Top Three Beginner Gis 2021
A lot has changed in jiu jitsu land, there are a lot of new and improved gis out there. In this article we will update you about the top three beginners jiu jitsu gis.
What is a beginners gi?
A beginners gi is usually a gi that’s great for the beginning jiu jitsu athlete. What makes it so great for a beginner is that the price is much lower than a more premium gi and often they come with a free white belt. So as a beginner going with a beginners gi will already save you asking one question…which belt size do I need.
A beginners jiu jitsu gi is usually a light gi. The difference in weight with a lightweight competition gi is usually not that far off. Most competition lightweight gis come with ripstop pants though. A beginners gi will have normal twill cotton pants. The ripstop is a bit stronger in general, that’s why it’s more suitable for competition. This does not mean at all that a beginners gi cannot win you a gold medal.
In my opinion it’s very beneficial for a beginner to start training in a lighter gi because it makes moving around just a bit easier. All the new movements are going to be difficult as it is in the beginning already anyway. Starting of in a very heavy gi can make that just a bit more complicated. For the guys that are making the switch from judo to jiu jitsu it might be good to look at a heavier gi, since that’s what you are used to already. But let’s be honest here, you guys are not beginners anyway.
Of course, a beginners gi is not just for beginners. I know plenty of advanced people, brown and black belts that wear gis that are considered to be more basic. If you like gis that come with very little branding on them, are lightweight and very affordable a beginners gi is interesting for you.
Below we will review the three most popular beginners gis.
The Nova Absolute is a 100% cotton gi. This does make for a very breathable fabric, but it will also shrink more than a polyester/ cotton mix for example. The jacket weighs 350 grams per square meter (gsm), the pants are 10oz. It has two flashy patches on the shoulder and a small embroidery on the back, the pants come without branding. There is a free white belt included with this one. What’s pretty cool is that the gi doesn’t just come in the standard IBJJF legal colours, white, black and blue. Tatami makes this one in khaki as well. In my opinion the khaki they use is more of a military green though, but it does look nice.
Overall, this is a very solid choice. Over the years Tatami really has perfected their Nova model and the result is a really high quality gi for the price of a beginners gi. They actually have so much experience making their Nova beginners model that the Nova Absolute feels more like a premium gi than a beginners gi. The cut of the gi is really good and Tatami also added extra reinforcements to the end of the sleeves and bottom of the pants. Not really necessary but extra reinforcements can also not hurt of course, and it definitely makes the gi look more premium.
> View Tatami Nova Absolute BJJ Gi
Ground Force gear’s basic gi is made with a poly/ cotton mix. This is a bit stronger than 100% cotton and makes it easier to produce a really lightweight gi that’s still strong enough to withstand tough training and competitions.
There’s not much branding on the gi but what stands out is that all the branding on there is embroidered, they didn’t just stick a patch on there. That makes it look like a high-quality design right away.
What I really like about this one is that it’s so light and slim fit but still feels really comfortable when you’re training. With the tailored fit you can be one good looking assassin in this one.
When it first came out the white belt was not included. Ground Force noticed that this is a necessity for a beginners gi and fixed this. From now on every Ground Force Basic gi will have free white belt included. What’s also pretty awesome, they throw in a waterproof gi bag as well!
> View Ground Force Basic BJJ Gi
This is a really lightweight model as well. It comes with the clean type of branding you expect from Fuji Sports. It has two patches on the shoulders, two on the pants and a small Fuji sports logo on the back of the jacket and is available in the colours white, black and blue.
This one comes with a free white belt as well. What’s a really nice detail is that every colour gi has also matching colours on the Fuji Sports logo on the belt that’s included. They don’t just include a standard white belt; it is an exclusive item, and you cannot buy the belt separate from the gi.
Wearing the gi and training in it is very comfortable. The gi has a slim fit but you’re still able to move freely. What is a bit of a downside to a gi this light is that the fabric of the white pants might get a bit see through when you’re in a heavy training session. The pants are definitely strong enough to withstand tough training, but the fabric is so thin that it could get see through because of the sweat.
For everyone that likes the clean Fuji designs this will be an incredibly good option. It has also never been so cheap to enjoy the quality that Fuji brings; you can get this one already for 69 euros! The gi is only available in Europe though. So, shipping it outside of Europe will make it a bit more expensive.
Conclusion
After looking at the three most popular beginners gis we can say that all of them are a very good choice for the beginning jiu jitsu athlete or anyone else that’s looking for a nicely priced kimono. All of them are very affordable and come with a free white belt.
The difference is mainly the design, price and feel. The biggest difference between the Tatami Nova Absolute and the other two gis is also that the Nova is made from 100% cotton and the other two both have a poly/ cotton mix. Note though that Tatami has been in the gi business for a long time and especially focused on perfecting the cut and feel of their Nova model. Because of their experience over the years they have succeeded in making the Nova Absolute feel more like a premium gi than a beginners gi. The cut of the gi is exceptionally good.
What makes the Ground Force gi an outstanding choice is that they went with all embroidery for the logos on the gi. This immediately makes it look like a high-quality kimono. What is really awesome as well is that this one comes with a free gi bag and is actually the cheapest from the three here with the price set at 59 euros only. The design is a bit more minimalistic from the other two though. If you are looking for a bit more flash on you gi you might want to look at the other two as well.