After you start training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ), soon enough you’ll need to buy a BJJ Gi.

Most of the time, when we train Jiu Jitsu, we do so in the Gi. Some schools have classes that focus only on No-Gi, and some (such as the 10th Planet chain) solely do No-Gi classes. But the overwhelming majority of schools will require you to get a Gi.

If you’re new to the sport, and to the BJJ community as a whole, it might feel daunting trying to find the best place to buy a BJJ Gi. It’s a fairly big investment, after all (read more: how much does a BJJ Gi cost?), so you don’t want to risk getting scammed, or simply end up buying a poor-quality Gi from the wrong place.

Luckily, the team at FYG has a little experience (a little too much, after checking our bank accounts) with buying Gis. This includes buying Bjj Gis all over the world – from the US, to New Zealand, to Vietnam. So we’ve got a good idea of the best places to look for to get a Gi.

What is a BJJ Gi?

First, a little on the BJJ Gi itself. Do you really need to spend money on an expensive set of pajamas?

Well, yes. In BJJ, like many other martial arts – such as Karate, Judo, etc – we train in the Gi. The history of the Gi dates back over 100 years, introduced in Judo by its founder, Jigoro Kano.

The Gi is made to display uniformity between training partners – but it’s also become a key tactical part of the martial art today. Training in the Gi involves learning a myriad of techniques that make use of the Gi, including chokes, controlling techniques, sweeps and more.

The Gi is generally made of cotton, with a thick rubber collar, made to stand up to years of wear and tear.

Keep Reading: learn more about BJJ Gi Weaves, and the material used for BJJ Gis, in this post.

Is there a difference between BJJ Gis and other martial arts Gis?

BJJ Gis are pretty expensive, compared to those from other martial arts. Unfortunately, you can’t cheap out by buying a Judo or Karate Gi instead of a proper BJJ Gi.

The BJJ Gi is thicker and heavier than those from other martial arts. That’s because it’s designed to withstand a lot of pulling and gripping.

If you were to use a Karate or Taekwondo Gi for BJJ, it most likely won’t last long until the fabric gets torn.

Judo Gis are also made to be pulled and gripped. However, Judo Gis are looser fitting, so they’re going to get in the way a lot if used for BJJ.

Other types of Gi can work in a pinch, if that’s all you have, but they are not going to work for BJJ long-term.

Learn More: all the differences between Judo Gis and BJJ Gis

Where to Buy a BJJ Gi

So, let’s get to it. Where can you buy a Gi from?

There are plenty of options, which you’ll figure out after you’ve been in the community for a while. Or, you can lean on our experience and recommendations.

Your Academy

The first place you can check is with your academy/school. Most schools will be able to get you a Gi, and in fact, many have their own academy Gis as well.

You may actually need an academy branded Gi to train at your school – but I find this is a bit of a red flag to watch out for when choosing a school.

At the very least, your instructor will know where to get a Gi in your area, though it may not end up being the best deal.

Amazon

As you probably already know, you can get just about anything on Amazon. And that includes BJJ Gis.

You can’t find every single top Gi brand on Amazon, but you can find a lot.

Two of my favorite brands that are on Amazon are Gold BJJ and Sanabul. Both these brands are an excellent mix of quality and affordability. Check out these options:

You’ve also got big names like Hayabusa and Venum, which you can trust for high-quality gear every time.

Shop BJJ Gis on Amazon

BJJ Gi Brand Sites

If you know the particular Gi brands to look for, you can buy direct from their website.

For some brands, this is the only option. Buying direct from the brand site is sometimes cheaper, but does tend to come with longer shipping times.

This post shares a comprehensive list of the best BJJ Gi Brands out there. Check out that list, or check out a short list of some of our top Gi Brand recommendations:

• Scramble BJJ Gis
• Tatami Fightwear
• Origin BJJ (best premium Gi brand)
• Elite Sports (great for budget Gis)

You can’t really go wrong with these Gi brands (as well as those mentioned above, available on Amazon). Check out the sites via the links above to get an idea of the range and pricing of each.

You can also check out our full guide to Origin BJJ gear here. Origin is the best “premium” Gi brand – meaning they’re a little pricey compared to other brands, but the quality is as good as it gets.

Best Places to Buy a Gi Around the World

How about if you’re not based in the US?

Many Gi brands do worldwide shipping – however, the shipping costs (and times) may be a bit more if you’re shipping outside the US.

There’s Amazon as well, which operates around the world these days. But you might find the range not as wide for options from non-US Amazon stores.

Here are a few options specifically for certain other areas of the world (which our team has experience with).

Buying a BJJ Gi in the UK

Tatami is UK-based, and as one of the best overall Gi brands out there, they’d be one of my first choices for buying Gis in the UK.

Scramble also has a distribution center in the UK, making them another convenient option.

Then there’s the UK-based Valor. I have a lot of experience with Valor gear, and have found it to be consistently high-quality, durable, and extremely affordable.

Buying a BJJ Gi in Australia/New Zealand

Aussies and Kiwis might find shipping from the US particularly painful. But no worries – with a booming BJJ scene down under, there are plenty of local options.

Hyperfly and Scramble both have local distribution centers that can deliver Gis cheap and fast.

Zenjo is a Kiwi site carrying a range of different brands. I’ve bought from them before, and found their quality and service top-notch.

There’s also Raven Fightwear, based in Australia (though mostly known for their awesome rash guards and spats). Storm Kimonos is an NZ-based brand known for high-quality gear and sick Gis.

Summing Up: The Best Places to Find a BJJ Gi

Finding a high-quality BJJ Gi is not hard, as long as you know where to look.

There’s likely some physical stores in your area that sell Gis. However, the best options today are mostly online.

Online stores are likely to offer the best range and lowest prices, because of the fact that they need to spend less on overhead, compared to physical stores.

I’d recommend you check out Amazon first. This is generally the best bet for value.

Otherwise, check out some of the top brands’ sites. Tatami, Scramble, and Origin are just a few that you can depend on for quality.