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Tatami Nova BJJ Gi Review

After spending far too much time researching UK based BJJ Gi suppliers, as well as soliciting advice from several people, I plumped for a Tatami Nova as my first real Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Gi.

The Nova is, by all accounts, one of the most dependable inexpensive gi on the market. I've only racked up about 15 hours of jiu jitsu mat time and given that I only train once a week, the Nova seemed to be a sensible choice. I wanted something friendly on the wallet as well as relatively plain. The Nova ticked the boxes, though it does come with patches on the shoulders and trousers (which I have subsequently removed).

On paper, the Tatami Nova looks like the perfect beginner Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Gi; maybe even the perfect gi for the occasional student - you know, the one who isn't on the mat every day. How does it perform? I've got an old Shogun gi from about 10 years ago. I've long since forgotten what size it was (and the label has faded past the point of recognition). I'll compare the Nova against this old school fellow because, really, that's all I have to compare it to. Hope you enjoy it.

First impression

The gi looks good. Crisp. Very white compared to my Shogun. It's a light gi. The old Shogun is heavy. Sort of like donning armour. The collar is injected rubber and feels nice and firm to grip. The actual material is softer to the touch than my old Shogun.
The Nova in all its glorious packaging

Measure Up 

I used Tatami's online tool to grab my size. I'm an A2.
Tatami's Gi Size Descriptor
My measurements of the gi straight out the bag. In brackets are Tatami's measurements off their website.
A: 169cm (168cm)
B: 80cm ( 82cm)
F: 55cm ( 56cm)
G: 62cm ( 64cm)
H: 99cm ( 98cm)

Which really only confirms that I can use a tape measure with a reasonable level of success :)

Jacket 

I'm roughly 174cm. The gi fits me well. Just a tiny bit too long on the arms if I were to be particularly picky. The cut is good. So much shorter in the skirt than my Shogun and more fitted around the body. The sleeves are narrower too, which is a good thing - less material to grab. There's good triple stitching going on inside the cuff and some nice re-enforcement at inside the armpit and at the skirt cut point. The collar is thicker than the old Shogun, but also nicer to grip. New rubber injected collar vs old cotton wadding or maybe just that solid core that Jiu Jitsu gives you :). All in all, it's definitely more customised towards Brazilian Jiu Jitsu rather than Judo or Aikido as my Shogun was.
Tatami on top of the Shogun - BJJ for a slimmer you!

Collars - Nova on the inside, just a little thicker

Back of the Nova; Dazzling white compared to the Shogun

Where do we keep our armies? Up our sleevies of course. Nova on top.

Cuff stitching
Stitching at the cuff. Shogun underneath. The Nova has sturdy looking triple stitching going on. To be fair, though, the Shogun has never once shown any signs of ripping despite being yanked all over the mat. Reinforcements at the skirt split:
Nova's skirt re-enforcements
Some extra around the armpit.

Trousers 

These fit perfectly. There's a rope drawstring that is far longer than it needs to be for my middle (not that I'm super slim or anything - I'm a comfortable 34 inch normally). It ties easy. Two belt loops in the front. I've read that more belt loops are a nice to have. Can't really comment on that though, since I don't have other gi trousers with more loops to compare it to. There's extra material on the knees, as you would expect in a grappling styled gi, Slightly longer than the old Shogun as seen in the blurry photo.
The Nova, longer in the legs - all the better to sweep you with.

Nitpicks 

None really. For the price, it seems good quality. There were a couple of loose threads, but I can see them posing any sort of problem. The drawstring on the trousers is really, really long. I expect I will trim it at some point.

The First Wash 

I did a first wash at 30 degrees and then hung dry. No discernible shrinkage, so that's good. Dries quicker than the old Shogun.

Rolling 

 The all important first roll. Guys at the gym noticed my new gi. Plus points for fashion and style woohooo. I feel better without the Shogun floating around me like a too large jacket making me look like the gawky teenager I could never pass for with my greying hair.

The rather sparkling new gi held up well I thought. The usual white belt on the mat getting trumped by blue and black belts occurred with all the requisite sleeve grabbing, jacket yanking and lapel choking.

The Nova didn't have any impact on my movement per se. I never felt constricted or lost in the gi - in fact it basically just stayed out of the way. The free belt that comes with it seemed good. Tied tight and didn't need a re-tie for the hour and a half roll.

Conclusion 

The Nova seems like a well constructed gi. I think the fit on me is perfect. I'm hardly in the most athletic shape, being 74kg. I carry a little excess in the middle, so the Nova isn't, as I've read here and there, cut too slim. I would say the gi is just there. It's got no remarkable bling, no fancy motifs. Even the patches came off easy. If I were to say anything about the gi, I would say it embodies the kind of Jiu Jitsu I hope to attain - solid, uncomplicated and dependable.
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