How to choose boxing gloves?

Proper equipment significantly reduces the likelihood of injury and increases the likelihood of a successful battle. Saving on boxing gloves or buying them at random is not recommended. For security reasons, you should take an extremely responsible approach to the issue and study in advance the basic characteristics of the accessory and the requirements put forward to it.

What kind of gloves is better?

Existing types of boxing gloves:

  • amateur;
  • training;
  • combat;
  • professional;
  • shell
  • for aerobics.

Views differ from each other not only in name, but also in design, level of safety and scope. So, in an amateur couple, the thumb goes parallel to the brush. His position does not allow you to hit hard. If, contrary to everything, a hard blow is delivered, then this will most likely lead to injury - to a fracture or displacement. In addition, for this type the mass of half the glove is equal to the weight of the skin spent on the manufacture of the whole glove.

Quite often , training gloves become the first gloves . The reason for this lies in their versatility. They can be used:

  • in sparring;
  • on shells;
  • while practicing blows and combinations.

Training is also appreciated because of its high security. In this regard, it is difficult for them to find a replacement. They absorb dampers well due to impact surface area and weight. This means that neither the athlete nor his opponent are at risk of serious injury if both are wearing gloves of this type . The accessory is also useful at the time of protection. Its width and height allow you to hide your face, take the main force of attack on your hands.

Important! Sooner or later, but the boxer comes to the idea of ​​the need to expand the arsenal. Training, although they are considered universal, but at a certain step in the development of the athlete, he needs to have combat and shell gloves on hand that work more adequately in specific situations.

The subtleties of choosing gloves for boxing

The subject has several key parameters and guidelines:

  • the weight;
  • the size;
  • the form;
  • clasp;
  • filler;
  • ventilation;
  • external material;
  • antibacterial impregnation.

In addition, close attention should be paid to the wrist area . How and due to which this part is strengthened, you can contact the seller.

How to choose the right size?

There are 3 main options:

  • small
  • medium;
  • big ones.

In the standard dimensional grid, they are indicated by the letters M, L, XL, but manufacturers have the right to use other designations. Because a couple before buying you need to try on .

To navigate at the initial stage and roughly understand what size is required, you should find out the girth of the arm around the knuckles . Measure with a measuring tape. It is placed between the base of the thumb and the opposite point on the palm end. Moreover, the measurement should be made precisely on the line of knuckles. Not higher and not lower.

Important! Do not wind the tape around your thumb, exclude it.

Further, the results obtained are simply compared with the table.

Which material is better?

Products are sewn from genuine leather, leatherette and at the same time from 2 materials. Choose from existing options should be based on your level and sports goals . If you are not sure that boxing is a vocation or a hobby for a long time, then you should take gloves from affordable, but less durable artificial leather. Well, for a beginner boxer career, it is better to turn to products from natural raw materials. Hands sweat much less in them, moreover, they keep their shape longer.

Important! Boxing gloves made of cowhide have proven themselves well.

The products combined in composition try to balance in themselves the qualities inherent in models made of artificial and real materials. Some in this matter succeed better than others. Much here depends on the manufacturer and price category . In general, it makes sense to try to get a similar solution. Especially if the impact part of the gloves is sewn from durable, high-quality, genuine leather, and the joints with artificial fiber seem reliable.

Priority filler

Products are offered with the following materials inside:

  • foam rubber;
  • foam filler;
  • cotton wool;
  • tow.

Of the listed species , a foam filler is preferable, but in fact, this word hides a huge variety of options, and not just one material. Almost every manufacturer uses their own type of foam. Some of them are worthy of attention, others are not.

Definitely good solutions:

  1. Powerlock (multi-layer foam pre-filler; instantly restores shape, resilient and rigid);
  2. Tri-Slab (foam layers alternate with IMT-gel; the glove is durable, it is characterized by an optimal balance of elasticity / stiffness);
  3. IMF-foam (molded shock-absorbing 3-layer foam; the highest level of shock absorption and protection).

The listed options are solutions that meet the requirements put forward for the equipment of professional athletes . The right to manufacture such fillers belongs to specific brands that produce the most expensive gloves on the market. However, smaller companies copy technologies and often their imitation turns out to be slightly worse than the original. If it is not possible to purchase the products of a large promoted manufacturer, then it is worth finding out which companies are engaged in imitation and buy goods from one of them.

Important! This is not about Chinese fakes, but products manufactured by smaller and more popular manufacturers.

The design of original and non-original products can be supplemented and strengthened by air or gel interlayers, as well as polyurethane foam inserts. The latter protect the hand, extinguish the kickback. However, their effectiveness is not so high. It is an order of magnitude lower than that of modern synthetic fillers.

Important! Economy class gloves are fitted with polyurethane foam inserts at best. If there is a choice between buying an inexpensive pair without or with such an element, then it’s better to overpay a bit and purchase a model equipped with inserts.

The choice between gel and air layers is much more difficult. Both the one and the other have good mitigating, quenching and protective indicators. However, most promoted brands switched to gel . This is partly due to the fact that in the air it is simply impossible to knock the enemy out with one exact blow.

What should be the weight of the glove?

Unit: ounce (1 ounce = 28.35 g). On the letter, it is indicated as "oz". A pair of gloves can weigh from 4 to 20 oz. Moreover, the values ​​are always even, since the mass of 2 products is immediately indicated in the product description.

Important! The heavier the glove, the softer it is. That is why during training, more weight training accessories are often used. They cause less damage due to design, degree of rigidity, size.

When choosing an accessory by this criterion, you need to start not so much from the age or professional level of the athlete, but from his body weight. The more he weighs, the heavier the sports equipment should be . This is due to the consumption of material. A large boxing glove is required for a large hand, which takes a lot of leather / leatherette and accessories to sew.

Memo for those who are going to the store:

  • lightweight models (4 ounces) are intended for athletes who are not yet 7 years old;
  • at the age of 7 to 9 years old wear products weighing 6 oz;
  • gloves weight for women: 8–10 oz;
  • teenage boys aged 11–13 years also require accessories weighing 8–10 oz;
  • 20 ounces - a similar thing is used by professional heavyweight boxers.

The most difficult thing is to choose an option for an adult man. He will have to proceed from his weight, no other clues and guidelines exist. Depending on the weighing results, a glove weighing from 12 to 18 ounces will be selected.

Lacing or other fastener

The glove can be fixed using lacing or Velcro (Velcro). The first option provides a perfect fit of the equipment to the hand, which reduces the likelihood of injury and slipping of the limb. The second is easy to operate, but less reliable. Especially after prolonged use of the pair and concomitant gloves.

Important! Any skin, even the finest and finest, is stretched. The more often the glove is worn, the more movements with hands and fingers are made in it, the faster wear occurs.

You need to choose between existing types of fasteners, based on your own feelings and age . Velcro gloves are recommended for very young athletes. Only their guys can take off and put on on their own. Professionals and those who seek to learn how to feel the glove and be related to it should buy a product with lacing. Ideally, the arsenal should be represented by both options. When you have a sporting attribute that is ideally suited to a particular case, the results are higher.

Important! There are boxing gloves with elastic, but they have a very narrow range of use - they are shell-friendly. And more often they are used by girls, children.

Are bandages necessary?

Do not use any type of glove without bandages . On the one hand, they fix joints and bones. Due to this, the likelihood of injury is reduced. On the other hand, bandages absorb natural skin secretions. This in turn:

  • eliminates slipping typical of wet hands;
  • avoids lining allergies;
  • provides a high level of hygiene;
  • extends the service life of gloves.

Thanks to bandages, the sporting attribute absorbs odors and secretions less. Due to this, it does not become the habitat of pathogenic organisms. This is especially important since the fighter often wears gloves for a long time. If they begin to spoil the skin or cause suppuration of scratches that did not have time to heal the wounds, the boxer will not be able to train or compete.

Important! You need to learn how to bandage your hand properly. Incorrect winding is a guarantee of injury.

An adequate replacement for bandages does not exist, because manufacturers are doing their best to facilitate the process of using them . For example, a separation according to length and age is introduced. For very young athletes, bandages up to 3 meters are provided. Adults need to purchase a product from 3 to 4.5 m long.

Important! You need to bandage the whole palm, but not the fingers. They are left practically unused. The only exceptions are the grounds. The space in between should be carefully and carefully fixed with bandages. The closest attention is paid to the pad and the place of growth of the thumb.

What are the best pear gloves?

Especially for shells are sold the same name - shell - equipment . They weigh a little, because when using them there is no need to carry out protection or care for a sparring partner. Inside them is a very dense filler. Large brands use bubbleless airless foam.

Some people prefer to use training gloves when working with a punching bag and a bag. This decision has its pros and cons. Therefore , it is worth choosing between accessories, based on the intensity of classes and your performance . The higher both criteria, the more reasons to switch to shell ones - they simply last longer.

Boxing Glove Selection Example

Step-by-step instruction:

  1. we learn the girth of the brush and its own weight;
  2. defined with tasks and type of training;
  3. we go to the store and select several options, based on the description of the goods ( avoid products made of leatherette, which looks or feels like a film );
  4. we wind up bandages ( without them it will not be possible to understand how the glove will sit in a real workout );
  5. try on;
  6. visually inspect the glove;
  7. we check the cuff and the fixing element ( if it is Velcro, then we need to check for sliding ) for a tight fit to the wrist;
  8. we make sure that the department for the thumb allows effortlessly and discomfort to give the finger anatomically correct position relative to the clenched fist;
  9. we ask the seller to tell if there are any reinforced elements - a wrist or a shock part;
  10. We ask the seller to describe in more detail the properties of the foam filler.

Brands to watch out for

  • Hayabusa. The manufacturer focuses on the strength and durability of the outer material, as well as ease of use. Each pair produced under this brand has nylon linings, as well as a “container” for collecting moisture. The last “trick” regulates the level of humidity and provides the highest level of hygiene, even with frequent, long and intensive training . Among the undeniable advantages is the cuff. Its three-point original design provides a secure fit that does not fade over time. The high level of protection is combined with ease of handling. With a fastener without outside help, a teenager will also cope.
  • Twins The leader among manufacturers of paraphernalia for sparring fights. Strengths: strength and fixation . The qualities are raised to the maximum level, so you can not be afraid to harm yourself or the glove when making powerful blows. Exterior finish is always made of genuine and very high quality leather. The material does not allow to reduce the cost of production. Things of this brand are expensive, the economy segment is not represented by options at all.
  • Winning. The oldest brand offers handmade products. Due to the painstaking and thorough approach to the manufacturing process, gloves serve a record number of years. Average life: 5 years . Then the worn-out thing is not thrown away, but is used as a fallback for some types of training.
  • Everlast. Perhaps the most popular and sought after market participant, and all because of the refusal to bet only on 1 or 2 product characteristics. The manufacturer studies each property of its products and produces gloves of different affordability. Technological “chips” and advantages of the brand’s gloves: the presence of a moisture-absorbing lining, a well-thought-out skin ventilation system (the type depends on the cost), a reliable wrist retainer .
  • Title Boxing. The company pays close attention to safety issues, allocates funds for research . Scientific developments have allowed to create an original concept for the design of gloves. The packing consists of several layers, each of which extinguishes a certain type of return from actions of different power and intensity. The glove perfectly absorbs shock and reduces return impulse.