The gear notebook

Make sense of your kit.

Gi sizing, washing, competition rules and what to buy first. Practical guides to the questions that come up before and after class.

Featured guide

BJJ Beginner Gear Checklist: What to Buy First

New to BJJ and staring at a wall of gear? You need far less than the shops would like you to think. Here's what to buy first, and what can wait.

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Find the answer you need.

10 articles

Gis

BJJ Gi Size Chart: How to Pick Your Size (A0 to A6)

Gi sizes look simple until you realise every brand's A2 is a little different. Here's how the system works, what the letters mean, and how to avoid ordering a gi that doesn't fit.

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Gis

Gi Weaves Explained: Pearl, Gold, Single, Double and Ripstop

Pearl weave, gold weave, 450 GSM: gi listings assume you know what these mean. Here's the plain-English version, and how each one feels on the mat.

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Accessories

Custom BJJ Belts: What You Can Personalise

A belt you've earned deserves to be yours. Here's what you can personalise on a custom BJJ belt, what the rules say, and what to check before you order.

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Accessories

Do You Need a Mouthguard for BJJ?

BJJ has no strikes, so do you really need a mouthguard? Most experienced grapplers would say yes. Here's why, and how to choose one you'll actually wear.

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Beginners

Gi vs No-Gi: The Kit You Need for Each

Gi and no-gi are close enough to share a mat and different enough to need different kit. Here's what you need for each, what you can share, and where to start if you train both.

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Accessories

How to Tape Your Fingers for BJJ

Gi grips are brutal on fingers. Taping is how grapplers keep sore joints training, and it takes about a minute once you know how.

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Gis

How to Wash a BJJ Gi Without Shrinking It

A gi that shrinks two sizes in the wash is a rite of passage nobody needs. Looking after a gi is simple once you know the one rule: heat is the enemy.

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Rules

IBJJF Uniform Rules in Plain English (Gi and No-Gi)

Getting turned away at the uniform check is a miserable way to start a tournament. Here are the IBJJF's uniform rules, in plain English.

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No-gi

Rash Guard vs Compression Shirt for BJJ

A rash guard and a compression shirt look almost identical. So can you wear the compression shirt you already own to BJJ? Often, yes. Here's when it matters.

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Beginners

What to Wear to Your First BJJ Class

Your first BJJ class is nerve-racking enough without worrying about your clothes. Here's what to wear, what to leave at home, and what to buy later.

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