We all know that I am a bit of gi addict and what better reason to buy a new gi than getting back into BJJ competition! I have several Gr1ps gi’s already including the Ara and the Arte Suave so it made sense to consider the Italian as my new competition gi. So this is how it performed….
The blurb regarding this gi is that its a great option for both seasoned professionals or beginners. As I mentioned above I bought this gi for competition and it is IBJJF legal. As with most Gr1ps gis it features sublimated padding on the shoulders and the trousers to provide extra comfort. It also has triple stitching and reinforced bartacks at all stress points.
The jacket is a 100% cotton pearl weave whilst the trousers are a ripstop material with the usual gr1ps padded drawstring. The wrists and ankles have custom folded tape stitched in to help 
prevent taping. Overall the gi has subtle Gr1p designs and branding which is great if you want to add your own club and affiliation patches to it.
Straight out of the bag it seemed a little larger than my previous Gr1ps gi’s. The trousers fitted well but if I’m honest the jacket felt just a little bit big (both in the width and the sleeves) so I was hoping some slight shrinkage during washing.
In terms of those all-important measurements:
| Out of the Bag | After 3 Washes | |
|---|---|---|
| Body Length | 70.5 cm | 70 cm |
| Body Width | 58.5 cm | 55.5 cm |
| Wing Span | 158.5 cm | 152.5 cm |
| Sleeve Length | 49 cm | 48 cm |
| Cuff Width | 16.5 cm | 16 cm |
| Inside Leg | 71 cm | 70.5 cm |
| Outside Leg | 96 cm | 95 cm |
| Pant Width | 18.5 cm | 18.5 cm |
*3 Washes = cold wash, tumble spin and air drying. For Gi Map click here.
Gr1ps claim that this gi is steamed and pre-washed for a more tailored fit (and minimum shrinkage). As you can see from the sizing chart this was true definitely in the length of the gi (both trousers and pants). But the jacket did shrink width wise resulting for me in a much better fitting gi by the time I competed in Barcelona. I can definitely say that this gi performed to expectations. Despite being slightly longer in the sleeves initially the gi survived numerous tough competition classes and after several washes, I did compete in it and had no hiccups at all with its performance. It also flew through the IBJJF competition gi checks.
This gi has prove itself in both competition and hard training. So if you’re after a new competition gi or simply a reliable gi with minimal branding for all-around training then it is definitely on to consider. You can buy this gi directly from Gr1ps were it is reduced to 119 euros (around £104) although you can still catch it from other stockists including Amazon.
BJJ Minion 