Platinum Jiu Jitsu has a small but deeply loyal following of jiu jiteiros that appreciate the flash of their designs and the quality of their craftsmanship. Each gi is produced in a very small batch, just 25 total gis divided among the 4 sizes, and features a fully sublimated rashguard liner. The rasghuards are based on artwork by Hawaiian artist Katch1. The exterior patching, embroidery and color schemes are all intended to compliment the interior artwork. Sean sent me the Grenada, #5 of 25, in A3 a few months ago and I’ve been putting it thru its paces ever since.
Design/Features/Construction:
The Grenada consists of a drab green pearl weave jacket and ripstop pants with orange contrast stitching. There is orange cloth tape at the side slits of the jacket and pants for reinforcement. The belt loops, there are six, and cord drawstring are also orange. There are no patches on the jacket and just a single patch on the outer thigh of the right leg of the pants. The jacket has a mouth guard pocket. The jacket interior has a fully sublimated rashguard.
The collar of the jacket is EVA foamed filled, very thick and covered in ripstop. All of the seams and stress points have been reinforced. There have been no loose threads in the jacket or pants and the stitching is consistently even and straight. The embroidery, and there’s quite a bit, is well done without any noticeably defects. The aforementioned patch could be removed with a stitch ripper if you wanted to.
Jacket:
Nothing subtle about this jacket J and I mean that in a good way; even for Platinum JJ this jacket has quite a bit of flash. The interior rashguard looks and feels great. The quality of rashguard is consistent with premium rashguards for companies such as Scramble and since it’s sublimated it will never fade or crack. The rashguard is firmly sewn in place. Embroidery can be found on the shoulders, deltoids, chest, upper back and lower back. Satin tape has been used on the interior of the cuffs and at the base of the skirt. The outside of the skirt is lined in riptstop. As you can imagine the jacket is a little heavier than most pearl weaves, roughly the same as a 550g gold weave.
Pants:
The pants are made of a heavier ripstop with a pearl weave gusset. Knee reinforcement starts at mid-thigh and continues to ~11” from the cuff. There is extra-reinforcement at the center-line of the butt and the back of the pants are slightly higher than the front. As mentioned earlier there is a single patch and piece of embroidery on the pants.
Test Run:
The cut of the jacket is ideal for someone with a longer and leaner build. The A3 fit me very well. The jacket is aggressively cut so that there isn’t a lot of extra material. This is my first rashguard lined gi and I really like training in it. It wasn’t any hotter than wearing a gi with a rashguard under it, which I always do. There is a little extra weight from the rashguard liner but I didn’t find it bulky or restricting. The collar is very stiff and I like that its ripstop. Overall, it’s a gi that I’ll wear year around for training. It’s very easy to focus on the aesthetics of the gi but the physical dimensions, cut and craftsmanship of the gi is excellent.
Special Considerations:
Limited edition, check. Personalized customer service, check. Unique designs, check. Solid craftsmanship, check. Sean’s started with a high-quality competition cut bjj gi and added distinct design elements to make your gi something that no one else will have. The designs are a bit out there but that’s kind of the point. Oh, and Enson and Egan Inoue have been known to rock these gis as well, so they’ve got that going for them.
Wrap Up:
Platinum JJ’s has gis are certainly eye-catching. The designs and colors vary significantly between batchs and if you’re into a blinged out gi you’ve probably found your nirvana. The fact that they’re well made and priced competitively, they’re $175, is icing on the cake. While the gi that I have is not IBJJF legal many of the others are and with new batches produced regularly it shouldn’t take long to find one that meets your needs.
Be sure to check out Platinum Jiu Jitsu’s Facebook and Website for more information, pre-orders and product sales.
