Tatami Fightwear Leve BJJ Gi Review
We have been waiting for a while but the new Tatami Leve gi is finally here! You might know this model back from when it was an Estilo Leve. Now it’s just called Tatami Leve and the gi is definitely very leve. A size A2 weighs only 1.3 kg. Making this one fall in the ultra-light category. For the people that didn’t know it already, leve means light in Portuguese and this is a very light gi.
The new Tatami Leve gi is now available for only 93 euros. Let’s take a look at what the new Tatami Leve gi brings to the table.
Specs:
The jacket is made of 375GSM pearl weave fabric and the pants are made of 10oz ripstop. Both are 100% cotton. I noticed that the jacket and pants are made with a bit thicker fabric but still they were able to produce the gi to be ultra light.
IBJJF:
This gi is definitely IBJJF legal. The fabric is not to thick or too thin and there’s no branding placed in an illegal way. I think this is actually a really nice gi to compete in for the guys that have to cut a bit of weight. Since the overall weight of the Leve gi is so low, this will make being on weight for a tournament just a bit easier.
Fabric:
The gi is completely made from cotton. You see more often that most lightweight gis have a mix of cotton and polyester. Not the Leve gi though, they went old school with just cotton. A downside to cotton only is that it usually shrinks a bit more and the old Estilo Leve gi certainly did. For everyone that likes the old model but hated the shrinkage I do have some good news. It seems that the new model doesn’t shrink too much. Believe me I did try to shrink it by doing some extra washes. Of course, cold wash and hang to dry only. I noticed that the new Tatami Leve is manufactured in China. If I’m not mistaken, they old version of the Leve gi was made in Pakistan. Could be that they just used a higher quality of cotton for this one and that fixed the shrinkage problem.
Cotton has some upsides too of course. It is a natural fabric that’s very breathable. This can benefit you during training and competition. A more breathable fabric will most likely keep you cooler during training. I mean if you are less hot than your opponent you will probably last longer.
Fit & Feel:
The gi feels like a standard solid lightweight gi, not quite like a premium gi but definitely not like a budget gi. I would describe the fit as regular. It’s not slim fit but also not too baggy, the fit is really somewhere in the middle.
You do feel that the jacket is made of 100% cotton. It usually feels a bit softer than a mix with polyester. Of course, that’s nice and comfortable but I did notice that when guys were pulling the sleeves during training that the fabric stretches out a bit. This can get it in the way. That’s why I prefer the poly/ cotton mix usually since the fabric just stretches out less.
The jacket does have thick and sturdy collar that is very difficult to hold on too. What makes the collar extra strong is that they reinforced it with ripstop.
Design:
The design is very minimalistic. What’s a bit different is the round edges of the jacket. You see it a bit more often these days, but it still gives the Leve gi a more special look. What I liked a lot is that the round edges of the jacket are reinforced with ripstop. Other than that, the gi comes in three colors, black, white and blue. There’s no contrast stitching.
The gi does have a new awesome looking Tatami logo embroidered on it. The logo looks more like something from a tech company. I think it looks cool and it fits the rest of the minimalistic design quite perfect.
Conclusion:
Price/ quality is fair. The gi is available for 93 euros. You get a really solid lightweight gi for this price from a brand that has a lot of experience in the gi business and that shows in how the gi fits and feels. With a very low overall weight and cotton being the most breathable fabric out there, this one is perfect for the hot summer months.
Quick Gi Review
Watch the Gi Experts' review of the Tatami Leve BJJ Gi here!