Whether you have started training Judo to compete, for self defense, as part of your MMA training, or simply just to keep fit, you’re going to need a good quality judo gi.
It’s an important aspect of judo that cannot be overlooked, as without a proper judo gi, you can’t drill the moves, develop skills and techniques, to ultimately progress up the ranks.
With so many judo gis available in the market today, choosing the best judo gi for beginners becomes a challenge. They vary in material, style, and price.
To make your search easier, we’ve spend hours to research on the best judo gis in the market, and came up with our list of the top 5 Best Judo Gis for beginners. So without further ado, let’s dive right in!
Table of Contents
Best Judo Gi for Beginners Reviews
If what you are looking for is a high-quality gi that offers competitive pricing, then this judo gi by Fuji is worth considering. It’s made up of Fuji’s premium cotton blend material, which is soft and durable.
You definitely wouldn’t want a gi that is uncomfortable to move around with when training, but that’s not the case at all with this gi. It is incredibly lightweight, comfortable, and breathable, giving you a cool experience when compared to other gis.
What we like about the Fuji judo uniform is that not only it’s light weight, and soft being a single weave gi, but also surprisingly very sturdy and durable, even when compared to some heavy duty, double weave gis.
Another thing we like about this judo gi is its simple, minimalistic design, leaving plenty of room for club patches if required. It’s also great for beginners who just want a simple, quality gi to train with, instead of a showy gi that stands out from the crowd.
One thing note is that it’s not a 100% cotton gi, despite it saying 100% cotton blend on the description , which is slightly misleading in my opinion. It’s in fact 50% cotton and 50% polyester.
Although it’s still pretty breathable, and durable at the same time, so we can give them a pass on the description error.
Overall this is one of the best gis if not the best when it comes to quality and price ratio. In fact, we’d go as far and say that this is probably the best gi for beginners to start judo training with.
Also check out the Fuji Single Weave Judo Gi, if you prefer the color blue!
At the time of writing this review, there’re over 620 reviews on Amazon, with majority being positive – click here to read them.
Be sure to check out our list of Best BJJ Gi for Beginners, for more great items like this.
PROS
- Great value for money
- Light weight and soft material
- Breathable
- Sturdy and durable
CONS
- Not 100% cotton
Mizuno is a brand that are known to produce some of the finest sports wear, it’s no different when it comes to judo gis.
This Mizuno Shiai judo gi comes in double weave, it’s very well made, with heavy and sturdy material as you’d expect from a double weave, but not too stiff like some other competition.
You can expect minimal shrinkage after first wash, as it comes pre-shrunk. It’s worth mentioning the Mizuno Shiai gis do run large, you probably have to go with 1 size down. But once you find your size, this gi fits great and pretty comfortable.
If you’re planning to compete in the future, and want a high quality gi that will last, then definitely consider the Mizuno Shiai. As it’s a competition cut, that’s also approved by IJF.
At the time of writing this review, there’re over 22 reviews on Amazon, with majority being positive – click here to read them.
Also check out our list of Best BJJ Rash Guards, for more great items like this.
PROS
- Strong and durable
- IJF approved for competition
- Comes pre-shrunk
- Great fit once you find right size
CONS
- Some sizing issues
Another judo gi from Fuji featured on our list is their double weave judo gi.
If you like a more rugged, almost armor like feel, heavy, stiff and thick (still within the competition legal thickness) gi, that can be thrown around and take a beating, this is the gi for you.
It does take a little time to break in, like all things built to last. The stiffness goes away a little as time goes by, but what doesn’t go way is the quality. It’s rugged, tough, and bound to last for years to come.
While the Fuji double weave judo gi meets IJF’s size and specifications, it’s not IJF approved, meaning you can’t wear it in National and International competitions. But you can wear it in most other competitions.
A friendly reminder from us, remember this is a double weave gi, so do expect to get a “great workout” if you train in a hot environment, as with all the rest of double weave gis.
Compared to the Mizuno Shiai judo gi, this one has shorter skirt, and more fitted, and snug. If that’s how you like your gis fit, then it’s definitely worth checking out.
Overall the Fuji double weave judo gi is an excellent option for all beginners. It’s the choice of many great judo schools like Jimmy Pedro’s Judo Center, Jason Morris Judo Center, and Cohen’s Judo Center just to name a few.
At the time of writing this review, there’re over 280 reviews on Amazon, with majority being positive – click here to read them.
Our handy guide to the Best Boxing Gloves for Sparring, features more great items like this!
PROS
- Durable and tough
- Great value for a double weave
- Quality craftsmanship
CONS
- Sizing chart not as acurate
The Yamato Sakura judo gi offers amazing value for money. For the price you pay, the quality is top notch. It’s an absolute no brainer for someone looking for a light weight single weave gi.
It’s made of 100% cotton, so breathability is no issue. And the material gets soft after wash, making it a great choice for training in hot summer months.
The weave is tight and sturdy, despite it being single weave. The stitching and craftsmanship is also excellent, especially for the price.
Just like all 100% cotton judo gis, the Yamato Sakura single weave judo gi does shrink after a warm wash and tumble dry.
Although most gi manufactures would tell you to cold wash, and hang dry. I prefer to get a size up, warm wash, tumble dry and shrink to fit.
Because let’s face it, who has the time to hang dry especially during winter months, or worse yet, if you’re on your travels, right?
If you like a more traditional judo gi fit – short and wide sleeve, longer skirt length, and generous crossover in the gi top front, this one should definitely on top of your list.
At the time of writing this review, there’re over 500 reviews on Amazon, with majority being positive – click here to read them.
For more great items like this, check out our guide to the Best Boxing Gloves for Heavy Bag Training.
PROS
- Great value for money
- Quality material
- Tight weave, sturdy construction
- Clean look, no patches
CONS
- Comes only in one color
For those who just want a simple, budget friendly gi to try judo out before fully committing, the Pro Force Gladiator judo gi is a great option.
As you’d expect at this price range, the quality is nothing to write home about. Although the top is sturdy for the price, the pants are of a lesser quality, think material that might be prone to rip, with mediocre stitching at best.
To be fair the gi top is of pretty good quality, thick enough and also light weight, well stitched, reinforced stress areas and very comfortable to wear.
It’s a pity the pants doesn’t do the top justice, but at this price, it’s still worth considering. Especially for those under tight budget, who just want to give judo a try as mentioned above.
At the time of writing this review, there’re over 330 reviews on Amazon, with majority being positive – click here to read them.
Make sure to also check out our list of the Best Wrestling Shoes, for more great items like this.
PROS
- Cheap and cheerful
- Comfortable
- Good quality, sturdy top
CONS
- Inferior quality pants
Buyer’s Guide for the Best Judo Gi for Beginners
Understanding what matters the most when it comes to choosing the best judo gi for beginners, is probably the best way to finding the perfect gi that suits your needs.
Remember, what’s good for someone might not work the best for you. We all have different tastes, preferences, and live under different circumstances.
We have listed below the key features to look at when buying a judo gi, which will hopefully help you decide on the perfect judo gi that will get you started on the amazing martial art that is judo.
What to Look out for When Buying the Best Judo Gi for Beginners
Durability
One distinctive feature that differentiates a good gi from the rest is durability. Judo involves tugging, pulling, twisting, pushing and a lot of moving around, before you finally send your opponent flying, or worse you get thrown “mercilessly” to the ground.
This means you should be getting judo gi that is durable, crafted with quality material that’s built to last.
Thickness
Judo gis come in various thicknesses, generally grouped into two classes: single weave and double weave. The single weave is thinner and lighter, more suitable for use during the hot summer months. The double weave is thicker, heavier and more durable.
Collar thickness also plays a role in practice and competition, because the thicker the collar the harder it is for your training partner or your opponent to grab hold of.
Weight
Same as the thickness, the weight of the judo gi also depends on the weave. The single weave judo gis are thinner weighs much less at around 300–550 g/m2(jacket weight). The double weave gis are as mentioned about thicker and weighs a lot more at around 650–1050 g/m2.
The weight of a gi plays a big role when it comes to comfort and endurance. The lighters gis allow more freedom of movement, flexibility, more breathable compared to the heavier gis.
Weave
The weave is probably the single most important factor in a judo gi, as it determines a gi’s strength, thickness, durability, and weight.
Cotton judo gis generally come in single or double weave, while the cotton/synthetic blend counter part come also come in various weaves like pearl weave, gold weave and honeycomb weave.
As a beginner in judo, a good quality single weave is a better option for most people, since you’ll primarily use the gi for training, not competition.
In training, you’d want a light weight gi that’s more breathable, and easier for your training partner to grab hold of, as this will help you improve on your defense skills, also your strength and balance. Plus the single weave is cheaper and it doesn’t restrict your movement while learning the basics.
Material
Traditionally, judo gis were made with 100% cotton. The cotton material is usually more breathable as it allows air to pass through the gi freely. This makes the gi more comfortable to wear in warmer environments as it prevents overheating during tough training.
That’s not to say the more modern gis with cotton and polyester blend doesn’t have its place. The blended material allows the gi to be more light weight and durable at the same time.
Some of the single weave gis made with cotton and polyester blend, are actually great quality, light weight, durable and allows decent amount of air flow.
Color
This one is pretty straight forward.
Most manufacturers only offer white and blue colors, as they are the only colors allowed in competition. Although some do offer judo gis in black color, which I don’t see the point of. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone wearing a black judo gi.
Size
Judo gi size can range from 0000 all the way to 8. The sizes are determined by your height and weight, the taller and heavier you are, the higher number in your judo gi size.
Sizing varies between manufactures, so be sure to check out the manufacture’s sizing chart before you make any purchase.
When buying a 100% cotton gi, I like to go one size up, wash it warm tumble dry it to shrink to fit. But that’s just me. Do note that some gis come pre-shrunk, so they won’t shrink as much after your first wash.
FAQ’s about Judo Gis
What’s the difference between judo gi and BJJ gi?
While the two might look similar, as they are descended from the same roots, they are actually quite different in a number of areas.
Judo gis tend to more looser, longer arms and pants length. They also have thicker collars and lapels, come in mostly white and blue colors, with minimalistic design.
BJJ Gis on the other hand, are more fitted, shorter in length, come in multiple colors with lots of branding and patches.
How many judo gis should I own?
If you’re just starting out, one single weave gi is fine, especially if you’re not training 3, 4 times a week. But after trying it, you decide you like it and want to take it a little more seriously, then definitely get at least two gis to rotate.
Just to note, cotton gis can get ages to air dry, especially the thicker double weave.
Final Verdict
It’s worth investing in a quality judo gi even as a beginner, not only will it last for years to come, but more importantly, a great judo gi will also aid you in your training and competition.
All 5 gis featured on our list of the best judo gis for beginners are worth considering. In fact, you can’t really go wrong with any of them. Pick one based on your preferences, and enjoy your judo training!
