In grappling, there is friction, a lot of friction. Between getting slammed on the ground and having an opponent veraciously trying to submit you, you need all the protection you can get. Longevity is key in combat sports, if you can’t train, you cant fight, which brings us to the topic of todays article, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Spats!
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is an increasingly popular martial art that first came to prominence with the rise of the Gracie family in the early days of mixed martial arts. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a grappling art with origins in Judo and Japanese Jiu Jitsu, so the uniform of choice is the Gi.
If you have never worn a Gi before or never rolled around on the ground with another person trying to throttle you into submission, it can be….abrasive.
Gi’s generally are made of thick heavy fabrics, which offers a measure of protection against friction but the caveat is they are traditionally double weave cotton, which can feel like rubbing a cheese grater on your skin. Mat burn is also a concern; imagine running and sliding across a rubberized surface, yeah, not fun. Enter BJJ Spats.
Spats are compression pants designed to reduce skin abrasions, provide extra moisture wicking to prevent fungal infections and improve hygiene and even overheating by reducing the risk of injuries by keeping your muscle tissue compressed and warm to prevent pulls and tears in the soft tissues of the body.
When looking for a decent pair of spats, you will find a plethora of styles and materials to the point it can be overwhelming, but thankfully you’ve come to the right place for the best BJJ spats so settle in and let’s get to the meat of todays article.
Say you value simplicity and utilitarian fashion without all the pomp and frills, Sanabul Jiu Jitsu Spats may be the spats for you. Often you will find spats with exuberant and esoteric designs on them, which is fine if that’s your style but the truth is some people just value a simple style without drawing too much attention to themselves.
Available in Steel Grey, Navy Blue, and Solid black Sanabul is ideal for those who just want something simple without sacrificing the quality of a premium athletic product.
Perfect for training in any climate, be it in the sweltering humidity or the freezing cold, Sanabul BJJ spats are made with a blend of nylon, polyester, and spandex so your body heat will stay locked in if you’re in a cold environment and will dissipate body heat and remain breathable on your skin in hot, humid environments so soreness and fatigue from environmental conditions is drastically reduced and you can stay comfortable and in the fight longer.
Durability is often a factor that determines a product’s weight in gold in combat sports. It’s simple, if it is not well made, it won’t last long at all. With 2 needle stitching at the seams and 5 thread weave design throughout, these spats don’t get torn apart over time like some of the sub-premium spats and the integrity of the compression won’t stretch or ballon.
Mobility is key in combat sports, if your spats are too tight, you’re dead in the fight. In grappling you need to be able to move, it’s essentially swimming in a shark tank so you need to find a balance between compression and mobility. Without a doubt, Sanabul understands this critical concept and incorporate it in their BJJ spats with a 4 way stretch material design so full range of motion is guaranteed for grapplers in these spats so you can focus on the fight instead of any unwanted compression in any undesirable areas.
If sizing is an issue, don’t fret. Sizes come in extra small, small, medium, large, extra large and even XX large so no matter what your shape or size is, you won’t have a problem finding a proper fit without having to break the bank and shell out an arm and a leg.
The next pair of spats on our list is the Sub Sports Elite RX Graduated Compression Base Layer Tights. Though simple in design, they don’t lack the features any grappler worth their salt would ever find themselves without in a pair of BJJ spats.
Available in four colors and designs, solid black with a neon yellow logo, solid black with an orange logo, stealth black with a minimalist logo, and solid red with a minimalist grey logo on the right leg. Variety is the spice of life, you have plenty of options to choose from without getting too crazy in the colors and designs.
What makes Sub RX spats different than any regular pair of spats is the integrated mesh zones in high friction areas of the pants. As you know, fiction stinks when you’re rolling, these mesh zones help mitigate this by making these areas a little more breathable without sacrificing the proactive qualities grapplers wear spats for, so they are a little more comfortable and allow better circulatory airflow throughout.
These paints are specifically designed for males due to the anatomical design of the pants, they may feel a little snug at first but they are form fitting so they require a slight break in period compared to other spats, but will fit perfectly after a use or two. If you prefer slightly looser spats, it is recommended going up a size if you aren’t comfortable with greater compression.
Durability isn’t an issue in the Sub RX’s, stitched with A seems and the standard 4 way stretch weaves, there’s no need to worry about these pants getting chewed up with heavy usage in matches. Mobility Is excellent as well, once form fitted, you will notice how comfortable they are even with the added compression the material the uses.
Most spats and compression pants are primarily made with a polyester, nylon, and spandex blend, which is a great combination however some people may have sensitive skin and could experience some irritation which is the last thing you want to have distracting you when you’re grappling. To mitigate this, Sub RX uses a blend of nylon and elastane instead of spandex. Elastane is also known as lycra, which is stronger than rubber yet shares qualities with spandex without running the risk of rashes or irritation some may experience with spandex spats.
Another cool feature of these spats is the moisture transport technology that is designed to move sweat away from areas where sweat pools without the bogged down soggy fabric feeling you get in some compression products. They stay cool, dry and light even when you may feel like you are dumping buckets so if you’re a sweater, these are the spats for you.
If you’re looking for a pair of spats with a wide variety of designs to choose from that are very functional for BJJ as well as whatever other physical activities you may find yourself participating in during anytime of the year, the DRSKIN 4 Season Base layer is an excellent, affordable option to consider.
Available in about 28-32 color schemes give or take, there are simply too many to list here without causing mental fatigue, take it from us there are plenty to choose from, but a brief overview is standard solid black colors with various color schemes, camouflage in a few colors, two color schemes like black and grey and some of the more esoteric colorful designs. There is a pair for everyones taste.
DRSKIN spats are designed for heavy use across many realms of athletics, not just based on Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, be it football, running or yoga; but they are excellent for BJJ. These compression pants aren’t abrasive at all, they’re extremely soft and comfortable to wear for extended periods of time, the company has used the term functional fabric to describe the polyester and spandex belong they use to make these fantastic pants, and honestly it’s a fantastic way to break it down.
You want a fabric that isn’t going to staunch the blood flow to major muscle groups such as the legs, on. The contrary, you want one that stimulates it, keeping the muscle tissue, tendons, and ligaments filled with blood. This physiological process helps stimulate muscle growth and healing and ensures a continuous flow of oxygenated blood flow to the soft tissues to ward off fatigue, injuries, and bolsters your endurance.
Weather isn’t an issue either, you can wear this base layer under your Gi in a garage dojo in the dead of winter or in the scorching summer heat and it will keep you warm or keep you cool, the conditions don’t really matter, as an added bonus, DRSKIN spats provide an anti-bacterial property in the textile design. If you have worn compression clothing before, say compression shorts or t-shirts, I’m sure you’re aware of the foul odors that emanate from it after heavy use, it can smell pretty awful. The aforementioned anti-bacterial properties of these spats begins in the design, which proliferates the inhabitation and collection of odor causing bacteria that colonizes from the apocrine glands such as the arm pits and groin area. Doesn’t matter how long you wear them, they will block out the smells and infectious bacteria that plagues a grappler at one time or another.
Now for one of the more interesting pairs of spats on our list, the Haw Sports Mens Compression Pants. Do you enjoy training outside? If you haven’t tried it, you should because it’s awesome and more reality based than just training inside on flat surfaces, but I digress. The Hawk Sports Compression Pants offer a quality not many pants in this category do, SPF protection.
In the west, we have world class facilities to train in, that’s no secret and it is great we are so fortunate, however if you find yourself training overseas or have accommodations to train outside, these spats are ideal for you. Why do you ask? Simple. If you have ever trained outside in the elements, you will quickly find out they can be brutal. Even on a cloudless day, you will be cooked and wore out faster than a hurry. Frankly, you need all the protection you can get. Sure, you can be a purist and say “I don’t need it” or “I won’t wear them in battle” but you can and will wish you did when you’re cooked by UV rays. Let’s leave the bravado out of the equation here. A lightweight and mobile pair of spats with built in UV protection is definitely an asset more than it is a liability. You can protect yourself, train outside and enjoy the world, and won’t get your butt handed to you by mother nature.
The Hawk Sports spats are so lightweight you can comfortably wear them underneath a pair of fitted jeans all day before you go to class without recognizing they are even there. Also, they are very breathable and circulate enough oxygen throughout them, you won’t be left swimming in a swamp, be it on a 5 mile run, a hour and a half BJJ class, or a hot yoga session, these spats will keep you in the fight, literally or metaphorically speaking.
If variety is your thing, you may be disappointed to learn these spats only come in black, but they come in waist sizes ranging from a 30 inch waist to a 40 inch waist and where they lack in style, they make up for in versatility. These spats will hold true no matter what the task you’re facing is, making them ideal for martial artists.
For those of you Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioners who. value colorful and vibrant styles with functionality and practical application, Elite Sports BBJ Spats may be your go to pair.
With over six color options, black, blue, purple, grey, red and white; there is a multitude of colors to choose from that will match your style and fighting technique. We all know looking good is just as important as feeling good so a colorful pair of spats in a no go competition is enough to make the difference between victory and defeat for some. Though there are other options with some seriously insane designs, something simple and elegant as a pair of purple spats is enough to keep the crowds eyes on you and enough of a motivator to keep you in the fight.
Made with the typical blend go polyester and spandex, the tried and true methods of ensuring maximum comfort, functionality and breathability apply. With high. Density re-enforced sticking and multi-panel fabric construction, you can beat the crap out of these spats without having to worry about theming being shredded down. Be it in hot or cold climates, like most spats, these won’t fail you.
Designed with the highest intensity workouts in mind, you can train and compete with ease in these spats for years with 4 way stitching designed to improve blood flow to train and fight with veracity and endurance, you won’t have to worry about tuckering out in prolonged Brazilian Jiu Jitsu matches without limiting your movement and constricting yourself to oblivion.
Moisture wicking is important and these spats do just that, drawing moisture from the body and preventing accumulation that can slow you down and make you uncomfortable, there aren’t any worries in these spats. They are both practical and versatile at the same time without sacrificing style. Basically the whole package you could ask for in a pair of BJJ spats.
As you can see, there is a multitude of BJJ spats to choose from, each with their own unique flair and qualities to offer. Is one pair better than the other? It is honesty hard to tell. It entirely depends on the martial artist and the individual need of what they require from them. Sure the colors and functionality come into play, but if you do your research and boil down your needs to the core, you should have no issues in determining which pair of spats work best for you.
Most spats are so cheap, you can invest in several pairs and experiment to see which you like most. You are only limited by your imagination here, it depends on your needs, what kind of fighting you’ll be doing and what conditions you’ll be training in. Is there such thing as the best BJJ spats? Hard to say, we are all different after all, it is subjective. However, the five pairs here in this list are an excellent starting point to find which pair works best for you. Be open minded, train hard, and think about what the best options for you are and you will succeed no matter what you choose.
