Someone could easily say it doesn’t matter what color bjj gi should you get but that is because they fail to think about people in situations different from theirs. If you’re lucky enough to have a BJJ gym like mine, where the instructors are incredibly chill and aren’t restricting your choices, then you can honestly get any color BJJ Gi you want. You could even get a purple gi if you really wanted to.
This question may seem trivial to some, while to others this is a big decision for them. With so many colors to choose from, I understand why someone may feel overwhelmed. There are many factors that could play a role in your decision on what color gi to get. From your budget to your jiu jitsu academy’s rules. With that said, it can be hard to give advice on what color gi you should get without knowing your situation. I’ll go over some situations that you might be in and give advice based on those situations.
Determine if your gym has rules on what color bjj you can get.
What color bjj gi should I get?
Other gyms have different rules, so I would check in with your instructors to see what guidelines they require their students to follow. I’ve seen gyms that limit white belts to white gis, and the idea is that “they have to earn a colored gi” by becoming a blue belt. That may be the reason behind some gym’s reasonings, but others just want to make money. If they don’t flat out restrict you to buying their gis, why not buy their convenient gis that are the exact color that you’re allowed to have, right here at the gym? It might not be so bad, maybe I just don’t like being sold.
Do you plan to compete?
Another thing to consider when deciding what color BJJ Gi to get is if it is competition legal. You may not have to worry about this for most if not all local competitions, since they don’t really care, but for big competitions like IBJJF, they have strict guidelines that you need to follow in order to compete. Every tournament is different, but IBJJF requires the entire gi to be uniform. Meaning the pants and the top have to match in color. The collar cannot be a different color either.
Is cost an issue for you?
Let’s face it, jiu jitsu memberships are expensive. Gis are relatively expensive too. You’re already coughing up a pretty penny to train, and now you have to buy a Gi?! Cost may not be in issue for you, but if it is, don’t worry. It was for me, and I have some advice for you
Think about the future of your jiu jitsu and get a color that is future proof. Don’t get a gi before you know what the rules are about gis at your gym. Think about your competition career. If you have even the slightest desire to compete at a big tournament like IBJJF, then future proof your gi so you don’t have to buy a new one to adhere to the tournament guidelines. If you care about looks, then I personally wouldn’t get a blue gi if you’re a blue belt. It doesn’t look good in my opinion. A blue gi with a white belt looks really good though.
Putting it all together
So you talked to your instructors and found out they only allow white gis. Well that was simple, you have only one choice to make. That can’t be so hard. Maybe you found out they allow any color gi. You decided you want to compete in the future, so you look up IBJJF’s rules and see you can have white, royal blue or black. Still too many choices? I would personally get black. One day, you or someone else will bust their lip and bleed all over your gi. If your gi is white, it’s gonna look so bad, and if you don’t know how to clean it properly, the blood stains will be permanent. It happened to one of my white gi’s once and once the blood is dry, it is nearly impossible to get out. With a black gi, it will hardly be noticeable
Being limited on choices makes things easier. When we have so many choices, it can be difficult to make one. The person with the hardest predicament is the person who can choose any gi color. Most people don’t make quick decisions so if that sounds like you, you could be researching for weeks before you choose a gi, and we don’t want that. Those weeks of you researching a gi could be spent elsewhere. Time is precious, so let’s get to the bottom of this.
We all know about buyers regret, and we all want to avoid it. So make sure you get a gi that you know you’ll like and you know won’t stop you from doing what you want.
What color BJJ Gis shouldn’t you get?
If possible, I would stay away from white because white is so hard to keep clean. White gi’s can look so nice when new, and are good for competition only gis I’d say. I’d also stay away from crazy colors like maroon or orange. Yeah, they’re cool and nobody else has them, but in the future, you may want to compete at a big tournament like IBJJF. Of Course, if you’ve got the money to buy tons of gi colors, then go crazy!
