Best BJJ rashguards: a buying guide

Why a rashguard matters

A rashguard — a tight-fitting athletic top — is standard, near-essential kit for no-gi BJJ, and useful under the gi too. It serves several real purposes beyond looking the part: it reduces skin-to-skin and skin-to-mat contact (lowering the risk of mat burn and skin infections), wicks sweat to keep you cooler and drier, and provides a bit of compression and muscle support.

That hygiene function is genuinely important in grappling, where skin infections spread through contact. A rashguard puts a barrier between your skin and the mat and your partners, which is why many people wear one even in gi training. For no-gi it's effectively required kit rather than optional, both for hygiene and because bare skin is slippery and uncomfortable to grip and be gripped.

So a rashguard isn't just apparel — it's functional gear you'll wear every no-gi session, which makes it worth choosing well. The good news is that a good rashguard is inexpensive and the features that matter are straightforward, so you don't need to overthink or overspend. This guide covers what to actually look for.

What to look for: material and construction

The core of a good rashguard is its fabric and seams. Look for a polyester-spandex (or nylon-spandex) blend — typically something like 80% polyester and 20% spandex — which gives you durability, stretch, and moisture-wicking. This blend holds up to the abrasion of grappling and repeated washing far better than cheaper single-material tops.

Seams matter more than people expect. Flatlock stitching lies flat against the skin, resists chafing, and holds up to the stress of grappling, while cheap seams can dig in or come apart. Many quality rashguards are sublimated — the graphics are dyed into the fabric rather than printed on top — which means the design won't peel or crack and the fabric stays smooth. Both are marks of a durable rashguard.

Quick-drying is another practical must, since you'll wash it after every session (grappling gear must be washed every time for hygiene). A good synthetic rashguard dries fast, which matters if you train often and need it ready again soon. Prioritize these functional qualities — fabric blend, seams, quick-drying — over graphics when you buy.

Fit: snug, not loose

Fit is where rashguards live or die. A rashguard should be snug and compressive, fitting like a second skin — not loose or baggy. A loose rashguard defeats the purpose: it bunches up during rolling, gives your opponent fabric to grip, rides up, and doesn't provide the barrier or compression you want. Snug is the goal.

Because fit is so important and sizing varies between brands, always check the specific brand's size chart against your measurements rather than assuming your usual shirt size. Rashguards are meant to be tight, so don't size up for comfort the way you might with a regular t-shirt — a properly fitted rashguard feels tight when you put it on and moves with you once you're rolling.

If you're between sizes, consider the fabric's stretch and the brand's guidance, but lean toward the snugger option for a rashguard's job. The right fit is one that stays put through a hard roll without bunching, riding up, or restricting your breathing. That's the single most important thing to get right when buying one.

Long sleeve vs short sleeve

Rashguards come in long-sleeve and short-sleeve versions, and the choice is mostly preference and climate. Long sleeves cover more skin, offering more protection against mat burn and skin-to-skin contact (a hygiene plus), and some prefer the full coverage. Short sleeves are cooler and can feel less restrictive, which matters in hot gyms or climates.

For hygiene and mat-burn protection, long sleeves have a slight edge because they cover more skin. For comfort in heat, short sleeves win. Neither is wrong, and many grapplers own both to suit the conditions. If you train in a warm gym or hot climate, you might favor short sleeves; if skin protection is your priority, long sleeves.

For competition, check the specific event's rules, but sleeve length is generally flexible — the bigger competition requirement is usually about the rashguard's color and ranking, covered below. For training, pick whatever you find most comfortable, or own one of each. It's a low-stakes choice compared with getting the fit and fabric right.

Competition rules for rashguards

If you plan to compete no-gi, be aware that organizations have specific rashguard rules, and IBJJF's are the most notable. For IBJJF no-gi competition, competitors must wear a 'ranked' rashguard whose predominant color reflects their belt rank — so a blue belt wears a predominantly blue rashguard, and so on. A rashguard that doesn't meet the color and ranking rules can prevent you from competing.

This means your everyday training rashguard, whatever its design, may not be legal for IBJJF competition, and you may need a specific ranked rashguard for events. Rules also cover things like the rashguard reaching the waistband and general coverage. Always check the current rule book of the specific organization before competing, since requirements vary between events.

For training, none of this matters — any comfortable, well-fitting rashguard is fine, and you can wear whatever design you like. It's only competition that imposes the ranking and color requirements. So buy freely for training, but if you're planning to compete under IBJJF, budget for a compliant ranked rashguard in your belt's color.

Brands and price

There's a wide range of rashguard brands across price points, and many well-regarded grappling brands — the same names that make quality gis and no-gi gear — make good rashguards. Budget-friendly options from established grappling brands are widely recommended for beginners and deliver most of the value; premium and specialty brands offer nicer materials, designs, and sometimes better durability.

As with gis, price is a weak proxy for quality past a certain point, and the features that matter — fabric blend, flatlock or sublimated seams, snug fit, quick-drying — are available even in budget rashguards. You don't need to spend a lot to get a good, functional rashguard, and flashy designs command a premium that has nothing to do with performance.

The sensible approach is to buy a well-fitting rashguard with good fabric and seams from a reputable grappling brand, at whatever price point suits you, and prioritize function over graphics. We don't publish paid rankings or fabricated 'tested' verdicts — the honest guidance is to shop for the functional features above and read genuine user reviews for the specific model you're considering.

How many do you need?

Like gis, rashguards need washing after every single session for hygiene, so if you train no-gi regularly you'll want more than one so you always have a clean, dry rashguard ready. How many depends on how often you train no-gi and how quickly they dry — the good news is rashguards are cheap and quick-drying, so building a small rotation is easy and inexpensive.

For someone doing a couple of no-gi sessions a week, two or three rashguards is comfortable; train more often and you'll want a few more. Because they dry fast and cost little, over-buying isn't much of a risk here — unlike gis, a rashguard rotation is low-cost to build. Just make sure you never have to choose between a dirty rashguard and skipping a session.

If you split your training between gi and no-gi, remember your rashguards only need to cover your no-gi sessions (plus any you wear under the gi). Map your actual no-gi frequency and buy accordingly. And whatever you own, wash it every session — a rashguard's hygiene benefit only works if it's clean. Our getting started hub covers the rest of your kit.