The Best Boxing Gloves You Can Buy

A lot of folks out there will try to convince you that baseball is America’s favorite pastime. We’re not here to tell you otherwise, but centuries before people were running around baseball diamonds, they were duking it out in a ring. Is that barbaric? Maybe. Yet, there’s nothing quite like the sport of boxing, with its sluggers, its featherweights, its tremendous highs, and its dispiriting falls. And for all its brutality, boxing leagues across the globe still want to ensure your safety inside and outside of the ring, and that’s why we wear gloves. Whether you’re in competition or hitting a heavy bag, a good pair of knuckle cushions is to your benefit, so if you’re interested in picking out a new pair of boxing gloves, here are some we recommend.

Choosing the Perfect Pair of Boxing Gloves

Keep these factors in mind when you’re ready to buy:

• Purpose: First, you’ll need to decide your intent with a new pair of boxing gloves. People just looking to workout by hitting a heavy bag can find a good set of training gloves through most sports retailers and online stores. But those who do partake in a bit of one-on-one will need to look for sparring or competition gloves.
• Weight: You should know that gloves vary in weight regardless of their purpose. A pair of competition gloves tends to run lighter than sparring or training gloves so that fighters can throw faster, but they still have their choice between 8-, 10-, or 12-ounce gloves. To some, the heavier your training gloves are, the better that is for your overall workout.
• Protection: On the heel of weight, your gloves should also offer your hands good protection while boxing. It’s a bit of a push-and-pull determining what weight you can easily throw around while still keeping your knuckles unharmed and your wrists safe from buckling. Just know that you’re going to want that padding where it counts.

Best for Training: Everlast Pro Style Training Gloves

It’s a brand that almost seems synonymous with all things boxing-related, and for good reason. Everlast has dedicated over a 100 years to perfecting gear inside and outside of the ring, so that’s a sure enough reason to check out their Pro Style Training Gloves. With their patented Thumb-Lok feature and conforming synthetic leather, these boxing gloves can simultaneously hold and mold to your fist. They’re available in 12- or 14-ounce weight sizes and have an added layer of foam for protection while training. They’re also fully padded on both sides of the wrist to combat potential hyperflexion, so you don’t have to worry about how hard you’re hitting the bag.

Best for Sparring: Ringside Apex Flash Sparring Gloves

Sparring gloves are a heavier, much more padded type of glove for practice bouts. The Ringside Apex Flash Sparring Gloves come in sizes of 14, 16, and 18 ounces, so boxers can go round-to-round without the fear of overworking each other. But to ensure safe sparring, these gloves are designed with a variety of notable features, like a 3-inch wrap-around hook and loop for wrist support, and 2.25 inches of shock-absorbing, Injected Molded Foam for added protection. And while it’s a rite of passage as a boxer to take a pair of gloves and morph them into a grotesque shell of their former selves, these gloves do their best to prolong that. The easy-to-clean synthetic leather and anti-microbial inner liner will keep your hands germ-free in pursuit of peak fitness.

Best for Competition: Pro Impact Boxing Gloves

The traditional competition gloves you’ve seen in prize fights typically come with laces so that boxers can opt for a tighter or looser fit throughout the night; however, Pro Impact’s Boxing Gloves make a case for the convenience of a Velcro strap. The extra-long cuffs are designed for a better, tighter fit and plenty of support. But make no mistake, this is a competition glove, with weight sizes reaching as low 8 ounces for swift movement on the canvas. The high-quality leather and triple-layered foam core offer those in its mitts great protection and comfort that is definitely worth the investment.

Also Consider: Sanabul Essential Striking Series Punching Bag Gloves

Though the company is relatively new to the boxing ring, having gotten its start in 2014, Sanabul is still making incredibly versatile gloves for amateur boxers and trainers. Its Essentials Striking Series offers a pair of gloves that can satisfy traditional boxing and kickboxing without turning out your pockets. The special longitudinal arch design shortcuts the amount of time you’d usually need to break in a pair of gloves, while the gel-infused interior offers a painless experience for your fists. With UFC idols like Michael Bisping and TJ Dillashaw backing the name, these Sanabul gloves could be your next big boxing bet. Get them in weights ranging from 8 ounces to 16 ounces.