Sanabul vs Elite Gi: The Best BJJ Gi for the Money (2023)

This article is to compare the Sanabul vs Elite Gi… and answer which one is the best BJJ Gi for the money.

I needed a new plain white Gi without patches. Something cost effective.

A bit of research and it was pretty clear that these 2 are finalists for the best BJJ Gi for beginners…

… but I was surprised to find out that BOTH are worn by some pretty well known BJJ practitioners (including John Danaher).

The costs are almost identical… so what are the key differences?

Let’s get started:

Product Name

Price

Availability

Store

Rating

Title 1

20$

1 Piece

Store Name

Title 2

20$

1 Piece

Store Name

Title 3

20$

1 Piece

Store Name

Title 4

20$

1 Piece

Store Name

This article is to compare the Sanabul vs Elite Gi… and answer which one is the best BJJ Gi for the money.

I needed a new plain white Gi without patches. Something cost effective.

A bit of research and it was pretty clear that these 2 are finalists for the best BJJ Gi for beginners…

… but I was surprised to find out that BOTH are worn by some pretty well known BJJ practitioners (including John Danaher)

The costs are almost identical… so what are the key differences?

Let’s get started:

[2019 June Update: If you use the Elite Sports Coupon Code MIDYEAR10 there’s 10% off… click here to see if the sale is still on]

Comparison Table: ‘Sanabul Essentials v.2 Ultra Light Gi’ vs ‘Elite Sports IBJJF Ultra Light Gi’

Customer Ratings: Sanabul vs Elite Gi

At the time of writing this the Sanabul Essentials Gi has a rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars.

The Elite Sports Gi has a rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars.

That’s still pretty good (for both of them).

The difference is because the Sanabul Essential v2 only gets a 3.9 out of 5 for ‘Craftsmanship’.

Reading the reviews you see pretty quickly that ‘Craftsmanship’ refers to how their Gi’s fit (more on that below).

Winner: The Elite Sports Gi (just)

Sizing and Fit: Sanabul Essentials v2 is BIG Compared with the Elite Sports Gi’s

Sanabul Gi sizes are a little different from every other Gi in the market

[That’s a quote directly from their website]

While 87% of customers say the Elite Sports Gi fits as expected…

… only 72% of customers say the Sanabul Essentials v2 fits as expected

[just under 20% say it’s ‘somewhat large’ or ‘too large’]

That being said… Sanabul don’t hide the fact that their Gi’s are like this:

Our Gi’s tend to run a little larger than some of the other brands, so we created a size guide that is more extensive than any other brand

[Other user reviews indicate that when the right chart is used the Sanabul Essentials v2 Gi fits as expected]

Sanabul Essentials BJJ Gi Size Chart
* Click to visit Amazon

This means that in the Sanabul Essentials v2 I’m a size A2…

… but in the Elite Sports Gi (and most other brands) I’m an A3:

Elite Sports BJJ Gi Size Chart
* Click to visit Amazon

Read: How Do BJJ Gi Sizes Work?

Winner: It’s a draw (so long as you use the Sanabul Gi Sizing Chart)

Can you use both the Sanabul Essentials v2 Gi and the Elite Sports Gi in IBJJF competitions?

No. The Sanabul Essentials v2 has a different color gusset/crotch area which is not allowed under IBJJF rules.

Sanabul Essentials V.2 Ultra Light Jiu Jitsu Gi Black

It can only be used for training (or in other competitions that don’t enforce the IBJJF rules)

[Sanabul do make another Gi that is IBJJF approved. Check out their Sanabul Highlights Pro Competition Gi]

Winner: The ‘Elite Sports IBJJF Ultra Light BJJ Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Gi’ (hint: it’s even got IBJJF in its full name!)

The Free Belt Factor: Sanabul vs. Elite Sports Gi

Elite Sports give you a white belt.

Sanabul include ANY color belt.

Personally, this is a non-issue for me

If you’ve earned a Blue / Purple / Brown / Black Belt… you probably already have one.

But: I guess having a spare to keep in your gym bag COULD be handy…

Winner: Sanabul Essentials v.2

Good things both the Sanabul Essentials v2 and Elite Sports Gi have in common:

Both of these Gi’s are:

  • Pre-shrunk
  • Single weave
  • Ultra light weight
  • Treated with anti-microbial agents
  • Treated with anti-odor agents

Pretty much… if there was only one to choose from, I’d give either as the best BJJ for the money

But since we’re choosing…

Verdict: Which is the best BJJ Gi for the money… Sanabul vs. Elite Gi?

To be honest they’re pretty well even.

Here’s how I’m looking at it:

For training only:

I like the Sanabul Essentials v2 Gi

For training AND competition:

The obvious choice is getting an Elite Sports Gi

[If you’re going to buy, be sure to use the Elite Sports Coupon Code MIDYEAR10 for 10% off]

Comment below if you have any questions about the Sanabul vs Elite Gi…

…since I’ll be getting one of each I’ll definitely be able to tell you which is the best BJJ Gi for the money!

10 thoughts on “Sanabul vs Elite Gi: The Best BJJ Gi for the Money (2023)”

  1. Lol..Elite Gi’s are not ALL ibjjf approved. The black gi can’t be worn unless youre a brown or black belt. The navy blue, grey or pink is also not ibjjf certified for competition.

    Reply
    • Hi John,

      You’re right about the navy blue, grey, or pink… these aren’t IBJJF approved

      For the Black Gi, I found this on the IBJJF website for rules for all grades: “The Gi should be completely white, royal blue or black”

      The only time a Black Gi can’t be worn: “In the adult black belt divisions (mens and women’s), the event’s organizers may demand that athletes have two gis of different colors (one royal blue and the other white), in order to distinguish between the two athletes in a match.”

      That being said, some clubs have different rules about the color of the Gi that can be worn

      Reply
    • Hi John, I thought the same thing too!

      Sure, they’re not a limited edition Shoyoroll or anything, but when I started to do a lot of research they kept on coming up with good reviews. I thought of them as a good Gi for beginners, and some really legitimate BJJ practitioners use their gear (here are some of them).

      It looks like they’ve got a pretty heavy presence on Amazon, but to be honest I’d buy directly from their site

      I don’t have one yet, but I’ve ordered one… I’ll be able to let you know soon if they’re decent or not

      Reply

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