I’ve had a lot of questions about what kind of gloves and hand wraps to purchase recently. Here are my thoughts on both…hope it helps!
HAND WRAPS
I suggest…
180″
Pro Style
– 180″ obviously refers to the length. Wraps are typically 108″, 120″ and 180″. 108 and 120 will likely not provide enough length to cover and support your wrist and palm the way we want.
– Pro Style (or elastic or semi-elastic) refers to the material the wrap is made of. “Classic” (made of cotton) is another common option, but Pro Style has more of a stretch to it for comfort and flexibility. I do not recommend the new Everlast Flex Cool Hand Wraps – they’re kind of a pain in the butt.
– Wraps run about $5-$10 a pair. If you’re paying more than $10 for a pair of wraps, they should have a cool or unique design on them, or come with a puppy.
– Some great hand wrap brands are Title, Ringside, Meister, and ProMex.
GLOVES
There are a lot of boxing glove options out there and honestly, much of how you decide on your own pair will come down to personal preference. Here are my suggestions/guidelines for purchasing gloves specific to our training at CUWB…
– Avoid MMA or Sparring gloves.
– Avoid gloves with open thumbs.
– Gloves are typically 8oz, 10oz, 12oz, 14oz, and 16oz. I suggest 10oz, 12oz, or 14oz gloves. If you’re not sure what weight to get, try several different pairs at the gym and see what works best for you.
– Sizes are typically S/M/L/XL. Most women will find they fit best in S or M gloves. You want them to fit snug, but not feel like they’re suffocating your hand. They will break in after the first several uses, though, so don’t panic if your new gloves feel a little too snug – give it a week or two. Don’t forget to factor in having hand wraps on while you wear the gloves as well. If the glove feels small when you try it without hand wraps on, try the next size up.
– A few brands to consider are Title, Ringside, Venum, and Everlast. There are also several brands that make boxing gear specifically for women. Society Nine and Machina Boxing are two such brands. I personally have very little experience with gloves outside of the Title brand that I have bonded with for years (because they’re awesome and they last!) but have to admit that several Venum pairs have caught my eye, and I like the Society Nine designs a lot.
– The outside of the glove will be leather or vinyl. Vinyl is easier to clean but doesn’t have the duration that leather does.
– The inside of the glove will likely be foam, or gel. I only have personal experience with foam. Supposedly, the gel gloves help with shock absorption and are more comfortable. If you buy gel gloves, let me play with them for a round or two?
– Gloves vary a little more in price. You can find a good pair for $30-$50, but if you want “extras” like gel or different colors or designs, it will cost more.
That’s about it. If you are looking at a pair and unsure of whether they would be good for our classes, feel free to send me the link to them and I can check it over for any red flags. Like I said earlier, a lot of it is just personal preference as long as you are inside these guidelines.
If you want more specific ideas…here’s a few I suggest…
http://www.titleboxing.com/gloves/boxing-bag-gloves/title-classic-super-bag-gloves
*These are my favorite, but are currently unavailable in small.
http://www.titleboxing.com/gloves/boxing-bag-gloves/title-premier-super-bag-gloves-leather
https://www.venum.com/venum-challenger-2-0-boxing-gloves-6494.html
http://machinaboxing.com/training-gear/
