You need the most durable BJJ gi because weak flimsy gis can’t keep up with your pressure, am I right? ;D
Don’t worry!
In this article I share which BJJ gis are the most durable and why (spoiler: the heavyweight BJJ gis are most durable, because they’re heavy…).
So go ahead and choose one of the most durable BJJ gis from my list below.
Built to last
Origin The Path
Origin gis are built in America and built to last. They pride themselves on delivering top notch quality. And ‘The Path’ is their strongest, yet breathable, BJJ gi due to a unique weave technique.
Durable
Gold BJJ Valiant
The Gold BJJ Valiant is a durable medium heavyweight BJJ gi. It’s 550 gsm (grams per square meter), which is the heaviest gi I still consider practical for BJJ. So I think this is the most durable ‘real’ BJJ gi.
Ultra Heavyweight
Tatami The Tank
If you want the most durable gi ever, look no further: the Tatami ‘The Tank’ is 950 gsm which is extremely heavy. It’s very stiff and limits your movement, so it’s better for judo. But it is a very durable gi.
What makes a BJJ gi durable?
There are a few things that make a BJJ gi durable.
- Material: A BJJ gi made of durable material will last longer than one made of less durable material. (But most gis are made of cotton, which is a strong fabric, so you don’t have to worry about this one too much.)
- Weave: A BJJ gi with gold or pearl weave stitching is more durable than one with a traditional weak single weave and a double weave is stronger than single weave. (But most single weave gis nowadays are at least pearl weave, and double weaves are more for judo gis because it makes the gi very stiff – so basically you don’t have to worry about this.)
- Reinforced stitching: A durable BJJ needs reinforced stitching at the key areas that break most often in a gi, such as around the collar, the armpit and under the knees.
- Weight: A heavier BJJ gi is more durable than a lighter one. This is actually the most important factor for a durable BJJ gi, which is why I’ll recommend several heavyweight BJJ gis in this article.
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
The Most Durable BJJ Gi
Let me tell you about the most durable BJJ gis. Most of these are heavyweight gis, but I also put in the most durable gis among the lighter weight options.
| Gi | Weight | Durability |
| Gold BJJ Valiant (shop this gi) | 550 gsm | Very high |
| Origin the Path (shop this gi) | unknown | Very high |
| Tatami ‘the Tank’ (shop this gi) | 950 gsm | Ridiculously high |
| Gold BJJ ultra strong (shop this gi) | 450 gsm | Very high |
| Gold BJJ Aeroweave (shop this gi) | 270 gsm | High |
1. Gold BJJ Valiant Gi
The Gold BJJ Valiant gi is the most durable BJJ gi from Gold BJJ (a brand I really like).
The Valiant is 550 grams per square meter (gsm). That’s 22% heavier than the standard 450 gsm BJJ gis.
The gi pants are also 12oz ripstop, which is 50% heavier than normal 8oz ripstop pants.
And this gi still has all the reinforced stichting techniques that make the other Gold BJJ models so strong.
So the combination of weight and reinforced stichting very strong and I recommend it highly if you’re looking for a durable BJJ gi.
2. Origin The path
Origin is the BJJ gi brand from Jocko Willink, a famous retired navy Seal (you may have heard him on the Joe Rogan podcast).
They are all about quality, and all their gis are made in America.
The ‘Path’ gi is Origin’s most durable gi. It uses a patented new weave technique which makes it both more breathable and stronger.
3. Tatami ‘The Tank’ Heavyweight BJJ Gi
The Tatami ‘the Tank’ is an ultra heavyweight BJJ gi.
I’ll mention it here because it’s super durable, even though I don’t recommend that you buy it.
It’s 950 grams per square meter (gsm), which makes it more than twice as heavy as normal 450 gsm BJJ gis.
There are more heavy gis like this, most of them from Judo. But you should understand that Judo gis also fit much looser, so it’s less problematic that they’re so stiff. And you simply need less mobility in Judo than in BJJ.
So I don’t recommend buying such a heavy BJJ gi, because they’re so stiff that you can’t move around freely.
4. Gold BJJ Ultra Strong Kimono
The Gold BJJ Ultra Strong model is another durable gi from Gold BJJ.
This one weighs in at 450 gsm, which is normal for BJJ gis.
So it’s not quite as strong and durable as the Valiant gi I mentioned above, which is 550 gsm.
But the upshot is that it’s lighter, which in my opinion makes it more comfortable.
So if you want a durable BJJ gi that isn’t very heavy, I recommend this one.
5. Gold BJJ Aeroweave
The Gold BJJ Aeroweave is actually a lightweight gi, which automatically makes it not the most durable BJJ gi out there.
But I want to mention it because of the lightweight gis, it’s the most durable one.
I’m a huge fan of lightweight gis myself, because they’re very comfortable and they keep you cool during rolling, which is important for your cardio.
So if you want a durable BJJ gi, but you also want it to be lightweight, I recommend this one.
How to maintain a durable bjj gi?
You can make your BJJ gi more durable by treating it well. Here are some things that you do that affect how durable a BJJ gi is:
- How often you use it. If you have multiple gis that you rotate they will last much longer than when you always use the same one.
- How you wash it. Washing your BJJ gi in cold water and hanging it to dry will make it last longer than washing it in hot water and putting it in the dryer.
- What you wash it with. Washing your BJJ gi with a mild detergent will make it last longer than washing it with a harsh detergent.
Where is my BJJ gi most likely to break?
A BJJ gi commonly breaks around the areas that receive the moest stress, which are the ares around the collars, the armpit and the knees.
- Collars: The collar areas on your BJJ gi can rip because people are always yanking on your collars.
- Armpit: The armpits of your kimono can rip because they strech out a lot when you move your arm (this is also a problem for normal clothes).
- Knees: The knees of your BJJ gi pants are oftern worn down gradually because you sit on your knees a lot, and then eventually they rip when someone makes a grip on your pant legs.
That’s why gis with reinforced stichting in strategic areas are much more durable than gis without it.
What’s the heaviest BJJ gi?
The heaviest BJJ gi I ever saw is the Keiko Gold Weave Kimono at 1000 grams per square meter (gsm). Runner up heavyweight gis are the Tatami Tank and the Panda Armor at 950 gsm. And I’m sure there are some Judo gis that are even heavier.
