Years ago, when I decided to take my first step into boxing, I bought the cheapest pair of boxing gloves I could find, excited to get in the gym as soon as possible.
The padding and wrist support of those gloves were so bad that I finished my first day of boxing with bruised knuckles and a sprained wrist that took a week to heal.
Inspired by that incident, we tried all of the leading brands of boxing gloves and spent thousands of hours testing the best and worst ones. The gloves we recommend here are ones that we use day-to-day. Here are the five pairs are worth spending money on.
The best boxing gloves in 2024 are the Hayabusa T3 Boxing Gloves.
Our Top Pick
What Are The Best Boxing Gloves?
- Hayabusa T3 Boxing Gloves – Our Top Pick
- Everlast Elite Training Gloves – Best For Beginners
- Venum Elite Boxing Gloves – Best For Bag Work
- Cleto Reyes Hook & Loop Gloves – Best For Sparring
- Winning MS-400 Boxing Gloves – Best For Competing
Hayabusa T3 Boxing Gloves – Our Top Pick
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Pros and Cons
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| ✅Premium quality ✅Interlocking wrist straps ✅Multiple sizes and styles | ❌Costly for beginners ❌Microfiber thumb dries slowly |
Our Experience with the Hayabusa T3 Boxing Gloves
- Quality of Material: 4.5 / 5.0
- Durability: 4.5 / 5.0
- Protection: 4.5 / 5.0
- Price: 3.5 / 5.0
These gloves are praised by professionals and beginners alike. We had concerns that they weren’t worth the hype. After testing them, we’re big fans of the gloves’ balance between comfort, protection, and style.
Outside the gloves was Hayabusa’s Vylar leather. At first, we were worried that the synthetic leather would feel cheap like some of the other cheaper gloves on the market, but this wasn’t the case. We were impressed with how the outside of these gloves looked and felt.
Inside the gloves was a comfortable lining that offered breathability during workouts. We never felt the material bunch up or let our hands get swampy.
When we used these against heavy bags and aqua bags, the multilayer foam padding provided enough protection for our knuckles, but also gave us enough feedback to feel our power shots.
What we loved most about these gloves was their durability and wrist protection. Even after months of testing these gloves, we could rely on their splint design and interlocking wrist straps as if they were brand new.
One downside that we didn’t expect concerned the microfiber thumb that allowed us to wipe sweat from our face while training. We appreciated that little perk, but we found that it took a long time to dry completely. When we put on the gloves the day after an intense training session, the thumbs were still a little damp.
Another downside was the cost for a non-leather glove. For beginners, these gloves have a high cost of entry, but it’s worth it. If you see yourself sticking with boxing for a long time, these are a great investment.
Read our full review of these gloves here.
Check PriceEverlast Elite Training Gloves – Best For Beginners
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Pros and Cons
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| ✅Mesh breathability ✅Comfortable fit ✅Great value | ❌Velcro loosens over time ❌Wrist bends with wear |
Our Experience with the Everlast Elite Training Gloves
- Quality of Material: 3.5 / 5.0
- Durability: 3.5 / 5.0
- Protection: 3.5 / 5.0
- Price: 5.0 / 5.0
Next are the most affordable pair of boxing gloves on our list: the Everlast Elite Training Gloves.
What we loved most about these gloves was the breathability of the mesh palm. Our hands stayed cool and comfortable for every session. When we picked them up the day after a bag session, they were completely dry and ready for use.
We were also fans of how well these gloves fitted from the very start. There was no break-in period that you get sometimes with gloves made with leather or synthetic leather; these gloves were “plug and play”.
However, after some time we found issues with the gloves’ durability and protection. The Velcro on our gloves wore down over time, sometimes even unstrapping itself mid-punch. To compensate, we made sure our hand wraps were totally secure before using these gloves.
Another issue we found with these gloves was that the wrists began to bend and crease. After a while, we started avoiding full-power punches to avoid any risk of injury.
These gloves are perfect for beginners who are learning the basics. If you’re more experienced, you’re better off choosing a different pair of gloves.
Read our full review of these gloves here.
Check PriceVenum Elite Boxing Gloves – Best For Bag Work
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Pros and Cons
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| ✅Triple-density foam padding ✅Great value ✅Multiple styles and colors | ❌Too much padding for some ❌Looser than other gloves |
Our Experience with the Venum Elite Boxing Gloves
- Quality of Material: 3.5 / 5.0
- Durability: 3.5 / 5.0
- Protection: 4.0 / 5.0
- Price: 4.0 / 5.0
While these gloves were made in with Muay Thai fighters and kickboxers in mind, we found that they were great for boxers too.
These gloves boast triple density foam padding protection to absorb the shock of your punches. Even though we felt secure that the amount of padding would protect our knuckles, we didn’t like how this gave us less feedback on our punches.
Despite that, we loved using these gloves for perfecting and repeating techniques during bag work and focus mitt training.
Be aware that since this glove is meant for all kinds of fighters, the fit is looser than most boxing gloves. If this is a problem for you, try a size smaller and see how they fit.
If you’re a beginner or intermediate boxer who wants quality for a solid price while looking stylish in the gym, these gloves are perfect for you.
Read our original review of these gloves here.
Check PriceCleto Reyes Hook and Loop Gloves – Best For Sparring
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Pros and Cons
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| ✅Premium quality ✅Great for power punches ✅Secure hook and loop closure | ❌Less padding on the knuckles ❌Expensive |
Our Experience with the Cleto Reyes Hook and Loop Gloves
- Quality of Material: 5.0 / 5.0
- Durability: 5.0 / 5.0
- Protection: 4.0 / 5.0
- Price: 3.0 / 5.0
If you want to use the same gloves that professionals like Floyd Mayweather, Mike Tyson, and Manny Pacquiao have used, the Cleto Reyes Hook and Loop gloves are for you.
Our pair was hand-made with premium leather and they’re beautiful to hold and look at. The leather used on these gloves made other gloves feel like plush toys. Down to the stitching, we could feel and see the quality.
At first, these gloves were a bit uncomfortable, but after spending a month breaking the leather in, they fit our hands perfectly.
After months of testing, we were glad to see the stitching and leather quality holding up like new, give or take a few small creases. We were worried at first that the Velcro wouldn’t hold like other gloves we used, but it continues to hold even today.
Its hook and loop closure kept our hands stable and comfortable. Unlike this glove’s lace-up cousin, this allowed us to get professional grade gloves that we could use for training solo.
What stood out for us was how compact and sleek using the gloves felt. When we wore these gloves, we felt inspired to throw our best combinations; we didn’t want to waste the quality on lackluster, repetitive bagwork.
One thing that you should be aware of is the tradeoff these gloves make: these are known as “puncher’s gloves” since the knuckles have less padding and protection.
These gloves aren’t cheap, but you’ll be enjoying their quality for a lifetime.
Read our review of these gloves here.
Check PriceWinning MS-400 Boxing Gloves – Best For Competing
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Pros and Cons
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| ✅Extremely high-quality ✅”Pillowy” knuckle protection ✅Unique thumb shape | ❌Different price per size ❌Frequently on backorder |
Our Experience with the Winning MS-400 Boxing Gloves
- Quality of Material: 5.0 / 5.0
- Durability: 5.0 / 5.0
- Protection: 5.0 / 5.0
- Price: 3.0 / 5.0
It took us 2 months to get our order as our size was on backorder. Instead of complaining, we took this as a good sign since boxing gloves are never on backorder. (Something else to note: Winning doesn’t sponsor anyone, nor do they advertise, yet every boxer knows these gloves. Quality talks.)
In the end, the wait was worth it. The gloves’ quality made us feel like a pro when we wore them. The stitching was immaculate, and the leather was smooth and built to last. Even with the leather, they felt broken-in already. After months of use, we’re still admiring the craftsmanship and attention to detail.
These gloves offered us the perfect balance between soft, protective foam and tough leather. No complaints from our wrists at all. You might hear that these gloves have “pillowy” knuckle protection and though it’s a poor description, we agree with it. Punching with these gloves felt like punching pillows.
We especially enjoyed how the thumb felt like its own glove, something that seems strange to write since many brands overlook the thumb.
After months of use, our pair still performed like brand-new. It felt strange to use for training and testing. Ironically enough, one drawback to its quality is that it felt like a pair of gloves that you save for a special occasion, not for hitting the heavy bag.
Even though we’re raving over these, these gloves may not be best if you’re a beginner who needs gloves now or if you like to train alone and not wait for anyone to lace you up.
However, if you’re a boxing enthusiast or expert, these gloves are essential and will compliment your hard-earned skills.
Check PriceFrequently Asked Questions
How Should My Boxing Gloves Fit?
Your gloves should fit comfortably around your hand; too much space will increase the risk of hand injuries.
They also shouldn’t be too tight; too little space will cut off your circulation and reduce your ability to move.
A good rule of thumb is that your gloves should feel like a natural extension of your hands.
How Do I Wash My Boxing Gloves?
After use, you should:
- First, wipe down the outside of your gloves with a disinfectant wipe.
- Next, you can throw them in the washer.
- Lastly, let them air dry with the straps left open.
Doing these simple steps will make your boxing gloves last longer.
Do Boxing Gloves Make You Punch Harder?
Boxing gloves don’t make you punch harder. The padding in the knuckles absorb shock to protect you and your sparring partner.
How We Rate Boxing Gloves
- Quality of Material
- Durability
- Protection
- Price
After countless hours of using and testing boxing gloves, we determined that these are the four most important factors for recommending a pair of gloves for you. Read the article below to get an in-depth breakdown of how we rate boxing gloves.
If you’re having trouble deciding what boxing equipment to get, check out these articles: