Erin Porteous
If you are thinking about going into the boxing ring or hitting a heavy punching bag with a pair of poorly designed gloves or no gloves at all, then be ready to drop your career or hobby! Doesn’t matter if you are swinging with your sparring partner or hitting that bag for the first time; if you don’t invest in a quality pair of gloves, you are likely to sustain serious injuries to your hands.
You see, our hands are quite delicate. They have several joints and bones that can easily break if you don’t protect them. Boxing gloves are designed with enough amount of padding to provide you the much-needed protection to your hands, not to mention comfort and performance. You can train for several sessions hitting the punching bag or even get into the ring and fight your way to win a prestigious boxing belt without any pain on your hands.
The problem with these gloves is that there are so many of them in the market to know the right one for your needs. You have to literally browse through dozens of options before you can finally settle on the right one. Whether you are a pro boxer or just someone looking to stay fit with this rigorous sport, you can choose from our selection of best boxing gloves for your needs. Don’t know where to start? Read our buying guide and understand some of the factors that will help you make a wise decision.
Top 10 Boxing Gloves of 2020 Reviewed
1. Ringside Apex Boxing Kickboxing Muay Thai Training Gloves Gel Sparring Punching Bag Mitts
[wt_products id=”3675″ template=”5″]2. Trideer Pro Grade Boxing Gloves, Kickboxing Bagwork Gel Sparring Training Gloves
[wt_products id=”3676″ template=”5″]3. Starpro Boxing Gloves for Men & Women Training Sparring Kickboxing UFC MMA
[wt_products id=”3677″ template=”5″]4. Everlast Pro Style Training Gloves
[wt_products id=”3678″ template=”5″]5. Hayabusa Boxing Gloves | S4 Training Gloves
[wt_products id=”3679″ template=”5″]6. Venum Elite Boxing Gloves
[wt_products id=”3680″ template=”5″]7. Sanabul Essential Gel Boxing Kickboxing Training Gloves
[wt_products id=”3682″ template=”5″]8. Hawk Boxing Gloves for Men & Women Training Pro Punching Heavy Bag Mitts UFC MMA
[wt_products id=”3684″ template=”5″]9. ZTTY Boxing Gloves Kickboxing Muay Thai Punching Bag MMA
[wt_products id=”3685″ template=”5″]10. Luniquz Kids Boxing Gloves, Child Punching Gloves for Punch Bag Training
[wt_products id=”3686″ template=”5″]How to Choose The Best Boxing Gloves – The Ultimate Buying Guide
If you want to improve your training, then you know that it is important to choose the best training gear. And in boxing, this is not an exception. Using the wrong boxing glove is as annoying as having a rock in your shoe. Annoying right? Yes exactly. No one wants that. So, you need to invest in a good pair of boxing gloves if you need to improve.
You may be thinking that choosing a pair of boxing gloves is easy. Well, let’s just say it’s not.
So, having said that, don’t just buy a random pair. You need to choose a pair of boxing gloves that you will feel comfortable wearing, that will protect you from injuries as well as deliver what you are looking for.
Before you buy, you need to keep in mind some factors to consider when choosing the best boxing gloves;
Types Of Boxing Gloves
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Training Gloves
As the name suggests, these gloves are used for general training. They are generally designed to help you break some sweat during bag work sessions. They have padding that is molded to help in the distribution of impact that is generated when you are punching the bag.
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Sparring Gloves
These are generally lightweight versions designed to protect both you and your partner from potential injuries. They are well padded, especially around the knuckles. They are recommended for sparring as compared to the heavyweight ones. This is because it’s hard to predict the intensity of your hit towards your partner.
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Professional Gloves
These are basically the kind worn in a pro boxing competition. They are normally designed according to specific regulations in order to protect both you and your opponent.
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Amateur Gloves
These are designed for beginners. They require a specific style to help train your wrists and hands. Amateur gloves help your arms get used to the impact you will be putting during training.
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Muay Thai Gloves
Gloves meant for Muay Thai are more flexible than regular boxing gloves because this sport involves a lot of clinching.
What Size Of The Boxing Glove Do You Need?
The most common weight you will find in almost all gyms is 12oz, 14oz, and 16oz. Of course, there are other sizes outside these ranges, the lightest being 8oz and the heaviest being 20oz. There is also size 4oz specific for Muay Thai.
The criteria that will guide you in choosing the ideal weight for you will depend on how much you weigh. For example, if you weigh 100lb, your ideal choice should be 10oz; if you weigh 120lb you should go for 12oz, and so on and so forth.
The weight of the glove can also be dictated by the amount of padding it has. If the glove has more padding, that means your hands will have more protection. If you use a glove with more weight, your punching speed will be slow, and you will get more fatigued.
Will You Be Using the Boxing Gloves for Other Sports
Are you looking for gloves for boxing, Muay Thai, kickboxing, MMA, or you just need a nice pair for your casual gym work-out? Every sport will require a different type of gloves;
For traditional western boxing, you will need a boxing glove that will hold your hand in a closed fist shape. This glove should have a contoured shape on the back area and the wrist. The wrist area should ride higher up the arm to provide more stability for heavy punching.
Muay Thai gloves look just like boxing gloves, but they have a few modifications to incorporate kicking and clinching. The padding on the back is thicker to allow kicks while the front and thumb areas are more flexible to allow opening and closing of the thumb for catching kicks and holding your opponent. Trideer, Starpro, ZTTY, and Hawk boxing gloves are ideal for Muay Thai Sport. Another brand that is very reliable is the MTP Fighter Gear. This brand offers a great and comfortable fit.
If you are into MMA, then you will require gloves that will allow a lot of free movement. These gloves are flexible to allow holding and grappling required in MMA. MMA gloves are usually 4oz as compared to 10-12oz required in other combat sports. Without a doubt, Hayabusa is perfect for MMA not only for its functionality and extreme quality but also for its reasonable price.
Which Glove Material Do You Prefer?
Boxing gloves have come a long way. The quality of the material has been improved over time, and usually affects the comfort, fit level of protection, and also the price of the glove. The interior is also important since your hands will need proper airflow. The most common materials are:
- Vinyl: This is the cheapest material, and the gloves will range roughly about 20$-40$. For this reason, beginners usually go for this. However, they will not hold -up much and therefore won’t be that the test of time in the long-run.
- Polyurethane Leather: This material is technically manufactured leather and will look like genuine leather. It is obviously more durable than vinyl. Gloves made from this material will cost you about 30$-120$. If your budget allows, you can consider this as your beginner gloves.
- Genuine Leather: These are the highest quality you can go for. These gloves will last you for years to come. Leather gloves generally mold nicely according to the shape of your hand, and with time, they become more comfortable. Their break-in time can take a bit longer if you don’t work out regularly. They range between 60$-400.
Comfort
There is a direct relationship between comfort and fit. Generally, gloves that fit well are more comfortable to wear. Just like a pair of shoes, you will not be comfortable with a pair that is either too big or too small.
Remember the padding also plays a huge role in the comfort of boxing gloves. Basically, the more the padding (and quality of the padding), the more comfortable the pair of gloves is likely to be.,
Will The Glove Closure Make A Difference?
Absolutely yes! The question is, which is the best closure, laces, or Velcro?
While laces will give you a tight and stable fit, Velcro tape is just a breeze to tighten and loosen.
Most people nowadays prefer Velcro closure hands down. That’s why we have reviewed most gloves with the Velcro closure.
Velcro tape closure will secure your wrist, and at the same time, you can adjust the straps for a comfortable fit. On top of that, you can easily open and close the glove in a matter of seconds.
On the other hand, laced gloves are perfect for serious sparring or even bag work because you will need a tight-fitting glove.
Thumb Lock Compartment
Apart from the aesthetic factor, there are some brands that come with a thumb lock feature. This is an important aspect of safety and security. Both Everlast and Hawk boxing gloves feature a thumb lock technology.
What’s Your Budget?
Boxing gloves come in different price ranges — you can get some brands as low as 20$ and some as high as 400$. You can get a relatively decent and quality pair of boxing glove ranging between 80$- 120$.
If you are not tight on the budget, however, you can go for the more superior quality with great stitching and extra comfortable padding at the cost of the cost, which is anywhere between 200$-400$. Such brands are Winning, Cleto and Grant boxing gloves.
What Is Your Ideal Color?
This may seem like a superficial factor, yes! But indeed many people are particular about their color options. And especially the kids. They are more inclined to work-out and show off their favorite sporting gears.
Brands nowadays manufacture gloves in many color variations. And while color is not the most important factor to consider when choosing the best gloves, you can have fun in picking colors that flatter your outfit and mood.
Conclusion
With all this information, we hope that you are more equipped to choose the best boxing glove that will help your boxing to a whole new level. Remember, boxing gloves are all about the ideal size, quality material, and comfort. Pick the right gloves and you will enjoy your training sessions. Pick the wrong pair and you will sustain injuries that will force you to sit at home and only enjoy the sport on your television. You don’t want that, right? Well, enjoy your training experience and Box On!
