Boxing gloves

Monkey Turned Wolf

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So I need a pair of boxing gloves for the muay thai class I started attending, and I no longer have the ones I used in high school. Anyone have any recommendations for a company to buy them?
 

Gerry Seymour

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I’m not very picky, so others might have more detailed recommendations. Here’s my thoughts. I prefer actual leather, as it’s a bit more breathable. But I’m not as picky on the brand yet. I’ve only started using boxing gloves significantly in my training over the last 2-3 years, and have used stuff from AWMA- mostly their brands. I did discover some gloves have thumbs that are too short for me. My first pair actually transferred a percentage of each punch to my thumb joint, so I had to retire them. So try some on if you can.
 

paitingman

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I usually try to find actual muay thai gloves. They are kind of rounder looking, but the palms are a bit different. They let you open your hands up for clinching a little more than boxing gloves.

Sanabul is a brand I like that usually has pretty decent prices and a variety of types of whatever: gloves, shorts, shin guards.

Did you get any recommendations from your classmates?
 

Gerry Seymour

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I usually try to find actual muay thai gloves. They are kind of rounder looking, but the palms are a bit different. They let you open your hands up for clinching a little more than boxing gloves.

Sanabul is a brand I like that usually has pretty decent prices and a variety of types of whatever: gloves, shorts, shin guards.

Did you get any recommendations from your classmates?
What is the difference? All the gloves I see online labeled as "Muay Thai gloves" look like boxing gloves. I can't tell if the thumb is captive or not, so maybe that's the difference.
 

Anarax

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So I need a pair of boxing gloves for the muay thai class I started attending, and I no longer have the ones I used in high school. Anyone have any recommendations for a company to buy them?

I've had the same pair of Combat Corner gloves for years and they're still in fantastic shape. You'll pay a decent amount for their products, but they're worth every penny.
 

Buka

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I haven't bought any gloves in a long while. I don't know what's good any more.
 

Danny T

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There are several differences in a Muay Thai glove and a Boxing glove. These are a few of the differences.

The weight distribution is different, the cuff of the glove is shorter on the MT glove compared to most boxing gloves, the strapping on the MT glove is usually situated so when working clinches your partner won't get scratched up by the velcro.
There is more padding on the back of a MT glove to protect the hand from kicks. Most MT gloves are quite a bit more flexible and can be opened for palming or catching with. There is additional padding in the MT glove on palm at the little finger side again for protecting the hand when blocking kicks. The actually striking surface of the MT glove is usually a bit flatter and larger than a boxing glove. The thumb placement on the MT glove is more to the side than on a boxing glove to help protect the thumb when catching or blocking kicks.
On the weight distribution differences the weight of the MT glove is more in the glove due to the additional padding while the boxing glove of the same weight is smaller with some of the weight in the longer cuff of the glove.

If you are looking for excellent Muay Thai gloves then Twins and Fairtex are great choices. Fairtex tends to have a smaller wrist cuff. Ring to Cage is a less expensive option but usually doesn't last as long. I don't like Windy gloves just haven't gotten good use from them. Top King also are excellent. For most of our students gloves last 1-2 years. For fighters that time frame is greatly reduced depending on how hard they hit and how much they train 3- 6 month on a pair of gloves.
 
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Gerry Seymour

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There are several differences in a Muay Thai glove and a Boxing glove. These are a few of the differences.

The weight distribution is different, the cuff of the glove is shorter on the MT glove compared to most boxing gloves, the strapping on the MT glove is usually situated so when working clinches your partner won't get scratched up by the velcro.
There is more padding on the back of a MT glove to protect the hand from kicks. Most MT gloves are quite a bit more flexible and can be opened for palming or catching with. There is additional padding in the MT glove on palm at the little finger side again for protecting the hand when blocking kicks. The actually striking surface of the MT glove is usually a bit flatter and larger than a boxing glove. The thumb placement on the MT glove is more to the side than on a boxing glove to help protect the thumb when catching or blocking kicks.
On the weight distribution differences the weight of the MT glove is more in the glove due to the additional padding while the boxing glove of the same weight is smaller with some of the weight in the longer cuff of the glove.

If you are looking for excellent Muay Thai gloves then Twins and Fairtex are great choices. Fairtex tends to have a smaller wrist cuff. Ring to Cage is a less expensive option but usually doesn't last as long. I don't like Windy gloves just haven't gotten good use from them. Top King also are excellent. For most of our students gloves last 1-2 years. For fighters that time frame is greatly reduced depending on how hard the hit and how much they train 3- 6 month on a pair of gloves.
Thanks, Danny. I might pick up a pair of MT gloves at some point, see if I like them more/different than boxing gloves.
 
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Monkey Turned Wolf

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Just for a point of clarification, i had ssked if they used boxing gloves or thai gloves. Even though they practice MT i was informed they use boxing gloves.

I might go for muay thai gloves though anyway, doesnt seem like something theyd be picky about. Thanks for the recommendations!
 

Danny T

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Just for a point of clarification, i had ssked if they used boxing gloves or thai gloves. Even though they practice MT i was informed they use boxing gloves.

I might go for muay thai gloves though anyway, doesnt seem like something theyd be picky about. Thanks for the recommendations!
Do they do much clinch work? I've found most who do a lot of clinch practice don't use boxing gloves because of getting torn up from the velcro on the cuffs...unless they tape up the cuffs.
 
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Monkey Turned Wolf

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Do they do much clinch work? I've found most who do a lot of clinch practice don't use boxing gloves because of getting torn up from the velcro on the cuffs...unless they tape up the cuffs.
Ive watched the classes before last week without participating (normally attending a class in the other half of the dojo), so i cant say for certain. But i cant remember ever seeing them do clinch work
 

Danny T

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Ive watched the classes before last week without participating (normally attending a class in the other half of the dojo), so i cant say for certain. But i cant remember ever seeing them do clinch work
Interesting. If you viewed several classes and there was no clinch work I'm wondering if it is really muay thai. Of course it is possible they simply didn't at the times you were viewing but clinch is a huge part of muay thai unless it is a Dutch Style program which is more a kickboxing base than muay thai. Dutch style has very little to no clinching, no elbows, and no off balancing sweeps.
 
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Monkey Turned Wolf

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Interesting. If you viewed several classes and there was no clinch work I'm wondering if it is really muay thai. Of course it is possible they simply didn't at the times you were viewing but clinch is a huge part of muay thai unless it is a Dutch Style program which is more a kickboxing base than muay thai. Dutch style has very little to no clinching, no elbows, and no off balancing sweeps.
From what I've watched it's always looked more like kickboxing with knees than anything else. I haven't really seen elbows either, or the sweeps I would expect. I'm not sure if they practice these less, so I don't see them, or if they use a style that doesn't focus on those.

Honesty, for me it doesn't matter too much as long as I get to punch things :D
 

marques

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So I need a pair of boxing gloves for the muay thai class I started attending, and I no longer have the ones I used in high school. Anyone have any recommendations for a company to buy them?
Sandee and Twins are popular, long lasting and safe bets. (I am sure I am missing another big one.) It is also safe to ask your instructors first. They may want you to use bigger, safer gloves than the ideal for your weight...

BUT I would just borrow or buy anything cheap to start. In the mean time, you can learn about the best option for you and check if you stick with MT training.

Good gloves may be expensive but last forever. Buy right or buy cheap.
 
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Monkey Turned Wolf

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All I can say is avoid Everlast. You'll thank me later ;)

Sandee and Twins are popular, long lasting and safe bets. (I am sure I am missing another big one.) It is also safe to ask your instructors first. They may want you to use bigger, safer gloves than the ideal for your weight...

BUT I would just borrow or buy anything cheap to start. In the mean time, you can learn about the best option for you and check if you stick with MT training.

Good gloves may be expensive but last forever. Buy right or buy cheap.
This was about a year ago, I have since bought gloves. Thank you though.
 

kickillustrated

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I have spent the last year in Thailand and found that Muay Thai gloves over there are very different from boxing gloves. Mainly the padding is a lot weaker and thinner than our boxing gloves. It's not really for the padding, but for clinching to make the gloves more flexible because Nak Muay tend to grab and clich with open hands. In addition they don't box that much in Thailand at all so they don't need as much apdding for their hands.
I used King gloves over there. They are a good compromise with decent padding and flexibity. I was able to go 10 round on the heavybag punching hard and they held up. They were flexible enough to hold and clinch and I saw them being used in the Muay Thai stadiums for competition as well.
I bought a new pair once I got back to the US from Fighters Inc in Florida. They have them on sale from time to time. Otherwise they are a bit expensive,
I'd stay away from the cheaper Thai brands such as Sandee, Raja, Venum, TBK. They won't last long and break quickly. I saw so many of them being worn out qucikly.
 

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