Top 5 Best Muay Thai Gloves That Can Change Your Life
Precision striking during sparring or while using the heavy bag will often translate into punishing blows in the ring. The best Muay Thai gloves often come from trusted manufacturers who have been in the business for decades.
Making sure you choose the right glove that works for you can be the difference between winning and losing in the ring. Even for those who don’t practice competitively, using the wrong glove can lead to improper striking and even serious injury.
At A Glance: Muay Thai Gloves Overview
Twins Special Boxing Gloves Velcro
A trusted name in Muay Thai gloves, the Twins manufacturer’s gloves are widely used throughout the sport, particularly in Thailand. Made to be used specifically for Muay Thai kickboxing, and less expensive than many comparable products, these are a solid choice for anyone interested in the sport.
Fairtex Muay Thai Boxing Training Sparring Gloves
Another top brand in the Muay Thai sport, the Fairtex gloves are some of the best you can buy for kickboxing. They work equally well as training or competition gloves and see regular use around the world as the go-to glove for Muay Thai fighters.
Hayabusa Fightwear Tokushu Regenesis
A more modern manufacturer quickly gaining traction among practitioners of the sport, Hayabusa brand gloves put science and combat together to create high-quality gear. These gloves incorporate a number of unique features not found anywhere else to keep you safe and ensure your gloves last a long time.
Similar to Twins brand gloves but with flashier designs and a slightly different overall feel, the Top King gloves are nonetheless a fantastic Muay Thai glove. They are almost the same price as Twins gloves, and ultimately choosing between the two is up to personal preference.
RDX Maya Hide Leather Boxing Gloves
One of the least expensive gloves on the market that can still be used safely, these gloves are suitable for light training or for those new to the sport. They may not hold up under long-term heavy use and shouldn’t be used as competition gloves, but you won’t find anything competing with it at a similar price point.
Reviews of The Best Muay Thai Gloves
When it comes to getting a lot of bang for your buck, it’s hard to go wrong with Twins brand gloves. Not only are these gloves relatively inexpensive at the $60-$90 range, they’re made of real leather and designed with plenty of padding to protect your hands during training.
These gloves feature a velcro strap instead of lace, and they make a great pair of gloves for training or even competition use. If there’s one downside it’s that, like other leather gloves, they take a bit of time to break-in.
During this break-in period it can be hard to practice your clinch as the gloves are very stiff.
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Fairtex is another manufacturer in Thailand, and they make their gloves exclusively for Muay Thai training and competition.
These Fairtex gloves are a re-release of the classic BGV1 glove line that is in widespread use throughout kickboxing and MMA. They are a little more expensive than the above listed Twins pair of gloves, but will also last longer and are generally of a higher quality.
These Fairtex gloves are listed as training/sparring gloves but if the correct weight is chosen they can be used as competition gloves as well. They are made of real leather and do come a bit stiff, but they will quickly loosen up after a few uses.
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A more modern glove, the Hayabusa Fightwear gloves incorporate some of the latest advances in glove technology.
Designed with advanced padding and special materials to absorb shock and sweat, these gloves will keep you both cool and safe.
There is plenty of padding and support in the wrist for blocking kicks and reducing the chance of an injury. They’re made of a long-lasting synthetic leather and will break in faster than traditional leather Muay Thai gloves.
The velcro wrist closure is double-sided for additional protection. They are more expensive than some of the other gloves on this list, but are top-of-the-line and work equally well as training or competition gloves.
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A catch-all entry for the various styles offered by Top King, these gloves are comparable to Twins gloves with a few differences.
Top King gloves tend to have flashier designs and fit further up your forearm than Twins. The longer forearm cover helps new strikers develop proper technique while also protecting you from injury.
Like Twins gloves, they are designed and manufactured in Thailand specifically for Muay Thai kickboxing. They’re also made of real leather and work equally well as competition or training gloves.
They also share a similar price range. We like these just as much as the Twins gloves for Muay Thai kickboxing.
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Chosen as a budget pick for this list, the RDX Maya Hide Leather gloves are not made of real leather. It’s a synthetic material that won’t last as long or hold up as well as real leather.
That being said, for the price, it’s really hard to find a better pair of gloves. Serious Muay Thai practitioners will want to pick one of the other gloves on this list, but for casual training or those new to the sport, these are a solid choice.
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What Should I Look for in a Glove?
There are several factors to consider when purchasing the best Muay Thai gloves. How the gloves fit, the weight, the material, and their intended use are all important when selecting.
If you’re looking for multi-purpose gloves it’s also important to ask yourself if your chosen glove will work as the best MMA gloves or the best boxing gloves.
Fit
Without properly fitting gloves, you open yourself to additional wear and tear on the gloves, and more importantly unnecessary damage to your hand. Gloves should have a snug, tight fit, while still allowing you to change your grip for clinch work.
Material
Gloves will generally come in one of three materials: vinyl, synthetic leather, and leather. Of the three, vinyl will usually be the least expensive, but doesn’t last as long.
Synthetic leather is a nice middle ground, costing more than vinyl on average but with more durability. Real leather gloves will almost always be the most expensive, but they will last longer than their synthetic and vinyl counter-parts.
Consider how long you expect your gloves to last and how much they will be used when picking a material! If you train often or in a serious capacity it’s best to choose real leather.
Intended Use
This is the most important thing to consider when choosing your gloves. Will these gloves be used for training?
A glove with thicker padding will keep your hands protected while working a heavy bag. Do you plan to spar with these gloves? Using a heavier glove is probably best (16 oz.) to ensure you don’t harm your sparring partner.
Are they going to be used in competition? Then be sure your gloves fit the weight guidelines for your division. If you plan to use your gloves exclusively for striking practice, you can select a more traditional boxing glove.
People looking to train in the clinch or in a more realistic training environment will want to be sure they select a glove that can be used for that purpose.
In the end, use the glove that works best for you, keeps you (or your sparring partner!) safe, and fits into your budget.
For the all-around best Muay Thai gloves, the Fairtex Muay Thai BVG1 Gloves are the clear winner. While other gloves come close, these win by combining top-notch protection, comfort, and durability.
Not only is it our favorite glove on this list, it’s one of the most popular and widely used gloves in the striking world today, and it’s frequently used as one of the best MMA gloves for training as well as boxing and kickboxing.
Their ability to work in all environments and superior craftsmanship put them above even the Twins and Top King brands and their relatively inexpensive price-tag makes them the glove of choice for our list.
