BJJ spats, or compression pants, are a key piece of the No-Gi grappler’s gear bag. While not everyone likes wearing spats, they offer the same…

BJJ spats, or compression pants, are a key piece of the No-Gi grappler’s gear bag. While not everyone likes wearing spats, they offer the same benefits that a rash guard does. BJJ spats are not just for making a fashion statement.

If you wear a rash guard when you train, you should really consider wearing spats too. They provide protection against rashes and skin infections, increased performance, and faster recovery. So a great pair of spats can have a significant positive impact on your BJJ life.

In this post, our team makes our picks for the best BJJ spats out there today, and the best brands for BJJ compression pants. We’ll also explain what factors are shared by the best quality BJJ spats, and answer some of the burning questions around spat wearing in BJJ.

Continue reading for our favorite spats and spat designs, or click the link below to jump to the judging criteria and FAQ.

[Jump to: BJJ Spats FAQs]

9 Best BJJ Spats for Grapplers in 2023

Poor-quality spats can be a real letdown when they come apart after a few uses. And even when you find high-quality spats, you’re often spoiled for choice with a thousand brands, and tens of thousands of designs out there.

Find Your Gi’s team of experienced spat-wearers came together to come up with this (definitive?) list of the best BJJ spats you can get today, to save you some of the stress of shopping around. Check out our recommendations below.

Venum Gladiator 3.0 BJJ Spats

Venum is the gold standard for No-Gi BJJ gear, so it’s no surprise that their “Gladiator” spats are up here.

While Venum gear is a little pricey, the quality is great, and the design surpasses that. These spats tick the boxes for features you want in BJJ compression pants – compression technology for increased circulation and blood flow, Dry Tech to deal with moisture and sweat, and an 87/13 polyester/spandex composition that holds up to punishment.

The Venum Gladiator spats come in three different colors – black & grey, black & white and black & red.

Gold BJJ Jiu Jitsu Spats

We love Gold BJJ at Find Your Gi – they’re a great team of people who make high-quality, affordable gear. I highly recommend their spats for an affordable and dependable base layer for Gi or No-Gi.

Despite the great price point, these spats feel super durable. You should not expect any problems with spats wearing out at the knees. Likewise, the reinforced waistband is strong and won’t loosen up with repeat wear.

For added durability, they don’t sacrifice anything in performance. The material gives a full range of flexibility, and they’re breathable and lightweight. Perfect for No-Gi use, or to wear under your Gi pants.

Origin “The Path” BJJ Spats

Origin BJJ is one of the best brands you can choose for premium BJJ gear, both for Gi and No-Gi. Their compression gear is particularly high quality, with most designs available in matching spats and rash guard.

Origin’s spats feature all the components of an excellent compression pant – protection from abrasion, moisture-wicking technology and muscle compression that leaves the joints free and mobile. An added bonus of these spats is UV protection and material that is designed to maintain integrity and performance underwater, meaning you can use these spats at the beach, on runs and in the gym.

As for the design, Origin has numerous designs that I love. My favorite is this, “The Path”, which displays along one leg the belt progression from white to black belt; a reminder of where you’re going, and how far you’ve already come.

Click here to learn more about Origin BJJ gear, including must-have picks from our team.

Tatami Rival Black & Camo Spats

Tatami are a staple for BJJ gear, particularly No-Gi (as you can see from our BJJ rash guard guide). Like Origin, they have a huge range of matching rash guards and spats, in great designs with high-quality material.

The polyester-spandex fabric blend stands up to pulling and stretching extremely well, and won’t lose their shape easily. They’re supported by a strong waistband that doesn’t ride up.

I love this design, as it’s simple and understated, and goes with anything. You can match it with the Rival rash guard, or a spicier design – it’s up to you.

Raven Fightwear Fire Element Spats

Think your No-Gi game is fire? Well, back it up with a set of spats that prove it. This design is subtle for Raven’s reputation, but I tend to like that for my spats. Still, the fire-breathing dragon down one leg is kinda badass.

Raven doesn’t just do fire designs, their gear is made to last as well. These spats are lightweight and breathable, allowing full range of motion for all your 10th planet attacks. The seams are reinforced with flatlock stitching for durability.

Habrok Pugnator Spats

Habrok is a pretty new name in the world of BJJ gear, but they’re one to keep an eye on. Their gear, such as the Pugnator spats, are designed and made with scientific specifications in mind, to provide top-end performance for athletes.

The tech behind the Habrok Pugnator spats is called CoolPearl Compression Technology. This helps your endurance and recovery by regulating body temperature, along with the standard benefits of compression tech aiding circulation.

The fabric also fights moisture buildup by wicking sweat away from the skin, helping you avoid microbial and bacterial issues.

The designs offered by Habrok’s No-Gi gear are simple, making it clear that they’re serious about performance over show.

Hayabusa Geo BJJ Compression Pants

Hayabusa is stop #1 for premium BJJ & MMA gear. Their “Geo” spats, matching the Geo rash guard, are trademark Hayabusa quality. They offer full range of movement and total flexibility, with the security of a silicone waistband to keep them from riding up or down.

Silicone banding on the hems as well helps keep the legs locked down, which can be a problem with rash guards and spats after a while, which will start to loosen around the ankles/wrists.

Red, blue and grey color schemes are available to match with your rash guard/shorts. I like the design a lot, as it doesn’t take up too much space and attention, yet it offers a splash of color.

Dr Skin Compression Pants

The Dr Skin compression gear is not made specifically for BJJ, but it may as well be, as these compression pants achieve the same purpose of any of the other BJJ spats we’ve mentioned in this post.

These are extremely durable compression pants, designed to provide breathability, comfort, full movement and circulation for many different sports and activities. The way the fabric deals with moisture and air works in a unique way that is able to retain heat in cool conditions, and cool you down in hot conditions. Perfect for stop-start training sessions.

Shogun Fight Compression Pants

If Shoguns were still around, and they did Jiu Jitsu, Shogun Fight would be their compression pants of choice. Coming in two clean designs – the subtle Tao design and extravagant Koi theme – these are an awesome addition to your No-Gi wardrobe.

The artwork, which can be matched to Shogun’s shorts and rash guards, is printed with a dye-sublimation process. This is notable because it means the designs last longer, and won’t flake or crack as many printed designs do.

The material is poly-spandex, with a rubber waistband, made for the perfect mix of durability, comfort and performance.

Bonus Picks – Brands So Nice They’re On Here Twice

We’ve outlined 9 individual products for the best BJJ spats above. However, I’d feel like I’m shortchanging you if I left it at that.

There are several brands that offer a great range of No-Gi gear, including multiple awesome designs in their BJJ spats range. I picked out my personal favorite designs in the list above, but these brands have many more designs to suit your taste.

Check out these brands to fill out your No-Gi wardrobe:

Tatami

Tatami are one of the biggest names in BJJ gear, especially crazy No-Gi rash guards and spats. Here are a few examples of their BJJ spats range, which will have you standing out on the mats:

Origin

Origin offers you premium, US-made gear, including intricately detailed compression gear for BJJ. I mentioned the “Path” design on the main list, so here are a few more designs on offer:

Raven Fightwear

Raven Fightwear is one of several amazing brands to come out of the Australian BJJ & MMA scene. Their designs are out of this world, and have you channeling the energy of Norse Gods, Aztec Warriors, Samurai, or whatever type of fighter you’re going for.

See here some more of their awesome spat designs:

Are Spats for You? Why Do You Need to Wear Spats for BJJ?

Not everyone likes wearing spats for BJJ. Fair enough – it’s up to you.

It’s fine to wear shorts and a rash guard for No-Gi BJJ. However, spats may help you perform better, and stave off some of the downsides of sweaty rolls in a hot gym.

Here are some of the benefits provided by wearing spats for BJJ:

Protection from friction burns

Mat burn is no joke. Not only is it painful and uncomfortable, broken skin is a gateway for bacteria to enter the body from the mats, or your training partners. The result is often skin infections like staph.

One way to adequately protect against injuries from friction, like mat burn, is covering up areas like the arms and legs that frequently rub against the ground or your partners. We’re used to covering up our arms with a long-sleeved rash guard, but if you’re getting friction burns on your legs, you may want to get some spats too.

Aiding recovery & performance through compression

Tight-fitting compression clothes can help you perform better, and recover faster. This could be a game changer if you’ve got a busy training schedule and frequently experience muscle soreness or weakness.

Compression pants (and tops) aid blood flow. As the bloodstream is a delivery system for oxygen, this helps you get more oxygen to the muscles, which is necessary for you to perform at your peak, and for muscles to rebuild and recover.

Wicking away sweat

Spats are designed to pull moisture away from your skin, through moisture-wicking technology in the fabric. And during a hard training session, there’s no shortage of moisture to deal with.

By pulling sweat off your body, you’ll experience better skin condition, and less trouble with lingering odors.

Defense against bacteria

Bacteria is probably the most dangerous opponent you’ll face on the mats. It can result in skin infections such as ringworm or staph, body odor, and more.

Even in the cleanest of gyms, it’s hard to say you can be completely safe from bacteria when you’re rolling around on the floor for hours. That’s why we wear spats and rash guards, to provide a line of defense between our bodies and nasty germs.

Spats & Gi Pants: Yes or No?

Spats are common in NoGi, but how about in YesGi? Should you wear spats under your Gi pants?

Again, it’s up to you, and your personal preference. Most people don’t wear spats with the Gi. However, there’s no reason you can’t – a lot of people do rock spats + Gi, for many of the same reasons you wear a rash guard under your Gi.

You get the same benefits of wearing compression gear, whether you’re training NoGi or YesGi. So if you want increased circulation, for extra endurance and recovery, you can wear compression pants with your BJJ Gi.

Spats under your Gi pants can also protect against friction burns from the Gi material. Friction burns are more common for the upper body (which is why rash guards are more commonly worn in Gi Jiu Jitsu than spats are), but they can still be a problem on the legs.

Personally, I like wearing spats (or at least tight-fitting compression shorts) under my Gi pants because Gi pants tend to come loose fairly easily. Wearing spats underneath gives me another line of protection before I end up mooning the rest of the class.

Downsides of Spats

As we said earlier, spats aren’t for everyone. Spats bother some people, and if this is you, don’t worry.

Spats can make things quite slippery, especially during hot, hard rolls. While this is a good thing – it means your spats are pulling the moisture away from your body, which is good for your skin – it may be annoying for some.

Tight-fitting spats can also be uncomfortable for some. Some of us prefer some room to breath… down there. Spats also leave very little to the imagination, particularly when worn on their own – which brings up another discussion point.

Are Spats Pants? (The Great Debate)

Now for the question wars have been fought over. Are spats okay to wear on their own?

Unfortunately, I can’t give a definitive answer to this question. However, I do have some advice.

First, it’s generally acceptable for women to wear spats on their own, more or less like regular gym wear for females.

For men, it can be a tricky question. Spats without shorts, and the bulge that comes with this choice, can be uncomfortable for either yourself or others.

First, if it makes you feel uncomfortable, that’s simple – just wear shorts over your spats.

It’s harder to tell if it’s going to make other people uncomfortable. My advice would be to read the room – see what the common practice appears to be at your school.

If you see spats without shorts commonly worn, you can be more comfortable assuming this is ok. If not, maybe take the safe option and wear your spats with shorts.

Are Spats Allowed in IBJJF Competition?

Official IBJJF rules for No-Gi don’t allow men to wear spats. You can wear compression shorts under your No-Gi shorts, but full-length spats are not allowed.

Women are allowed to wear spats/compression pants, however. These have to be either black, white, black and white, or your belt color.

As far as underneath the Gi pants, men are not allowed to wear spats under the Gi. Women are allowed, however the spats must not be longer than the Gi pants.

So, in short, you are not allowed to wear spats in men’s IBJJF competition, but you can for women’s.

A lot of non-IBJJF comps have different rules, and many will allow you to wear spats. So if you’re thinking of competing and want to know if you can wear spats, check the specific ruleset first.

What to Look For in a Pair of BJJ Spats

If you’ve decided spats are for you, even just some of the time, here are the key things to look for in a pair (and what we took into account when making the list earlier).

Comfort & fit

A quality fit, and spats that feel comfortable and give you full range of movement, is vital. There’s nothing worse than clothing that bugs you and takes your focus away when drilling or rolling.

Spats should be tight-fitting, but not too much – not so much that they are uncomfortable. It should be a bit of a sq ueeze to get them on, but once they’re on, you should feel good.

Pay attention to sizing guides provided by the company when you buy a pair of spats, as most brands will have slightly different sizing (an M in one brand is not necessarily the same as an M in another).

Material quality

Now, what makes or breaks top spats from poor ones is the material.

There are two ways it can usually go wrong: too thin or too thick. Thick spats are super hot and hard to move in – they feel like they’re better suited for trekking through Antarctica than training Jiu Jitsu.

On the other hand, I’ve had spats that wear out too quickly, especially in the knees. Because of the nature of compression gear, once you get one tear in the knee, most of the effectiveness is gone.

The best spats are light and easy to move in, but stand up to constant friction and stretching.

Stitching

One of the biggest factors in durability is the stitching. If the fabric is right, then all the stress moves to the seams. You want stitching that’s strong enough to hold up to stretching. At the same time, you don’t want stitching that is super heavy duty, as this can irritate the skin and cause problems of its own.

Design

Finally, most people will want to take into account design in their purchasing decision. If looks don’t matter to you, that’s fine. But if it does, there are a ton of options you can choose with spats that give you a hell of a dope look.

Many brands (such as Tatami and Origin) have matching sets of spats and rash guards, that allow you to create a complete outfit.

Best BJJ Spats & Compression Pants for BJJ: In Summary

To wear spats or not is a choice that varies from person to person. For some, they’re an essential part of the No-Gi (and sometimes Gi) checklist. Others prefer to go with a simple shorts + rash guard combo.

Whatever your preference, there are some proven benefits to wearing spats, so even if you don’t usually wear them, you may want to try for a few sessions. You should feel the benefits of increased endurance and recover, as well as protection from bacteria and friction burns.

If you’re in the market for a pair of spats, the Venum Gladiator 3.0 Spats and Gold BJJ Jiu Jitsu Spats are two choices that come highly recommended. While for a premium option, you can look to Origin BJJ’s “The Path” Spats.

While you make your choice, check out these related articles to round out your No-Gi look:

BJJ Rash Guards Buying Guide Best BJJ & MMA Shorts Best Backpacks & Gear Bags for BJJ

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