If you’re considering adding jabs, hooks, and uppercuts to your exercise routine, you’ll need to take some time to find boxing gloves that can throw a punch while keeping your hands safe. Whether you’re shadowboxing or preparing to spar, the right pair of gloves can make all the difference when it comes to getting the most out of your boxing workout.

• How to Choose Your Boxing Glove Type

  When selecting boxing gloves, you may feel overwhelmed, since there are so many options, says head trainer at Rumble Boxing Alli “JoJo” Hinkes. Finding gloves that match your boxing style is the first step in discovering the best pair for your needs.

  • Training Gloves: From partner drills to mitt and pad work to bag training, this jack-of-all-trades style checks one box after another. Training gloves are designed to strike a balance between performance and protection and typically offer a hook-and-loop glove closure so they can be removed easily.
  • Sparring Gloves: Heavier than training gloves, sparring gloves are designed to protect hands and wrists from injury during sparring practices. These impact-absorbent options are heavier than competition gloves.
  • Bag Gloves: Working on your speed? Bag gloves have less padding than training gloves, allowing you to feel lighter and move faster. Bag gloves are ideal when you’re focusing on speed, agility, and form.
  • Competition Gloves: Lighter and with less padding, competition gloves are designed to give you an edge in the ring. They’re designed to deliver direct contact with a high impact and are essential for maximizing speed and power during competition.
  • Hybrid Gloves: A combination of both sparring and training gloves, this option features good wrist support, extra padding, and high levels of durability. They’re a versatile option that can be used for bag work, sparring, and more.
  • Muay Thai Gloves: Featuring good flexibility and padding, and easy closures, these gloves are typically used for sparring, bag work, pad work, and more.

• How We Tested

  To find the best boxing gloves, we tested seven options from top trusted brands, wearing them while performing various boxing workouts. When testing boxing gloves, we evaluate each pair based on the following key criteria.

  • Fit: When analyzing fit, we consider how the gloves fit with and without hand wraps. Do they feel too tight or loose? Do our fingers and wrists feel comfy and supported?
  • Comfort: Does the internal padding feel comfortable? Do we feel any points of discomfort in our hands or wrists during our workout?
  • Ease of Use: Are the gloves easy to put on, adjust, and remove? Do the closures feel secure? Is the design user-friendly?
  • Breathability: Boxing is an intense workout, and breathability is key for glove comfort. We examine how well the gloves manage moisture and sweat during use and whether they have ventilation features, like mesh panels or perforations.
  • Adjustability: When examining adjustability, we ask whether the gloves can be adjusted to fit a range of hand sizes and how effective the closure system is at maintaining a customized fit. Does its adjustability impact comfort and performance
  • Protection: Boxing gloves are designed to protect the hands and wrists from injury, and it’s important to select gloves that help keep you safe. Do the gloves provide adequate padding to protect the knuckles, fingers, and wrists from impact and injury?
  • Performance: When assessing performance, we look at the gloves’ ability to absorb impact. Do the gloves allow for a full range of motion and provide grip and control throughout the workout?
  • Quality: When looking at quality, we ask ourselves about the boxing gloves’ craftsmanship, construction, and stitching. Do the materials seem durable and resistant to wear and tear? We prioritize high-quality options that are built to last.
  • Value: After evaluating the boxing gloves in all other key criteria, we check the price. Would we pay full price for the gloves? Would we only buy them on sale? Would we recommend them to loved ones? We prioritize boxing gloves whose quality exceeds their value.

• What to Look for

  • Sport: Kickboxing gloves are different from standard boxing gloves, and gloves for martial arts (like Muay Thai) are different still. Choosing the correct boxing gloves for your sport will help to ensure that you’re getting the protection that you need without unnecessary padding or other features that could slow you down.
  • Training/Competition: If you plan on boxing competitively, you may need more than one pair of gloves. Training gloves may be lighter for bag work or heavier for sparring to protect your hands. Competition gloves tend to be very light, sacrificing padding for speed (and potentially leaving you more susceptible to injury).
  • Prior injuries: If you’ve had a finger, hand, or wrist injury in the past, you may want to consider gloves with higher amounts of padding. If your previous injury requires that you wrap your hands, you’ll want to factor that in when you’re looking for boxing gloves.