Tatami Fightwear Gi Reviews (Updated 2024)

Tatami Fightwear is one of the world’s leading brands in Jiu-Jitsu Fightwear. Sponsoring athletes such as Michelle Nicolini and JT Torres, Tatami provides gear such as rash guards, nogi clothing and MMA gear. Today we look at 3 of our favourite Tatami gi’s at 3 different price points.

Best Budget Gi – Tatami Nova Gi Review

With an ever-increasing collection of expensive and stylised Gi’s on the market, the preferred option for many Jiu-Jitsu students, especially beginners, is to find a cheap, plain and tough intro Gi. Tatami has focused on this particular student in the design of their ‘Nova Basic.’

Design

Being a beginner Gi, which focuses on substance over style, the Tatami Nova Basic comes complete in three colours for both male and female students. White, Black and Blue are the colour choices available and all three have a distinct clean look that suits the ‘basic’ name. For those on a smaller budget, it is hard to do much better than the Nova in terms of a clean, crisp style.

The Gi displays badges on the hip and the entire length of the shoulders, but according to Tatami these patches can be removed easily without any damage to the Gi. If you like your Gi’s extra clean or ‘old school’ then this is an attractive quality, especially at such an entry-level price. The triple seamed weave is sturdy with plenty of give. Being strong and flexible makes it ideal for practitioners of any level. The Gi comes with a white belt included so this is another positive point for any beginners looking for their first Gi.

Fit/Sizing

The Tatami Nova has a very tight fit, especially after its first wash. Those who are unsure of their size may want to double-check their measurements and go for a size up to counteract this shrinkage, especially around the arms and legs. However, the tight fit makes the Gi very good for the taller and skinnier students, as opposed to a more heavyset practitioner.

The Gi is very light, comprising of 9oz lightweight cotton with double reinforced knee padding and triple stitching across stress points. The pants come with a drawstring for increased tightening and more comfort whilst training. The tapered design makes it more difficult for partners to grab handfuls of fabric at the wrists and ankles and the rubberised collar provides a similar function whilst also absorbing excess sweat.

Tatami Nova BJJ Gi
Pros Excellent Price Built Incredibly Well Looks great for a budget Gi Cons Lacks on the details
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Size Chart

 Height  Weight(LBS)  Size
 5’2”- 5’4”  120-155  A-1
 5’7”­- 5’8”  155-190  A-2
 5’10”- 6’0”  190-225  A-3
 6’1”- 6’3”  225-270  A-4
 6’4”- 6’4”  270-305  A-5

Durability

Like most Gi’s, the material will shrink slightly upon first washing and also will see some stretching from more intense rolling sessions. Apart from the average wear and tear, the Gi holds up remarkably well for such a cheap option. Some mild popping at weaker seems can be noticed but this will not hinder the Gi’s performance during sparring.

Conclusion

The Tatami Nova Basic offers a unique design within its price bracket and provides unrivalled quality at its price. In a few words: it’s a fantastic budget Gi.

Best Competition Gi – Tatami Elements Ultralight Gi Review

Jiu-Jitsu can be a tough and tiring sport. Adding heavy clothing to the stresses already faced while rolling can be a burden that some may not wish to pay. Enter the Tatami Elements Gi.

Design

The Tatami Elements boasts a clean and contrasting look in all of it’s three colours: white, black, and blue. The contrast between the solid colour of the Gi and the orange badges on the shoulders is a nice touch. The Gi is around £20-£30 more expensive than the budget Gi on this list, but it makes up for this increase a lot in the design. The Gi has a premium look to it, with nicely coloured shoulder patches than blend well into all the colour varieties.

Fit/Sizing

Being a lightweight Gi, the Tatami Elements has a tapered fit to it, similar to the Tatami Nova. The Gi jacket is a combination of 475gsm pearl weave and 350-gsm dual weave to prevent stretching of the sleeves. The arms and top area of the jacket are made with resilient 475gsm pearl weave fabric whilst the rest of the jacket is the 350gsm dual weave. The pants come in 8oz Twill cotton pants. This is said to add extra strength and durability as well as the reinforced stitching in the usual places and stretch points.

Best Lightweight Gi
Tatami Essentials Gi

Pros

  • Incredibly lightweight
  • Perfect for competition
  • Reinforced in all the right places

Cons

  • May shrink in the wash
  • Collar is easy to grip
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Size Chart

 Height  Weight(LBS)  Size
 5’2”- 5’4”  120-155  A-1
 5’7”­- 5’8”  155-190  A-2
 5’10”- 6’0”  190-225  A-3
 6’1”- 6’3”  225-270  A-4
 6’4”- 6’4”  270-305  A-5

Durability

The Tatami Elements provides excellent strength with a supreme lightweight feel. The jacket breathes well in hotter conditions and retains it’s robust quality well without premature wear. Even though the Gi offers a thinner, lighter Gi to improve manoeuvrability when rolling, the seams and stitching hold up well in line with competitors of a similar price.

Conclusion

The Tatami Elements certainly lives up to its name and provides a liberating feeling to the practitioner during training, whilst also providing a stylish look and the durability one expects from a mid-range Tatami Gi.

Best Premium Gi – Tatami Estilo 6.0 Gi Review

At the most expensive price point in this list, The Estilo 6.0 has the most to prove. With a fresh new look and feel this premium Gi is described as perfect for competition and everyday training.

Design

This premium Gi comes available in the three standard colours as well as one unique colour: Navy blue and gold. Like a lot of Tatami Gis, the badges are placed on the shoulder area. The contrast between the badges and the Gi fabric is great in all colours but stands out particularly well in the navy blue and gold colour. The Gi is described as cutting edge and the culmination of five years of research, hence the ‘6.0’ name. The Gi was also designed working with some of Jiu Jitsu’s top-level athletes, most notably JT Torres.

Fit/Sizing

The Tatami Estilo 6.0 is made of a 550gsm Pearl weave Jacket and 12oz canvas pants. The jacket comes with a new unique ‘Y shaped jacket vent’ which is said to improve the fit at the base of the jacket. The sleeves and neckline of the jacket have also been tapered to provide a comfortable and snug fit. The seams on the gi are reinforced as usual, and there is extra padding on the knees.

The gi has a distinct tailored feel to it and hugs the body well providing excellent manoeuvrability as well as looking stylish.

Tatami Fightwear Estilo Gi
Pros - Incredibly Well Built - Hard to Grip Collar - Huge range of styles and varieties Cons - Heavy - Feels a bit stiff when brand new
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Size Chart

 Height  Weight(LBS)  Size
 5’2”- 5’4”  120-155  A-1
 5’7”­- 5’8”  155-190  A-2
 5’10”- 6’0”  190-225  A-3
 6’1”- 6’3”  225-270  A-4
 6’4”- 6’4”  270-305  A-5

Durability

The Tatami Estilo 6.0 mixes comfort and strength together in a seamless package. Giving freedom to every part of the body that requires it, movement in this gi is as simple as it gets. The combination of softness, preciseness and toughness makes this gi one of the best on the market. The new tapering and woven lining in the cuffs and the bass of the jacket prevents any fraying at the extremities of the Gi.

Conclusion

All in all, the Tatami Estilo 6.0 does what it says on the box. You get a premium product for a premium price. This product is the one you want if a high-quality gi, with a beautiful design, is what you’re looking for.


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