Which karategi to buy, how the kyu-dan belt system runs from white to black, and which few protectors you actually need once kumite and contact begin.
In short: to start karate you need almost nothing — a karategi and a white belt are enough, everything else only comes with kumite. That's good news for your wallet: karate is one of the least equipment-heavy combat sports there is. No mouthguard, no gloves, no shin guards in the first months.
The reason is simple: at first you practice kihon and kata — technique against the air and set forms. Only when real partner contact comes in do you need protection. And that's exactly where the injury numbers rise: in competition kumite the rate is about 47 injuries per 1000 fights, while regular fundamentals training is comparatively harmless.
The belt is more than clothing — it's your progress display. From white to black belt isn't a jump but a ladder with many rungs. Let's go through the equipment step by step.
There are roughly three classes: beginner gi (light, ~8 oz, cheap, ideal for all beginners), kata gi (heavy, stiff, audibly "snaps" on every technique) and kumite gi (light, elastic, for freedom of movement). For the first one to two years a simple, well-fitting beginner gi is exactly right — save the expensive specialist gi until you know whether kata or kumite is your thing.
A gi shrinks on the first wash. So buy it slightly too big: the sleeves should reach just before the wrist, the trousers just above the ankle. Too long is annoying, too short is useless — when in doubt, one size up.
Karate measures progress in two stages: kyu grades (student grades) run from 9th to 1st, usually colored from white through yellow, orange, green and blue to brown. Dan grades (master grades) start at black belt (1st dan) and rise further. Every color change is a passed belt exam with a fixed program.
As soon as your club lets you spar, the protectors come: fist protectors, shin and foot guards, mouthguard and, depending on the federation, groin or chest guard. Buy here according to your federation's rules (e.g. WKF-compliant), not the cheapest offer — poorly fitting protectors protect poorly.
Wash cold, don't tumble dry (it keeps shrinking otherwise), and traditionally do not wash the belt — many karateka see the patina as a sign of years of training. A clean, ironed gi is also a gesture of respect in the dojo.
Equipment in karate is a genuine safety factor, not an accessory. Rule changes show it in black and white: when youth karate expanded weight classes from three to five, the injury rate fell from 61.4 to 18.8 per 1000 competition exposures — fairer pairings, less harm. For you that means: in kumite always wear the protection your federation prescribes, fight in your weight and experience class, and use a well-fitting mouthguard as soon as head contact is possible. Protectors that stay in the bag protect no one.
Get a second, cheap gi as soon as you train regularly. Sounds trivial, but it's the underrated consistency trick: a gi is sweaty after training and needs time to dry. If you have only one and train twice a week, at some point you face a damp uniform — and skip training. Two gis cost little and remove the most common trivial excuse not to go to the dojo. Less friction, more consistency.
A light beginner gi in cotton (around 8 oz), well-fitting and slightly too big because it shrinks in the wash. Special kata gis (heavy and stiff) or kumite gis (light and elastic) only pay off once you know your direction. Many clubs even lend you one for the first weeks.
Typically white, yellow, orange, green, blue, brown as kyu grades (student grades from 9th to 1st), then black as 1st dan and up. The exact order and number of intermediate stages varies by style and federation, but the white-to-black principle is the same everywhere.
Usually fist protectors, shin and foot guards and a mouthguard, plus groin and chest guard depending on the federation. Follow your federation's rules (e.g. WKF), not the price — poorly fitting protectors protect poorly, and injury numbers rise precisely in kumite.
The gi yes (cold, not in the dryer so it doesn't shrink further), the belt traditionally no. Many karateka deliberately leave the obi unwashed because the patina symbolizes years of training. Practically, occasional airing does no harm — it's more taste than rule.
Karate: The Stances (Zenkutsu, Kiba, Kokutsu-dachi)