Your first gi: what to ask before buying

Ask the academy before buying your first gi: what it requires, whether it supplies one for the trial, and whether it can check the fit before you commit. Then compare the actual product's size chart, care instructions, return policy and total price.

Ask the academy first

The first-visit study, version 2026-09-05, records a free trial with a gi and belt provided at Renzo Gracie Academy HQ, and a joining fee including a kimono at Luciano Cristovam BJJ. These are examples, not a promise about another academy.

Before buying, ask whether trial clothing is provided or rented, whether an academy uniform is required, and which colours are accepted.

Sizes

Use the size chart for the exact model you are considering. If your measurements fall between its recommendations, ask the seller for garment measurements and fit advice. Ask about expected shrinkage and whether washing affects returns. Follow the product's care instructions, and the site's own how to wash a gi; do not assume a wash will change it by a predictable number of sizes.

Weaves

A weave name alone does not establish whether a particular gi meets competition requirements. If competition matters to the purchase, check the exact model against the event's current uniform rules. The sources used here do not compare the comfort or durability of beginner gis, so they do not support ranking pearl, gold, single or double weave for a first purchase.

Colour rules

Ask which colours and uniforms your academy accepts for class.

For IBJJF competition, the uniform page permits white, royal blue or black, with matching jacket, trousers and collar. It requires cotton or cotton-like woven fabric, a jacket reaching the thigh, sleeves ending no more than 2 cm from the wrist with arms extended horizontally, and trousers no more than 2 cm above the ankle bone. It lists collar limits of 1.3 cm thickness and 5 cm width, plus a 7 cm sleeve inspection measurement.

Its belt requirements specify 4 to 5 cm width and ends hanging 20 to 30 cm after tying. Beginners should check the white belt's black rank panel. Patches must meet the placement and attachment rules. These checks alone do not establish that a gi will pass inspection.

What a first gi costs

The monthly-cost post reports training fees, not retail gi prices. Ask for the gi's total price, including delivery, tax, any required patches and a belt if sold separately. Check whether an enrolment offer already includes a uniform before buying another.

Before buying anything else

• Another martial art's uniform: ask the academy before using one.
• A gi marketed for competition: check the actual event requirements before relying on that label.
• A second gi: decide from your washing and drying arrangements. Buy another if you cannot have a clean, dry gi ready for the next class.

What goes in the bag beside the gi is in the gym bag; what to wear under it, and to a no-gi class, is in what to wear to your first class.

Questions readers ask

What size gi should I buy?

Check the exact model's size chart and ask the seller about fit, shrinkage and returns. Do not assume that washing will change the gi by one size.

What colour gi should a beginner buy?

Ask the academy before ordering. If you also intend to compete, check the event's uniform requirements for the particular gi.

Does the weave name prove a gi is competition legal?

No. Check the complete garment against the event's current uniform requirements; the weave name alone is insufficient.

Do I need to buy a gi for my first class?

Ask before buying. The site's study records academies that provide trial uniforms, but that does not establish your academy's policy. For a no-gi class, ask what clothing the coach accepts.

How much does a jiu-jitsu gi cost?

The sources used here do not establish a reliable retail price range. Compare actual offers, including delivery, tax, required patches and whether a belt is included.