Size Guide
Gi sizing is tricky! If you've had trouble finding that just-right fit, you're not alone. Some factors that make sizing difficult:
The fit of specific sizes has changed over time, almost always getting larger.
It is generally known that early Shoyoroll batches run smaller than mid-era batches, and recent batches run bigger than mid-era batches.
The naming convention of some sizes is very confusing!
Before the 2021 sizing change, and owing to some quirks of sizing history, some of Shoyoroll and Albino and Preto's sizes are counterintuitive. For instance, A2H is much bigger than A3H, and A0H is much closer to A2 than to A0.
Some sizes have been renamed in the past, and again very recently.
Early Shoyoroll batches had a size A3S, which was like a slim A3, but was later replaced by A2L, which is a long A2. In 2021, the whole size chart was overhauled, with the "A" prefix being dropped altogether and numeric sizes — 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 — appended, optionally, with the fit — W for wide, L for long, and F for fitted.
Sizing can vary from batch to batch and even within the same batch!
Quality control is hard!
Even if you're super careful, wearing, washing, and air drying will shrink a gi.
If a brand new gi fits you perfectly, it's probably the wrong size and you should get the next size up. Just washing and hang drying a gi will cause some shrinkage. Almost all gis are cotton and cotton shrinks, even when you try really hard to prevent it!
If you're not careful, machine drying a gi will shrink it a lot!
This is either a good thing if you want to shrink a gi a bit, or a bad thing if your gi fits perfectly and you'd be terribly upset if it shrunk. The best bet is to wash your gis by themselves, and wash them yourself so you can manage their care. Don't throw them in the hamper or the laundry pile. Take good care of them!
Some final thoughts...
While we don't measure brand new gis, all of our used gis include full measurements — more measurements than you'll need in most cases! — so we recommend comparing those to the measurements of a gi you already own to get a good idea of how it will fit.
And since we understand that sizing is tricky, you can always return your gear if it doesn't fit right.
For current new gi sizing, you can check out Shoyoroll's FAQ page and Albino and Preto's size chart .