Tatami Fightwear, UK-based purveyor of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Judo and MMA clothing, offers an impressive range of women’s products. Tatami’s latest addition to their women’s line is the Zero G lightweight gi, advertised by Tatami as the ‘lightest ladies BJJ gi in the world’. The Zero G, at £63, can make an affordable addition to a BJJ-woman’s wardrobe.

Tatami Zero G Women's Gi
Tatami Zero G Women's Gi

Zero G Features

The Zero G kimono includes some interesting features, two of which stand out for me.

  1. The drawstring.
    The drawstring is a thick nylon cord. This is great, as it stays securely tied throughout training and sparring, but it is also easy to untie; I find that the cotton drawstrings of many gi get very difficult to loosen once they’re soaked in sweat, yet the knots often unravel during training. There is a generous drawstring channel so that the cord lays flat and can be easily tightened or loosened.
  2. The waistband.
    The trousers are cut to have a slightly higher waistband at the back. This cut made them exceedingly comfortable.

As is normal for lightweight gi, the lower thread count of the weave makes for a somewhat stiff fabric, so a rashguard – versus a crop top – will allow you more comfort in your roll. Finally, the Zero G weighed in at 1.3kgs on my scale and each gi comes with its own pack bag, which is a nice touch.

Tatami Zero G drawstrings
Secure cords for drawstrings

Zero G Fit

The Zero G jacket has a tailored fit, designed to give ‘maximum competitive advantage’ by reducing material available for your opponent’s grips. For me, I really liked the tapered waist of the jacket, but found that it fit a bit like a small men’s jacket, rather than a purpose-made women’s jacket, i.e. it was wider at the shoulders and much tighter round the hips than I would ideally prefer.[1] I found this fit somewhat uncomfortable and restrictive during rolling. The trousers, however, as I noted in the previous section, are extremely comfortable and didn’t disrupt my mobility in any way.

Zero G Size

Tatami gi are not preshrunk, but the size guide seems to accurately account for this. I washed the gi at 30 degrees, as per manufacturer’s instructions. The jacket and trousers both lost about 2 centimeters overall.

Measurements Before(cm) After(cm)
collar to cuff 69 67
shoulder to skirt bottom 76.5 75
front waist to leg bottom 86.5 84.5
back waist to leg bottom 90 88
A shrimp shrimps
A shrimp shrimps

Conclusions

The Zero G is an attractive-looking gi, with minimalist and IBJJF-compliant ‘bling’. It is also very affordable. To me, it has some distinguishing features, notably nicely designed trousers, as well as some drawbacks as regards the fit of the jacket. If you are looking for a lightweight gi for competition time or for weathering the last of summer’s heat that won’t break the bank, then the Tatami Zero G might be for you.

Disclaimer

Thanks very much to Tatami for inviting me to review their Zero G women’s gi. All reviews are based on my independent observations. I have no formal qualifications, I am not sponsored by any company and I do not endorse any one brand. If you chose a gi based on my review, please let the manufacturer know that MegJitsu persuaded you. This will not benefit me financially, but can help me to get more gi to review. As always, thanks for reading.

[1] For reference, I am 5’4.5″/163cm, 130lbs/60kgs and have bust, waist and hip measurements of 34″/86.4cm, 27″/68.6cm and 36″/91.4cm; this review is of the F3.

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