Boxing Gloves that are Right for You
The Importance of Good Gloves
I've tried many gloves, an a universal opinion about boxing gloves is that everyone seems to like different brands. The fit on all gloves are different and in particular, depending on the brand you get the size will vary. Along with that comes the persons preference to knuckle padding, thumb protection, more wrist protection and so on to get the best boxing gloves for you.
Here is a brief review of the brands I feel are the best, but before we start I want to point out one thing you'll here me say. The glove will either be a "punchers glove", and "in between glove" or a "defense glove". All that means is where the padding is and it's pretty self explanatory. If you have good defense and want more hurtin to your punches, you'd be better off with the punchers glove. Vice versa for the "defense glove". I generally just compare the prices from Titleboxing and Ringside, then go to the actual website of the brand glove and see what price you can get.
1. Grant - After going through dozens of gloves, this glove finally did it for me. I use the 16 oz fight glove for sparring. It's an "in between" glove but still feels like it favors more of a puncher. Also, grant gloves have great thumb protection. This Mexican crafted glove seems to pull your thumb in a little more than most gloves protecting you from jamming it. Also it does a great job in delivering an un-pillowed punch. Overall its very compact, great for punching but lacks very slightly in blocking punches. A+ for this glove.
2. Reyes - This is a full blown punchers glove. With all the hype of this glove I was slightly disappointed. My hands aren't small by any means but it felt like they were sliding around once laced up, and they were laced up as tight as could be. Even after a punch was thrown or blocked, I felt the need to re-adjust the glove. When you hit someone, it hurts like a bith. All the padding is more towards the wrists and arm, making straight hand blocks pretty ineffective so it's not a pillowed glove.
3. Everlast - You know, everyone likes to give Everlast shit, but I actually find their Protech gloves to be pretty solid. I don't use them for sparring but they were good for the heavy bag. Wrist protection is non-existent but there is good protection in the knuckles. I'd stick to the bags with Everlast.
4. Rival Elite Bag Gloves - The best for wrist protection. They have a strap that wraps around your wrist a couple times and really solidifies your wrist from bending. Of course, if you're slapping your hooks, you might still feel some wrist pain, but that just means its not the glove, its the puncher. Don't slap, hit with your knuckles. One downfall of this glove is they stink once wet, and the smell is disgusting. I don't know what material they use but it sucks at stank repel.
5. Rival Sparring Gloves - Again, great with wrist protection. This is a big time "pillow glove". The 16oz feels more like a 20oz when you hit someone as its very hard to do damage to your opponent in sparring, which can be a good thing or a bad thing.
6. Title - Good on price and a good overall glove. Easy to put on, it's an "in between glove" but you can still deliver some hard shots while sparring. The padding can get really worn out, and while it looks like a pillow, it actually feels the opposite when you hit someone with a used Title glove. It has an overall lighter feeling than most 16oz sparring gloves as well for some reason as well.
So those are my top picks for the best Boxing gloves. Find what you need in a glove and I think this review will help you. The only glove I have yet to try are the Winning-USA gloves which I hear are top notch, and top dollar as well.
Written by Roger S.