A (good) mouthguard is one of the most important pieces of protection for any (martial arts) athlete. A mouthguard is essential equipment that anyone who practices karate, krav maga, taekwondo, kickboxing, Muay Thai, or MMA should have in their kit.
Choosing the right bit is therefore very important and we are happy to help you with that in this best-buy guide.
Why do you wear a mouthguard in (martial) sports?
Wearing a mouth guard is important for protection against forces to which the teeth and jaws are exposed, such as punches and kicks in martial arts.
It protects not only your teeth , but also the inside of your cheeks and gums. A mouth guard distributes external forces and thus reduces the impact on the head, which reduces the risk of concussion or other brain injury. It's important that your mouthguard fits properly. You can do this by molding it to your teeth before use.
- Protects your teeth and gums
- Protects your gums and the inside of your cheeks
- Helps prevent brain injuries and concussions
- Protects against jaw fractures
Best Buy Guide for Mouthguards
Most people buy a mouthguard for the most popular martial arts: boxing, Muay Thai, and kickboxing. However, almost every other martial art or self-defense system also uses a mouthguard. This guide is designed to make that a little easier for you.
Note: We have many other excellent bits in our range, but we simply haven't received enough feedback or data to include them. The bits in this guide have all been extensively tested and tried by us and our close customers.
Criteria for scoring mouthguards*
When evaluating mouthguards, we consider what we consider to be the most important features of a mouthguard: fit, ease of molding, protection, comfort, and price. We will use these criteria to score the mouthguards.
- Fit: By fit we mean how well the mouthguard fits the shape of the teeth, gums and jaws.
- Protection: Protection is the extent to which the mouthguard does what it's intended to do: protect the teeth, jaw, and cheeks. This is a very difficult factor to measure, and we will rely primarily on theoretical research.
- Fitting: This means the ease and precision with which the mouthguard can be moulded to your teeth, mouth and jaw.
- Comfort: The level of comfort while wearing the mouthguard. A slightly slimmer mouthguard is usually more comfortable to wear, for example.
- Price: We use this as a guideline to fairly compare the bits in terms of what they offer versus what they cost.
Fight2Win offers a wide selection of mouthguards for martial artists. *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've quickly taken the market by storm. The brand's founders have clear roots in contact sports and focus exclusively on mouthguards and accessories.
The SafeJawz Extro is one of the brand's mid-range mouthguards and is a truly excellent choice. We've received excellent feedback from our customers about the fit and ease of molding.
SafeJawz has also launched several effective innovations that they apply to each of their mouthguards, from the entry-level model (Intro) to the Extra, including the special orthotic mouthguards. These innovations have, of course, been given catchy marketing names: Jaw-Secure, Fluid-Fit, and Remodel-Tech.
Fit Extro (Score: 8/10)
Based on our customer experience and feedback from reviews, we can conclude that the fit of the SafeJawz Extro is simply excellent. It's clear that the brand's founders and R&D department have experience and an affinity for sports where a mouthguard is essential.
Fluid-Fit technology, as SafeJawz calls it, ensures the material conforms perfectly to your teeth. This ensures the mouthguard stays securely in place during sports.
SafeJawz also features Jaw-Secure technology. This ensures that your lower teeth are also protected. The bottom of the mouthguard is specially shaped so that your lower teeth click into place. We've found that this provides excellent protection for both your teeth and jaw.
Protection Extra (Score: 8/10)
The Extro offers excellent protection, far superior to cheap mouthguards. The way your lower teeth fit into the mouthguard, in particular, ensures good coverage of your entire mouth.
The Extro mouthguard is thick enough to provide good protection for your teeth, but thankfully less bulky than, for example, the Gel Max from Shock Doctor. We consider this a major plus.
SafeJawz mouthguards are slightly raised at the back and feature a special pattern that allows your back teeth to sink into the mouthguard better. According to SafeJawz, this contributes to better protection of your jaws, and we're not afraid to believe it.
Fitting Extro (Score: 8/10)
Almost everyone who has purchased SafeJawz mouthguards from us is enthusiastic about how easy they are to mold. Another great thing is that SafeJawz clearly advertises that the mouthguard can be molded more often. This makes it a little more relaxed to bite into the mouthguard. We do want to emphasize, however, that it's always better to try and get it right the first time.
Based on our own experience, we also find the SafeJawz mouthguard easy to mold. FightQuality.com, a reputable martial arts equipment review site, writes that it took the reviewer two tries, but afterward, they achieved a very comfortable fit.
Instructions are included, and SafeJawz is a truly modern brand with excellent instructional videos on their own website and YouTube.
Wearing comfort Extro (Score: 8/10)
We (and our regular customers) find the Extro mouthguards very comfortable to wear, especially if you've molded them properly, of course. They're also a good size and thinner than many other mouthguards in this segment, without feeling like they're cutting into your gums. We've experienced this in the past with really cheap, thin mouthguards with sharp, hard edges. Fortunately, the SafeJawz don't have that!
Price Extra (Score: 9/10)
We can be brief about this, just like with the previously discussed Shock Doctor. The price of the SafeJawz Extro is simply super good for such a product that is supposed to protect your teeth and dentures.
Features Extro:
| Material | Gel |
| Type | Boil & bite |
| Sizes | Junior, Adult |
| Model | Single |
| Suitable for brackets | No |
| Storage box included | Yes |
Pros:
+ Reusable, comfortable
+ Good price
Negatives:
- 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 shop worldwide since it was launched in 2002 by Shock Doctor.
Shock Doctor is the go-to brand for contact sports protection. Not only martial artists rely on this brand, but also hockey players, rugby players, and many other athletes for whom protection is paramount.
The Shock Doctor Gel Max is probably by far the best-selling mouthguard worldwide. In short, with this classic from Shock Doctor, you're always right!
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 its release. Over the years, the Gel Max has been continuously improved to become the excellent mouthguard it is today.
What makes this mouthguard special is that it's made of two different materials. Your teeth are encased in a softer, more comfortable gel, while the outside has a firmer, harder rubber coating for protection. This system has been copied (and perhaps even improved) by many manufacturers since then.
The gel layer on the inside of the mouthguard easily conforms to your teeth, adjusting to their shape, size, and any gaps. A major drawback of the Shock Doctor Gel Max, in our opinion, is its large size. The mouthguard's bulk also automatically makes your lips stick out more, which isn't ideal in combat sports where punches and blows are common.
Protection Gel Max (Score: 8/10)
The Gel Max offers more than adequate protection and is far superior to budget mouthguards. For us, this level of protection is the absolute minimum "baseline," 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, thus protecting the teeth and gums as much as possible.
We've used the mouthguard ourselves for many training sessions, with both light and heavy contact, and we can confidently say that it provides excellent protection for your teeth. The gel ensures that any impact from a blow is evenly distributed and dispersed. This prevents your teeth from receiving the full impact of a blow.
The aforementioned size and volume clearly ensure that your teeth are well-protected along their entire length. At the same time, this volume also makes your lips curve more, meaning they'll have to withstand more impact.
Fitting Gel Max (Score: 8/10)
Based on our own experience and customer comments (or lack thereof), we find the Gel Max mouthguard quite easy to mold. It's a standard boil-and-bite mouthguard, with no special features or steps.
Instructions are included, and we recommend that you always read them carefully first. Be sure to observe the prescribed timings. Ideally, you'll mold a mouthguard correctly the first time, and with the Shock Doctor, this is almost always successful. The gel filling inside easily conforms to the shape of your teeth.
Wearing comfort Gel Max (Score: 7/10)
The Shock Doctor Gel Max also scores highly in terms of comfort, although there are now (especially thinner) competitors that are more comfortable to wear during training. Breathing is easy with the Shock Doctor Gel Max, and drinking and talking are also fine with the mouthguard.
Price Gel Max (Score: 9/10)
We can be very brief about this. The price of the Gel Max is simply super good for the year-in-year-out proven quality.
Features Gel Max:
| Material | Gel |
| Type | Boil & bite |
| Sizes | Junior, Adult |
| Model | Single |
| Suitable for brackets | No |
| Storage box included | Yes |
Pros:
+ Proven fit and protection
+ Good price
Negatives:
- A bit 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 from the young brand SafeJawz, a brand with roots in the sports world. The SafeJawz Intro series benefits from many developments from its more expensive model lines at an even lower price.
The SafeJawz Intro belongs to the true entry-level mouthguard segment and is therefore an excellent choice. Despite the low price, we receive excellent feedback from our customers about the fit and the ease of molding the mouthguard.
Fit Intro (Score: 7/10)
Based on customer experience and feedback from reviews, we can conclude that the fit of the SafeJawz Intro is simply excellent. The material is slightly thicker than its bigger brother, the Extro.
However, the Intro series benefits from the same technologies as the more expensive Extro and top-of-the-line Nitro. For example, there's Fluid-Fit technology, which ensures the plastic molds completely to your teeth. This keeps the mouthguard in place during sports.
The Intro also features SafeJawz's Jaw-Secure technology. This protects your lower teeth, even though it's a single mouthguard. The underside of the mouthguard is specially shaped, so your lower teeth bite into the underside of the mouthguard.
Protection Intro (Score: 7/10)
The Intro offers excellent protection that's far superior to cheap mouthguards. While it's essentially just a "cheap mouthguard," the way your lower teeth fit into the mouthguard ensures good coverage of your entire mouth.
The Intro mouthguard is slightly thicker than the Extro, yet thick enough to provide good protection for your teeth. However, SafeJawz gives the Extro a higher rating than the Intro for impact. This is undoubtedly due to the material used.
Fitting Intro (Score: 8/10)
The SafeJawz Intro mouthguards are incredibly easy to mold. No special tricks or tricks. Simply boil water, soften the mouthguard, and bite. Almost everyone who has purchased SafeJawz mouthguards from us has successfully molded their Intro mouthguard.
What's really nice, of course, is that SafeJawz clearly indicates that the mouthguard can be molded more than once. This makes it a little less nerve-wracking to bite into the mouthguard. We do want to emphasize, however, that it's always better to try and get it right the first time.
Instructions are included, and SafeJawz is a truly modern brand with excellent instructional videos on their own website and YouTube.
Wearing comfort Intro (Score: 6/10)
We find the Intro mouthguards comfortable enough to wear. However, it's clear that this mouthguard can't compete with the more expensive models from SafeJawz, Opro, and Shock Doctor in this regard. On Google, the SafeJawz scores a respectable 4.2/5 based on over 50 product reviews.
Price Intro (Score: 10/10)
The price of the Intro is simply fantastic! This is about the lowest price you can expect for a mouthguard. And it's from a premium brand, too.
Features Intro:
| Material | Plastic |
| Type | Boil & bite |
| Sizes | Junior, Adult |
| Model | Single |
| Suitable for brackets | No |
| Storage box included | Yes |
Pros:
+ Can be formed multiple times
+ Super low price
Negatives:
- 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 not generally the most user-friendly or comfortable, but they do offer the most protection.
When it comes to mouthguards, you can confidently trust Shock Doctor. Countless boxers and MMA fighters use this brand, but ice hockey players, rugby players, and many other athletes for whom protection is paramount also rely on Shock Doctor.
Fit Nano Double Fight (Score: 7/10)
The fit of the Shock Doctor Nano Double is excellent if you follow the fitting process correctly. This isn't as simple as with some mouthguards.
The Nano Double is made of different materials. Your lower and upper teeth are encased in the comfortable and softer Gel-Fit™ inner layer , while the outer teeth have a firmer and harder outer layer for protection.
The gel layer on the inside of the mouthguard conforms well to your teeth. A major drawback of the Shock Doctor Nano Double, in our opinion, is its large size. This is unfortunately always the case with double mouthguards, and this one is no exception.
Protection Nano Double Fight (Score: 9/10)
Of all the mouthguards we've used over the years, the Nano Double is definitely one of the most protective. Besides being from Shock Doctor's top-of-the-line mouthguard range, it's also a double-walled version. This means all your teeth are covered and offer maximum impact protection.
The two aforementioned layers are designed to absorb and distribute shocks and impacts together, thus protecting the teeth and gums as much as possible.
In addition, the bit uses several technologies with complicated marketing terms, which, to put it bluntly, ensure that the impact of blows is distributed as much as possible over the surface instead of at one point.
Fitting Nano Double Fight (Score: 7/10)
The Nano Double Fight mouthguard is essentially a boil-and-bite type. However, because it's larger due to its double layers, it does require a bit more attention. But hey, you only do that once.
Based on our own experience and customer comments (or lack thereof), we find the Gel Max mouthguard quite easy to mold. It's a standard boil-and-bite mouthguard, with no special features or steps.
Instructions are included, and we recommend reading them carefully. Be sure to observe the prescribed cooking time. The gel filling inside easily conforms to the shape of your teeth. Apparently, we're not the only ones who get it right away, because the Nano Double has received very positive reviews on Google: 4.6 out of 5 stars.
Wearing comfort Nano Double Fight (Score: 6/10)
The Shock Doctor Nano Double also scores well in terms of comfort. It's important to note that this score is lower, partly because double mouthguards simply don't breathe as well and you simply have more plastic in your mouth.
Breathing is easy with the Shock Doctor Nano Double. Attention has also been paid to allowing maximum airflow. You'll always need to remove the mouthguard to drink or talk.
Price Nano Double Fight (Score: 7/10)
The Nano Double is expensive, but we're talking about maximum protection for your teeth. A dental appointment will cost you considerably more. In short, this is perfectly fine for what it offers.
Nano Double Fight Features:
| Material | Gel |
| Type | Boil & bite |
| Sizes | Adult |
| Model | Double |
| Suitable for brackets | No |
| Storage box included | Yes |
Pros:
+ Proven fit and protection
+ Maximum protection
Negatives:
- Difficulty breathing
- More difficult to customize
View in webshop:
External sources:
5. Bytomic Basic
Bytomic is a large American company that focuses on fitness and martial arts products in the affordable segment. They have been doing this for many years and also have a strong presence in the UK.
We've been selling Bytomic's standard mouthguards for over 10 years and have even competed with them. When I competed in my first Taekondo 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'd rather pay a bit more for a slightly higher-positioned mouthguard, but overall, this is a great mouthguard.
Fit Intro (Score: 6/10)
The Bytomic Basic is a very simple mouthguard with a secure fit. It's a one-piece mouthguard, so no separate layers, etc. The mouthguard is a bit thick, so you'll definitely notice it's there. On the other hand, that's a lot better than mouthguards we've seen with wafer-thin edges that practically fillet your gums.
Don't expect miracles from this mouthguard, but it is simply a solid mouthguard with a reasonable fit.
Protection Intro (Score: 5/10)
The Bytomic Basic offers, as the name suggests, basic protection. It protects your teeth from impact and the clashing of teeth. We wouldn't recommend it for heavy sparring sessions or boxing or kickboxing training. We don't have enough confidence in it for that.
On the other hand, even the simplest mouthguard is 100x better than no mouthguard at all. We also ALWAYS recommend wearing a mouthguard in the store... even if head bumps are prohibited!
Fitting Intro (Score: 6/10)
We've molded dozens of these mouthguards ourselves or helped others with them, and it's simply a matter of boiling water, inserting the mouthguard, shaping it, and you're done. This mouthguard is incredibly easy to mold, but be sure to pay attention to the softening point.
The included instructions are minimal, so be sure to watch some videos on YouTube before you start shaping it.
Wearing comfort Intro (Score: 6/10)
We find the Basic mouthguards more than comfortable enough to wear. However, you'll notice that this mouthguard can't compete with the more expensive models from SafeJawz, Opro, and Shock Doctor, to name just a few.
Price Intro (Score: 10/10)
The price of the Bytomic mouthguard is simply fantastic! This is about the lowest price you can expect for a mouthguard. And you even get a box included!
Features Basic:
| Material | Plastic |
| Type | Boil & bite |
| Sizes | Junior, Adult |
| Model | Single |
| Suitable for brackets | No |
| Storage box included | Yes |
Pros:
+ Shapes well in itself
+ Super low price
Negatives:
- Wearing comfort less
- Protection not at a high level
View in webshop:
SCOREBOARD*
| Model | Fit | Protection | Fitting |
| Extra | 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 |
| Extra | 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, reviews and our own expertise.
CONCLUSIONS
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SafeJawz Extro |
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Score: 41/50 |
|
| Price indication: | €15 - €30 |
| Pros: | Reusable, comfortable, good protection |
| Negatives: | Only in striking 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 |
| Pros: | Proven fit and protection, reliable |
| Negatives: | Large size |
| Best choice for: | Fighters who love certainty and reliability |
| Shop now | |
 |
|
SafeJawz Intro |
|
Score: 38/50 |
|
| Price indication: | €10 - €15 |
| Pros: | Multi-formable, inexpensive |
| Negatives: | Less comfortable |
| Best choice for: | Price-conscious athletes who still want their own gear |
| Shop now | |
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Shock Doctor Nano Double Fight |
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Score: 36/50 |
|
| Price indication: | €40 - €60 |
| Pros: | Maximum protection |
| Negatives: | Less comfortable |
| Best choice for: | Serious fighters who want the best possible protection |
| Shop now | |
 |
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Bytomic Basic |
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Score: 33/50 |
|
| Price indication: | €10 - €15 |
| Pros: | Sufficient protection, cheap |
| Negatives: | 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 mouthguards for martial artists
