The 9 best BJJ rash guards for 2024

In the past few years compression wear (a rash guard falls into this category) for athletes has been heavily researched. To avoid a bunch of statistics and charts, I can tell you that results show that the best rash guards out there are pretty damn awesome and provide many different benefits for athletes and fighters alike.

This has spurred companies and BJJ schools to constantly design newer, better and flashier rash guards for BJJ each year. For this reason, I’ve compiled a list for you featuring only the very best BJJ rash guards you can find in 2024.

About the author

Vladimir is a master of Sports and Physical education, a Taekwondo black belt, and has been a kickboxer for more than seven years. At the beginning of his career he worked as a strength and conditioning coach. Vladimir spends a lot of time researching training equipment and analyzing fighters and their fighting styles.

Why should you wear a BJJ rash guard?

Before I present the recommendations, let’s discuss why you would want to wear a rash guard in the first place when you have a perfectly good BJJ gi.

The rash guard is typically worn under your gi, and helps with the following:

Injury prevention

Apart from looking really cool, rash guards and other compression wear are engineered to strategically compress your muscles, which in turn helps prevent injuries and speed up muscle recovery.

They are made to “hug” areas of your upper body with softer tissue which are more likely to be worn and torn during intense workout sessions and sparring.

Studies show that a rash guard can greatly speed up recovery after a hard rolling session.

Moisture control

Rash guards are made with fabrics that absorb more sweat. With just a gi you will find yourself re-tying it every round or so. You’ll sweat more, then touch yourself, and transfer that moisture to your hands.

Wet hands are not good for maintaining a good grip. A rash guard will help keep things dry.

Prevents rashes (duh!) and burning

This is obvious but preventing mat burns and rashes is the biggest purpose of any good rash guard. Whether you are rolling with or without a gi it is very common to get burns from the friction that is created during an intense roll.

Gis are built to be strong and durable, and the stitching can often cause too much friction. They also tend to come loose and open, letting your opponent manipulate you during a roll. Then you have your bare back on the mat, and can’t avoid the pain.

On the other hand, many BJJ practitioners say that a rash guard protects their chest hair from burns. So, if you want to be safer from friction and more comfortable, wear a rash guard.

Bacteria and hygiene

I’m sure your dojo is great and the mats are sparkling clean. But it goes without saying that even the cleanest mat has been trampled on quite a bit and humans tend to transfer bacteria.

When you are gripping your opponent and gis open up, you will inevitably make contact with their chest, legs, and back. A rash guard can help keep that bacteria at bay.

Those are all the reasons why rash guards are awesome and why you should invest in one. If all of the above wasn’t enough, most rash guards look really cool.

Some say a rash guard makes you feel restricted, but that’s about it for negatives, and I think the benefits greatly outweigh this “downfall”.

Keep in mind: IBJJF and Naga competitions do not allow fighters to wear a rash guard under their gi.

These are the best BJJ/MMA rash guards:

1. Pressure Grappling Premium Rash Guard
2. Hayabusa Metaru Long-Sleeve Rash Guard
3. Sanabul Essentials Long-Sleeve Rash Guard
4. Gold BJJ Camo Rash Guard
5. Raven Fightwear Men’s Rash Guard
6. Hawk Sports Long-Sleeve Rash Guard
7. TSLA Long-Sleeve Rash Guard
8. Huge Sports Men’s Rash Guard
9. Elite Sports Short-Sleeve Rash Guard

Pressure Grappling Premium Rash Guard

Pressure Grappling is one of the newer brands to hit the market in the past decade, but it is absolutely one of the best. Pressure Grappling is a Colorado-based company that offers premium Brazilian Jiu Jitsu gear like rash guards, spats, gis, and T-shirts.

Their Premium long-sleeve rash guard is one of the best no-gi rash guards I’ve ever owned. I have the “Kraken” design, which is covered with octopus tentacles (great for the octopus guard players), but they offer ten different graphic designs for this model.

The Pressure Grappling long-sleeve rash guard features flat lock stitching and four-way stretch, but the real star is the silicone lockdown band that keeps the rash guard from riding up your back during a roll.

The sizes run a bit small, so I suggest going one size up for the average build. This is easily my favorite rash guard. I can’t recommend it enough!

Hayabusa Metaru Long-Sleeve Rash Guard

Hayabusa is a well-respected brand that has been in the martial arts game for a long time. They produce some of the finest sparring gloves and grappling gear in the industry. The Metaru lives up to the standard, and delivers on quality.

The graphic is plain and less flashy than some other brands, and is available in different colors. Hayabusa regularly puts out some of the best rash guards for MMA and grappling. I highly recommend their products.

Sanabul Essentials Long-Sleeve Rash Guard

Sanabul is another brand with a deep connection to the martial arts world. They design high-quality gloves, sparring gear, gis, and rash guards.

The Sanabul Essentials collection is a great start for people just getting into martial arts, or for longtime grapplers looking for one of the best rash guard, so to add to the collection without breaking the bank.

The Sanabul Essentials long-sleeve rash guard gets the job done and gives you your best bang for your buck. You really can’t go wrong with Sanabul.

Gold BJJ Camo Rash Guard

Gold BJJ is another newcomer to the grappling industry, but is a company that is run by grapplers for grapplers. Their Camo rash guard features flatlock stitching and mesh underarms which is something unique with this rash guard.

Keep an eye on Gold BJJ to keep putting out some of the best jiu-jitsu rash guards as they rise in the ranks of the combat clothing industry. Highly recommend.

Raven Fightwear Men’s Rash Guard

Raven Fightwear has been around for a little while, and they manufacture some of the coolest rash guards for BJJ in the business. The Anubis design is great, but there’s a plethora of outstanding designs, featuring various Mythological Gods, Samurai, Vikings, and the like.

The Raven Fightwear rash guard features four-way stretch as well as a rubber lining hem that keeps the rash guard in place during training. The price is higher than some of the other rash guards out there, but all art comes at a price.

Hawk Sports Long-Sleeve Rash Guard

Hawk Sports is a wide ranging sports gear and apparel company that is making its’ way into the world of combat sports, and subsequently the rash guard market.

This rash guard is marketed as more of an all-around rash guard for hiking, biking, and other recreational outdoor activities, in addition to gym workouts and grappling.

The fabric has reinforced seams and four-way stretch panels giving you great mobility and vented underarms to help you cool down. What really stands out about this rash guard is the price; it’s easily one of the cheapest rash guards out there for your money.

TSLA Long-Sleeve Rash Guard

TSLA is a sportswear company that offers running shoes, T-shirts, and other athletic gear. I’m not quite sure if the TSLA sportswear gear has any relation to the Tesla electric car company, but their designs are just as sleek. The fabric brings to mind Under Armour and other similar brands.

TSLA’s designs are fairly basic, but they offer many different colors and varieties! The sizing could be better, and it’s also somewhat warmer than other rash guards.

The TSLA long-sleeve rash guard may not be the best overall rash guard for BJJ, but it is still a decent starter rash guard for beginners.

Huge Sports Men’s Rash Guard

Huge Sports is a company that specializes in competitive swimwear and surfwear. Their long-sleeve rash guard falls into the category of rash guard, but maybe not the best rash guard for MMA or Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

The rash guard comes in over 20 unique designs with various sleeve patterns and several styles of camo. The fabric is two-way stretch and moisture wicking, built primarily for outdoor activities.

The Hugo Sports men’s rash guard wasn’t designed specifically for BJJ, but all of the elements of the typical rash guard are there. For the price, Huge Sports is right in the sweet spot for beginners or those looking to add another low-price rash guard into the mix.

Elite Sports Short-Sleeve Rash Guard

Elite Sports is another up-and-coming combat sports gear company that puts out quality products at a reasonable price. They offer everything from punching bags to boxing and Muay Thai gloves and sparring gear, and of course grappling gear, from gis to rash guards to spats.

Their rash guards are right in the sweet spot as far as price and overall value. The rash guards feature flatlock stitching, and the fabric is antimicrobial and antifungal-treated.

Another great feature is the anti-slip bands at the hem of the shirt, to keep the rash guard from riding up during training. Overall, the Elite Sports rash guard easily sits among the best BJJ rash guards in the industry. Highly recommend.

Final thoughts

So there you have it, those are my picks for the best BJJ rash guards in 2024. As I always recommend, be a smart shopper and research all your favorites before choosing and ordering. If you want a rash guard that isn’t on the list make sure the quality is on point, the design won’t peel, and that it’s meant to be used in BJJ.

Take it easy!