A (good) mouthguard is one of the most important protectors for every (martial) athlete. A mouthguard is basic equipment that everyone practicing karate, krav maga, taekwondo, kickboxing, thai boxing, muay thai, or MMA should have in their bag.
Choosing a good mouthguard is therefore very important, and we are happy to help you a bit further with this best-buy guide. Want to know why a mouthguard is important? You can read about it in our blog on the importance of a good mouthguard.
Best-buy guide for mouthguards
Most people buy a mouthguard for the most popular martial arts: boxing, thai boxing, and kickboxing. However, in almost every other martial art or self-defense system, a mouthguard is also used. This guide is meant to make that a bit easier for you.
Note: we have many more mouthguards in our range that are also very good, but we simply have not received enough feedback or data to include them. The mouthguards in this guide have all been thoroughly tested and tried by ourselves and our close customers.
Criteria for scoring mouthguards*
When evaluating mouthguards, we look at what we consider the most important features of a mouthguard: the fit, how easy it is to shape, the protection, wearing comfort, and price. We will score the mouthguards based on these criteria.
- Fit: By fit, we mainly mean how well the mouthguard conforms to the shapes of teeth, gums, and jaws.
- Protection: Protection is the extent to which the mouthguard does what it is intended for, namely protecting teeth, jaw, and cheeks. This is a very difficult factor to measure, and we will mainly rely on theoretical research here.
- Fitting: This refers to the ease and precision with which the mouthguard can be shaped to your teeth, mouth, and jaw.
- Wearing comfort: The level of comfort while wearing the mouthguard. Usually, a slimmer mouthguard is more comfortable to use, for example.
- Price: We use this as a criterion to fairly compare the mouthguards in terms of what they offer relative to their cost.
Fight2Win offers a very extensive collection of different mouthguards for martial artists in its range. *From this, we select the top 5 based on customer experiences and feedback, external product reviews, popularity, and our own expertise.
Best Buy: Mouthguards and mouthguards
- SafeJawz Extro
- Shock Doctor Gel Max
- SafeJawz Intro
- Shock Doctor Nano Double Fight
- Bytomic Basic
1. SafeJawz Extro
SafeJawz is a relatively new brand in the field of mouthguards, but they have quickly made a strong impact on the market. The brand has founders with clear roots in contact sports and focuses exclusively on mouthguards and accessories.
The SafeJawz Extro belongs to the mid-range mouthguards that the brand offers and is truly a great choice. We receive excellent feedback from our customers about the fit and the easy molding of the mouthguard.
SafeJawz has also brought several effective innovations to the market that they apply to each of their mouthguards. From the entry-level Intro to the Extro and also the special ortho brace mouthguards. These innovations have catchy marketing names: Jaw-Secure, Fluid-Fit, and Remodel-Tech.
Fit Extro (Score: 8/10)
From experience with our customers and feedback in reviews, we can conclude that the fit of the SafeJawz Extro is simply excellent. It is clear that the founders of the brand and the R&D department have experience and affinity with sports where a mouthguard is a requirement.
The Fluid-Fit technology, as SafeJawz calls it, ensures that the material fully molds around your teeth. This keeps the mouthguard neatly in place during sports.
Furthermore, there is the Jaw-Secure technology from SafeJawz. In practice, this ensures that your lower teeth are also protected. The bottom of the mouthguard has a special shape, allowing you to effectively click your lower teeth into the bottom of the mouthguard. We notice that this perfectly protects both your teeth and your jaw.
Protection Extro (Score: 8/10)
The Extro offers very good protection that is many times better than cheap mouthguards. Especially the way your lower teeth fit into the mouthguard ensures good coverage of the entire dentition.
The Extro mouthguard is thick enough to provide good protection for your teeth, but fortunately less bulky than, for example, the Gel Max from Shock Doctor. We see this as a big plus.
The mouthguards from SafeJawz are slightly raised at the back and have a special pattern there that allows your back teeth to sink better into the mouthguard. According to SafeJawz, this contributes to better protection of your jaws, and we are inclined to agree.
Fitting Extro (Score: 8/10)
Almost everyone who has purchased the SafeJawz mouthguards from us is enthusiastic about how easy they are to mold. What is also very nice is that SafeJawz clearly advertises the fact that the mouthguard can be remolded multiple times. That lets you bite down on the mouthguard a bit more relaxed. We do want to emphasize that it is always better to try to get it right in one go.
Based on our own experiences, we also notice that the SafeJawz mouthguard is easy to mold. FightQuality.com, a reputable review site for combat sports gear, writes that the reviewer needed two attempts but then had a very good fit.
There are instructions included anyway, and SafeJawz is really a modern brand with very nice instructional videos on their own site and YouTube.
Wearing comfort Extro (Score: 8/10)
We (and our regular customers) find the Extro mouthguards very comfortable to wear. Especially once you have properly molded the mouthguard, of course. They are also a nice size and thinner than many other mouthguards in this segment, without causing a cutting sensation on your gums. We have experienced that in the past with really cheap, thin mouthguards with sharp hard edges. Fortunately, SafeJawz does not have that!
Price Extro (Score: 9/10)
As with the previously discussed Shock Doctor, we can be brief here. The price of the SafeJawz Extro is simply excellent for a product that needs to protect your teeth and mouth.
Features Extro:
| Material | Gel |
| Type | Boil & bite |
| Sizes | Junior, Adult |
| Model | Single |
| Suitable for braces | No |
| Protective case included | Yes |
Advantages:
+ Can be molded multiple times, comfortable
+ Good price
Disadvantages:
- Only striking designs available, which not everyone appreciates
View in webshop:
External sources:
2. Shock Doctor Gel Max
The classic Gel Max has been a staple in the range of virtually every serious sports store worldwide since it was launched by Shock Doctor in 2002.
Shock Doctor is the brand when it comes to protection for contact sports. Not only fighters rely on this brand, but also hockey players, rugby players, and many other athletes for whom protection is crucial.
The Shock Doctor Gel Max is probably by far the best-selling mouth and dental protector worldwide. In short, with this classic from Shock Doctor, you’re always in good hands!
Fit Gel Max (Score: 8/10)
The fit of the Shock Doctor Gel Max is simply excellent. After all, 10 years of research went into it before it hit the market. Over the years, the Gel Max has been continuously improved into the excellent mouthguard it is today.
What makes this mouthguard special is that it is made from two different materials. Your teeth rest in a softer, more comfortable gel, while the outside has a firmer and harder rubber outer layer for protection. This system has since been copied by many manufacturers (and sometimes even improved).
The gel layer on the inside of the mouthguard easily adapts to your teeth, both in shape, size, and any gaps. A major downside of the Shock Doctor Gel Max, in our opinion, is the large size. Due to the volume of the mouthguard, your lips automatically stick out more. Something that is not really desirable in combat sports where the face is hit and struck.
Protection Gel Max (Score: 8/10)
The level of protection of the Gel Max is more than sufficient and many times better than budget mouthguards. For us, this level of protection is really the minimum "base-line," so always invest in a mouthguard of at least this quality.
The two aforementioned layers are designed to absorb and distribute shocks and impacts together. This is to protect the teeth and gums as much as possible.
We have used the mouthguard ourselves in many training sessions, with both light and heavy contact, and we can say with certainty that the mouthguard protects your teeth excellently. The gel ensures that any impact from blows is well distributed and spread out. As a result, your teeth never take the full impact of a hit.
The aforementioned size and volume clearly ensure that your teeth and molars are well protected along the entire length. At the same time, this volume causes more bulging of your lips, which means they take more impact.
Fitting Gel Max (Score: 8/10)
Based on our own experiences and customer feedback (or lack thereof), we notice that the Gel Max mouthguard is quite easy to mold. It is a standard boil-and-bite mouthguard, without any special frills or procedures.
Instructions are included, and we always advise reading them carefully first. Especially observe the prescribed times. Ideally, you shape a mouthguard correctly the first time, and that almost always works with the Shock Doctor. The gel filling on the inside easily adapts to the shape of your teeth.
Wearing Comfort Gel Max (Score: 7/10)
Also in terms of wearing comfort, the Gel Max from Shock Doctor scores well, although nowadays there are (mainly thinner) competitors that feel more comfortable during training. Breathing is good with the Shock Doctor Gel Max, and drinking or talking also works fine with the mouthguard in.
Price Gel Max (Score: 9/10)
We can be very brief here The price of the Gel Max is simply excellent for the proven quality year after year.
Features Gel Max:
| Material | Gel |
| Type | Boil & bite |
| Sizes | Junior, Adult |
| Model | Single |
| Suitable for braces | No |
| Protective case included | Yes |
Advantages:
+ Proven fit and protection
+ Good price
Disadvantages:
- Slightly on the large side in terms of size and volume
View in webshop:
External sources:
- FightQuality - Review
- Youtube - Shock Doctor - Fitting instructions
- Youtube - Charlie Cooke - Unbox & Review
3. SafeJawz Intro
The Intro is the budget model of the young brand SafeJawz, a brand with roots in the sports world. The Intro series from SafeJawz benefits from many developments from the more expensive model lines at an even lower price.
The SafeJawz Intro belongs to the true entry-level segment of mouthguards and is, in that respect, an excellent choice. Despite the low price of these mouthguards, we receive great feedback from our customers about the fit and the ease of molding the dental protection.
Fit Intro (Score: 7/10)
From experience with our customers and feedback in reviews, we can conclude that the fit of the SafeJawz Intro is simply very good. The material is just a bit thicker than its bigger brother, the Extro.
Still, the Intro series benefits from these technologies like the more expensive Extro and top model Nitro. For example, there is Fluid-Fit technology, which ensures the plastic fully molds around your teeth. This keeps the mouthguard in place during sports.
The Intro also has SafeJawz’s Jaw-Secure technology. This is designed to protect your lower teeth even though it’s a single mouthguard. The bottom of the mouthguard has a special shape, so you basically bite your lower teeth into the bottom of the mouthguard.
Protection Intro (Score: 7/10)
The Intro offers very good protection that is many times better than cheap mouthguards. Even though it’s basically just a “cheap mouthguard.” Especially the way your lower teeth fit into the mouthguard provides good coverage of the entire dentition.
The Intro mouthguard is a bit thicker than the Extro and thick enough to provide good protection for your teeth. Still, SafeJawz gives the Extro a higher rating than the Intro regarding impact. That undoubtedly has to do with the material used.
Fitting Intro (Score: 8/10)
The SafeJawz Intro mouthguards are super easy to mold. No special tricks or gimmicks. Just boil water, soften the mouthguard, and bite. Almost everyone who bought the SafeJawz mouthguards from us has succeeded in properly molding the Intro mouthguard.
What’s really nice is that SafeJawz clearly states the mouthguard can be reshaped multiple times. That makes you a bit less nervous about biting into the mouthguard. We do want to emphasize that it’s always better to try to get it right in one go.
There are instructions included anyway, and SafeJawz is really a modern brand with very nice instructional videos on their own site and YouTube.
Wearing Comfort Intro (Score: 6/10)
We find the Intro mouthguards comfortable enough to wear. You can tell this mouthguard doesn’t quite match the more expensive models from SafeJawz, Opro, and Shock Doctor in this area. On Google, SafeJawz scores a neat 4.2/5 from over 50 product reviews.
Price Intro (Score: 10/10)
The price of the Intro is just great! This is about the lowest price you can expect for a mouthguard. And it’s still a mouthguard from a premium brand.
Features Intro:
| Material | Plastic |
| Type | Boil & bite |
| Sizes | Junior, Adult |
| Model | Single |
| Suitable for braces | No |
| Protective case included | Yes |
Advantages:
+ Can be molded multiple times
+ Super low price
Disadvantages:
- Not the highest wearing comfort
View in webshop:
External sources:
4. Shock Doctor Nano Double Fight
The Nano Double Fight is the most protective mouthguard in the Shock Doctor range. Double mouthguards (upper and lower teeth) are generally not the most user-friendly or comfortable, but they do provide the most protection.
When it comes to mouth protection, you can confidently trust Shock Doctor. Countless boxers and MMA fighters use this brand, but also ice hockey players, rugby players, and many other athletes for whom protection is very important rely on Shock Doctor.
Fit Nano Double Fight (Score: 7/10)
The fit of the Shock Doctor Nano Double is very good if you follow the fitting process properly. That is not as simple as with single mouthguards.
The Nano Double is made up of different materials. Your lower and upper teeth fit into the comfortable and softer Gel-Fit™ inner layer, while the outside has a firmer and harder outer layer for protection.
The gel layer on the inside of the mouthguard adapts well to your teeth. A major downside of the Shock Doctor Nano Double, in our opinion, is the large size. Unfortunately, this is always the case with double mouthguards, and this one is no exception.
Protection Nano Double Fight (Score: 9/10)
Of all the mouthguards we have had over the years, the Nano Double definitely belongs to the dental protectors that offer the most protection. Besides the fact that this mouthguard comes from the top segment of Shock Doctor, it is also a double version. This means that all your teeth are covered and maximally protected against impact.
The two aforementioned layers are designed to absorb and distribute shocks and impacts together. This is to protect the teeth and gums as much as possible.
Additionally, the mouthguard uses some technologies with complicated marketing terms, which basically ensure that the impact of blows is spread as much as possible over the surface instead of on one point.
Fitting Nano Double Fight (Score: 7/10)
In principle, the Nano Double Fight mouthguard is just a "boil-and-bite" type. However, because it is larger due to the double layers, it requires a bit more attention. But well, you only have to do that once.
Based on our own experiences and customer feedback (or lack thereof), we notice that the Gel Max mouthguard is quite easy to mold. It is a standard boil-and-bite mouthguard, without any special frills or procedures.
Instructions are included, and we advise you to read them carefully. Especially observe the prescribed boiling time. The gel filling on the inside easily adapts to the shape of your teeth. Apparently, we are not the only ones who get it right immediately, as the Nano Double is very positively received in product reviews on Google: 4.6 out of 5 stars.
Wearing Comfort Nano Double Fight (Score: 6/10)
The Nano Double from Shock Doctor also scores well in terms of wearing comfort. Keep in mind that this score is lower partly because double mouthguards simply breathe less comfortably and you simply have more plastic in your mouth.
Breathing is good with the Shock Doctor Nano Double. Attention has also been given to allowing as much airflow as possible. You will always have to take the mouthguard out to drink or talk.
Price Nano Double Fight (Score: 7/10)
The price of the Nano Double is steep, but we are talking about maximum protection for your teeth and mouth. A dentist appointment will cost you significantly more. In short, this is just fine for what it offers.
Features Nano Double Fight:
| Material | Gel |
| Type | Boil & bite |
| Sizes | Adult |
| Model | Double |
| Suitable for braces | No |
| Protective case included | Yes |
Advantages:
+ Proven fit and protection
+ Maximum protection
Disadvantages:
- Harder to breathe
- Harder to customize
View in webshop:
External sources:
5. Bytomic Basic
Bytomic is a large American company focused on fitness and martial arts products in the more affordable segment. They have been doing this for many years and are also very well represented in the UK.
We have been selling Bytomic's basic mouthguards for over 10 years and have even competed with them ourselves. When I participated in my first Taekwon-do World Championship, the Shock Doctor Gel Max wasn't even on the market yet ;)
For a budget mouthguard, the Bytomic performs surprisingly well. Admittedly, we would prefer to spend a bit more on a higher-end mouthguard, but this is a perfectly fine dental protector.
Fit Basic (Score: 6/10)
The Bytomic Basic is a very simple mouthguard with a decent fit. It is a one-piece mouthguard, so no separate layers, etc. The mouthguard is on the thick side, so you really notice that you are wearing it. On the other hand, that is much better than mouthguards we've seen with paper-thin edges that almost shred your gums.
Don't expect miracles from this mouthguard, but it is simply a solid mouthguard with a reasonable fit.
Protection Basic (Score: 5/10)
The Basic from Bytomic offers, as the name suggests, basic protection. It protects your teeth from impact and prevents your teeth from hitting each other. We would not recommend it for intense sparring sessions and boxing or kickboxing training. We just don't have quite enough confidence in it for that.
On the other hand, even the simplest mouthguard is 100 times better than no mouthguard. We ALWAYS advise wearing a mouthguard in the store... even if head strikes are not allowed!
Fitting Basic (Score: 6/10)
We have molded dozens of these mouthguards ourselves or helped people with them, and it’s just boiling water, putting in the mouthguard... molding and done. This mouthguard is very easy to mold, but be careful about the turning point when it softens.
The included instructions are minimal, so also check out some videos on YouTube before you start molding it.
Comfort Basic (Score: 6/10)
We find the Basic mouthguards more than comfortable enough to wear. You can tell this mouthguard can’t compete with the more expensive models from SafeJawz, Opro, and Shock Doctor, to name a few.
Price Basic (Score: 10/10)
The price of the Bytomic mouthguard is simply amazing! This is about the lowest price you can expect for a mouthguard. And you even get a case included!
Basic features:
| Material | Plastic |
| Type | Boil & bite |
| Sizes | Junior, Adult |
| Model | Single |
| Suitable for braces | No |
| Protective case included | Yes |
Advantages:
+ Shapes quite well
+ Super low price
Disadvantages:
- Less comfortable to wear
- Protection not at a high level
View in webshop:
SCOREBOARD*
| Model | Fit | Protection | Fitting |
| Extro | 8/10 | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Gel Max | 8/10 | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Intro | 7/10 | 7/10 | 8/10 |
| Nano Double | 7/10 | 9/10 | 7/10 |
| Basic | 6/10 | 5/10 | 6/10 |
| Model | Comfort | Price | OVERALL |
| Extro | 8/10 | 9/10 | 41/50 |
| Gel Max | 7/10 | 9/10 | 40/50 |
| Intro | 6/10 | 10/10 | 38/50 |
| Nano Double | 6/10 | 7/10 | 36/50 |
| Basic | 6/10 | 10/10 | 33/50 |
* The scores are based on customer experiences and feedback, popularity, external product reviews, ratings, and our own expertise.
CONCLUSIONS
 |
|
SafeJawz Extro |
|
Score: 41/50 |
|
| Price indication: | €15 - €30 |
| Advantages: | Reusable, comfortable, good protection |
| Disadvantages: | Only in eye-catching designs |
| Best choice for: | Athletes who want good affordable protection that also stands out |
| Shop now | |
 |
|
Shock Doctor Gel Max |
|
Score: 40/50 |
|
| Price indication: | €15 - €30 |
| Advantages: | Proven fit and protection, reliable |
| Disadvantages: | Large size |
| Best choice for: | Fighters who value certainty and reliability |
| Shop now | |
 |
|
SafeJawz Intro |
|
Score: 38/50 |
|
| Price indication: | €10 - €15 |
| Advantages: | Reusable, inexpensive |
| Disadvantages: | Less comfortable |
| Best choice for: | Price-conscious athletes who still want their own gear |
| Shop now | |
|
|
Shock Doctor Nano Double Fight |
|
Score: 36/50 |
|
| Price indication: | €40 - €60 |
| Advantages: | Maximum protection |
| Disadvantages: | Less comfortable |
| Best choice for: | Serious fighters who want the best possible protection |
| Shop now | |
|
|
Bytomic Basic |
|
Score: 33/50 |
|
| Price indication: | €10 - €15 |
| Advantages: | Adequate protection, inexpensive |
| Disadvantages: | Less comfortable, not suitable for hard contact |
| Best choice for: | Price-conscious athletes who occasionally use a mouthguard for safety |
| Shop now | |
View all mouthguards for boxing, MMA, karate, krav maga, kickboxing, and thai boxing in our webshop: mouthguards and bitjes for martial artists
