- Quality of Material
- Durability
- Protection
- Price
Quality of Material
First, we rate boxing gloves based on the quality of their material.
We pay special attention to the glove’s padding material, density, and number of layers since this will directly affect how well the protects your hands and how it will protect your sparring partner.
For the glove’s padding, it’s important to feel the impact of your punches as well.
We note if the glove’s material has breathability and sweat absorption. This prevents your hands from getting soaked with sweat during your workout and your gloves from becoming smelly.
Lastly, we understand that the quality of your glove will ultimately come down to its purpose. A general training glove will always be less quality than a professional competition glove.
Durability
Next, we rate boxing gloves based on their durability.
You should replace your gloves as their padding begins to wear down and the wrists begin to crease and bend. This factor is more for general-use gloves such as training and bag work that will have repeated use and less for performance/competition boxing gloves.
Knowing this, some gloves are best for training and getting the basics down. We’ll recommend durable gloves that will last for you through many hours of training.
Protection
Next, we rate boxing gloves based on how well they protect your hands and wrists.
As you punch, the impact will rattle through your hands. If your gloves are poor quality, your hands will get damaged in the long run, especially if you aren’t use hand wraps or if your gloves don’t fit well. This impact will be greater the heavier you weigh.
We consider how well the gloves protect your knuckles and stabilize your wrists.
Most gloves have Velcro straps, which comes with a tradeoff. It’s more convenient to put on by yourself, but it offers less wrist protection than lace up gloves. With these gloves, we consider how well the straps stabilize your wrists and if the gloves’ wrists bend and crease over time.
Price
Lastly, we rate boxing gloves based on price.
We know it’s important to work on a budget, as you’ll end up buying multiple gloves for different purposes and goals. If you’re a beginner, spending top dollar on a lace up professional glove may not be the best move.
While you’re getting the basics down or taking a boxing class, we recommend gloves that are the right price for your without sacrificing quality.
It’s important to note that some gloves have one size per weight, as opposed to one size fits all, so we consider your goals before recommending these types of gloves.