BAPE Size Chart India: Shark Hoodie, Tee, Apparel Sizing
Most Indian buyers walk into their first BAPE order using the same logic they'd use for Essentials or Supreme, pick a size up, expect an oversized drop. BAPE does the opposite. A Bathing Ape is a Japanese label, and its own tee and hoodie charts are cut closer to slim Japanese sizing than to the boxy US streetwear norm, even on pieces like the Shark Hoodie that look huge in photos. Order your usual size and the sleeve and chest can come up short.
Photo: Kicks Machine, Bape Shark Full Zip I Hoodie Black
This page pulls BAPE's own tee measurements straight from its official US size guide, plus the brand's general men's clothing chart for pieces like the Shark Hoodie where BAPE does not publish a garment specific table. Real numbers, cited, and the Indian frame translation that actually matters once you've picked a size off the chart.
The one rule that fixes most BAPE sizing mistakes
BAPE apparel is cut Japanese true to size, not oversized. The silhouette of a Shark Hoodie looks enormous because of the shark mouth zip graphic and dropped hood, not because the chest and shoulder numbers are generous. Buyers used to Essentials, Trapstar, or most India streetwear who default to sizing up or staying at their usual pick often end up with a hoodie that fits fine through the body but sits short in the sleeve.
What this means for an Indian buyer:
- If you wear Medium in Nike, Adidas, or most India streetwear labels, a BAPE Medium is a closer, more fitted result than the same size in an oversized brand.
- Community buyer feedback consistently points to sizing up one from your usual pick if you want a relaxed, boxy silhouette rather than a snug one (via BAPE buyer community feedback on sizing threads).
- If you want the tailored, true to size look BAPE was originally designed around, stay at your usual size.
The mistake to avoid: assuming every streetwear hoodie brand runs the same way. BAPE and Essentials sit at opposite ends of the fit spectrum even though both get filed under the same "streetwear hoodie" search.
BAPE tee size chart
These are BAPE's own product measurements from its official US size guide, in inches with centimetres added for India convenience.
| Size | Length | Chest | Shoulder |
|---|---|---|---|
| S | 26.8 in / 68 cm | 35.8 in / 91 cm | 16.7 in / 42.5 cm |
| M | 27.4 in / 69.5 cm | 39.4 in / 100 cm | 18.5 in / 47 cm |
| L | 28.9 in / 73.5 cm | 41.3 in / 105 cm | 19.1 in / 48.5 cm |
| XL | 30.3 in / 77 cm | 44.5 in / 113 cm | 20.1 in / 51 cm |
(Source: BAPE official US size guide, us.bape.com)
Indian frame translation:
- 5'5" to 5'8", 55 to 68 kg: Small is a true fit through the chest. Medium if you want a hint of room.
- 5'8" to 5'10", 68 to 78 kg: Medium is the safest true to size pick for most builds in this range.
- 5'10" to 6'0", 78 to 88 kg: Large. The chest jumps almost two inches from Medium, so this is where most Indian buyers land comfortably.
- Above 6'0" or above 88 kg: XL, and check the length line too since BAPE tees stay closer to hip length rather than the longer drop of an oversized tee.
Try the camo print in the Bape Abc Camo By Bathing Ape Tee as a reference fit before ordering a second colourway.
BAPE hoodie and general apparel size chart
BAPE does not publish a separate measurement table for the Shark Hoodie or its other hoodies and sweatshirts. The closest official reference is BAPE's own general men's clothing chart, which covers the chest and waist range each size is built for across the apparel line.
| Size | Chest range | Waist range |
|---|---|---|
| S | 31.5 to 34.6 in / 80 to 88 cm | 29.1 to 29.9 in / 74 to 76 cm |
| M | 34.6 to 37.8 in / 88 to 96 cm | 29.9 to 31.1 in / 76 to 79 cm |
| L | 37.8 to 40.9 in / 96 to 104 cm | 31.1 to 33.1 in / 79 to 84 cm |
| XL | 40.9 to 44.1 in / 104 to 112 cm | 33.1 to 35.8 in / 84 to 91 cm |
(Source: BAPE international general size chart, int.bape.com)
Indian frame translation:
- If your chest measures inside the low end of a range, expect the hoodie to sit close to the body once you add a layer underneath. BAPE hoodies are not built with the extra two to three inches of ease that Essentials or Trapstar hoodies carry.
- 5'6" to 5'9", 60 to 72 kg: Medium is the common true fit pick, Large if you want room to layer.
- 5'9" to 6'0", 72 to 85 kg: Large fits closest to true size, XL for a relaxed layer over a tee.
- Above 6'0" or above 85 kg: XL, and size check the sleeve since Japanese cut sleeves run shorter than most US brands at the same chest number.
Since this chart is general and not hoodie specific, treat it as a starting point rather than an exact match, and compare it against a hoodie you already own that fits the way you want.
Quick India sizing translator
If you usually buy these brands in India, here is roughly where a BAPE tee lands by comparison, based on the chest numbers above.
| Your usual brand | Your size | BAPE tee equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Nike, Adidas India | M | M, true to size |
| Essentials, Trapstar | S (after their oversized sizing) | M to L |
| H&M, Zara India | M | M |
| Uniqlo, Muji | M | M, close match since both run true to Japanese sizing |
This is a starting reference, not a guarantee. Chest fit varies by cut even within one brand, so always check the tables above against your own measurements first.
The Shark Hoodie specific case
The Shark Hoodie deserves its own note because it is BAPE's most searched piece and the one most likely to disappoint a first time buyer on fit. The shark face zip and hood graphic make the piece look oversized in every photo, but the underlying body is cut to the same general chart as any other BAPE hoodie. If you want the hoodie to hang the way it does on the lookbook model, size up one from your true fit. If you want it to sit close and let the graphic read cleanly without excess fabric pooling at the waist, stay true to size.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does BAPE run small or big?
Small, relative to most India streetwear. BAPE is a Japanese brand and its tee and general apparel charts are cut close to the body, not oversized like Essentials or Trapstar. Most buyers who want a relaxed look size up one from their usual pick.Should I size up for the Shark Hoodie?
Size up one if you want the hoodie to hang the way it does in official photos. Stay true to size if you want a closer fit that lets the shark graphic sit flat without extra fabric. Check the [Bape Shark Full Zip I Hoodie](https://www.kicksmachine.com/products/bape-shark-full-zip-i-hoodie-black-sale) against your own chest measurement before choosing.Are BAPE tees and hoodies the same fit?
No. The tee has its own published chart from BAPE with a tighter, more true to size cut. Hoodies and sweatshirts follow BAPE's general clothing chart, which runs slightly roomier through the chest but still closer to the body than most oversized streetwear brands.Is BAPE sizing unisex?
BAPE's men's charts are commonly worn as unisex by women who want the relaxed streetwear look. Women shopping the men's chart should expect a true fit at roughly one size down from their usual women's size, or their usual size for a deliberately oversized result.What is the chest measurement for a BAPE tee size Medium?
39.4 inches or 100 centimetres, per BAPE's official US size guide, with a length of 27.4 inches and a shoulder of 18.5 inches. That fits most 5'8" to 5'10" Indian frames as a true to size pick.Picking your first BAPE piece
The tee is the safer first buy because BAPE publishes its exact chest and length numbers, so there is less guesswork. The Shark Hoodie carries more risk since BAPE has never released a piece specific chart for it, so lean on your true chest measurement over the general clothing table rather than guessing off the model photos.
Browse the current range in our Bape collection or go straight to Bape Clothing for the full apparel lineup including the Bape Shark Hoodie edit. Every BAPE piece on Kicks Machine ships with tags intact, cash on delivery is available across India so you can confirm the fit before paying, and our in house check covers label, print, and stitch quality before the parcel leaves for you, the exact risk this size chart exists to reduce.