Cool BJJ Rash Guards; How to pick a quality Jiu Jitsu rash guard

Posted by Surya Sharma on July 21, 2022

Cool BJJ Rash Guards: How to pick one!

We should start with a disclaimer, best rash guards for BJJ are ultimately a personal preference. Some people prefer a rash guard that has a compression fit for support. While other prefer a BJJ rash guard that is softer light looser material tailored to mobility.

We have spent years developing rash guards for BJJ. During this time we have learnt a few things we thought might be helpful when trying to decide which BJJ rash guard to choose, whether one of ours or not! So with some many BJJ rash guards on the market, some cool and some well not so much, how do you find a comfortable, durable and stylish rash guard for jiu jitsu? Here’s our breakdown to get you started.

When looking for a new Jiu Jitsu rash guard we always try to consider the following areas.

Fit: Is a medium a medium? Do I need to size up or down?
Construction: Are there side panels, durable stitching or anti slip silicon waist lining?
Material: Is it soft and ‘stretchy’ or smooth and supportive?
Design: Do I really want to wear a BJJ rash guards with dragons and Pokemon? Or are there other stylish options out there?

Fit:

Sadly there are no universal measurements for sizing. This is not just for BJJ rash guards. A medium rash guard will vary from brand to brand so it is important to know your measurements and ask each brand for a rash guard size chart if one is not available.

Also consider the material. More ‘stretchy’ lighter fabrics such as polyester may have more flex and be able to go up and down sizes easier. Where as a heavier spandex may have less give and therefor only stay true to the size it is.

Construction:

So what exactly are the details that make a rash guard a BJJ rash guards and not a compression top or surf rash guard?

Firstly, flatlock stitching is crucial. Given the amount of movement and friction involved with BJJ training, a Jiu Jitsu rash guards needs to be constructed well enough to withstand this. A big part of this is the stitching. Flatlock stitching is a specific type of stitch that is more durable as it has an over lock stitch. The inside of a rash guard with flatlock stitching won’t irritate you during your bjj training, as the name suggests it stays flat to the fabric.

You may also hear brands refer to ‘reinforced stitching throughout’. When we use this term we are referencing the number of threads used in the stick. The sewing process on a BJJ rash guard is quit tricky. Each factory will have a designated team or person to handle the stitching. The type of machine the factory has will also dictate the number of threads used. A well constructed BJJ rash guard should have an over lock and at least 4 threads. We have found less than this and the stitching breaks or comes un travelled.

The second key feature of a BJJ rash guard is a multi-panel construction. Unlike a t-shirt or many compression top a BJJ rash guard should at least have a side panel. The extra panels on a BJJ rash guard are essentially designed to follow the contours of your body and joints to allow better mobility. You may see panels on the back shoulders as well as the side panel.

Aside from these key details a cool BJJ rash guard may also have a silicone waistband to stop it riding up during training which we feature on all of our rash guards. Another cool detail we have seen on some bjj rash guards are mesh fabrics on the armpit areas to enhance cooling, and is made from four-way stretch material to be comfortable when rolling. Sanabul and Hyperfly have featured these on some of their products which we would recommend checking out.

Material:

Fact of the matter is the majority of BJJ rash guards are made from synthetic materials, so what are some cool features to look out for that will differentiate one rash guard from another?

Some of the better BJJ rash guard we have seen are also SPF 50 meaning you can wear it outside and still be protected from the sun which is a cool details we have seen on some Phalanx, as well as out own, rash guards.

Polyester has come a long way since the terrible 80s tracksuits. We have tried some cool BJJ rash guards that are 100% polyester and have felt very soft. We noticed the 100% polyester rash guards tended to feel softer and have a greater stretch than other materials. Over time however we did notice they stretch out a little. So if you are looking for cool BJJ rash guards with a ‘looser’ fit we recommend trying one that is polyester.

The vast majority of other rash guards, including ours, seem to have a ployester/lycra mix, typically 80% polyester and 20% lycra. We have found this material has a little more of a compression feel to it, which I personally think is cool in a rash guard as being older with injuries I like the extra support.

Other cool points to note in a BJJ was guard that Elite has done, includes trading their BJJ rash guards to make them antimicrobial and antifungal, which can help protect from skin conditions when on the mat.

Lastly a four-way stretch fabric is a must for any Jiu Jitsu rash guard. BJJ rash guards need to be made of a stretchy material to last hours of jiu jitsu training. For this reason any BJJ rash guards worth its salt should be made from a fabric that stretches both length and width. This is usually a blend of polyester and spandex (or lycra/elastane as it’s known outside in the US). Many high quality rash guards will use a blend of 80% polyester and 20% spandex, but some brands might use different proportions of each.

Design:

There are so many rash guards out there and while you may think dragons and Pokemon on a rash guard is cool, we personally look for balanced bold colors with a more clean design in a cool BJJ rash guard. That said if you are looking for more bold designs we highly recommend fellow New Yorkers, Half Sumo for somer really cool BJJ rash guard designs.

Half Sumo is a New York based BJJ brand really cool BJJ rash guard designs. They have some really cool illustrations and color ways including retro arcade theme illustrations, showing various submissions in a Streetfighter combo style. Half Sumo rash guards have a lot of other cool designs featuring Japanese-inspired artworks and are definitely worth checking out if looking for a BJJ rash guard.

A must have for any cool BJJ rash guard company is a ranked ideally IBJJF competition compliant. IBJJF can have some pretty tight rules for BJJ rash guards. To summarize they must have at least 10% of the ranked color. So when looking for a competition rash guard at least the sleeves and position of the side panel should be of color rank. To help here is the link to their uniform guide.

As the rules are a tight it can often be hard to find a cool rashguard the is IBJJF compliant. In our opinion we ave found a solution to this with our ranked sets. By adding subtle details to these BJJ rash guards, such as gradients and bold color stitching these BJJ rash guards are a cool option for your competition needs.

The last cool BJJ rash guard option we have seen on the market are customizable Jiu Jitsu rash guards. Naturally our custom competition rash guards are a cool option! But if you are looking for another cool BJJ rash guard option check out the Future Under Dawg 2.0. The Under Dawg 2.0 is BJJ rash guards is an improved version of the first generation Under Dawg with even more customization options. There are 21 different cool patterns to choose from including our favorite, tiger stripes! The personalization options allow you to choose a country flag, city, name on the chest and even add your instagram handle.

In summary, what essential features should a cool bjj rash guard have?