Doing a gi review? What is the most durable/toughest/strongest gi for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)? - Part 2
These days, the trend is toward lightweight gis. With most major competitions requiring you to weigh in with the gi on, most people are moving toward lightweight gis for training and competition.
With this trend, we don't see as much emphasis on heavyweight gis any more. How will we define what we're talking about?
We're discussing gis above a single weave, typically a double weave or above. We looked at the ones that your opponent can't grip, that make you sweat buckets when you wear them, heck.. we tried to find the ones that you can't even grip yourself!
There are lists out there that compile the strongest BJJ gis available. Many of them use 30oz fabric or have a particularly dense weave to them. They are typically modeled after the judo gis mentioned in part 1 of this series.
There have also been many reviews of these thicker kimonos. Most people agree that they are a bit stiffer and tougher to wear during training. In one instead, a BJJ player confided in me, that he felt like he was going to pass out in his heavyweight gi. I replied that maybe he should take off the rashguard that he was wearing underneath his gi. He laughed, slightly hysterically I might add, that he couldn't! If he took it off, sure, he'd cool down a bit, but the gi was so coarse that it would scrape up his ribs and back and he was forced to wear the extra layer to protect himself! I don't think that this was what the manufacturers had in mind when they made the gi. Or did they?
Mention must be made, that even the heavy double weave gis won't always last longer than lightweight gis. First, they have to be washed more often and some people resort to bleaching them. Also, the weave is much more dense and the quality of the fabric may not be as high as some lightweight gis, causing them to wear quickly. While lighter, some ripstop gis can actually be more durable and easier to wash.
Now, this begs the question, if I want the strongest lightweight gi, what gis should be considered? Not all lightweight gis are created equal and some of them are extremely flimsy. You can almost hear them rip right out of the box!
Interested in learning more about buying your next brazilian jiu jitsu gi? Make sure you check out our brazilian jiu jitsu gi reviews before you buy your next bjj gi. On Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Gi Reviews we are publishing Atama gi reviews and Shoyoroll bjj gi reviews!