What Should I know before choosing a pair of Boxing Gloves?
If you are unsure about what type of Boxing Gloves to pick, this article will help you compare and choose the best option for your needs. But first, ask yourself the following questions:
- What are you planning to use this pair of boxing gloves for?
If you are planning to use your new boxing gloves for sparring, you might want to invest in a pair that provides more padding in order to protect your teammates
Generally professional boxing gloves are 8 or 10 oz. while amateur gloves are usually 10 or 12 oz.
Amateur competition gloves tend to have more padding than professional gloves for safety. Depending on the state you might even need a pair of Boxing Gloves approved by a specific organization or commission.
If you are using them for competition, then you need a lighter type of boxing gloves with less padding, You might even need a pair of Boxing Gloves approved by a specific organization.
If you are looking for a pair of Gloves to use for both sparring and heavy bags training, you might want to invest in a pair that has extra wrist support and a comfortable amount of padding.
- What type of material are you comfortable with?
There are a lot of options for construction, design and padding, however, when it comes down to materials, choosing the right one becomes the biggest decisive factor.
Leather, there are many types of animal hides used in boxing gloves. The most common is buffalo leather with Cowhide being the most premium.
Cowhide is a premium soft leather that is not grain corrected. That means it is hand selected for the best look and uniformity, and only the highest quality hides can be used
Cowhide is a softer more malleable material that will adapt in a better and faster way to your hand structure, it is also a more durable material and provides better protection than synthetics like PVC vinyl & Polyurethane (sometimes synthetic leather, manufactured leather, skintex etc.)
Leather Construction is the process of taking an animal hide cleaning, splitting, tanning, re-tanning, dying and finishing
Synthetic Construction (PVC, PU) is a man made material generally with a fabric core and PVC or PU coating. Synthetic materials have a specific purpose and can provide a great boxing glove for the correct use.
Generally synthetic gloves are used for beginning boxers and is a great cost effective way to enter the sport.
Bellator Fighter Sergio Pettis and Coach Duke Roufus in training session wearing HMIT (Hand Made in Thailand) Cowhide Boxing Gloves
- Padding Type
Multi Layered Padding (Premium)– Used in most high quality boxing gloves with Latex, EVA & High grade Sponge Foams. These type of Boxing Gloves provide multi-densities for protection and power balance. Weight is easier to control in the padding than with injection molding.
Injection Molded Foam– Used in most multi purpose gloves. Injection molding is a single density foam material molded into the padding shape required for the glove. Weight is difficult to control in the padding, so many times additional weight is added to the gloves wrists to achieve the oz. size listed.
Multi Layered (Economy)– This process uses lower quality foams such as underlay which is a glued and compressed sheet of scrap foams of many different types.
This can cause inconsistencies in density and hard spots. This can be a durable foam and a good option for a low budget glove for someone just starting in martial arts, boxing, MMA or any other discipline, and exclusively for bag and pad use.
Loose Fill– This is generally used for novelty or little children toys and should not be used for serious training.
- What is your Budget?
In my opinion, choosing quality over price is always a good long term investment however, there are ways to get good quality gloves for a fair price.
Consider that better, more premium materials, hand crafted items and trendy designs tend to be more expensive.
The Design Factor
HMIT Boxing Gloves
The HMIT Boxing Gloves line is handcrafted in Thailand with top quality materials, the HMIT Champion version of the classic HMIT Line provides extra wrist support.
All HMIT Boxing Gloves are constructed with multi layered foams, Velcro Closure and attached thumb. Check out the colors and different designs.
The HMIT Boxing Gloves are available in 12, 14 & 16 oz.
S-Class
The S-Class comes in blue and red, it features an extended wrist split stabilization system, leather construction, Molded Foam that provides superior hand protection and it is available in 12, 14 & 16 oz.
This boxing glove is ideal for training and bag work, and it is occasionally used for light sparring, making it ideal for a multi-purpose Boxing Glove.
C2 Boxing Gloves
The c2 Boxing Gloves are an excellent option for bag work and for those looking for a great pair of boxing gloves at a reasonable price.
The C2 model features Injection molded foam, XtraFresh™ Mesh Palm for extra ventilation, Hook and Loop closure and it is available in 12 & 16 oz.
Proper Thai Boxing Gloves
High quality training gloves, ideal for sparring, drilling and padwork. The Proper Thai Boxing Gloves incorporate traditional Thai style patterns with high quality layered foam and cowhide leather, this glove is a great choice for any discipline, be it straight boxing, Muay Thai, or MMA.
The Verdict
When choosing a pair of boxing gloves, there is not a right or wrong answer, however your decision should rely heavily on the purpose, the material, quality and your budget.
In my opinion, as said before, I’m always happy to invest more money in exchange for outstanding quality items. When you invest in quality, you invest thinking long term.
Therefore if you are a beginner and you are unsure about sticking to the sport, I would recommend to choose a value pair of boxing gloves.
