How Much Does A BJJ Gi Cost ( And How Much Should You Pay )?

If you are new to BJJ then you might be wondering how much a BJJ gi is going to cost you. You might also be wondering how much you should spend on your first gi. After all, the cost of a BJJ gi is all over the board. So let’s answer the question: How much does a BJJ cost (and how much should you pay for one)?

Most Brazilian jiu-jitsu gis cost $60-$250 on average. However, I have seen BJJ gis as low as $39.99 and as high as $400. The price of the gi depends on a handful of variables. This would include quality, durability, and branding. 

If you are new to BJJ there is no reason to go out and buy the most expensive BJJ gi you can find. Sure quality is important but you do not need the best gi in the world when starting. You can find a good quality gi for less than $100 that should work great for a beginner.

BJJ gis are not the same as the gis from other martial arts such as karate or taekwondo. This is because BJJ gis are made to be grabbed and pulled on. So you want to choose a GI that is fairly priced, durable, and made for BJJ.

I have been doing BJJ since I was a kid and have gone through countless gis. So from my experience, this is what I would be looking for and what I would be looking to pay for my first BJJ GI.

How To Choose The Right BJJ Gi For The Cost

The first thing you need to ask yourself before you buy a BJJ gi is where you will be training. The reason I say this is that there is a chance that your academy will require that you use one of their GIs. If this is the case then you will have to purchase your gi through your academy.

Most academies do not require this but you will want to make sure yours does not before you spend money on a gi. That said, your academy might still be the best place to purchase a gi even if they do not require you to.

Not only will this help support your academy financially but it will also help represent your academy if you choose to compete.

That said, there are also a great number of BJJ gis that you can purchase online as well. You can start with one BJJ gi but as you start to train more you should work your way up to owning 3-4 gis.

When choosing a gi there are four things you are going to want to take into consideration. That is price, durability, weight, and thickness.

The last three are all qualities that are determined by the weave of a gi and how it is sewn together. It is also these three qualities that will determine how much we should spend on a gi as well.

Thickness, Durability, And Weight Add To The Cost Of A BJJ Gi

The main thing to consider when it comes to the cost of a BJJ gi is its durability. Durability means how long the Gi will last. It is better to buy a hundred-dollar Gi that lasts years than a fifty-dollar gi that only lasts six months.

You can buy a super cheap gi but if it does not last very long then you will quickly need to buy another one. Because of this gi durability is an important factor when it comes to how much you should spend on a BJJ gi.

What Makes A BJJ GI Durable

The most durable gis are often made with more material. This would also imply that it is a thicker gi. The only downside to this is that this will also likely make them heavier.

Which can be a good and bad thing. The good thing about heavy GIs besides being more durable is that they are harder for your opponent to grip.

On the other hand, since you have to weigh into competitions in a gi they can add to your total weight. This could potentially put you into a higher-weight class.

Lighter gis, on the other hand, might not be as durable but have other advantages. The main one is that it does not add as much to your weight.

The other advantage is that it is not as hot to train in. Thankfully, however, there are gis that are both light and durable. This is determined by the type of weave.

Price Of Higher Quality BJJ Gis

The thing that determines how durable a BJJ gi is the type of weave. You can get a good picture of how thick and durable a gi is by its GSM. This stands for grams per square meter.

The higher the number the thicker and heavier the gi will be. Like we previously stated this is more of a preference than anything.

A GI with a higher GSM will be thicker and more durable but also heavier. So only you can choose where you want to land on that one. I think it could be a good idea to get a variety of GIs and see which you like best.

You can have your thick and more durable gi for practice and have a lighter gi for backup and competition. Again, the lighter Gi can help you weigh in at a lower weight class by a few pounds.

Double Weave Gi

The most durable and heaviest gis on the market is going to be a double-weaved gi. The amount of material is going to affect how much a BJJ gi costs. The reason it is called a double weave is pretty simple.

It is weaved twice whereas a single weave is only weaved once. This makes them of course more durable but again heavier than the other weaves.

If you are simply looking for a gi that will last you a long time then go for a double weaved gi. By checking the GSM you can quickly get a picture of how thick a gis is.

These are especially good gis for people who do not compete and are simply looking for a long-lasting gi. Some Gis measure out at a whopping 950 GSM!

Gold Weave Gi

The second most sturdy-weaved gi is going to be made with a gold weave. This gi is a hybrid of both the single weave and the double weave. The idea is to make the gi thicker where it needs to but not where it is less important.

Making it still very durable but also a bit lighter. A gold-weaved gi is a good middle-ground for someone looking for something in between. It won’t be quite as light as a single weave or quite as durable as a double weave.

It should be noted that many gold weave gis are known to shrink. They are not as common as they used to be since most people now choose the pearl weave instead.

Pearl Weave

The pearl weave is a very popular weave with BJJ gis today. They are going to be a little bit less durable than the gold weave but still plenty sturdy. If you are not sure what weave to get, a pearl weave is a safe bet.

If you are looking for a lightweight yet still sturdy gi, then I would suggest looking for a pearl weave gi with a lower GSM.

Single Weave

This probably goes without saying at this point but a single weave is when it is only weaved once. This makes the gis a bit less durable but they are typically the lightest and cheapest gis.

Most people will purchase single-weaved gis for their first gi. They are great for hot summer months and making weight for competition.

The downside is that it will be easier for your opponent to get good grips on a single weave gi. There are also other weaves such as honeycomb, platinum, and a few others. These simply fall somewhere between the single and double weave.

Best Gi For The Price

For a high-quality Gi, I would suggest my sponsor Level Black. They make amazing Gis that come in a variety of styles, colors, and prices.

Though none of them are going to be the cheapest on the market, they are made with high quality. So to get a nice gi that would last I would suggest checking out Level Black Kimonos.