Table of Contents +

1. My Personal Favorite Rash Guard
2. My Sleeper Pick For Style & Fit
3. Best Rash Guard For Competition
4. My Pick For Daily Training
5. Best Rash Guard For Canadian Grapplers
6. Most Fun & Best Apparel
7. Premium Pick & American Made
8. Best Rash Guard Under $25
9. How to Choose the Right BJJ Rash Guard
10. How I Test BJJ Rash Guards

Looking for your next BJJ rash guard but not sure what brand to get? I feel your pain, grappler. If you’re new here, welcome. My name’s Tsavo. I’m a brown belt and BJJ instructor at InFighting in Burnaby, Canada. I’ve been testing rash guards on the mats for 7 years.

I run this site independently, I’ve written over 50 posts about BJJ gear, and I literally wrote the book on BJJ for Beginners. I made this list to cut through the noise and help you find the right rash guard for your body, budget, and style preferences.

Author’s Note: BJJ Equipment is an independent & ad-free resource for BJJ grapplers. I (Tsavo) buy the rash guards I review. No brands have influenced my picks in this list. Some links are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Best BJJ Rash Guard: Comparison Chart

Here are a few of the best BJJ rash guards I’ve tested and reviewed over the past 7+ years.

	BEST OVERALL XMARTIAL BJJ Rash Guard	Gold BJJ Rash Guard	Origin BJJ Rash Guard	Lafroi BJJ Rash Guard
My Score	4.8/5 stars ⭐	4.3/5 stars	3.8/5 stars	3.0/5 stars
Price	$55.00 $46.75 with code	$42.99	$126.00	$25.00
Pros	Most variety, excellent fit & value	Cleanest ranked rash guards for competition	Most comfortable material I've tested	Very inexpensive
Cons	Shipping from China can take 2–3 weeks	Runs very tight — size up if unsure	Expensive, brutal shipping outside USA	Feels more like a surf rash guard
Our Pick	🏆 BEST CHOICE	Best for competition	Premium / USA-made	Budget option
Discount	15% off: BJJEQ	None	None	None
Shop	Shop XMARTIAL (15% off)	Shop Gold BJJ	Shop Origin	Shop Amazon

My Personal Favorite Rash Guard | XMARTIAL

If I could only buy rash guards from one company for the rest of my BJJ career, it would be XMARTIAL. The fit is snug without feeling like you’re wrapped in saran wrap and the material (80% polyester, 20% spandex) feels smooth on the skin. I wear a size L at 6’1″ and 190 lbs and it fits perfectly.

What sets XMARTIAL apart from every other brand on this list is the sheer number of designs they offer. If you’re a grappler who doesn’t take yourself or the sport too seriously, they have the best selection of fun, anime-inspired rash guards you’ll find anywhere. But they also make clean, minimalist options if that’s more your speed.

They even offer custom rash guards for gyms and teams. At $55, you’re getting premium fit and style without the premium price tag. Just know that most of their louder designs won’t pass IBJJF uniform inspection, so if you’re competing under IBJJF rules, you’ll need a ranked rash guard from another brand. Use the code BJJEQ at checkout for 15% off.

My Sleeper Pick For Style & Fit | Rolljunkie

Rolljunkie is the brand more grapplers should know about. Their designs are unique and eye-catching without being cringey or try-hard. That’s harder to pull off than it sounds. Most BJJ brands either go too minimal (plain black everything) or too far in the other direction (giant skulls and flames). For my personal style tastes, Rolljunkie threads that needle perfectly.

The fit is the best part. This is the most comfortable rash guard I own alongside my Origin. It’s not too tight, not too baggy — just right. I wear a size L and it fits me perfectly at 6’1″ and 190 lbs. At $99 it’s not cheap, but the quality and fit justify the price. If you value fit and style as your top priorities, you’ll feel right at home in a Rolljunkie rash guard.

Best Rash Guard For Competition | Gold BJJ

If you compete under IBJJF rules, Gold BJJ makes the best ranked rash guards on the market. The design is clean and minimalist — no loud graphics, no gimmicks, just a sharp-looking rash guard that matches your belt rank and passes uniform inspection every time. They’re designed in San Diego and it shows in the attention to detail.

The one thing to know about Gold BJJ rash guards is they fit tight. Tighter than XMARTIAL, tighter than Sanabul. If you’re jacked, you’ll look like a beast in these. If you prefer a looser fit, size up. I wear a size L (6’1″, 190 lbs) and it’s snug. The material is 82% polyester and 18% spandex, which gives it a slightly different feel than the standard 80/20 blend: a bit more compression, a bit less stretch. Everything else Gold BJJ makes (gis, shorts, bags, etc) are top-notch. So if you like keeping your gear consistent across one brand, they’re the perfect choice.

My Pick For Daily Training | Sanabul

The Sanabul rash guard is the one I grab when I don’t want to think about what I’m wearing. It’s minimal, it’s slim-fitting, and it just works. No flashy designs, no loud branding — just a clean, gym-ready rash guard that gets the job done session after session.

The slim fit is one of my favorite things about Sanabul. It fits well enough that I wear it for weight training too, not just BJJ. At $40, it’s affordable enough to buy a few and build a rotation which is exactly what I’d recommend if you train 3+ days per week. The material is 85% polyester and 15% spandex, so it’s slightly less stretchy than an 80/20 blend, and it feels silky smooth on your body. Sanabul also makes ranked rash guards that are IBJJF legal, so if you need competition gear on a budget, they’ve got you covered. They also make solid gis and spats if you like keeping your gear consistent.

Best For Canadian Grapplers | Stonebelt

If I’m talking to a fellow Canadian grappler, the Stonebelt Legion would be one of my first recommendations. I’m Canadian, so brands that ship from within Canada — no exchange rate math, no import fees, no three-week waits — have a special place in my heart. Stonebelt is based in Québec, and at $59 CAD, the Legion lands right in the sweet spot between budget and premium. The fit is definitely on the tighter side: not Gold BJJ tight, but tight enough to fit just right. I wear a size L at 6’1″ and 190 lbs and it fits me perfectly. If you’re between sizes, Stonebelt offers a free size exchange. 

The design is where the Legion picks its lane. It reads “forged under pressure, worn with honor” with an eagle design and subtle maple leafs: serious and minimal. If you live for zany anime designs, stick with other brands. The build quality backs up the serious look: at 240 GSM, it’s noticeably heavier than most rash guards I’ve tested, and it feels premium and well-built because of it. The  silicone waist grip that kept it from riding up at all, whether I wore it under my gi or on its own in no-gi. It passes my “Crop Top Test” with flying colors.

The honest caveats: it’s not IBJJF legal, so competitors need a ranked rash guard for tournament day. Stonebelt is a newer brand with a smaller lineup than the big names — though their reviews and customer support have been excellent so far. And if you’re outside Canada, the value math is less compelling since the domestic shipping advantage is the point. But for Canadian grapplers who want a premium-feeling rash guard that stays put and doesn’t cost premium money? The Legion is the one I’d point you to first. 🇨🇦

Most Fun & Best Apparel | Nation Athletics

Nation Athletics is the brand I reach for when I want to look good and stay cool on the mats. One of their rash guards has mesh panels under the armpits, which is a small detail that makes a real difference especially in a hot gym or during long rounds. It’s one of those features you don’t notice until you go back to a rash guard that doesn’t have it.

The fit is excellent. Snug but not too tight, with a comfortable feel across the shoulders and torso. I wear a size L and it fits well. The designs are distinct without being over the top: they’ve carved out their own aesthetic that doesn’t look like any other BJJ brand. But what really sets Nation Athletics apart is their off-mat apparel. Their hoodies and t-shirts are my favorite jiu-jitsu apparel brand, period. If you care about repping BJJ lifestyle gear that actually looks good outside the gym Nation Athletics is the one. The material is 100% polyester and designed in the USA.

Premium Pick & American Made | Origin

My Origin Elec-Tron rash guard is the most comfortable rash guard I own. The material has a buttery, velvety-smooth texture that feels like silk against your skin. It’s so comfortable, I wear it while writing articles at my desk. It’s so comfortable, I could walk around wearing it on the street like I’m John Danaher. Once you put on an Origin rash guard, cheap rash guards feel like sandpaper by comparison.

The Elec-Tron has the most eye-catching design of any rash guard I own. It has a synthwave aesthetic that pops without feeling gimmicky, and the raised collar is a nice detail that always gets compliments on the mats.

But here’s the honest part: I don’t love how most of Origin’s other rash guard designs look. The Elec-Tron is the exception. At $126, you’re paying a premium — and if you’re outside the USA, the shipping costs are brutal. I’m in Canada and spent almost as much on shipping as I did on the rash guard itself. If you believe in American-made quality and you love the Jocko Willink / Origin story, you’ll be happy with this purchase. If not, you can get a comparable fit from XMARTIAL or Gold BJJ for half the price.

Best Rash Guard Under $25 | Lafroi

Let’s be real: the Lafroi rash guard is better than wearing a baggy t-shirt to no-gi class, but not by much. It gets the job done for the price, and that’s about the highest compliment I can give it.

The sleeve designs are actually cool. They have a tattoo-style look that I like. But the material feels more like a surf rash guard than a BJJ rash guard. It doesn’t have an anti-slip waistband, so it can ride up during rolls. The compression is minimal. If you’re a white belt trying no-gi for the first time and you don’t want to spend real money on gear yet, Lafroi will get you through your first few months. But once you know you’re sticking with BJJ, upgrade to something that actually feels like it belongs on the mats.

How to Choose the Right BJJ Rash Guard

Buying a rash guard is much simpler than buying a gi. There are no weave types to compare, no sleeve length rules to stress about, and sizing is straightforward. But there are a few things worth thinking about before you buy.

Set your budget first.

You can spend $25 on a Lafroi or $126 on an Origin, and you will feel the difference the moment you put them on. Premium rash guards feel smoother, compress better, and last longer. Budget rash guards get the job done but feel like it. Mid-priced brands like XMARTIAL and Gold BJJ hit the sweet spot for most grapplers: solid quality without overpaying.

Then pick your style.

Unlike gis, where most of us rotate between white, blue, and black, rash guards are where you get to express some personality. Find designs that you actually want to wear. This is one reason I keep going back to XMARTIAL: they offer more designs than any brand I’ve found, so when you inevitably want a few in your rotation, you won’t run out of options.

If you compete, keep it simple.

Some competitions require ranked rash guards where at least 10% of your rash guard represents your belt color. IBJJF is the strictest: your rash guard must be black, white, or black and white, with at least 10% of your rank color visible. If you’re competing under IBJJF rules, err on the side of caution and go with a minimalist ranked rash guard. Gold BJJ makes the best ones I’ve found. Even if you mostly train in fun designs, having one ranked rash guard in your bag for competition day is smart.

Pay attention to material.

Most rash guards are a polyester-spandex blend, but the ratio matters. 80% polyester and 20% spandex is the standard and feels great. Higher polyester blends (85-100%) feel slightly less stretchy. The material determines how the rash guard feels on your skin, how well it wicks sweat, and how long it holds up after dozens of washes. My personal favorite blend is 88% polyester, 12% spandex, which you can find in Rolljunkie rash guards.

Check what people say about fit.

This is where brands differ the most. Gold BJJ rash guards run tight. Great if you have a muscular build, but size up if you prefer some breathing room. Rolljunkie is more forgiving if you carry extra weight in your midsection. Read the reviews and look for someone close to your height and weight before you order.

Once you find a brand you like, grab a few.

I train 3-4x times a week. One of those sessions is no-gi, but I wear a rash guard and spats under my gi in my other two classes. That means my rash guards get used every single training day. Having three or four in rotation keeps them fresh and extends their lifespan. If you also do strength training, rash guards can make excellent gymwear as well. Two birds with one stone, ya know?

How I Test BJJ Rash Guards

Every rash guard on this list has been through the same testing process. I don’t unbox a rash guard, take a mirror selfie, and write a review. I wear them on the mats and in the gym over multiple months before forming an opinion.

1. The Three-Context Test

A great rash guard should feel good everywhere — not just in no-gi. I test every rash guard across three settings: under my gi during gi class, on its own during no-gi, and in the gym for strength training. If a rash guard only works in one of those contexts, it’s a limited product. The best ones on this list are rash guards I reach for regardless of what I’m training that day.

2. The Crop Top Test

Nothing kills a rash guard faster than riding up during a roll. When you’re scrambling, inverting, or getting stacked, a bad rash guard turns into a crop top and you spend the round worrying about your belly poking out instead of choking out your training partner. I pay attention to whether the rash guard stays tucked throughout an entire session — not just during drilling, but during hard rolls. Anti-slip waistbands help, but they’re not a guarantee. Some rash guards stay put through material and cut alone.

3. The Wash Cycle Test

Every rash guard feels great on day one. The real test is how it feels after 20, 30, 50 washes. Does the compression hold up or does it start to sag? Do the colors fade? Does the material start to pill or feel rough? I rotate every rash guard through regular training and washing before I make a final judgment. A rash guard that looks and feels the same after months of use earns a higher score than one that impresses on arrival and deteriorates after.

4. The Compliment Test

This one’s simple but telling. If training partners comment on your rash guard unprompted, the brand did something right. Style is subjective, but attention is not. The rash guards that consistently get noticed on the mats — for the design, the fit, or both — are the ones I like to recommend.

Final Thoughts

There is no “best BJJ rash guard” — there’s only the best rash guard for you.

Rash guards are simpler than gis. You don’t need to stress about weave types or sleeve measurements. It comes down to three things: your budget, your style, and how you like the fit.

Whether you want the most variety at the best price, a premium American-made rash guard, a clean competition-ready design, or something under $25 to get you started — there’s something on this list for you.

I’ve trained in all of them and stand behind every pick.

If you have questions about any of the rash guards in this article, drop a comment below!

Happy rolling. 🤙