Fancy going a few rounds? Here are some of the best boxing gloves on the market
Whether you’re an amateur boxer or a professional pugilist, a good pair of boxing gloves is a must-have. Sure, you can borrow gloves from your gym, but buying your own lets you choose the design and style that best suits you – and as you use them they’ll mould themselves to your hands, for more comfort and a better fit.
However, there are a lot of boxing gloves out there to choose from, and picking the wrong pair – whether for sparring, bag work or muay thai – could even do you an injury. Here we'll help you choose the best boxing gloves for your needs, and provide a roundup of some of the best on the market right now.
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How to choose the best boxing gloves for you
What do you plan to do with the gloves?
You might think that’s a daft question, but different glove designs focus on the different activities involved in boxing. Fighting gloves are for when you’re actually in the ring: these are the lightest and least padded, to inflict the most force. Training gloves are for sparring with an opponent, or hitting mitts. They can also be used for bag work, but bag gloves are designed specifically for that: they’re more heavily padded to protect your hands while you’re pummeling a 100-pound bag.
There are also gloves sold specifically for muay thai boxing, and fingerless gloves for MMA (mixed martial arts), but here we’re focusing on traditional boxing.
If you’re new to boxing, and unsure which to pick then training gloves are the best all-rounders, but they’re not ideal for a proper bout. Be warned too that if you’re shopping on Amazon, you’ll often see one pair of gloves described as suitable for all activities, which is never really the case. Search via the subcategories under “boxing gloves” instead and you’ll get much more accurate results.
What size do you need?
A little confusingly, gloves are measured by weight rather than size. This doesn’t make it easy to find the right fit, but here’s a table that will point you in the right direction:
| Size | Boxer’s weight | Boxer’s height |
| 8oz | Up to 10st | Up to 5ft 4in |
| 10oz | Up to 10st | Up to 5ft 4in |
| 12oz | Up to 11st 4lbs | Up to 5ft 6in |
| 14oz | 10st and above | 5ft 4in and above |
| 16oz | 10st and above | 5ft 4in and above |
| 18oz | 11st 4lbs and above | 5ft 4in and above |
Almost all glove types come in a wide range of sizes, so no matter what you’re looking for, you should find something suitable. If you fall between sizes, we suggest you picker the heavier one, as it will further improve your strength.
What materials should I look for?
Leather is far more durable than synthetic materials, and it will better mould to the shape of your hands. However, leather gloves cost more than polyurethane and other imitation materials. Our recommendations below include both leather and synthetic gloves, selected on the basis of their quality and lifespan.
Check the fastenings, too. The traditional laced design keeps your gloves securely on, but you’ll need someone to help you in and out of them. It’s probably for this reason that the majority of gloves these days – including our recommendations below – have velcro straps.
How much should I spend?
For a first pair, we’d suggest you don’t go lower than £25; you’ll find options out there for as little as £10, but these tend to be poorly made using cheap vinyl, and are likely to wear out after a few rounds. If you want a pair of quality leather gloves, you’re looking at around £60 to £100 – although as with most sports equipment, prices can go a lot higher than this as you move toward the professional area.
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The best boxing gloves you can buy
Everlast Pro Style: The best boxing gloves for beginners
Price: From £21 | Buy now from Amazon
Everlast is one of boxing’s premier brands: you’ll see plenty of world-class boxers, past and present, with the name emblazoned across their wrists. While these low-cost gloves are aimed at beginners, that pedigree of quality is still on display. They feature a mesh fabric across their palms, which lets your hands breathe while inside them, and velcro straps to fix them in place. They come black, blue, red and white variants, and a wide range of sizes. While the polyurethane construction isn’t as durable as leather, this is still a reliable pair of gloves that will last you until you’re ready to upgrade.
Key specs – Sizes: 8-16oz; Material: Imitation leather; Best for: Training
Venum Elite: Best boxing gloves for training
Price: From £55 | Buy now from Amazon
These training gloves from Venum are made in Thailand – which in the boxing world is a good indicator of quality. A mesh panel in the palms prevents your hands from getting too hot and icky, while a triple-foam design offers excellent shock absorbency (the last thing you want when landing a blow is to injure your own hand). With their snarling snake logo and brash lettering, these are hardly subtle aesthetically, but they come in a wide range of colours for you to pick from.
Key specs – Sizes: 8-16oz; Material: Skintex leather; Best for: Training
RDX Ego: Best-value fighting gloves
Price: From £22 | Buy now from Amazon
The price may seem exceptionally low for a pair of gloves made from “maya hide leather” – but the Ego’s sneaky secret is that this is a synthetic material that isn’t as tough as real leather. Even so, they’re a solid pair of low-cost fighting gloves. The palms are perforated by a series of dots to keep your hands as cool as possible, and the “Quadro-Dome” technology – three layers of padding with gel sheets in-between – gives great impact protection. They also have an adjustable wrist component, to give extra support.
Key specs - Sizes: 8-16oz; Material: Maya hide leather; Best for: Fighting/Competition
Sandee Authentic Gloves: Best boxing gloves for fighting
Price: From £58 | Buy now from Amazon
Thailand-based Sandee has been making boxing equipment for over 30 years, and its heritage shows in the finesse of these hand-stitched gloves, whose black-and-white design is a touch more tasteful than most rivals. All the features you’d hope for are here, including breathable palms, easy-open velcro wrist straps and tri-foam shock capacity. But perhaps the most remarkable thing about these gloves is their price – for a high-quality pair of real leather gloves, they’re a steal.
Key specs – Sizes: 10-16oz; Material: Cowhide leather; Best for: Fighting
Everlast Heavy: Best budget bag gloves
Price: £20 | Buy now from Amazon
Designed exclusively for bag work, these gloves come in just one size, with elastic strapping which makes them easy to slip on or off. They’re made of neoprene, which will let your hands breathe, while an anti-microbial treatment prevents unpleasant smells and bacterial growths. The single size means they may not be suitable for boxers with particularly small or large hands, but for most people focusing on bag work they’re a great affordable shout.
Key specs – Size: Universal; Material: Neoprene; Best for: Bag work
Fairtex Black Cross-Trainer: Best enthusiast bag gloves
Price: £59 | Buy now from Olympia
Yet another Thai company, Fairtex has put together an excellent pair of gloves for heavy bag work. They’re made of premium leather, so they’ll survive quite a few sessions, and they feature a separate thumb component to reduce the risk of injury by snagging your thumb. Like the Everlast bag gloves, they’re only available in one size, and at 2kg they’re probably too cumbersome for sparring or mitt work. For giving that bag a good pummelling, however, they’re a fantastic choice.
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