Are you ready for a more premium BJJ gi? It’s a natural progression for BJJ practitioners to start out with a basic gi when they’re a beginner, and then graduate into more and more high end jiu jitsu gis as they become more advanced. In this post I give you some options for what I think are the best premium BJJ gi options.
Most Premium
Origin DNA Atleta
Origin is known for producing the highest quality BJJ gis. All of their gi’s are made in America and this DNA Atleta competition gi is their most popular model.
The Best Premium BJJ Gis
BJJ Gi | What makes it premium? |
Origin DNA Atleta (shop this gi on OriginMaine) | High quality, made in USA |
Gold BJJ Aeroweave (shop this gi on Amazon) | Ultra lightweight |
Shogun Tao (shop this gi on Amazon) | Fancy design (beautiful) |
Gold BJJ Ultra Strong (shop this gi on Amazon) | Extra strong, gold weave |
Gold BJJ Valiant (shop this gi on Amazon) | 22% thicker than normal |
ShoyoRoll | Limited edition, aesthetics |
Sanabul NASA (shop this gi on Amazon) | Fancy design (is it beautiful?) |
1. Origin Comp DNA Atleta
Origin is the leading producer of premium BJJ gis and the competition DNA Atleta gi is their most popular product.
Jocko Willink (a retired navy seal) is the co-owner and public face of this brand. You may have seen him on YouTube or the Joe Rogan podcast.
All Origin products are made in America and they stand for quality above all. The gis aren’t fancy but have a clean and classic design.
2. Gold BJJ Aeroweave
The Gold BJJ Aeroweave is a lightweight premium jiu jitsu gi. It’s actually my favorite gi.
It’s the lightest BJJ gi ever made, but it’s also very strong due to strategic reinforced stiching.
It looks great, it’s super comfortable and it’s surprisingly affordable. I can’t recommend this gi highly enough.
3. Shogun Tao gi
The Shogun Tao is a premium design BJJ gi. It has beautiful Japanese inspired artwork and I think it looks very cool.
Shogun is known for beautiful imagery in the inside of the gi. It’s a nice touch because it makes you gi much cooler, without doing away with the classic look of the gi while you wear ir.
If you like this design, you should browse around their store, because they have other designs too.
4. Gold BJJ Ultra Strong gi
The Gold BJJ Ultra strong gi is a premium quality BJJ gi.
It’s 450 grams per square meter (which is a standard weight for gi’s) but with an extra strong gold weave.
And the gold logo looks really classy.
5. Gold BJJ Valiant Gi
The Valiant gi is the heaviest gi from Gold BJJ.
Coming in at 550 gsm compared to the normal 450 gsm it’s 22% heavier than normal gis. This makes it pretty much indestructible.
Gold BJJ puts this forward as a good competition gi – but keep in mind that you’ll have to weigh in wearing this monster of a gi! (Unless you go through weigh-ins in your light gi and then change into your actual competition gi – who would do that? ( •̀ᴗ•́ )و ̑̑ )
6. Shoyoroll BJJ Gi
Shoyoroll is a limited edition luxury BJJ gi brand.
They’re famous for colabs with high profile athletes and them make extremely high end, expensive BJJ gis.
I do like Shoyoroll, but it’s hard for me to recommend them, because Shoyoroll gis are always out of stock. And they work with drops so if you read this post a 2 months after I wrote it, their product line might be completely different already.
7. Sanabul Nasa gi
Which BJJ Gi Should I Buy?
Let me recommend you a gi based on your answers to 3 questions.
Also read: The ultimate BJJ gi buyer’s guide
My top picks for: Beginner gis | Premium gis | Gi brands | Cheap gis | Lightweight gis | Gis for skinny guys | Gis for big guys | Durable gis
What Do I Need a Premium BJJ Gi for?
There’s a few reasons why you might want to upgrade to a more premium high end BJJ gi as you get further into the journey.
To look good while training
One reason to buy a more premium BJJ gi is because they look better. Some common design features of premium BJJ gis are uncommon gi color, cool patches, and art on the inside of the gi jacket. But also you just avoid a ‘cheap’ look that some lower end gis have.
To Compete
Another common reason to buy a premium gi is if you have to do a weight cut for competition. In that case you want a gi that’s as light as possible for your weight cut, and as strong as possible so that it survives the competition. And the combination of lightweight + strong comes at a premium price. (Also check my guide on the best lightweight BJJ gis if you’re interested in this.)
Some gis even use anti-gripping technology to help competitors in their matches. They do this by using a different weave for the collars and sleeves that is harder to get a grip on than the standard weave.
For uncomon body types
People that are very tall and skinny or very short and sturdy often don’t get a nice fit in the regular gi sizes. Fortunately, the major brands are now putting out more gis for uncommon body types. But extreme cases still need to get a gi from a brand that specializes in their body type. (Check my guide on the best BJJ gis for tall and skinny guys if this is your situation.)
To last forever
One of the main advantages of premium BJJ gis is that they last way longer. They’re often thicker overall, and also add extra padding and stitches on critical pressure points, such as on the knees (did you ever notice that your gi pants always rip right below your knees?).
Some gis are even dual weave, which means that for example the top half of the jacket is made thicker than the bottom half, to make it strong where necessary while keeping it light overall. Obviously, this is a hassle to make for the manufacturer, which is why these types of gis are more expensive as well.
FAQ
Why are BJJ gis so expensive?
There’s plenty of cheap BJJ gis out there, but the best premium BJJ gis are more expensive for a good reason. They’re made to last longer, to look better, to compete in or for uncommon body types. These specializes BJJ gis are harder to make and therefore more expensive.