Ive had my Gameness Feather BJJ GI for over a month now and thought i would give a quick review of it. Ill start off by saying im very impressed with this bjj gi. Its made from a top quality pearl weave fabric thats lightweight, durable and comfortable. These are the three main qualities that i look for in a BJJ GI jacket and the Feather has them in abundance. The jacket is made from a single piece of material and has reinforced stitching on all of the stress points making it very durable. A nice touch is the ripstop collar making it very tough. The jacket has a tailored fit so no wizards sleeves for your opponents to grab and control you with. The branding on this Jiu Jitsu GI also looks very nice. it has 2 shoulder patches and one on the chest. Another nice detail is the branded tape that runs along the skirt of the jacket. If your looking for a new lightweight BJJ GI then this is one i would definitely recommend.

Keiko Raca is one of the oldest Jiu Jitsu GI brands and it’s based in Brazil. They make some of the top GIs available and are considered to be in the top 3 Jiu Jitsu GI brands in the world. The Keiko Raca Ultra Light is a very light weight GI and is suited for tournament fighting. It’s constructed from light weight pearl weave cotton and is cut in a tailored fit so it fits very snug to the body. The collar is constructed from a stiff rubber making it very hard for your opponent to grip or choke you with. It has a branded patch on the chest and some Keiko embroidery. If you like your GIs styled like a tournament GI then this is a GI definitely worth considering.

Tatami fight wear is a UK based BJJ GI company. They are based in Wales and have been producing Jiu Jitsu Kimonos for around three years and in the last couple of years their GIs have really improved in quality. Their two main Kimonos are the Zero G and the Estilo. The Zero G is the Jiu Jitsu GI that really launched Tatami as a brand. It’s constructed from a very soft and flexible pearl weave that is very light weight and minimal with its branding and patches and is directly aimed at the tournament fighter. If you’re near to your fighting weight when competing then the lightness of this GI could really make a difference so it’s definitely one to consider. The Tatami Estilo is their best Jiu Jitsu Kimono and is one of the nicest looking GIs available. It’s constructed from a heavy-duty and durable pearl weave and each GI has contrasting stitching plus branding with patches and embroidery. If you like your Jiu Jitsu GIs to be “loud” looking then the Estilo could be the one for you. All in all either of Tatamis pearl weaves are a valid choice when looking to upgrade your GIs.

Koral is one of the oldest Jiu Jitsu GI brands and is based in Brazil. They are widely considered to be the top Jiu Jitsu GI brand in the world and many of the world’s best Jiu Jitsu players wear Koral GIs. The Koral MKM is their best GI. It’s constructed from a top quality pearl weave and it has been designed for everyday training and tournaments. It’s light in weight, strong and robust. It has Korals branded patches on the chest, shoulders, trousers and back. The collar has a rubber insert that keeps the collar flexible and also helps with the drying time after washing it. The MKM is available in white, black, red, blue and camo.

Black Eagle are a UK based Jiu Jitsu Kimono company that has been around since 2005. A couple of years ago Black Eagle starting making their Predator range of GIs and they quickly become very popular. The self titled predator GI is a top of the range GI that’s constructed from a very good pearl weave textile and is aimed at the tournament fighter. It has black eagle and predator branding on the chest and shoulders. If you like you’re GIs branding to be minimal then this could be the GI for you. The Raptor Jiu Jitsu GI is a limited edition GI that Black Eagle brought out a couple of months ago. It has really nice embroidered branding on the outside and on the inside it has a rash guard lining making it a very comfortable GI. Black Eagle is definitely a brand to consider when choosing your next GI.

Manto is a jiu jitsu gi brand based out of Europe and have been producing Jiu Jitsu kimono for about 8 years. Their newest GI is the Manto 3.0. It’s constructed from a mid weight pearl weave so is suited for everyday training and has reinforced stitching on all the biggest stress points. This GI will last you a very long time. It has a rubber insert in the collar that makes it very soft and flexible and makes it comfortable on the neck. I must say that the branding on the Manto 3.0 is very nice and in my opinion one of the best looking GIs. If you want something a bit different from what everyone is wearing at your club then this could be the GI for you.

The Jiu Jitsu GI should be built using only the finest quality of cotton or other materials similar to it like rip stop cotton. A player cannot use material or additives included in the material to obstruct the opponent like using materials that are too stiff that will make it harder for your opponent to grip your GI. Common cotton materials used for a GI can be a single, gold, double or pearl weave.

A belt should be worn to keep the GI jacket closed, and the width of the belt should be at least 4 cm, up to 5 cm wide. It should be tied with two knots and no signs of wear should be seen from the belt. Any sign of wear anywhere in the GI jacket, trousers or belt will prohibit the player to start the fight.

The jacket should reach the thighs, and the sleeves should reach the wrists, even if you have to move your arms forward.

If you aim to place a patch on your GI jacket, you have to place it near the left upper arm or shoulder. If you want to place it on the right arm or shoulder, you have to make sure that it is in front. You can also put it in front or at the back of your belt, just make sure to put it below. You can also position it above the belt, but it should be at the back only. Some would also like to position their patch at the back and below the collar, and that is allowed as well.

No names of any kind can be placed anywhere on your GI, unless it is specified in the competiton. Nonetheless, patches can be used, but should also comply with the restrictions on where to put it. Information about this can be found below.

No pockets are allowable in any BJJ GI. A couple of BJJ GI companies have added ipod pockets to the inside of their GI jackets. Ive known people who have competed in IBJJF competitions and the refs have ripped out these pockets before the fight could begin.

The series of colors for a BJJ GI should only be used for both the jacket and the trousers. No color combination is allowed.

When choosing a Jiu Jitsu uniform, you have to consider some of the most crucial factors like the material, the weave, the GI trousers, the lapel, and the branding. Detailed information of the following factors for consideration is explained below.

The price of a typical Jiu Jitsu gi varies from one store to another. However, you can expect to fork out between £60-£130 for a good quality and professional Jiu Jitsu GI. However, if you are just starting out you can get a pretty decent starter GI for about £50 and theres some companies GIs in this price range that are very good quality.

It can be both simple and difficult to find the right Jiu Jitsu GI for you. I say that it is simple, because you can find a lot of sites and blogs displaying the professional players of Jiu Jitsu, wearing their signature GI, which you can use a guide to get your own GI. I say that it is difficult, because you will have to make sure when choosing your GI that it complies with the IBBJJF’s rules for tournament kimonos. Otherwise, you will just end up being eliminated from the competition, because the uniform that you are wearing did not comply with the standards of the IBJJF. I’ve known people who have gone to the Mundials and worn kimonos by big established companies and they was disqualified because their GI wasn’t IBJJF patch legal so be careful.

The Pants or Trousers – The trousers should be lightweight, and should be durable enough to withstand all the pulling and gripping that your opponent will do. A rope drawstring is the ideal drawstring for your tournament GI as they stay tied up a lot better than the flat rope types.

Weave – the weave is very important, because this will give you the kind of support and comfort during the tournament fight, and of course the longevity for your gi bjj. The better the weave, the less likely it will shrink. Also choosing the right weave can mean the difference to having a lightweight GI and a heavy GI. A general rule of thumb is to stick to pearl and single weaves for your tournament kimonos as they are ligh in weight and comfortable.

The branding – this is more of a individual preference, as this will not influence any aspect of your gi jiu jitsu, except for the style. Competition kimonos normally fall between 2 categories when it comes to branding. There either plain with no branding or they typicallyhave the fighters team patches on. But it’s entirely up to you.

You might be better off buying a dearer kimono because buying a cheap one might end up costing you more in the long run because you will need to replace it more often since this is a kind of sport that involves quick and strong moves, you might want to get something that can withstand that kind of stress and will not end up being torn. In this sport you get what you pay for.

The Gameness Single weave bjj gi is a very good entry level GI and is ideally suited for the BJJ beginner. The jacket is prepared from high quality single weave cotton and has a thick rubber lapel. The GI jacket is of medium weight and feels very soft and supple making it very comfortable to wear. The trousers are 8oz cotton and have toughened stress points and a rope waist tie. The Gameness single weave BJJ GI is great as an entry level BJJ GI or to add to your rotation of GIs if you train multiple times a week.

The Gameness feather BJJ GI is a very light BJJ GI that is ideal for competition or for hot summer days. It’s made from 475 gram pearl weave cotton that is light weight but also very soft and supple making it very comfortable to wear. The GI is very light making it an ideal GI if you cut weight when you fight. The jacket is made from a single piece of cloth making it very strong and it features the gameness logo on the chest shoulders and on branded tape on the skirt. The collar is finished from high quality rubber making the collar nice and stiff so it keeps its shape after many washes. The trousers are made from military grade rip stop and feature reinforced knee area and reinforced stitching on all the key stress points. This BJJ GI is fully tournament legal making it the ideal GI for competitions but if like me you like to train in a light weight GI then it can also be used for every day training.

The Gameness Elite is their flagship model and is one of the best BJJ GI available in the world today and features some very nice additions. The Elite GI jacket is made from high quality pearl weave cotton that is light in weight but also very strong and durable. A nice addition to the Elite jacket is a rash guard lining. As far as I know Gameness were the first gi bjj company to have a rash guard lining in their GIs and it’s a nice addition. It makes the GI very comfortable and helps prevent GI burns when you GI is rubbing on your skin. The GI jacket has branded patches on the shoulders, chest and back and also features branded tape inside the cuff of the sleeve and on the jacket skirt. The collar has a rubber insert that helps to keep the collars shape and also helps the GI dry faster. The trousers are made from rip stop cotton and are very light weight and the feature the games logo embroidered on the thigh and back of the lower leg. All in all the Gameness Elite is one of the best BJJ GI available but can be a bit expensive so if you can afford it then it’s definitely a GI worth considering.

The Gameness pearl weave BJJ GI is a great all rounder that can be used for competitions or every day use. The GI jacket is made from 550 gram pearl weave cotton so is somewhere between a light weight GI and a heavy GI. This GI will last you an absolute lifetime because the pearl weave used on this GI is very tough. The collar is a stiff rubber collar that will hold its shape and because of the stiffness it also makes it hard for your opponent to choke you with collar chokes. The GI jacket has Gameness patches on the shoulders and chest and branded tape on the skirt. The trousers are finished from very light rip stop cotton. This is one of most comfortable BJJ GIs I’ve ever tried and i would definitely recommend it.

Sometimes when sparring in a bjj gi there’s a need to disengage from the fight and the best way to do this is to stand in posture. An example of this is when your opponent is shutting down your sweeps and attacks because he has the weight and leverage advantage. This position is a battle of wills and you can waste a lot of energy. A way around this is to stand to posture. This is one of the most basic of techniques but it is also an essential one to learn. You should base with one of your arms and keep your opponent away with your other arm. When you try to stand you should keep good posture in your back and shoulders. This technique should be drilled on a weekly basis and added to your warm up.

When fighting in a bjj gi from your back its a good idea to become adequate in various attacks from the guard. Apart from the obvious benefits like submitting your opponent it attacks can also be used to setup sweeps and escapes. One of the main attacks from the guard is the arm bar. This is one of the very first techniques you will learn but you will also continue to use it through your training. When drilling the arm bar you should focus on doing all of the parts of the technique correctly, slowing down if you need to. You should focus on positioning hips to the side, apply downward pressure with your legs to stop your opponent from posturing up and control his arm properly. When you can do all of these key points correctly you can then add speed.

The triangle is another essential move that you should learn from the BJJ guard. It can be a very high percentage attack and should not be over looked. For it to be effective you will need to focus on learning the correct movements and learn to not rush or skip through them. The purpose of the triangle drill is to learn how to lift your hips in the air and then to shift your hips from side to side. A key point to remember is to bridge your hips high in the air because this allows you to snare your opponents head in case he postures up.

The omoplata shoulder lock is a very effective technique in Brazilian jiu jitsu. It is one of the first techniques you learn but its one that you will use throughout you fighting career. A great way to practice the omoplata is by doing it with no hands. By training it without the use of your hands you you build up the conditioning in your legs and get better at the movement because it can be an awkward movement to get used to.

One of the first things you will notice when you have someone in your closed guard is that they will try to control you by gripping you by your bjj gi most likely on your lapel and on your trousers. The idea behind this is that they can control your hips with the grip on your trousers and control you from sitting up with the grip on your lapel. If you allow your opponent to establish these grips then you’re making things so much harder for yourself because it’s harder to stop the grips than to break them. Stopping your opponent from getting these grips can be done in various ways and they include opening your GI out and by grip fighting.

As much as you try to stop your opponent establishing grips when in your guard there will be times when he will get the grips and you will need to know how to break his posture from this position. A great way to do this is by using his elbows to pull him forward. The way you do this is by taking an outside grip on his elbows and simultaneously opening out his elbows and drawing him with your legs. Another point to remember is that you should move your head to the side opposite to the side that you’re moving your opponent to, to avoid his head colliding with yours.

There will be times when your opponent will be stronger than you and certain techniques will be made harder because of the difference in strength. A great way to counter this difference in strength is to gain head control. This can be done by slipping one of your arms underneath one of his arms and then reaching round the back of his head and pulling him on to you. One other thing to consider is his other arm this can sometimes give you problems the best way to counter these problems before they happen is to use your free arm and to control his arm by gripping his sleeve.

If your opponent is determined to keep his posture in your guard then it can get very difficult to break him down this is why you will need to know different techniques to achieve your goal. As you progress in your bjj gi you will not only want to survive you will want to attack and submit your opponent. A great way to do this from guard is to use the whizzer control. This is done by wrapping your arm around your opponents and then gripping his lapel. This is a great way to control your opponent and to also trap his arm and this position can then be used to setup various submissions including arm bars, triangles and omoplatas.

Using your opponent’s bjj gi collar to choke him is a highly effective way to finish him. It’s important with most collar chokes to get a deep first grip on the collar and also to position the blade of your wrist across one of his carotid arteries. The second grip is also important it doesn’t have to be as deep because the second grip is used as the stabilizer. Once both grips are established your draw your opponent towards you and open out your elbows and this is what creates the pressure on his carotid arteries and severs the blood to the brain. Although there are a lot of defences to collar chokes they are great for setting up other attacks. To stop the attack your opponent will have to uses his hands to release the pressure from your hands and it’s from this position you can normally transition to an arm bar or triangle choke.

Arm chokes include arm triangles and guillotines. To establish either of these techniques you will need to close the distance between you both. This can be done either by sitting up or by dragging him down. Like all other chokes its best practice to keep constant pressure when applying them. Another mistake most people make is to apply either choke when flat on their back. This can cause unnecessary pressure for you so the best way to counter this is to apply the choke when you’re on your side.

One of the most popular and effective chokes in a bjj gi is the triangle choke. Most people can get to the position triangle choke position but have problems with the finish. One of the main things to remember is to control your opponents head otherwise they can posture out of it. The next thing to consider is your position. Most people try to finish from being directly in front of your opponent. This creates two problems. Firstly it allows your opponent to stack you and you definitely don’t want to be stacked and secondly it makes it harder to get the finish because it’s hard to get your leg directly across his neck. A lot of the time if you’re in front of your opponent your leg will be partly on his neck and partly down his back and this will not get the choke. The best way to get the best position and get the finish is to angle your body off to the side. This helps in two ways. Firstly it stops the ability for your opponent to stack you and secondly you can get the best angle to position your leg across his neck.

The Guillotine is one of the most popular attacks in a bjj gi and is also one of the first chokes you learn but will always stay effective through your career. Marcello Garcia is known for the Guillotine and uses to beat some of the world’s best. An ideal position to use the guillotine is from the closed guard. If he’s keeping good posture you can sit up in to him and his natural reaction is to drive you back down and this is the ideal time to wrap your arm around his neck and go for the guillotine attack. It’s important to cup your palm over his chin and pull his head deep in to your arm pit this helps to secure the head and also make a tight choke.

The Arm Triangle is an effective move in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and can be done from the top position like the mount or from the closed guard although it’s harder to finish from the closed guard than it is from the top. This choke works is by using one of your arms to cut off the blood from one side of the neck and also by using one of his own arms to cut off the other side of his necks blood supply. This is a very effective technique but a lot of people tend to struggle with it. The reason for this is that they use their entire squeeze straight away on the choke but the key to an effective choke is to squeeze at a constant pressure.

The Leg Triangle is one of the most effective attacks in BJJ and can be done in a BJJ GI or in No-Gi. It can be a devastating move when done correctly. It involves wrapping one of your legs around your opponent’s neck and then locking your foot underneath your other knee. Once you have the position locked you the pull down on your opponent’s neck and this applies the choke.

Collar chokes are awesome chokes that can be done from various positions in BJJ but they require the use of the bjj gi collar to apply the choke. There are also variations of collar chokes that use one grip of the collar and one grip not on the collar but on another part of the BJJ GI.

The Rear Naked Choke is one of the most popular and effective attacks to use in BJJ GI Jiu Jitsu and also in NO-GI and MMA. The reason that the RNC is so effective is that it is done when you have control of your opponent from his back and it’s this that makes it harder from him to defend his self. This choke is done by putting your arm under your opponents chin and then putting the hand of that arm in the elbow crease of your other arm and then squeezing from there.

The Peruvian neck tie is a similar attack to the guillotine but instead of being in front of your opponent you’re to the side of him and you place your leg over his head. This applies more pressure to the choke and it also stops him from being able to roll out of the technique. This choke is popular in BJJ but probably even more popular in Mixed Martial Arts.

Flagship Models – Black ops, Limited Edition Braulio Estima and Avenger Gi

Colours – Currently Submission Sniper only produce white and black BJJ Gi’s but with their rise in popularity I am sure that they will start to produce blue and navy blue Gi’s.

Materials Gi Top – The Submission Sniper Braulio Gi’s are made from a very nice 450GSM pearl weave material that is light in weight and also very soft and supple to the touch. The Avenger Gi is made from a very light Gold weave. The gold weave used is very soft but also very strong. The Gi jacket has a tailored fit so that sleeves are nice and tight to the arms. All of the joins are triple stitched so that they are built to last.

Materials Trousers – The trousers are made from a very light 8oz cotton material and have a double lied knee area for extra strength and durability.

Patches – All of the patches are fully embroidered and have double stitch lines and are a lot stronger than most other patches.

I think that Submission Sniper makes excellent bjj gi and i can see big things from them in the near future. Their Gi’s are very well made and excellent value for money. One thing they could do to further the brand is add more variation in colours but I’m sure they will do this in the not too distant future.