Muay Thai is an intense martial art that originated from Thailand. Muay Thai literally translates as The Boxing’ and is still the national sport of Thailand today.
An intense sport requires some pretty hefty equipment, including a pair of gloves! Anyone looking to get into Muay Thai will need gloves to spar and practice with.
So, if you’re looking to buy a pair of gloves but just have no idea where to start, in this article we will break down the top 6 gloves on the market and the pros and cons of each one too.
Let us help make that crucial decision just a bit easier for you, so you can get down to the martial arts aspect as soon as possible.
6 Best Muay Thai Gloves
Fairtex is one of the biggest and best brands on the market today and they always deliver when it comes to quality.
With these gloves in particular, Fairtex really went above and beyond. They are not only made in Thailand, the home of Muay Thai, but they have also been tested and are used by professional Muay Thai fighters all over the world.
They are a trusted brand and extremely reliable in terms of quality and comfort!
The thing that makes these gloves so superb is the comfort that they offer. They are made of microfiber, which is an odourless material and are endurable, flexible, soft, with a smooth touch.
The wrist support on these gloves is phenomenal and really separates these gloves from others on this list.
The padding is distributed equally throughout the gloves and makes it perfect for training as it offers maximum support for constant use when training everyday.
Not only will they feel good on your hands, they will also look good. With over 10 different styles and colour combinations to choose from, you could wear a different pair every day of the week.
Overview Of Pros
Made in Thailand, the very home of Muay Thai.
Multiple styles and colours to choose from, these gloves are super customizable.
Microfiber fabric is completely odourless and antimicrobial.
Long Lasting and extremely comfortable.
Overview Of Cons
Fairtex is an expensive brand and these gloves are on the pricier side.
The gloves may feel tight at first and will need some time to mould to the contours of your hand.
The twins special gloves are known as a hybrid glove’, they can be used for pads, bag works and even sparring sessions.
The twins' special gloves are possibly the best on this list and are loved by most professional fighters in the industry.
It’s no secret that Twins have been a staple in the Muay Thai game for years, they don’t plan on going away anytime soon.
These gloves fit, excuse the pun, like a glove! They are both super comfortable and fairly durable.
Though they very rarely break, you might notice some light wear and tear or cracking on the leather overtime.
They’re also quite affordable for how well made they are, so excellent for someone looking for a mid price range glove but with all the incredible features of a high performance boxing glove.
Overview Of Pros
They’re made in authentic conditions in Thailand
Lots of styles and a stunning range of colours to choose from
Super comfortable and durable during sparring and combat
Multi use, they are a great hybrid glove’ and can be used for all the combat moves that are present in Muay Thai.
Overview Of Cons
·Tend to crack after extended use.
YOKKAO is a brand that is simply pushing the boundaries of Muay Thai and Boxing equipment with the new Matrix edition.
Using premium leather, these gloves are handmade in Thailand by professionals who have crafted the art of building boxing gloves over many years of dedication and practice.
Matrix gloves are at the very top of the market and are a high performance glove.
Plenty of new research and development have been put into them to design and create a longer lasting more durable foam within the padding of the glove.
This protective padding provides the ultimate cushion and support for hard-hitting action on the pads, the bags, and sparring.
Yokkao produces some of the absolute best on the market in boxing gloves for Muay Thai.
The new version of these gloves, called the Matrix gloves, have the same brand new foam technology along with all the extras including an attached thumb.
These gloves look amazing and feel great on your fist and wrist, many professional Muay Thai fighters such as Saenchai have personally tested these gloves over a decade in the martial arts industry.
These gloves are an excellent purchase for anyone seriously looking to improve or even train professionally in Muay Thai.
Overview Of Pros
Made from high quality and very durable leather.
The padding is made from shock absorbing foam to help protect from injury.
Very stylish looking with a standout design in a wide variety of colours.
Has double stitched seams for added durability.
Overview Of Cons
Expensive in price so not great for beginners or people who want to take up Muay Thai as a weekend hobby.
Top King is another very traditional and authentic Muay Thai brand. People seem to either love or hate this brand and there is much controversy in professional circles about the quality of them.
They are much bulkier when compared to the likes of Fairtex and Twins boxing gloves. Also, Top King gloves come in many different designs so that you can customise them to your own preference and create the perfect pair.
Made of premium leather, these are some of the most durable gloves on this list and on the market as a whole. Top King makes some of the best Muay Thai boxing gloves in the world, and these are no exception.
They come with extra padding to secure your hand and your wrist and they also include multi-layered shock absorbent material within the glove for extra protection.
If you’re someone who loves a bulkier glove that you want to break in then Top King boxing gloves are for you.Top King is one of the most historic brands in Thailand, they create some of the best Muay Thai equipment and gear seen anywhere in the martial arts industry.
Overview of Pros
Made of a premium quality leather that doesn’t wear or stain easily.
Are available in over 7 different designs for you to choose from so they are very customisable.
Have multi layered shock absorption built into the glove to offer ultimate protection for your fist.
Overview of Cons
Can feel bulky depending on the size you get and can take a while to wear in properly so that they are completely comfortable.
Are on the expensive side of the market.
Hayabusa T3 Boxing Gloves are the newest addition to the Hayabusa range and with spectacular quality they are sure to impress.
These are some of the most stylish gloves available today and it certainly helps that they come in a range of colours.
Designed to deliver the best performance for bag work and sparring, their top notch DUAL-X closure system provides a lace-like fit.
Best in class wrist support delivered by the 4 interlocking splints at the back of the hand.
Handcrafted with the top of the line engineered leather delivers superior resistance to everything from cracks and abrasions to general wear and tear.
These gloves were specifically made to be an all-around’ for boxing, however, they are great for Muay Thai because they are packed with extra padding, which makes them particularly heavy.
But despite this, it has to be said that these gloves look absolutely stunning on the hands and they are as comfortable as they are stylish.
Though Hayabusa is known as an MMA’ brand and is not often used by Muay Thai fighters, these gloves are so comfortable they work well.
Hayabusa is well known for being a particularly expensive brand in combat sports, however, they really did well when crafting the T3 boxing gloves. These are some of the best boxing gloves for Muay Thai, Boxing, and MMA.
Overview of Pros
These gloves are made with a superb and premium leather
They are incredibly stylish, with over 5 looks to choose from.
The 5 layered foam structure provides plenty of support and protection from injury.
Durable, with a quality that really lasts through the test of time.
Overview of Cons
Can be very tough to break in at first.
Are very heavy because of the added padding in the glove.
The Venum Elite boxing gloves are the absolute best that Venum has to offer - Elite by name and nature.
With over 20 professional designs (including the Mexico and Italy flag colorway), these gloves are the most stylish and ultimately customisable on the current glove market.
The gloves are made of a high quality material that is developed and tested by professional fighters everywhere. Venum produces all of their equipment in Thailand, the Muay Thai and martial arts hub of the world.
Venum is a brand similar to Hayabusa in many ways, one of the most notable being that they both are an MMA’ style brand, these gloves are still excellent for those hard sparring sessions in the gym and for Muay Thai in general.
Many true Muay Thai purists tend to stay away from Venum because they think their gloves are of a lower quality, but it really just depends on the specific Venum glove you purchase.
With the Venum Elites you can rest assured that you’re getting a quality glove, perhaps one of the best boxing gloves for Muay Thai available anywhere.
Overview of Pros
Well over 15 styles to choose from, giving you the ultimate choice in colour and look for your gloves.
Made with a premium sintext leather, that is highly durable.
Contains triple density foam for maximum padding.
Made In Thailand
Overview of Cons
The inside padding has a tendency to rip after a time.
Buyer’s Guide - What To Look For In Muay Thai Gloves
Brands
It is so important to note that not all brands carry the same reputation or even value. Brands like Fairtex and Twins Special have been around for decades and hand-create all of their Muay Thai gear in Thailand.
This is traditional as Muay Thai originates from Thailand and it is considered the home of the art. Often these bigger and more recognisable brands will be more expensive because people know and can rely on them.
Other brands like Sanabul and Elite Sports are also pretty good, however, they don’t have the same reputation as other Muay Thai brands so they are usually more affordable.
Quality
This should be the most important factor in shopping for a new pair of muay thai gloves. You want to rest easy in the knowledge that your investment aka your gloves, will be worthwhile and going strong for years to come.
You don’t want to be caught out by buying a cheap pair of gloves from somewhere like Walmart and find yourself with a beaten up, broken pair after just a few months!
You won’t save money in the long run as you’ll find you have to buy multiple pairs of gloves over the same period of time that one good quality pair would have lasted!
The more advanced you become in the sport, the more you’ll need quality gloves to fight with! Better quality boxing gloves are made with better material which means they protect your hands that much more.
Price Or Value
Ultimately, you just want to get the best muay thai gloves that you can afford in your budget.
Don’t worry if you don’t have a massive amount to spend on Muay Thai gloves, no matter your budget you should be able to find a decent pair of boxing gloves that will prove their value over time.
Brands like Sanabul and Elite sports are a more affordable option if you have a low budget.
It's important to choose your boxing gloves carefully as the last thing you want to do is spend money on a pair of boxing gloves that will fall apart in a few months.
The Different Types Of Material Out There
The best material for your gloves really comes down to how much you’re willing to fork out for a pair of gloves.
While some materials will be a lot more comfortable and durable than others, the material that your gloves are made of will usually dictate how expensive or inexpensive your gloves will be.
Better material gloves will have a higher price tag while cheaper gloves are typically made of cheaper material such as vinyl or synthetic leather.
Even if you’re buying your first pair of Muay Thai gloves, it is still a good idea to get a decent pair as you need to make sure your hands are well protected and the best protection comes from a high quality glove.
Vinyl
Vinyl material is a really great alternative if you can’t afford or would prefer not to use real leather.
A problem you might face with gloves made of vinyl is that they are not as durable as real leather boxing gloves. You will find that vinyl gloves will tend to split over time, especially if you’re training and using them everyday.
On the other hand, vinyl gloves are much cheaper than other gloves and are a much more affordable option for people just getting into the sport.
Vinyl gloves are much easier to clean than other types of materials. Vinyl gloves are really only recommended for people who haven't got the budget for any other type or for a beginner, who wants their very first pair.
Vinyl gloves can also be great for cardio kickboxing, where much not force or pressure is put on them.
Synthetic Leather
Synthetic Leather, which is also known as Polyurethane or PU, is an extremely low-cost material used for some types of boxing gloves.
Synthetic leather generally looks and feels just as good as genuine leather, however, it won’t be nearly as durable.
Gloves made of this material are usually low to mid-tier gloves and are generally marketed towards and best for beginners. You might find that these types of gloves will have odour issues if you’re not cleaning them properly after every use.
These gloves aren’t recommended for advanced fighters or heavy hitters, if you’re new to Muay Thai these gloves might be more suitable.
Genuine Leather
Genuine leather that can also be known as cowhide or goatskin leather, is often so much more durable, flexible, and controls sweat and odours compared to other materials.
Real leather is simply the best choice for gloves and is a favourite amongst many professional boxers and fighters today. Cowhide leather is very comfortable and offers good stretch for your fist as it's a higher quality material.
Goatskin leather is actually cheaper to use than cowhide leather, however, both are well worth the price.
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