Favorite Gloves

[Brian Ayers, CSCS]

I'm relatively new to the sport, but in the first week I purchased and returned 3 different pairs of gloves from Dicks. I was finally shown the way by Kathy who got me set up with a nice pair of Title gloves.

So what gloves do you all prefer?

[Kathy]

I was just thinking about posting something on gloves..... I had 3 people ask about them at the gym last week...
So as with any sport you can go from $20-$200 depending on brand, features and your budget. You can get a very good pair for around $50 but you can't just run out to the local sporting goods store to get them. Unfortunately, mail order is really the only way which does make it difficult because you can't try anything on. It does help to get opinions from others. Let's start with one of the more popular mail order brands, Title..

If you are serious about either the sport or do plan on investing time from a workout perspective you should always look to go with leather. You can pick up some the synthetic Everlast gloves from thingy's, Modell's or Sports Authority, however you will pay almost the same amount as you wood for a good leather pair from Title. $50-$70 will get you Title Platinum or Gel gloves. These are good sturdy leather consturction, offer a nice fit and are durable. This is a good choice for both the beginner and individual who is committed to regular boxing workout activity. They have good wrist support and good padding to absorb the shock of the punches.

Before we go any further let's discuss the type of glove you should look for. Most people into the sport for fitness will be working primarily with a heavy bag and maybe some limited mitt work. You should look to purchase a 'bag glove'. These are designed with more padding and will absorb the punch to the bag better. As you progress in the sport and if you ever find yourself in a position where you will be sparring you should have a pair of training or sparring gloves. The goal is to protect your hands and body and there is a definite difference between hitting a stationary bag and a moving body.

There are also other bag gloves out there offered by companies such as Ringside, Twins, Rival and Adidas. I have seen some of the other brands and always come back to Title who seems to offer the best deal for the price and quality.

When you start looking at other names such as Everlast and Reyes you begin to climb the price scale. In many cases you are paying for the name, however some of the higher end options do offer some desirable features. I personally use the Everlast Protex 3 Leather Bag Gloves and Everlast Protex 3 Leather Traing Gloves (for sparring). These do come with a larger price tage of $180-$200 but I am impressed with the quality and fit. I primarily purchased them as they offered additional wrist support through their design which I am desparately in need of with my weak wrists. They also contain what they patent an Ever Dri /Cool inner layer which actually does not seem to sweat as much as other gloves. In my case these gloves are used a minimum of 3-4 times a week and it was worth the investment in a more professional glove.

The last thing I wanted to touch on is durability or how long the gloves last. As you would imagine, the gloves do tend to break down as they were designed for impact. Depending on your frequency of use we estimated that a good leather pair of gloves will last around a year. You will notice a thinning of the padding and it will almost feel like you are hitting the bag bare handed. A definite sign that you will need to begin looking for a new pair. I have heard from others co-boxers that the synthetic gloves were barely making 6 months before a breakdown was noticed. Again another reason to invest in better quality.

Well I think we've covered enough with gloves to give you a good start. In upcoming posts we'll talk about hand wraps and other protective gear.

Happy boxing! ;D