If you are in a hurry and just want to find out what the best jiu jitsu rash guard for preventing chafing is, then I’d recommend the Sanabul rash guard as the best one.
Although most of the professionals still compete in trunks, rash guards are gaining a lot of popularity in the world of mixed martial arts.
Not only do they prevent contagious rashes (as the name implies), they also keep your skin from chafing.
Let’s take a look at five products and attempt to determine which is the best jiu jitsu rash guard.
Here are the top best jiu jitsu rash guards we’ll be reviewing:
- Sanabul Essentials Long Sleeve Compression Rash Guard
- Elite Sports Long Sleeve Compression Rash Guard
- Roar BJJ Rash Guards
- Gold BJJ Jiu Jitsu Rashguard – Camo Rash Guard
- Optimal Human BJJ Jiu Jitsu Long Rashguard
Choosing the Best Jiu Jitsu Rash Guard
Before we attempt to find the best jiu jitsu rash guard, let’s think about our decision.
This type of training shirt tends to be pretty cheap, but there’s no sense in wasting your time or money if such can be avoided.
Let’s discuss the qualities that you should look for when looking for a new rash guard.
High Durability
Your rash guard has to take a lot more abuse and strain than most shirts ever will. As a result, durability is far more important than any other quality.
If you buy a cheap rash guard, you can be sure that it will soon be hanging from your body in tatters.
Why does this kind of thing happen?
It happens because some companies fail to reinforce the stitching on their products.
When you are thinking about buying a rash guard, make sure to turn it inside out and take a very close look at all the stitchings.
At every place where two pieces meet, check to make sure that there is more than one line of stitching.
The more reinforcement you see, the more likely the product is to survive.
The durability factor is even more important when you consider the fact that a rash guard is meant to protect you from the transmission of skin diseases.
People can carry all sorts of rashes and skin infections, sometimes without even being affected.
They often tend to bring these microbes into the training hall without even realizing that there is a problem.
Thus, your rash guard becomes like a piece of armor that helps to shield you from the risk of disease.
Stretchiness is another important quality. A rash guard without an elastic material is basically just another shirt.
While all of these shirts are meant to stretch, there is a question of degree.
In many ways, this could be compared to the practice of stretching before a training session.
The purpose of the stretch is to develop flexibility so that you will have less risk of damage to your body.
This works because a flexible limb can bend a lot farther before it suffers damage.
Likewise, a flexible fabric can stretch a lot farther before it rips.
Remember: Steel is only strong because it is flexible.
Breathable Fabric
When we think about the qualities of a good rash guard, we should ask ourselves why the old-school MMA guys didn’t wear shirts:
Because they would soon become soaked in sweat and become uncomfortable. Besides, it’s an extra weight that you don’t need slowing you down.
Therefore, a training shirt must be made of a breathable fabric.
Some rash guards are much more breathable than others.
To be honest, the most effective test would be to wrap the shirt around your head and see if you can breathe, but that’s not a good idea.
There is, however, a much more sensible test that you can perform.
You just put some water in a cup, cover the cup with the fabric, and wait to see how quickly the water evaporates.
The Correct Fit
This factor is largely a matter of personal preference, but it will make a big difference in terms of your comfort level.
If your rash guard is too tight, it will constrict your breathing and cause you to get winded far more easily.
In a competitive match, this is absolutely not acceptable. The best jiu jitsu rash guard will be the one that you can forget.
On the other hand, a loose rash guard will tend to be rolled up and moved.
In fact, it could even impede your vision if it gets caught and pulled.
Of course, any good referee will not allow you to be choked out with your shirt, but it’s still very undignified and keeps the shirt from fulfilling its intended purpose.
A Word About Appearance
Everyone has their preferences when it comes to appearance, but we recommend several things.
First, you should generally avoid rash guards with fancy screen-printed designs.
Yes, they do look very nice, but they don’t tend to stay looking nice for long.
Even under the best of circumstances, screen printed decals will eventually crack and peel away.
Under the hard conditions of the training hall, they will degrade much faster.
Just think about the friction that will be put against those decals in the course of a single bout!
The Best Jiu Jitsu Rash Guards Reviewed
Sanabul Essentials Long Sleeve Compression Rash Guard
You couldn’t ask for a better-looking rash guard than the Sanabul Essentials Long Sleeve Compression Rash Guard.
Without any decals or fancy gimmicks, this one has a look that is plain and stylish at the same time.
Sanabul is a good company to buy from in this case, because their products are specifically designed for jiu jitsu practitioners.
Incidentally, this one is IBJJF-legal.
As a nice little bonus, they made this thing UV-resistant so that it can be used outdoors.
Ventilation is great, thanks to the mesh underarms. However, the fit can be a little tight.
Careful size selection will certainly help with this, but the collar rides pretty high. The feeling of cloth against the neck might be irritating to some.
Thus, you might have a problem when you get a larger size to avoid this irritation, only to wind up tangled in your shirt during a match.
Pros
- Very nice appearance with no decals
- Trusted brand with sufficient experience
- Mesh underarms
- UV protection
Cons
- Fit can be a little tight
- Collar rides a little high
Elite Sports Long Sleeve Compression Rash Guard
Elite Sports Long Sleeve Compression Rash Guard is another rash guard that offers a stylish design without anything fancy or garish.
You have your choice of several colors, but the color only shows on the shoulder-pieces. Speaking of these shoulder-pieces, we aren’t sure if these are good or bad.
On the plus side, they provide extra reinforcement at a spot where it is definitely needed.
On the other hand, they might present a weak point that will rip under duress.
This one does a great job of staying in place without being too tight.
It feels like some kind of superhero costume, and the anti-slip bands help to keep it firmly in place. It is ring-legal, so no worries about that.
However, we are concerned with the choice of material.
This rash guard is made from a blend of polyester and spandex. That explains why the material isn’t all that stretchy.
Pros:
- Stitching is well-reinforced
- Advanced blend of poly and spandex
- Anti-slip bands at waist and wrists
- Colorful without being loud
Cons:
- Polyester isn’t stretchy
- Shoulder pieces could detach
Roar BJJ Rash Guards
Roar BJJ Rash Guards are definitely the brightest and fanciest shirts on our list. Everything about them is meant to grab attention, and you have your choice of quite a few styles and patterns.
This variety is great, but we can’t help but notice that these are screen-printed decals.
We have already mentioned the problems with these shirts, so let’s not waste time repeating ourselves.
We like the feel of this rash guard quite a bit. It feels very lightweight, and its’ tightness isn’t really strong like a spandex shirt.
As for its ability to stretch, this product does shine that department.
The whole thing is a poly-spandex hybrid like most of the others, but they seem to have gotten the balance right on this one.
Pros:
- Attention-grabbers
- Huge variety of cool designs
- Lightweight and comfortable
- Very good stretch
Cons:
- Wicks moisture
- Screen-printed decals
- Wrist cuffs aren’t adjustable
Gold BJJ Jiu Jitsu Rashguard – Camo Rash Guard
Gold BJJ Jiu Jitsu Rashguard – Camo Rash Guard is another minimalistic design without a lot of flair, and that’s a good thing for a martial arts setting.
BJJ might be a sport, but it’s still a martial art and a certain amount of respect is appropriate.
This product is very cool and breathable, making it suitable for nearly all temperatures.
We like the sublimated decals, as these will last a lot longer than normal decals.
“Sublimated” is just a fancy way of saying that the decals are part of the fabric at a deep level.
Thus, the colors and designs will last as long as the garment does.
Our only complaints come from fit and feel.
This thing does seem a little too tight, even when you buy the correct size.
Also, the collar and shoulder area seems a little too loose.
Pros:
- Fully sublimated decals
- Very cool and breathable
- Looks nice both in and out of the dojo
- Refund guarantee
Cons:
- Neck and shoulder area is too tight
- Material is a little stiff
Optimal Human BJJ Jiu Jitsu Long Rashguard
The Optimal Human BJJ Jiu Jitsu Long Rashguard is a no-nonsense option without decals, color, or any other non-essentials. When looking at the stitching, what we see looks pretty good.
Most of these stitches seem to have been doubled or tripled, and that is a good thing.
However, some customers have reported problems with unraveling. These complaints have been few, so it could have been a normal product defect.
We like the underarm mesh as well, as it helps to keep the wearer cool in the summer, and reduces the amount of sweat absorbed by the shirt.
Everyone knows that the armpit is one of the sweatiest places on the human body, so anything that keeps it cooler should make you more comfortable.
Of course, sweat will still drip from your pits, so be aware of that.
This product is extra-long, which is kind of nice. This allows you to tuck the tail of the shirt into your shorts for a closer fit.
We like the way that this material is slightly bunched at the joints. Someone made this with the motions of the human body in mind.
There have been a few complaints with this one. A few customers have reported unraveling issues, so make sure to sew up any breaches quickly.
The way that these seams are reinforced makes them vulnerable to this kind of trouble. If you look, you can see that each seam consists of a single, long piece of thread.
Thus, when it comes loose, it tends to keep going.
Pros:
- Reinforced in all the right places
- No-nonsense design
- Underarm mesh
- Extra long for less flipping
- Fit is just right
Cons:
- Some have reported problems with unraveling
- Holds sweat for too long
Final Thoughts
When trying to choose the best jiu jitsu rash guard, your choice can make the difference between victory and defeat.
It can also make the difference between a nasty skin rash and the lack of one. As for chafing, it goes without saying that these products do a great job of preventing that.
Chafing comes from the friction of skin rubbing against itself, so you can imagine how much that happens when grappling.
Which of these is the best jiu jitsu rash guard? Overall, we give the win to the Sanabul rash guard.
Although all of these are fine products, this is the only one that offers professional-grade quality.
These others are nice, but they are not meant for those who perform at the highest level.
The first product on our list is specifically designed by and for the serious BJJ practitioner and doesn’t differ much in price from the others.
Therefore, it is the superior choice for superior martial artists.
