Gold BJJ Aeroweave Gi Review: Best Lightweight BJJ Gi?

Tsavo NealBJJ GearLeave a Comment

gold bjj aeroweave gi review

The Aeroweave Ultralight Gi by Gold BJJ is their signature lightweight gi. It’s advertised as being 40% lighter than a standard gi. As someone who plays a fast-paced, athletic style, I was excited to switch from a heavy judo gi to a lightweight BJJ gi.

Overall, I love how light this gi feels, how durable it is, and its aesthetic design. However, this doesn’t mean that the gi is the right gi for everyone. A lightweight gi does have its trade-offs, and I’ll discuss those below.

In this Gold BJJ Aeroweave Gi review, I’m going to share my in-depth experience training in this gi — and help you decide whether or not it’s the right gi for you.

aeroweave bjj gi review best lightweight gi

Aeroweave gi next to the Gold BJJ Backpack

Gold BJJ Aeroweave Gi Review: Jump To Section

Review Summary: Gold BJJ Aeroweave Gi

4.75/5 Stars 

The Aeroweave Ultralight Gi is a superb BJJ gi. It’s lightweight, durable, and stylish. As someone who likes to roll fast, this gi makes me feel lighter and easier to flow. For that reason, it’s my new primary gi for gi classes. The only potential drawbacks of this gi is the looser sizing and the fact that lightweight gis tends to make grip fighting harder.

gold bjj aeroweave gi review

The Gold BJJ Aeroweave Gi

Who Should Invest In The Gold BJJ Aeroweave Gi?

If you train in a hot environment, you feel “slow” in a heavier gi, or you’re just looking for a main gi that happens to be on the lightweight side, the Gold BJJ Aeroweave Gi is an excellent choice.

I like to play a fast-paced, athletic, no-gi style, so I love training in this gi. When I train in this gi, it’s almost like I’m training no-gi — it feels that light. Compared to a judo gi, it’s a night-and-day difference. I feel less restricted, and it’s easier to “flow.”

In terms of price, the Aeroweave is comparable to other lightweight gi. However, Gold BJJ stands out from other BJJ gi brands with their emphasis on customer support. They respond to questions quickly and with detailed answers. And they back all of their gear with the Gold BJJ Guarantee: “If for any reason you’re not thrilled with your purchase, we’ll replace or refund your order no-questions-asked.”

Aeroweave Ultralight Gi Pros

For my gi testing process, the Aeroweave BJJ Gi performed extremely well. Below are my three favorite things about this gi.

1. Ultralight

This Aeroweave is as light as advertised. It’s a difference you can feel while you’re drilling and sparring. The average BJJ gi is between 375-900gsm. At 275gsm, the Aeroweave is one of the lightest BJJ gis on the market. In addition, the gi pants feel lighter and more breathable than standard gi pants.

The gi is 40% lighter than standard gis, and while you wear it, YOU feel at least 20% lighter. I feel quicker and more agile while wearing this gi. And I sweat far less, so my body stays cooler, allowing for me to push the pace and train more rounds. I think that my game (fast-paced, athletic) and body type (lanky, wiry strength, long legs) suit a lightweight gi well.

origin gi vs aeroweave gi

Orgin gi next to the Gold BJJ Aeroweave gi

And because it’s so light, it dries quickly. I wash my Aeroweave gi at 10:00 pm after I get home from class, and hang dry it from my pull-up bar. It’s bone dry when I wake up 8 hours later, and that’s without using a fan to dry it. My other judo gi would take twice as long to dry. Instead of using two gis for training due to slow drying time, you can simply wear your Aeroweave gi.

2. Durability

Because the gi is so light, it feels as though it’s weak. That’s not the case. Despite its light weight, the gi is strong and durable. I’ve had a few spazzy white belts tug on it with all of their strength, and there’s been no wear and tear.

aeroweave gi durability

Doing the pull-up test on the Aeroweave gi

I will update this review in 6 months or so after I’ve beat up this gi a bit more. But for the first few weeks of manhandling, it’s performed very well.

3. Design

I love how the Aeroweave gi looks. The first time I wore it to my gym,  my instructor and training partners commented on how nice the gi looked.

It’s minimal, but not boring. It has some cool details that make the gi “pop:” the light blue stitching (matches great with a blue belt), the beautiful Gold BJJ logo patches, and the “For The Journey” branding on the inside lining of the gi.

aeroweave gi

Side shot of the Aeroweave gi

It’s clear to me that Gold BJJ puts an emphasis on style and aesthetics. And the Aeroweave’s design is a huge plus.

Aeroweave Ultralight Gi Cons

Compared to other gis I’ve worn, I’ve quickly grown to prefer the Aeroweave gi. However, there are some potential drawbacks depending on your personal preferences.

1. Sizing Runs A Bit Big & Loose

I like a gi that fits a bit tighter and more snugly. However, the Aeroweave gi is a bit baggier and looser than I would prefer.

It also runs a bit big. On my first wear, it felt a tad oversized even though it comes pre-shrunk.

However, I was able to shrink my Aeroweave gi so that it fits right. Thanks to Gold BJJ’s guide to gi care, it was easy for me to shrink my Aeroweave gi. I’ll cover how I did that in the next section on the sizing and fit.

2. Lightweight Gis Makes Breaking Grips Difficult

The main trade-off of a lightweight gi is that it makes grip fighting harder.

Because the gi is so light and soft, it makes it easier for your training partners to get and maintain grips on your collar or sleeve.

“Have had many comments about how soft it feels from training partners. The downside of both the softness and the lightness, is good f******* luck breaking grips. If someone catches me in lasso or spider guard, it’s absolute hell. Because of that it’s ended up as my backup.”u/kovnev

I like to take the Jocko approach here. Gripfighting will be harder in this gi? GOOD! It will force me to improve my grip-breaking ability. It might suck in the short term, but over the long term, this will improve my game.

With a lightweight gi like the Aeroweave, you trade more mobility and speed for more difficult grip fighting. For me, based on my game, that’s a trade-off I’m willing to accept. But that’s the question you’ll have to answer when you’re thinking about investing in the Aeroweave gi (or any lightweight gi, for that matter).

Aeroweave Ultralight Gi Sizing & Fit

Gold BJJ provides a handy Gi size chart so that you can pick the right size for you:

At 6’1″ and 182 pounds, my recommended size is A2L. That’s the size that I ordered.

I find that the Aeroweave Ultralight BJJ Gi is a looser-fitting gi for both the jacket and pants.

On my first wear, it felt a little baggy. The sleeves ran a bit long, despite having long arms for my height (my wingspan is 6’4″).

Thankfully, Gold BJJ sends you a guide for gi care, which provides clear instructions for how to shrink your gi.

Here’s what I did to shrink my Aeroweave gi down to the right size:

  1. Washed my gi in the washing machine using warm water.
  2. Dried it for 30 minutes on a low setting.
  3. Took it out to check on the fit.
  4. Let it hang dry.

After these 4 steps, both the Aeroweave gi jacket and gi pants shrank down to the right size.

So, although it comes a bit loose and baggy, it’s simple to shrink it so that it’s the perfect size for you.

aeroweave bjj gi

Me wearing the Aeroweave gi after shrinking it

Price Breakdown

The Aeroweave Ultralight Gi costs $129.99 USD.

This puts it in the midrange in terms of BJJ gi pricing. At this price, it’s comparable to other lightweight BJJ gis.

If you’re looking for a midrange-priced gi — and the idea of wearing lightweight gi appeals to you — then it’s an excellent investment. The fact that it doesn’t cost more than other midrange gis, despite being noticeably lighter, makes it a solid choice for your day-to-day gi.

Construction Details

Here are the construction details for the Aeroweave Ultralight Gi that impact its weight, durability, and longevity:

  • 275 gsm (grams per square meter) gi jacket
  • 10 oz Ripstop gi pants.
  • Reinforced stitching at all high stress points
  • EVA-bolstered Collar
  • Ripstop-lined cuffs
  • G Shield Logo shoulder patches
  • Pre-shrunk

If you have any additional questions about the gi’s build, leave a comment in the section below and I’ll answer you based on my experience training in this gi.

aeroweave gi pants - front view

Aeroweave Gi Pants

FAQ

How Much Does The Aeroweave Ultralight Gi Weigh?

The Aeroweave Ultralight Gi weighs 3.0 lbs.

Without the gi, I’m 182 lbs.

While wearing the Aeroweave gi, I’m 185 lbs.

Other gis I’ve worn weigh 4lbs or more. This makes the Aeroweave gi much lighter than other BJJ gis.

Is the Aeroweave Ultralight Gi IBJJF legal?

Yes, the Aeroweave Fi is IBJJF legal if you wear it in black or white. The other colors (navy, grey) are not IBJJF legal.

What Are The Aeroweave Gi Pants Made Of?

The 10z Ripstop gi pants are made of 100% cotton.

aeroweave gi pants

Aeroweave gi pants – side view

Takeaway Thoughts

After rolling in a heavy judo gi for years, the idea of an ultralight BJJ appealed to me.

The Aeroweave Ultralight gi answered my call and fulfilled all of my wishes. It’s now my primary BJJ gi.

Do you own the Gold BJJ Aeroweave gi? How do you like it?

Or perhaps you prefer a different lightweight BJJ gi? If so, which one?

In any case, leave a comment below and let me know your thoughts!

And if I missed anything, leave your questions about the Aeroweave in the comment section.

Happy rolling. 🤙


tsavo neal bjjequipment.com

Tsavo Neal

Tsavo is the founder of BJJ Equipment and BJJ blue belt who started training in 2019. He’s a passionate hobbyist and BJJ gear/equipment aficionado who wanted to share his favorite pickups with other jiujiteiros. He launched BJJ Equipment in 2022 to make it easy for jiu-jitsu practitioners to find the best BJJ gear so they look, feel, and perform at their best on the mats.

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