BJJ: no gloves, no shin guards, a genuinely different kit
Every other page on this site is built around striking. BJJ and no-gi grappling aren't — there's no punching or kicking to pad against, so the kit list starts from a completely different set of questions.
Gi or no-gi changes almost everything
- Gi training — the jacket-and-trousers uniform (gi or kimono) is the core piece of kit, gripped and used as a tool in the grappling itself. Fit and durability matter more than style; a gi that's too loose gives an opponent easy grips, one that's too tight restricts movement.
- No-gi training — trades the gi for a rash guard and grappling shorts or spats, prioritising a snug, low-friction fit with nothing loose to grab.
Most grapplers eventually train both and own kit for each — they're different games with different grip rules, not just a wardrobe choice. Some clubs run gi and no-gi as genuinely separate classes with different etiquette and even different belt-progression expectations; check what your school actually teaches on which nights before assuming one gi covers everything you'll do there.
Gi weight and weave, in general terms
Gis are commonly available in lighter and heavier weaves — lighter gis trade some durability for being cooler and less draining to move in over a long session, heavier gis trade some of that comfort for durability under repeated, hard gripping. Neither is objectively correct; climate, how many sessions a week the gi sees, and personal preference all play a part. This is a genuine case for trying before committing to a particular weight, rather than assuming heavier always means better.
The rest of the kit
- Rash guard — worn under the gi or as the top layer in no-gi; manages mat friction and hygiene. See training apparel for fabric and fit basics that apply here too.
- Grappling shorts or spats — a secure, non-riding waistband matters more than in most striking sports, given how much time is spent in ground exchanges.
- Mouthguard — less universally worn than in striking sports, but genuinely worth it once live rolling gets competitive; clashing heads and stray knees happen on the mats too.
- Ear protection — some grapplers use headgear or ear guards to reduce friction-related ear trauma ("cauliflower ear") from repeated grip and pressure on the ears; a personal-preference item rather than a universal requirement.
- Knee sleeves — light compression support many grapplers wear for comfort through repeated kneeling, sprawling and pivoting. See ankle, wrist and knee supports for what compression actually does and doesn't do.
Hygiene gear is not an afterthought here
Grappling puts more skin-to-mat and skin-to-skin contact time into a session than any striking sport on this site, which makes basic hygiene kit — a gym towel, flip-flops for anywhere that isn't the mat itself, and washing gi or rash guard after every single use rather than every few — a genuinely practical part of the kit list, not a nice-to-have. See gear maintenance & replacement for washing guidance that keeps fabric-heavy grappling kit in good shape.
Competing changes the kit list too
BJJ and grappling competitions typically run their own rules on legal gi cut and colour, permitted grips, and sometimes weight-class-linked equipment checks — genuinely separate from whatever your gym trains in day to day. As with every other sport on this site, confirm an event's specific requirements directly with the organiser or your coach well before competing rather than assuming your regular training gi and habits carry straight across; see fight camp & competition prep for the general pattern.
What you genuinely don't need
Gloves, shin guards, headgear (in the boxing sense) and groin belts common to striking sports simply don't apply to pure grappling. If your gym blends grappling into an MMA curriculum, that's a different kit list — see MMA.
Buying order for a new grappler
- A rash guard and grappling shorts (or spats) — covers your first no-gi classes.
- A gi, once you know your gym trains gi and you're staying — check with your school on any grading or brand-neutral requirements before buying.
- A mouthguard once rolling gets live and competitive.
- Knee sleeves or ear protection only if a specific joint or your ears start giving you trouble — not by default.
If cost is a factor in that order, the general spend-where-it-matters logic in budget vs investment gear applies to a gi purchase as much as it does to gloves in a striking sport.
Belts, stripes and rank items
A BJJ belt is normally awarded by your instructor as part of your progress in the gi, not chosen or bought to a self-assessed rank — turning up in a belt colour your coach hasn't given you is a genuine faux pas on the mats. If your gi didn't come with a belt, ask your school what's appropriate rather than guessing from what you've seen worn elsewhere.