on the mats.. Oss. 

Probably the number one, most-asked question in jiu jitsu is: "what is the best jiu jitsu gi"? Of course, every jiu jitsu company is going to offer their own - highly-biased - opinion on the matter, but it really all comes down to personal preference and budget. 

Not the answer you wanted, I know. But hold on, I'm going to give you some tips on how to actually find the best jiu jitsu gi... for you! 

Budget

You can easily spend hours and hours shopping for gis out of your price range... but then you'd have less and less time to actually train. You don't want that. Narrow your search by filtering for only those gis in your budget. Gis can get pretty darn expensive, so knowing what you can afford is key. The vast majority of gis range from about $80 for a basic, entry-level gi, to more than $200 for an extra-durable double weave. If you plan on training more than once or twice a week, you'll definitely need more than a few (so that you can cycle them through the wash and dry process). "You get what you pay for" is just as true with gis as anything else, so keep in mind that while you might be paying less for a gi, you might end up paying more in the long-term when that gi falls apart too soon. That being said, there are some exceptions: the Maeda Red Label, for example. 

Materials

Not all gis are created equal. In fact, there's quite a lot of variation in the bjj gi market, which is cool because not everyone likes the same thing. Another consideration when shopping for the "best jiu jitsu gi" is what kind of fabrics do you prefer? If you plan on competing in IBJJF events, you're limited to a cotton weave jacket, but you can decide what "weight" weave you prefer. Do you like ultra-lightweight weaves, or a bit more structured, heavier weaves? Some gis even have sublimated linings in the jacket, which wick sweat from your body and helps keep you cool during a hardcore training session. You can also choose which kind of pant you prefer: cotton or ripstop? 

Fit

Definitely the trickiest part of shopping for a jiu jitsu gi is finding one that fits your body type the best. Luckily not all gi brands use the same design pattern for their models. Unfortunately, you don't really know how a specific brand will fit on your body unless you actually try it on! Arg. BUT, there are some resources you can use to get a better idea: 

• Sizing guides - While most sizing guides are pretty generic, offering only a height and weight reference, some provide more specific measurements, such as arm and leg length, wingspan, etc. 
• Customer reviews - Many reviews will offer insightful information into the fit of a gi, such as whether the fit is more tailored than others, or if it fits loose around the shoulders, or if the length runs shorter or longer than other gis. 
• Customer service - Especially here at Fighters Market, our customer service representatives are pretty savvy about the fit on a wide range of brands and can give you some valuable information about how they might fit your body. 
• Friends and Teammates - If you see a friend or teammate wearing a gi that you like, don't be afraid to ask if you can try it on. Considering how much sweat we exchange rolling on the mat, it won't be weird. 
• Event Booths - By far the best way to check the fit of a gi... is to actually try it on. Major jiu jitsu events - especially IBJJF events - typically have venders selling gis and other bjj gear and apparel. 

Hopefully this guide helps you to choose the "best jiu jitsu gi" for you. See you on the mat! 

Train on... and look sharp. Oss. 

At no other time do we - and every other e-commerce business - receive more returns than after Black Friday. We get it. Online shopping can be tricky, and things might not fit as you like.

However, returns are a hassle... both for you and for us. And on top of that, it's not the most eco-friendly practice, as this TED Talk points out. So we've decided to give you some tips to help you minimize your returns, improve your shopping experience, and keep more products out of the landfill. Read on...

Do Your Research

Especially during Black Friday, when there's this "rush" to omg-get-it-quick-before-they're-all-sold-out... it's easy to make impulsive buys without doing your homework about what's the best fit for you, or whoever you're buying for. The most common reason for product returns is - you guessed it - a wrong size. That's understandable. With online shopping, you can't "try on" anything... yet. I'm sure sometime in the future this might be a possibility. What you can do is research what size might be the most appropriate for you. There are many resources available in this regard: 

• Sizing guides - most brands/products will have a sizing guide. This should always be your first stop before buying an article of clothing. Check out both our provided sizing guide, as well as the brand's guide. 
• Reviews - After that, skim the reviews. See what previous buyers had said about the product, and particularly about its fit. Often some generous reviewer has included his/her height and weight, which gives you a very useful reference point when choosing your own size. 
• Customer Service - Customer service often gets a bad rap, but you should know that these brave guys and gals have heard it all, and answered it all, so they are highly knowledgable about appropriate sizing. Particularly at Fighters Market, almost all of our CS representatives train, so they really know their stuff when it comes to the fit of gis and training gear. 
• Social Media - Especially in the jiu jitsu community, there are a ton of online forums and Facebook groups where you can pose your questions about the fit or quality of certain brands. In my experience, people love to give advice, so you are bound to get any number of responses... some great, and some not-so-much, but hey, it's the thought that counts. 

Want vs. Need

Another major reason for returns is that the customer simply didn't want it anymore. This is the "want vs. need" dilemma. You've been there... you're browsing an online catalog and you see a cool rash guard that catches your eye. At that moment, you want it. It will look perfect in your collection, all your training buddies will "oooo" and "ahhh" over it. You gotta have it. You add it to your cart, click purchase, and done. It's yours. Except when that shopping adrenaline high wears off, you realize that you really don't need another rash guard... or maybe you need to pay your gas bill first. It comes, and you immediately send it back (after trying it on, of course, and getting all your sweaty armpit funk all over it). 

Fighters Market is a business, so we'd love to sell you as much stuff as possible, but we're also members of your jiu jitsu community. Not only do we want you to like and enjoy the products we provide, we also want you to be able to afford to keep living well and keep training hard. So before you buy, ask yourself: 1) can I afford this, 2) do I really need/want this, and 3) is there a possibility that I might return it? 

If You Really Must...

Now, you've done everything you can to prevent the dreaded return, but you find that you simply must do it. Here's how best to do it: 

• Please, for the love of Bob, don't wear it. Try it on, sure. But don't do it right after training, or a long day of burning through your deodorant, or right after you've just doused yourself in cologne. If an item returns to us with any kind of funk - good or bad - we can't sell it again. We wouldn't want to!
• Fold it back up as best as you can - yeah, we know there are some of you who can't even fold a hand towel - and return it in it's original packaging. Just because you don't want it doesn't mean that you should smush it up into a ball and return it like that. Don't be that guy. 
• FULLY read the Returns & Exchanges policies. This provides you easy-to-follow directions on how to return your item. You won't believe how many emails our poor, brave customer service reps get about returns, from people who are too lazy to look on the website. It takes less than a minute to read the return policies and fill out our return form. 

Just as recycling is becoming a norm - and not just something hippies do - we feel that being conscious shoppers should also become a norm, to keep as much returned items out of the landfill as possible... because the more we do to keep our planet healthy, the longer we - and our future generations - will be able to train jiu jitsu.

Train on... and shop wisely. Oss. 

What's better than finding a new gi model that you really like? When a gi model that you've already loved launches their new and improved version! That's why we're super excited to announce that the long-awaited update of the Fuji Sekai is here.

Founded in 1969, Fuji Brand has been in the martial arts kimono business for a long time... so it's safe to say that they know their stuff. And while they are principally known as a judo brand - because that's how they started - they have also been producing durable, extremely reasonably priced, and high-quality jiu jitsu gis for a good while. Their standard Fuji Victory Single Weave is still a best seller, and you'd be hard pressed to walk into any jiu jitsu academy and not see at least a few of these puppies. 

However, the Fuji Sekai was Fuji Brand's first foray into producing a high-end gi, specially designed for the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu market. It was an instant hit, particularly in the competition scene. 

Now, Fuji has gone and made it even better. The Fuji Sekai 2.0 features the same quality construction and unbeatable durability as the previous model, including: a lightweight 450 GSM Pearl Weave cotton jacket, and triple-reinforced rip-stop pants made from 50% cotton and 50% polyester. The first version featured a huge rubberized world map in the interior of the jacket, paying tribute to the "Sekai" - meaning "world" in Japanese - of jiu jitsu. They got rid of that, responding to some reviews noting that the texture could irritate the skin sometimes. Instead, with the Sekai 2.0, they limited the iconic world map to the soft shoulder lining. Fuji also gave the Sekai a fresh updated look, without straying too far from their commitment to a classic, understated aesthetic. Removing the clunky embroidered "Sekai" across both shoulders, they added a very attractive vertical Sekai patch down the collarbone (with a matching patch down the left pant leg), the iconic Fuji Kilimanjaro logo embroidered on the opposite sleeve, the traditional Fuji logo across the left pocket area, and a cool block logo embroidered on the upper right hip area and back skirt of the jacket. 

All-in-all, we give this update two hooks up. Check it out for yourself! 



Let's face it: most jiu jitsu gis are pretty darn boring. Yeah, that's right... I said it. But seriously, almost every brand out there offers you the standard white, blue and black color options, with their logos or other minimal branding in the typical spots on the shoulders, lapel or thighs. 

Pretty basic. Pretty boring. And even if they do go out of their comfort zone and offer you an "illustrated" gi, they usually hide all that excitement inside the gi jacket... kind of like a dirty secret. 

Not Scramble. From the brand that revolutionized the NoGi apparel game with their iconic Rainbow Spats, Scramble appears to be attempting to do the same in the gi market. Enter the Scramble Sukajan Panther Jiu Jitsu Gi and the Scramble Sukajan Dragon Jiu Jitsu Gi. Scramble breaks all the rules with these puppies. 

Scramble's Sukajan gis are inspired by the Japanese Sukajan, or "souvenir jacket", the origins of which trace back to post-World War II, when American soldiers had Japanese seamstresses embroider intricate Japanese designs on their military jackets, as a souvenir of their time spent in the country. Scramble created their own play on that fascinating fusion of Japanese and American culture, collaborating with Singapore based tattoo artist, Feroze McLeod, to create a truly unique gi series. 

Not only do these gis featuring McLeod's awesome tattoo-style designs of a panther - on the white gi - and a dragon - on the black gi - embroidered boldly across the back of the jacket, they also showcase mirrored headpieces of the artwork on the front of the gi jacket (very non-traditional in the jiu jitsu world, but super traditional in the Sukajan world). Scramble has also taken the concept a step further, by constructing the gi jacket to resemble the classic baseball jacket that's most commonly used for Sukajan, with separately-constructed sleeves (rather than the entire jacket made from a single piece of fabric). Indeed, the black Sukajan Dragon gi features a dual-color look, with dark navy blue sleeves against a black jacket body. 

If you're the type of practitioner who likes to be a little bit different, these gis are right up your alley. 

Train on... in style. Oss.