If you are planning on kickboxing, there are various pieces of equipment you need, with gloves being one of the most important. You need them to cushion those strikes and protect your hands when you’re training.
As a kickboxing expert, I know the difference between a good and a bad pair of gloves. You want to go into a fight in full confidence that you can make those punches without any pain. With my experience, I’ll help you to find the best kickboxing gloves for you.
It’s vital to pick the right gloves and we’ve got some excellent in-depth reviews here along with a buying guide to give you all the info you need.
Who Should Get Kickboxing Gloves?
Kickboxing gloves are necessary for everyone who wants to train in combat sports. Punching is one of the most crucial features of the sport. Good gloves protect your wrists, knuckles, and fingers from any likely damage.
We also advise not to compromise on the quality of your gloves, it’s always worth investing in a quality pair to get the features you need. We have reviewed only the best products, and you will only need to choose the one that fits you perfectly.
Best Kickboxing Gloves: Top Picks
1. RDX Kickboxing Gloves
- Best For: High-intensity training
- Key Features: Breathable design, excellent comfort
- Material: Maya hide leather
- Ability Level: Beginner
If you want to train with MMA-style gloves, these are perfect. The highly breathable design is great for practicing those power shots and building up punch resistance for a beginner.
RDX is an industry leader with all the products they produce. They only employ the best features, and the use of Maya hide leather for your gloves proves just that. It offers crack resistance, flexibility, and endurance to wear and tear. The most suitable alternative to genuine leather, the gloves feel very secure while wearing.
The design has extraordinary impact resistance and propagates the shocks absorbed evenly across the surface. Its hook-and-loop closure prioritizes the protection of your wrists, and the strap is designed for an easy on-and-off application. A D-cut open palm design promotes airflow to keep your hands ventilated and cool at all times. This also ensures that your gloves are dry while in combat.
RDX gloves offer an excellent value for the price and might be the perfect option to try on as a beginner.
2. Hayabusa T3 Kanpeki
- Best For: Consistent performance
- Key Features: Closure system, high-quality material
- Material: Full-grain leather
- Ability Level: Advanced
If you want to have consistent training performance, you can’t go wrong with these gloves. While they are expert-level gloves, they can be used by any skill level.
Inclusive of all genders, these gloves are not the standard kickboxing gear that you come across. Other manufacturers only employ a single layer of leather for kickboxing gloves. Hayabusa has come up with five panels to cover the back of your hand and will indisputably set you in control.
The design impressively includes a custom foam composition. It ensures that each foam layer absorbs and dissipates the force in all directions to offer the best knuckle protection. Further, its four-splint structure will shield your wrist and help produce powerful punches.
A fully adjustable double velcro strap with an elastic strap in the palm gives you the utmost comfort. The ergonomic thumb position and anatomical pocket with grip bar deliver the perfect fit for all sizes.
3. Fairtex Boxing Gloves
- Best For: Hard powerful punching
- Key Features: Durability, grip bar, additional wrist support
- Material: Leather
- Ability Level: All
For those that want to practice hard punches, these gloves will perfectly do the job. With an excellent build quality, these gloves are sure to offer almost everything for a beginner but are good enough for an expert to use.
Its padding is found on the back instead of the standard knuckle region. This makes it ideal for kickboxing besides other combat sports. Thus, you can extract more force per punch, and it further gives you an added advantage even while you are at the receiving end.
The gloves are designed with a straight thumb feature, particularly useful for combat. Constructed of premium leather with velcro straps for a tight-fit design, the gloves are exceptionally durable. Its elegant texture will make you feel ecstatic and elevate your morale.
While it does have some issues with the stiffness of its padding, these handmade gloves are the best for punching, wrist movement, power, and feel.
4. Sanabul Battle Forged Kickboxing Gloves
- Best For: All combat sports
- Key Features: Firm padding, lightweight
- Material: Faux leather
- Ability Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Do you love other combat sports along with kickboxing? If so, you’ll love these gloves as they can also be used for the likes of Muay Thai and boxing.
Sanabul claims that their Battle Forged gloves are created by professional fighters, and one look at it leaves no doubt in our minds. Deftly engineered leather, cutting edge design and a three-layer foam provide the highest comfort and dexterity. An in-built Durasoft impact foam lets you generate supreme power without having to worry about your knuckles.
The velcro is strong, even after prolonged use, and you will not require any assistance in wearing and removing them. The padding is of the highest quality and promises to be versatile and supple.
These gloves are battle-tested and widely appreciated by seasoned fighters. The sophisticated material with a premium lining for durability offers a great deal at the price.
5. Anthem Athletics Stormbringer II Gloves
- Best For: All-round training
- Key Features: Solid padding, excellent protection
- Material: Leather
- Ability Level: All
Whether you’re a beginner or an expert, these are exceptional gloves for any kickboxer. They have immense build quality and excellent support.
Anthem Athletics is picking up pace in the market, and all their products are testimony to it. Made of the highest-grade full-grain buffalo leather, these gloves are designed by experts in the USA and handcrafted overseas. Its triple density and high-impact foam supports strong punches while also lasting for a long time.
With reinforced stitching, the velcro closure and mesh panel allow superb breathability. The added padding for your thumb will allow you to exert full force without causing any harm. The protection is further extended to your wrist, offering superior coordination. As it is made with different layers of dense foam, it can easily withstand powerful punches.
Anthem Athletics does not pay for celebrity endorsements and can price their products at a 25-50% lesser cost than their competitors.
Factors to Consider When Buying Kickboxing Gloves
Remember that kickboxing gloves are tactically designed for flexible movement of your hands. This makes it easier to catch kicks and punches within close range through its uniform padding. You cannot substitute with boxing gloves as they don’t have padding around the susceptible palm or wrist regions.
Padding and Material
The best manufacturers use genuine leather to uphold the durability of the gloves. Padding is an essential factor that most people overlook. If you plan on doing heavy training, your gloves must have padding on the fingers, thumb and knuckles. Try to choose kickboxing gloves that have gel padding. While they are pretty expensive, it’s endurance is unmatched.
Design
There are a lot of designs, and each one of them has its unique advantages. If you do heavy training, look for gloves with reinforced padding to protect your hands. You can also look for brands that accommodate added wrist support to prevent sprains. Fingerless gloves are preferred for speed punching and tactical training.
Weight and Size
The weight and size of your kickboxing gloves are critical parameters to your game’s result. Lightweight gloves are commonly used for training. Thicker and heavier gloves are ideal for heavy bag work. It is always better to get heavier gloves if you plan on serious fights. While you are at this, making sure the size fits you is also essential. It mostly depends on your routine and style of play. Bigger gloves are heavier; however, make sure that they do not affect your game’s momentum in the long run.
FAQs
What is cardio kickboxing?
Cardio kickboxing is a form of aerobics that incorporates kickboxing exercises. It is kickboxing without having a partner or establishing physical contact. There might or might not be bags for you to kick at. However, you do not learn any fighting or sparring techniques. Its sole purpose is for cardio and burning calories.
What is the right size for my kickboxing gloves?
10oz, 12oz, 14oz, and 16oz are common sizes used for kickboxing gloves. However, it depends on what you intend to do. 10oz gloves are commonly used for bag workouts, while 14oz and above are used for sparring. Your weight also decides the size of the gloves, which ultimately depends on the manufacturer’s size chart. Although they provide measuring guides, it is better to buy from sites that include a return or exchange policy.
How do I maintain my kickboxing gloves properly?
Firstly, do not put your gloves in a bag after training, as leaving them wet will promote fungus growth. Leave your kickboxing gloves exposed and let them dry for some time. Spraying diluted vinegar also breaks down bacterial growth and reduces odor. You can either spray vinegar and wipe or simply wipe it inside and out using a clean towel to remove the moisture.
Conclusion
Are kickboxing gloves worth it? Totally! They are of course required for the sport but that doesn’t mean you should pick them up with the first cheap pair that you find. You need to look for features that are perfectly suited to your needs.
While all the gloves here are of top quality, Hayabusa Kickboxing Gloves stand out from the rest for their overall solid performance. Every detail on it, from the color to its sleek construction, fits everyone’s needs efficiently. Whether you are an amateur or a professional, Hayabusa T3 Kanpeki is one of the best pairs of gloves you can get your hands on.