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This is the ultimate review of the best boxing gloves for beginners.
In this review, I’m not only going to share what the best gloves are, but I’m also excited to show you:
- The best beginner boxing glove for when you’re on a budget
- The best beginner boxing glove for competition bouts
- The best beginner boxing glove for kids/juniors
Best Boxing Gloves for Beginners
1. Byakko Boxing Gloves
(Best Overall)
Pros
Exterior cowhide leather: The leather doesn’t bunch up, and cowhide leather is highly durable, meaning you can use this boxing glove for a very long time, and not worry about the boxing glove ripping.
Attached thumb: This is important because you don’t want your thumb to be loose when throwing a punch as this puts you at risk of injury. An attached thumb keeps your thumb close to your fingers.
Stitching: The stitching is flawless on this glove. I can’t see an uneven stitch. This shows the testament to the quality of the glove.
Styling and design: I like the styling of this glove. The colors are simple (blue; black; white) and the logo isn’t overpowering. Byakko has done a great job with these gloves.
Protection: Byakko use multi-layered medium-density foam padding which means when you strike a surface your hands will feel protected. It felt comfortable when I was hitting the hard water bag the other day.
Cons
Limited number of color options: The white, blue, and black is the only color combination Byakko have in these gloves.
Size: The size ranges from 10oz to 16oz. It would be good to see a 4-8oz glove also.
Perforated holes: There aren’t many perforated holes on this glove. They have 6 total perforated holes. In comparison, the Hayabusa T3s have 48 perforated holes per glove. The benefit of a perforated hole is ventilation.
Summary
Overall, are the Byakko boxing gloves worth it? I would say so. They use great high-quality materials and I love the foam padding, attached thumb, strong wrist support, and flawless stitching. They also look like a great pair of boxing gloves. The only improvements I can think of are more color options, more size options, and most importantly: more perforated holes.
Buy these Byakko Sports boxing gloves on Amazon
2. Twins Special BGVL-3
Pros
ProsProtection and padding: These Twins Special boxing gloves have excellent padding. The gloves are comfortable to wear thanks to their snug fit design where the thick padding is evenly distributed across the glove. The evenly spread padding results in a distribution of weight throughout the glove as opposed to other knuckle-heavy boxing gloves which can feel uncomfortable.
Wrist support: As you know, wrist support is essential in boxing and these gloves provide extra long wrist support where the gloves go halfway down your forearm:
Not many boxing gloves provide this level of unique wrist support which is one of the primary reasons why the Twins Special made it onto our ‘Best Boxing Gloves UK guide’.
Handmade with genuine leather: The Twins Special Thai boxing gloves are handmade with genuine leather. Genuine leather is a cowhide material that is longer-lasting in comparison to PVC.
Cons
Can be too tight for those with big hands: Due to BGVL-3s snug fit technology, the gloves can be too tight for some people who have larger hands. The solution to this is to get the next size up.
Satin lining may rub: You may experience a rubbing sensation every time you land a punch because the inner satin lining will rub with your skin.
Summary
In summary, these Twins Special BGVL-3 gloves are comfortable to wear, well-padded, and are produced with excellent materials and craft. However, you may experience a slight rubbing sensation and may need to try on a bigger size if it is too small for you.
Click here to buy these Twin BGVL-3 Boxing Gloves on Amazon
Read our full Twins boxing glove review
3. RDX Kids Boxing Gloves 4oz
Best for kids (ages 3-9)
Pros
Good ventilation: These RDX gloves come with a strategically placed perforated palm. This means that there are small hole pockets where cool air can flow in and hot air can flow out. This can help you keep your hands cool when your hands can become so hot.
Protective: There are five different foam technologies that make up the inner padding of this RDX glove which is somewhat uncommon for the vast majority of gloves. Furthermore, they also come with an attached thumb that will prevent your child’s thumb from poking out and being injured.
Easy to take on and off: The RDX kids gloves benefit from a hook-and-loop velcro strap where tightness can be adjusted by yourself or the child.
Cons
Could be more size options: It would be good to see more size options for teenagers who are 12+ because these gloves only go up to 6oz.
Summary
Overall, the RDX Kids boxing gloves are a brilliant first pair for any child due to their protective qualities, ease of use, and aeration. However, they are not suitable for teenagers.
Click here to buy the RDX Kids Boxing Gloves on Amazon or click here to buy these gloves on rdx.co.uk.
Read our full RDX boxing glove review
4. Venum Unisex Adult Elite Boxing Gloves
(Most Popular)
Pros
Your hands will stay cool: The mesh panel on these Venum Unisex gloves improves thermal regulation in comparison to perforated palms that a lot of other gloves are made from. Since you’ll be wearing boxing gloves for a long period of time, this slight breeze of air will give you great relief when training.
Durable: The seams on these Unisex gloves are crafted with great neatness which produces great strength. This means that you’ll get a pair of gloves that last long.
Protective: The triple-density padding on these Venum Unisex Elite gloves are cleverly crafted and provide superior cushioning whenever I hit the heavy bag.
Cons
Hook and loop wrist support: Hook and loop wrist support is adequate for several training sessions per week. However, they are not nearly as stable as lace-up gloves, so if you’re going to be sparring and competing, I recommend getting a pair of lace-ups.
Summary
The Venum Elite Boxing Gloves are a great first glove for training because they are comfortable to wear, durable, and are relatively inexpensive. However, if you are looking to compete, I recommend reading the next pair of gloves, on this list: Cleto Reyes Lace Boxing Training Gloves.
Click here to buy these Venum Elite Boxing gloves on Amazon
Related review:
Read our full Venum boxing glove review
5. Cleto Reyes Safetec Lace Boxing Training Gloves
Best for competitions
Pros
Lace-up: Using lace-up gloves over velcro will increase wrist support because it aligns the bones and ligaments in a straight, fixed position.
Quality materials: The Cleto Reyes lace-up gloves are made of high-quality genuine leather that lasts a long time. Also, the pleasant aroma of leather pulsates from the glove. The only improvement Cleto Reyes could make to this glove is to ensure that the logo doesn’t fade over time.
Excellent craftsmanship: Cleto Reyes are known for their impeccable craftsmanship and this is displayed with the elegant design, expertly woven stitching, and a form-fitting curved knuckle area for better fist closure and comfort.
Cons
Relatively tough on your hands: When fighting an opponent or even hitting a heavy bag, your punches are not well cushioned and your hands can hurt due to the thinner density foam within the glove. However, this can be seen as a benefit too because if you are using them for competition bouts, then your opponent will be able to feel more of the punch.
Expensive: These gloves in 12oz cost £127/$173USD/$239AUD (price last updated: September 2021).
Summary
Overall, while the Cleto Reyes Lace boxing gloves are highly-priced, they are a great pair of gloves that are well made and perfect for anyone looking to compete or experience superior wrist support in their training.
Click here to buy the Cleto Reyes Laced Boxing Gloves on Amazon.
Read our full Cleto Reyes boxing glove review
6. Everlast Powerlock Training Gloves
Pros
You can use them for any part of your training: The multi-layer dense foam provides terrific comfort and protection whether you’re sparring, hitting the mitts, or the heavy bag, rendering them great for training.
Excellent design: I love the different colours to choose from as well as the juxtaposing Everlast logos.
You can choose between laced and velcro: These gloves come in a laced version and a velcro. Generally, the laced version is best for competition bouts due to the enhanced wrist support and velcro is best for training due to the ease of use.
Compact gloves: If you have average-sized hands (i.e. 7.6 inches for men, 6.8 inches for women) you’ll find these Powerlock gloves very compact and comfortable. There is also a smooth polyester liner that makes the glove even more comfortable.
Cons
The top of the glove may split with consistent use: Unfortunately, the leather at the top of the glove is quite loose — which creates wrinkles. Over time, these wrinkles may become dry and eventually split due to repeated sweat and friction.
The grip bar has room for improvement: The grip bar (upper palm-side of the glove) is quite thin which makes it difficult to hold a solid fist.
The inside wrist padding is quite thin: While the Everlast Powerlock glove has excellent wrist support from the top of the wrist, the bottom side has only a thin layer of foam padding which makes it quite flimsy.
Summary
Overall, while there could be improvements such as the tightness of the synthetic leather around the top of the glove, the thickness of the grip bar, and the equal distribution of EPA foam padding; I believe that the Everlast Powerlock Training Glove is Everlast’s best boxing glove simply because it’s comfortable and compact to wear for someone with average-sized hands, and it will protect you well thanks to the multi-layered foam padding.
Click to buy the Velcro Everlast Powerlock Training Gloves and the laced version here on Amazon
7. RDX Boxing Gloves EGO
Pros
Ventilation: There are perforated holes on the palm side of these RDX EGO gloves which will prevent your hands from overheating as you train.
Double stitching: While the wrist strap has some fraying, the overall stitching across the glove is well put together.
Dense padding: The padding is compact across the glove and the foam covering the knuckle area isn’t overly bulky.
Grip bar: The RDX EGO gloves have a solid grip bar that will help you form a fist when throwing a punch and prevent the leather from bunching up.
Cons
Design: While there are five color options to choose from, the overall design could be improved. For example, the X on the knuckle area with the paint dripping down isn’t very impressive in comparison to other designs like we can see on RDX’s Mark PRO or Flora Skins.
Summary
In summary, while these popular RDX EGO boxing gloves could have a better design, they do incorporate the latest glove technologies such as a combination of foam padding, a grip bar, and perforated holes for ventilation. These factors, coupled with a relatively low price tag, are the reason why these RDX EGO gloves are the best they have.
Click here to buy the RDX Boxing Gloves EGO on Amazon
8. Fairtex BGV1 Muay Thai Boxing Gloves
(Good for fighters with big hands)
Pros
Lots of hand freedom: These 16oz Fairtex gloves contain a lot of space meaning your fingers are not fixed in one position. This may ensure you have more control over your training partners as well as the ability to parry shots more effectively because you have more freedom within the glove.
All-round quality and stitching: Firstly, these gloves are made from sleek premium leather and are made to last. When researching online, there has never been any comments or witnesses of ‘double stitching’ or ‘uneven threading’ where other gloves have been guilty. The leather quality also combines with Fairtex’s three-layered foam system for supreme shock absorption and cushioning of your knuckles.
Lastly, the velcro wrist strap is firm as opposed to flimsy which is important as the gloves age because flimsy wrist straps may become unfastened mid-training or even rip as the velcro deteriorates in time.
Cons
Higher price range: Due to the premium leather manufacturing, these gloves fall into the more expensive boxing glove category (more than £97/$131USD/$180AUD) which is quite a lot compared to similar gloves like the Twins Special boxing gloves or the Venum Elite boxing gloves which are cheaper.
Top handed padding: Now, most boxing gloves will have knuckle dense padding whereby the padding is focused at the front of the glove. This is not the case with these BGV1 gloves, where the weight is evenly distributed across the glove. This isn’t a major problem, it just means that there is less padding at the knuckle and therefore less protection. The solution to this is to wear ‘long hand wraps’ with ‘under wraps padding’ like you can see I’m wearing below:
Note: You shoud always wrap your hands before hitting anything with your hands as any boxing glove cannot always protect you on its own.
Summary
While these Fairtex BGV1 boxing gloves are in the higher price range, you will get a premium quality glove with excellent internal space.
Click here to buy these Fairtex BGV1 Boxing gloves on Amazon
Read our full Fairtex boxing glove review
Conclusion
I hope you have enjoyed this review of the best boxing gloves for beginners and you have found a suitable pair for you.
Now I’d like to turn it over to you:
- What is your favorite pair of boxing gloves?
- When did you start boxing?
- Perhaps you have a question?
Let me know by leaving a comment below or by sending a direct message on our Instagram.
