Best Boxing Gloves for Women

I’ve been boxing for seven years and before that, I trained in kickboxing for more than ten years. I’ve worn out a few pairs of boxing gloves, but even worse, I’ve purchased boxing gloves only to find that they don’t work out.

I honestly can not remember all the different boxing gloves that I’ve owned and used, so today I am going to focus on a few that stood out. Keep in mind that different brands have a range of boxing/MMA/kickboxing gloves for a variety of purposes. My perfect boxing glove is:

• has a lot of padding on the knuckle area to protect my hands
• is not too roomy inside so my hands don’t slide around
• can be used for the heavy bag, double end bag, and sparring
• comes in 16 ounces (the specified weight for Masters divisions which is 35 years of age or older)
• has velcro closure (because I don’t always have a trainer to lace up my gloves)

The first pair of boxing gloves that I ever bought was from a local sporting goods store that did not have much of a selection. I ended up with a starter pair of boxing gloves from Everlast for about $30. I don’t recommend vinyl gloves because they don’t conform to your hand. For $5 to $10 more, you can buy a much higher quality boxing glove that will last years not months like this pair.

My biggest issue with boxing gloves is padding on the knuckle area. I have a tendency to hook to the body with my wrists at the wrong angle and this has resulted in nerve damage in which my left wrist as slightly numb for three months. I have since recovered but now I am very careful to make sure my form is correct and that there is enough padding so when I hit the heavy bag, I don’t feel like my knuckles are bruising or swelling.

Cleto Reyes Hook & Loop Training Gloves (12 ounce), $180

I was excited to try the Reyes gloves that got great reviews but it didn’t have enough padding on the knuckles for me and my hands hurt after training. There is another pair of Reyes gloves with extra padding but I haven’t tried those.

–> These gloves would be great for sparring or fighting because the lack of padding means that you can really land hard punches. It is not the glove for me for training, however. Also, these gloves are a little expensive.

Fighting Sports Fury Professional Training Gloves, $99

A lot of the boxers at my gym who compete use Fighting gloves and they came highly recommended. I used a pair for five years and they held up really well. I also like how there is extensive padding on the knuckles. A bonus is that the velcro strap goes all the way around my wrist so it never comes undone. One of my friends had a pair of Title gloves with a much shorter velcro strap and it would always accidentally pop open and had to be taped shut.

My only complaint about the Fighting glove is that it is too roomy inside and my hand slides around. Technically, this glove is made for men so it makes sense that there is more room, but my hand can slide so much that even if I punch correctly, I sometimes hit the wrong part of my hand on the mitt.

These gloves are like the “Big Bertha golf driver” of boxing gloves in that they have a large and forgiving front end such that it’s easier to hit the sweet spot of the mitts.

–> This is a well designed, well-made workhorse of a glove. It’s well priced and extremely functional. I just wish it was less roomy inside so my hands don’t slide around. I used the 14 ounce but it also comes in 16 ounce.

Machina Boxing Gloves, $65-69

This company designs boxing gloves exclusively for women and two women that I train with gave it great reviews. The space inside for the hands is much tighter than the Fighting gloves. I bought a pair and tried it out but it did not have enough padding on the knuckles for me and it made my hands hurt. I gave the pair to my daughter who trains in boxing about 3o minutes a week and she has no complaint with the gloves. At $69 for sixteen ounces, this is a well-priced glove.

–> This is a well-priced glove for women who train once a week. It’s perfect for boxing exercise classes if you don’t need extra padding in the knuckle area. I think these gloves are well made and designed specifically for women.

Mikardo Boxing Glove, $105

A few months ago, I accidentally left one side of my boxing gloves at home and had to borrow a pair from my trainer. He trains the U.S. National Team men’s and women’s and, as part of this, hosted the Irish National Team in Massachusetts to train and spar with the U.S. team. The head coach, as a thank you, gifted him this pair of Irish boxing gloves. I tried them out and ended up buying a pair for my son.

The 16-ounce gloves are very tight inside. In fact, it’s the tightest inside of all the gloves that I’ve ever tried. The 16-ounce gloves are well balanced so they don’t feel heavy at all. In fact, I used 14-ounce Fighting gloves and they felt heavier than these 16-ounce gloves. These gloves feel sleeker and leaner such that I feel like I can land a punch more accurately. The padding on the knuckle is not exceptionally fluffy but it seems fine. I just bought a pair for myself and I have used it for a short time. So far, I really like these gloves.

–> My current boxing gloves. The fit for hands is great. The padding seems adequate. The price is good and I really like how lean and narrow they are. It’s great for punching accuracy.

YOKKAO Matrix Black Boxing Gloves, $145

The YOKKAO Matrix Black Boxing Gloves are among the best options for Muay Thai and boxing practitioners. It is certainly one of the best boxing gloves for women. Made by YOKKAO, which happens to be one of the Thai Brands available in the market today.

Looking at their Matrix Black Boxing Gloves, you can immediately see the quality of the product. YOKKAO is known for producing some of the flashiest and most visually striking boxing gloves out there. However, this particular model is a good example of a simple yet effective design for a boxing glove.

Let’s go to the glove’s sizing and variety. The fact that this glove comes in different sizes and colors is a major reason for its great popularity among Muay Thai and boxing fighters and practitioners. It is available in 8 oz, 10 oz, 12 oz, 14 oz, 16 oz, and 18 oz sizes. So this makes them the perfect gloves for everyone and every level and especially for women who train in Muay Thai, Boxing, or other combat sports.

Since there are plenty of sizes to choose from, it is easier for women who are starting out in combat sports to choose the gloves that fit them best. Complete beginners could opt for lighter models and then work their way up the sizes chart s they become more experienced and get into more serious training, sparring, etc. It also does not hurt that there are plenty of colors to choose from, although black is one of the most popular choices.

When it comes to the fit of the glove, one thing that users notice right away is that it fits perfectly. It seems already broken in even though it’s a completely new pair. You would be comfortable using it and you would get ample protection from the padding. Even your training and sparring partners would like that the gloves help keep them protected as well.

So YOKKAO’s Matrix Black Boxing Gloves is indeed among the best options for women who are into Muay Thai or boxing. It is certainly a great choice due to its overall quality and its aesthetics.

p.s. Title and Ringside always have boxing gloves on sale so instead of buying starter vinyl gloves, check out their websites to find a leather pair on sale for about the same price.

p.p.s. I like these Everlast EverGel Knuckle Protectors for extra protection.

Related Posts:

My trainer, Marc Gargaro, of Nonantum Boxing Club, on how to wrap your hands:

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