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Are you considering trying your hand at boxing? Feeling confused about which gloves you need? It’s more complicated than you’d think, but don’t let that put you off trying this amazing sport. We’ve put together an easy, step-by-step guide to help you choose and compare the best gloves on the market for your criteria.
Our personal favourite is the EVO Maya Hide Leather Boxing Gloves, thanks to its extensive feature list and miniscule price. But before you go delving into comparing features, the first hurdle to overcome in choosing the right gloves is knowing what size you need to shop for.
How Do I Know Which Size Boxing Gloves I Need?
Boxing gloves come in various weights, ranging from 8oz to 20oz. Most brands size their gloves by weight rather than conventional clothing sizes. If you do come across a model that’s sized S, M, L etc., you should read the manufacturer’s sizing guide carefully as it will vary from brand to brand.
The size you will need depends on various factors, such as the type of boxing you want to do, your hand size and your weight. Skip to the end of this article to find a handy lowdown of important features to help you choose the best size and style of boxing gloves for you.
In terms of the type of gloves you should choose, the best option for beginners is training gloves since these are the best all-arounders. They have loads of padding making them suitable for sparring, but they’re also light enough for bag work. These gloves are perfect for beginners because they’re a “jack of all trades” option for those who only want to purchase one pair of gloves.
Bearing these criteria in mind, we’ve put together a list of our top picks available on the market right now so that you don’t have to wait another minute to get started!
1. Evo Maya Hide Leather Boxing Gloves with Hand Wraps
Really solid gloves in the budget price category; this is far and away from our best value pick.
Features
- Available from 10oz to 16oz
- Faux leather
- Heightened shock absorption with multilayer design: high-density foam and gel protection
- Matte finish
- Free 3.5m hand straps
Pros
- Solid gloves that don’t show signs of wear and tear even after a lot of use
- Breathable
- No looseness
- Best value for money
- Hand straps add comfort and hygiene
- Come with a zippable carry bag
Cons
- Could split if you’re a very hard hitter
- The carry bag is flimsy
Whichever way you turn it, these gloves keep coming out on top. They’re only a fraction more expensive than our absolute cheapest pick but have tonnes more features and more happy users as a result. The greatest advantage of these gloves is that they come with a free pair of 3.5m hand wraps for added protection, making them the best pick in terms of value for money.
The hand wraps also ensure that the gloves fit snugly like they’re supposed to and that there is no looseness. The saying ‘it fits like a glove’ exists for a reason, and any boxers worth their salt knows that a glove has to sit firmly around the hand if you want to pack a powerful punch. It is worth noting that the only negative feedback on these gloves was from very hard-hitting punchers. So, if you want a fail-safe option and you have a heavy hand, your only option might be more durable leather gloves in a higher price category.
The design is quite minimalist and unobtrusive, and customers love the smooth matte finish of the gloves, reporting little to no signs of wear and tear even after many months of use.
Similarly, the interior of the glove is also well-engineered, containing breathable hydra-flow mesh so that your hands don’t get drenched in sweat after 5 minutes of working out! This breathability is important since you can maintain a better grip if your hands are kept relatively dry inside the gloves.
All in all, these gloves tick pretty much every box and do so at an incredibly competitive price. We’re sure the vast majority of beginners will be delighted with this product and that’s why it’s firmly in first position in our ranking.
2. Lions Boxing Gloves
If you’re a beginner on a budget, this option can’t be beaten on price.
Features
- Available from 6oz – 16oz
- Wide range of colours and designs
- Velcro strap wrist fastening
- Faux leather
Pros
- Unbeatable price
- A good option for complete beginners
Cons
- Flimsier than other brands
- Not suitable for more experienced boxers
Hands down the cheapest option on the market. You can’t expect the same level of quality or features from this brand as other more well-known ones in a higher price bracket, but we think this product is perfect for anyone looking to try their hand at boxing and not wanting to use the smelly communal gloves at the gym!
If you’re unsure whether boxing is for you and want to get some cheap material to start, these gloves will serve you just fine. Plus, you can choose from a wide range of colours and designs and find the style that you like best. They’re also available in the smallest sizes (6-8oz), so could also be appropriate for kids who are initiating themselves into the world of boxing.
Their tiny price makes it clear that these are not a good fit for professional boxers. Users concur that these gloves serve really well for light use but aren’t appropriate for anyone throwing serious punches as the stitching can come apart, and the filling isn’t durable enough.
Go for these if you’re curious about boxing but have a strict budget for the material.
3. Leone 1947 Gn039 Boxing Gloves
If price isn’t an issue and you want to start in style, these cowhide leather gloves are a real treat.
Features
- Available from 10oz – 16oz
- Available in black or white
- Cowhide leather exterior
- Polyurethane padding for shock absorption
- Velcro asymmetric closure for maximum wrist protection
Pros
- Classic, elegant design with a tribute to Italy on the sleeve
- Hard-wearing leather exterior
- Great brand reputation
Cons
- Most expensive option
We know most beginners usually want affordable equipment to start them off on their sporting journey, but for those who think they’ll want to practise boxing for a long time, we can’t help but recommend these classic Leone gloves. Whether you prefer natural materials or value the brand name, there are loads of reasons to splash out and go for this premium option.
The natural leather exterior is much more durable than synthetic leathers and doesn’t flake or rupture with the passing of time. It’s also less sweaty and more breathable, as natural fibres usually are.
Whilst most users appreciate the quality and durability of this item, some have complained about sizing issues. However, this seems to be more due to the trickiness of actually getting your size measurements right than genuine sizing faults on the brand’s part. Make sure to take your measurements as per our sizing tips at the end of this piece to avoid similar mistakes.
All in all, these gloves are a great investment for those already taken by the sport who don’t mind splashing out for the premium features.
4. Mytra Fusion Boxing Gloves
An affordable, eye-catching pick for those who like bold designs and don’t want to splash out.
Features
- Available from 10oz – 16oz
- Moisture-wicking interior
- Available in three bold designs
- Quick EZ fastening strap
Pros
- The low end of the price scale
- Great design
- Ergonomic and comfortable fit
Cons
- May need to purchase additional hand straps if wanting to punch heavy
- Lighter gloves don’t offer great protection
These are up there with our favourite gloves in terms of style. The unique, eye-catching design with embossed gold details will surely get you noticed in the gym and give you a double dose of confidence to approach the sack.
Users repeat over and over how ergonomic these gloves are, and that’s why they make it into our ranking. The rounded top and moisture-wicking interior make for a more comfortable training session since the gloves absorb the brunt of the impact and doesn’t get soaked in sweat after 10 minutes of sparring.
One important thing to note for those going for lighter gloves is that you may want to invest in some hand straps if you intend to punch a heavy bag. The smaller gloves don’t offer as effective protection on a heavy bag, and your knuckles could feel the impact if you don’t bandage up before putting the gloves on.
Unfortunately, this model doesn’t come with hand wraps, and that’s why it comes in a little lower on our ranking. Either way, the price is still miniscule, so even with the extra investment, these gloves are still a great value purchase.
5. RDX Boxing Gloves EGO
Hard-wearing gloves that offers great support and an original design in the moderate to high price category.
Features
- Available from 8oz – 16oz
- Quick EZ Hook-and-loop closure
- Ventilation holes
- Layered padding protects hands from impact
Pros
- Great design
- Suitable for heavy sacks
- Great wrist stability
- Good shock absorption
Cons
- Not as durable as they should be with this price tag
- Synthetic leather known to split
Whilst these gloves are at the top end of RDX’s price and quality range for synthetic options; they do boast a lot of features that justify their price. The interior of the gloves have several different layers of padding, which combine to provide great shock absorption and impact control, leaving your hands scot free after an intense session. In this sense, these gloves tick a lot of boxes that some of the cheaper options don’t.
Users praise the wrist stability these gloves offer thanks to the secure, hook-and-loop closure, and they also enjoy the innovative designs of this model. The alignment of these gloves get rave reviews thanks to the well-made attached thumb feature, meaning you can pack way more power into your strikes.
Having said that, synthetic leather is known to split and tear quite easily when the gloves are given significant use. For those looking to get serious quickly, it might be worth going up another rung on the price ladder and investing in some leather ones.
That’s it for our top 5 products. Here are a few pointers on how to choose the right style and size of gloves for your needs.
How To Choose Boxing Gloves
Sizing
To find out your size, you need to weigh yourself and measure the circumference of your hand. To do this, measure your open, dominant hand just under the knuckles with a fabric tape measure.
Once you have the two measurements, find your size in manufacturers’ charts. If you are between two sizes, you should bear in mind that the gloves should fit snugly on your hand.
The general rule of thumb is that the lightest gloves (6oz – 8oz) are usually intended for competitive lightweight boxing. Beginners are usually recommended to use heavier 14oz to 16oz gloves in order to avoid injuries and provide the right protection.
Material
Whilst the most common material for boxing gloves used to be leather, we can find increasingly more synthetic leather options on sale nowadays, especially in lower price categories.
Depending on your lifestyle choices, you may have one preference or another, but in terms of performance, we want to highlight that leather gloves, though more expensive, are usually more breathable and durable than synthetics.
Fastening
You can get lace up or velcro boxing gloves as standard. Nowadays, most products made for beginners have a velcro fastening to facilitate getting the gloves on and off, with lace ups becoming a thing of the past.
We hope this guide has helped you understand both the important considerations and top brands in the market for beginners’ boxing gloves. Since versatility and cost are usually the main priorities for people starting out with a new activity, we reckon the Evo Maya gloves are a solid bet for most budding boxers out there. However, check out our “best for” lowdown below to check which gloves are most appropriate for your needs if you have specific priorities.
Best for…
Here’s our lowdown of top picks of best boxing gloves for beginners. By feature, these are the best options for…
Vegans – Evo Maya
Low budgets – Lions
Serious Beginners – RDX
Hard punchers – Leone
