Hyperfly Starlyte Gi Review: Pros & Cons + Size Comparison

It’s no secret that the Hyperfly Starlyte gi is my favorite BJJ gi. I like it so much I own three of them, and I also bought a pair of Hyperfly Starlyte pants to go with one of my other gi’s. I actually own the gi in two sizes, so I in this in-depth Hyperfly Starlyte Review, I’ll show you the differences between the F and A gi sizing in addition to sharing all the pros and cons of the Hyperfly Starlyte gi. I’ll also answer all the questions I had before buying the gi (and any others you ask me in the comments).

What I Like About the Hyperfly Starlyte Gi

First off, here are the things I love about Hyperfly’s Starlyte BJJ gi and why I own it in multiple colors. I’ll be going into lots more depth about all of these things later on in the article, but here’s an overview:

• Unique lightweight gi fabric (read on to see photos)
• Most comfortable gi pants I’ve ever owned
• Subtle branding (I don’t like gi’s to have giant words on them)
• The gi pants can be purchased separately
• It doesn’t shrink much if any, even after being dried in a hot dryer
• Lots of size options – F and A sizes as well as Tall/Long for both
• Comes in lots of pretty colors as well as the basics
• The “pretty color” gi’s are available in ALL sizes, not only F sizes

Below you can see just some of the previous Starlyte colors. Check the website for current availability. (Also keep an eye on eBay, Poshmark and the “Women’s BJJ/MMA Garage Sale” Facebook page for the chance to buy some of the retired colors!)

Hyperfly Starlyte Gi Drawbacks

As much as I love Hyperfly’s Starlyte gi, it has a few cons that mean it might not be the perfect gi for everyone. Here are the gi’s drawbacks, which I’ll also be covering in more detail later on in the article:

• It’s not legal to wear in BJJ competitions due to being made from an extremely lightweight material. (Also, most competitions require competitors to wear a white, black, or royal blue gi.)
• The soft fabric the pants are made from is prone to pilling (I’ll share a photo later in this article).
• The “pretty” colors are always limited edition sell out quickly (I subscribe to their text updates so I can find out about the new colors as soon as they drop!)

That’s honestly it. I can’t think of any other drawbacks to the Hyperfly Starlyte gi. Not only is it my favorite gi brand, it’s also my instructor’s favorite brand. He and his wife both own several, as do many other people at my gym.

Below is a picture of me and my friend Kim both wearing our colorful Starlyte gi’s.

What Does the Gi Fabric Feel Like?

The unique diamond weave material used to make the kimono (jacket) is one of the best things about the Starlyte gi. I only know of one other brand, Flow Kimonos, that offers a gi made of this material. The fabric is lightweight breathable but also textured and durable.

I have a lightweight BJJ Globetrotters brand “travel gi” with a jacket made from the same ripstop fabric as the pants, and to me the Starlyte gi feels cooler when I’m sweaty because the fabric “breathes” better and doesn’t feel wet against my skin the way the ripstop fabric does.

Review of Hyperfly Starlyte Gi Pants

The Starlyte gi pants are made from a soft ripstop material that is super comfortable but admittedly prone to pilling, as you can see in the close-up photo below. So far after a few years of regular use my Starlyte pants have not ripped, but if they do you can order just the pants from the Hyperfly website (but they are only available to order individually in black, white, and royal blue).

One thing I really like about these pants that’s different from most gi pants is the drawstring. Starlyte gi pants have a flat drawstring that stays tied much better than the round cord drawstring most gi pants have. It has a “drawstring tunnel” that goes all the way across the back of the pants, so you don’t have the problem of your drawstring digging into your waist while your pants are sagging.

Pictured above are my Starlyte III gi pants, which are slightly different than the older models in that there are wide “belt loops” on the front of the pants, a change I suspect was made to prevent the drawstring from getting lost inside the “drawstring tunnel,” which happened to me before I added an extra knot to the end of the drawstring.

What Sizes Are Offered?

Hyperfly is one of the most size-inclusive gi brands, offering not only the standard A sizes, but also A short, A long, and F (female) sizing. Below is a chart I made that shows all of the adult gi sizes offered by Hyperfly. I made this chart to better visualize the differences between the F and A sizes and it was accurate as of February 2025, but be sure to check the size chart on the Hyperfly website for the most current sizing.

What’s really cool is that Hyperfly offers ALL their gi’s in ALL the sizes, unlike many gi brands that only offer the “pretty” colors in F or W sizes, even though women can be any size.

What’s the Difference Between the A and F Gi Sizes?

It can be confusing to figure out what size you need based on the size chart alone. For example, I’m 5’6″ (66 inches) tall and currently weigh 147 pounds. According to the size chart, I fall within the size range for both F3 and A1, and (just barely) A0L.

I ordered F3 for my first Starlyte gi, and it fit me perfectly when I ordered it. At that time I weighed around 145 pounds. I ended up gaining some weight, and when I weighed around 160 pounds, the pants were too tight in the hips, so I ordered a pair of white A1 pants to go with my F3 jacket and was able to keep wearing the gi. Now that I’m back down to 147 pounds, the F3 fits me pretty well again. Here are some pictures of me wearing my F3 gi today:

When I ordered my blue Starlyte gi, I decided to order the A1 size. It is a bit large on me, but I like the roomy fit. Here’s me wearing that gi today. As you can see, the sleeves are a little longer, there’s more room in the hips, and it’s just a bit looser all around.

The main difference between the “unisex” A sizes and the “women’s” F sizes is that the women’s gi sizes are slightly slimmer and more tapered, and the women’s jacket is a little shorter. I laid my F3 gi over my A1 gi so you can see exactly what I mean. The pants are almost identical in length and waistband size, but the F3 is narrower in the chest, arms, and legs, and the sleeves are a little shorter.

I took measurements from both gi’s and used them to create the chart below. Keep in mind that these measurements were taken after both gi’s had been washed and dried in a hot dryer dozens of times.

Will the Hyperfly Starlyte Gi Shrink?

One of the best things about the Stalyte gi is that it doesn’t shrink much if at all, even after being washed and dried in a hot dryer multiple times. You can order based on the size chart with confidence. However, if you are on the border between two sizes or fall within the size range for two sizes, go with the larger size.

Most BJJ gi’s, even the ones advertised as “preshrunk,” do shrink quite a bit if dried in a hot dryer. For that reason, many people hang their gi’s to dry, but I am not one of those people.

Usually when I buy a gi, I buy it a full size larger planning for it to shrink, but that’s not necessary with the Hyperfly Starlyte gi. Even after years of being washed and dried in the dryer multiple times per week, my Starlyte gi’s still fit pretty close to the way they did when I bought them.

Is the Starlyte Gi Competition Legal?

Unfortunately the Starlyte gi is not legal to wear in most BJJ competitions. The Hyperlyte gi also made by Hyperfly IS competition legal, but I have never owned one so can’t compare it to the Starlyte.

Does the Hyperfly Starlyte Gi Ever Go On Sale?

Hyperfly runs gi sales throughout the year, especially around holidays. They also offer limited-time colors a few times per year. Whenever their gi’s go on sale, the most unique colors tend to sell out pretty quickly, especially in the more “average” sizes. For that reason, if you’re thinking about buying a Starlyte gi, I would recommend that you sign up for their text alerts so you’ll be notified as soon as a new color drops, or if they are restocked or go on sale.

Conclusion

Even though it’s not competition-legal, the Starlyte gi from Hyperfly is an excellent choice for daily training, whether you prefer a colorful gi or a minimalist white or black gi. Its lightweight fabric makes it especially ideal for hot climates, and the wide range of size options means just about anyone can enjoy this gi.

Have a question about the Starlyte gi I didn’t answer in my article? Leave a comment and I’ll do my best to answer.