What features should good boxing gloves or kickboxing gloves have? We asked a large number of experienced boxers, kickboxers, and Muay Thai fighters this question.
The answers they gave us were largely consistent. We have listed the characteristics of high-quality gloves for you.
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Key features of good boxing gloves:
Fit of good boxing gloves
The best way to determine whether a glove’s fit is right for you is to try it on and, if possible, test it out. When trying it on, make sure you have enough room to move your fingers.
Thumb stability
When making a fist, the thumb must be held stably in its natural position inside the glove. If this is not the case, you risk breaking your thumb when punching hard.
Closure: hook-and-loop or laces?
With boxing, Muay Thai, and kickboxing gloves, you can choose between a hook-and-loop closure and a lace-up closure.
A lace-up closure provides greater wrist stability, and you can make the glove fit the shape of your hand better when fastening it. The disadvantage of laces is that someone else always has to fasten and unfasten your gloves.
Gloves with lace-up closures are therefore generally used only for competitions, because you do not take your gloves off during a match.
This is useful during training. That is why the most commonly worn gloves during training have a hook-and-loop closure.
With hook-and-loop closures, make sure the glove can be fastened tightly enough around your wrist. This is important for wearing comfort and wrist stability.
The hook-and-loop fastener itself must have a contact area that is large and strong enough to close the glove securely.
Striking-surface padding
The padding on the striking surface must be thick and firm enough to prevent you from punching through it. Foam padding is ideal for this.
The padding should partially absorb your punch, reducing the risk of knuckle injuries. It also reduces the risk of injuries to your training partners by taking the edge off your punches.
Punching someone with bare fists can seriously injure them; the same applies to gloves with poor padding.
Palm padding
Not every boxing, Muay Thai, or kickboxing glove has padding on the inside of the glove. This is extra filling or reinforcement in the glove on the palm side.
This padding gives you extra grip for making a fist. It is also ideal for training combinations with a partner.
The padding on the inside of your glove partially absorbs the punches and kicks from your training partner when you block them with your gloves. This can also be beneficial during sparring.
100% Leather, microfiber, or synthetic leather
You can choose an artificial leather or leather glove. Leather gloves last longer. The chance of them tearing, particularly at the seams, is considerably smaller.
Properly maintaining leather gloves is very important. Apply Fat to the gloves once a month; otherwise, the leather gloves will quickly start to develop cracks due to drying out. There can also be significant differences in the quality of the leather.
The leather used most commonly is cowhide, which is extremely suitable for a high-quality glove. Nowadays, there are also microfiber and boxing gloves made of synthetic leather that are at least as strong, if not stronger, than genuine natural leather.
Seams, double stitching, and inspection
For the gloves to be sturdy, the seams should be double-stitched at critical points. This means the areas where there is a lot of pressure on the leather and fabric.
This prevents the gloves from coming apart at the seams (which is generally where most gloves first wear out).
Lining
Generally, the lining of all gloves is made of fabric. Check carefully that the lining has no irregularities or loose threads.
The lining should follow the shape of the glove closely so that it will not wear out quickly or cause irritation when worn.
Weight
Gloves are available in different weight classes (8, 10, 12, 14, 16, and even 18 and 20 ounces). The heavier the glove, the harder it is to keep your arms raised.
Training with a heavier glove will not make you punch harder. You do not train that with gravity.
It can help you keep your arms raised for longer during a match, because you generally fight with lighter gloves during competition.
An increase in the weight of gloves can also mean an increase in their size or volume. Is the glove somewhat larger? Then you also have a larger striking surface.
A larger striking surface on the glove means a reduction in the impact of a punch (an exaggerated example of this is the difference between a punch with the tip of a knife and a punch with your fist).
This is therefore also often the reason why heavyweights are advised to use a heavier glove.
Normally, children train with 6, 8, or 10 oz gloves, women with 10, 12, or 14 oz, and men with 14 or 16 oz.
Heavyweights generally use 16 or 18 oz gloves, while some exceptions even use 20 oz gloves. The best boxing gloves in terms of value for money are the XPRT boxing gloves.
Tips for using and maintaining boxing gloves
- Never leave your gloves in your bag or car after use. In your bag, the gloves remain damp, while in the car, they are exposed to extreme temperatures and temperature fluctuations. Let the gloves dry at room temperature as soon as possible. Preferably, use a deodorizer to help them dry better.
- After use, it is best to fill your boxing gloves with a deodorizer (from, for example, Hayabusa, No-Stink, or Rival) and let them dry in a place with a constant room temperature.
- Apply a thin layer of leather grease to leather gloves once a month (please note: dried sweat causes the leather to dry out. The leather must always be kept supple to prevent cracking). Good leather grease contains no acids that damage the leather. Pay close attention to this!
- Make sure your nails are short when using the gloves. Long nails can damage the lining and eventually tear it.
- Preferably, do not use your gloves on the punching bag. This causes the gloves to wear out very quickly. Special bag gloves are also available.
If you choose a glove with the above quality features and use and maintain the gloves according to the tips above, the gloves will last approximately 6 months to a year when training 2 to 3 times a week.
Whether the gloves last a little longer or perhaps a little less depends on your punching power and training intensity.
Good boxing gloves at Fight2Win:
Of course, Fight2Win.nl sells fantastic boxing gloves. View our full range in the webshop.
