I received the Elite Sports grey adult BJJ gi in size A0 for review. The company requested that I post the review within a month so please keep in mind that I cannot comment on the durability of the gi. I prefer to review products after a few months to see how they hold up over time; I consider this more of a first impression.
PROS
- Very affordable at $59.99 USD
- Very lightweight and comfortable
- Appears to be sturdy for its weight
- Simple design
- Comes with a white belt
CONS
- Limited sizes
- Odd knee reinforcement placement
Click photos to view as a slideshow.
MEASUREMENTS
When the gi arrived, it was too large so right away I washed hot and dried in the dryer, trying to shrink it. I repeated this five or six times since receiving the gi but shrinkage was minimal. I did not take measurements beforehand.
CONSTRUCTION
The 400gsm pearl weave jacket appears to be constructed well with standard reinforcements including the armpits and seam split. The lapel is lightweight but sturdy and I was happy to see that it did not warp even after being washed in hot water and dried in the dryer.
I found the ripstop pants to be particularly comfortable due to their light weight but the construction is a bit odd. The hem has multiple rows of reinforcement, which is common, however the additional layer of fabric applied for knee reinforcement is placed a bit too high on the leg with the bottom landing just below the knee line (see above photos).
Generally, knee reinforcement is placed so the knee lands in the middle of the additional fabric so as the person moves around, the knee is always covered by dual layers of fabric which prevents wear from friction. The reinforcement above the knee area is useless because the knee will never rest on it.
A lot of gi pants rip at the knee, possibly because the seam of the reinforcement actually weakens rather than strengthens the area. I’m not sure how this will affect the durability of these pants. I prefer gi pants with reinforcements that extend to the hem.
The white belt is not the best I’ve ever seen but also not the worst. It’s a bit stiff and somewhat thick but I’m sure it would become more pliable over time. You certainly can’t beat the price!
COMFORT
The Elite Sports gi is a very lightweight gi and I found it very comfortable to roll in. However, where it is a size too big for me, I found it a bit uncomfortable for drilling because of the additional fabric. I found myself having to stop and adjust the gi frequently to get it out of the way as I practiced new techniques but I did not have the same issue during rolls where I was more focused on not dying.
SIZING
Though not a problem with the gi itself, it bothers me that Elite Sports does not offer an adult gi that is small enough to fit me. I started reviewing gis because I spent so much money buying the smallest gi size from multiple companies as a white and blue belt, only to have them arrive and be too big. I wanted to to share my experience so other women wouldn’t have to experience the same issue.
I receive many of the gis I review for free but it annoys me to have to train in a gi that doesn’t fit, take all the photos, do the write up and not even have a new gi to train in in the end. It may not cost me money but it does cost me a lot of time and effort. Hopefully more companies will consider offering size A00 in the future.
IN CLOSING
Elite Sports did a good job with this gi, especially for this price point. I would recommend it as a starter gi to anyone who has a typical build. I am very impressed with the comfort and style (thought I’d lose the black patches) and I like that it comes with a free white belt. I wish companies would offer the option to include a different color belt with these gis for those of us who sometimes buy a gi to reward ourselves after a belt promotion. We may be white belts forever in our hearts, but not on the mats.
Buy the Elite Sports BJJ gi for $59.99 at elitesports.com (unless you’re in Canada, I tried to go through the shipping menu and it wouldn’t allow shipping to my location!)
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