Gear

The first purchase in BJJ, and the one beginners most often get wrong on sizing and weight.

What to look for: sizing by height/weight (A-sizes), pre-shrunk fabric, and a weave you can train in twice a week. Review slot — to be filled with a specific gi only after it has been used on the mat, with a sizing verdict.

Your no-gi uniform, and your skin's protection under the gi. Also what makes the Leg Locks and No-Gi shelves trainable.

What to look for: a snug fit that does not ride up, flat seams, and no loose graphics that crack in the wash. Review slot — specific product only after real use.

The cheapest insurance on this page. One accidental knee pays for a lifetime of them.

What to look for: boil-and-bite fit, slim enough to talk and breathe in. Review slot — specific product only after real use.

Grip fighting tears up fingers — see the Grips shelf. Tape is the grappler's most repeated small purchase.

What to look for: tape that stays on through a full session and tears by hand. Review slot — specific product only after real use.

Takedowns, knee-on-belly and leg entanglements all load the knees. Support matters more the longer you train.

What to look for: padding for drilling on hard mats vs. a slim brace for rolling — they are different jobs. Review slot — specific product only after real use.

A sealed bag breeds the smell that empties locker rooms. Ventilation is the whole feature.

What to look for: mesh or vented panels, room for gi + rash guard + towel, and a separate wet pocket. Review slot — specific product only after real use.

Wash the gi after every session — the mat hygiene rule is not optional, and normal detergent often loses to gi funk.

What to look for: made-for-sport-gear wash, safe on colours. Review slot — specific product only after real use.

Most gis include a white belt; a spare keeps you training when the first is in the wash.

What to look for: correct length for your gi size, IBJJF-legal colour for your rank. Review slot — specific product only after real use.

The Solo Drills shelf needs a surface. A small home area turns 15 spare minutes into reps.

What to look for: thickness for drilling (not takedowns), interlock that does not separate mid-roll. Review slot — specific product only after real use.

For the heavy-bag drills already in Solo Drills — escapes, bridges, knee-on-belly reps with no partner.

What to look for: fill weight you can actually move around, seams that survive top pressure. Review slot — specific product only after real use.