There's no denying that Muay Thai is by far one of the most intense disciplines you can pick up - at the end of the day, it's called the 'art of 8-limbs for a reason'.
As such, the gear that you use when you are training needs to be just as formidable. You don’t want to use gear that's not going to offer you the best protection or provide you with the comfort you need to keep your mind on your training.
With that in mind, we are going to look at one specific piece of gear that everyone is going to use: Muay Thai gloves.
As Muay Thai continue's to grow in popularity, we're seeing more and more brands releasing their own Muay Thai gloves... and with that, it can often be difficult to separate the great gloves, from the well... awful one's that are becoming common today.
Fortunately, we're going to take a look at what makes a pair of gloves superior, what you need to watch out for and what sort of price you can expect to pay.
This article is going to give you a rundown of the very best gloves out there on the market, so you make as informed a decision as possible.
Let's get to it.
Comparison of our Top Picks
What to Look for in the Best Muay Thai Gloves
There's a lot of things that's worth looking into before you buy a pair of Muay Thai gloves, which we've listed out below.
Size
The first aspect that's worth looking into when trying to find the best Muay Thai training gloves is the size. As you shop around you will usually see the typical small, medium, and large. The most important thing is that you buy from a company or source that has a lot of sizes to offer you. You don’t want to get set on a pair gloves and find out that they don’t have the size that you need.
You will also want to pay close attention to the dimensions of the gloves that you get if you are buying them according to their size. What one company thinks is “small” might count as a medium for another. You can always use hand wraps to fit into a larger size, but you can’t do much if you buy a size too small.
Weight
As we said, you’re usually going to find gloves in a specific size or weight. If you are going by weight, then you have to know what each specific weight is used for. The gloves come in sizes starting at 6-8oz and continue upwards by 2oz until you hit 18oz, which are rather large gloves. Here is a quick rundown of what each level is used for:
- 8oz: Mostly competition
- 10-12oz: Competition, training and some pad striking
- 14-16oz: Good weight for training while sparring or while using the heavy bag.
- 18oz: Almost exclusively used for training with the heavy bag.
As you can see, the weight plays an important role in the function of the gloves, so you have to understand what you are going to use the gloves before you buy them. You don’t want to do bag work with 8oz gloves and nobody will want to spar with them on either.
If this is your first pair of gloves, going somewhere in the range of 14-16oz is usually a good idea, as they're the most versatile weight.
Material
In the search for the best gloves for Muay Thai, you need to find gloves that are going to feel good, protect your hands and wrist, and last a long time. You don’t want some cheap materials that are going to fall apart, tear or poorly protect your hands.
It's also important to keep in mind that some materials feel more comfortable than others, which is obviously important. With all that in mind, here's some things to keep in mind in terms of materials used in Muay Thai gloves.
Genuine Leather
Genuine leather is always going to be the top option that you will see in the top-rated gloves. It's the best for a lot of reasons such as lasting a long time, having a short time to break in, and they even have a more comfortable feel for the wearer.
You can check out the gear that any pros are wearing, in the ring and even int raining, it'll be leather (99% of the time, unless they're sponsored by Venum). At the end of the day., genuine leather is hard to beat, but there are other options out there for you to choose from, as genuine leather tends be more expensive.
Synthetic Leather
Another major form of material that you are going to see when you’re looking at Muay Thai gloves is synthetic leather. These are going to be made from Polyurethane (PU) and they are pretty formidable when compared with some of the other forms of material out there.
They are not going to last as long or be as “breathable” as the genuine leather, but they can still hold up well enough for the user - plus, they're tend to be a fair bit cheaper.
All in all, go for genuine leather when you can, but don’t be disappointed if you get synthetic, because it has gotten a lot better in recent years, despite having a bad rep.
Padding
The padding is another crucial component of the gloves that you're going to be wearing. Not only is this going to affect the weight, but it also effects how much protection the gloves offer your hands. With that, this limits what the gloves are going to be suitable for.
As we’ve said before, you don’t want to hit a heavy bag with no padding in your gloves or even very little. You also can’t compete with too much padding.
Aside from the weight of the padding, you also have to look at the quality of the padding that you get. There are some padding types that will break down faster than others, so good quality padding inside of the gloves is a must. Multi-layered foam padding tends to be the go-to for most brands, which is probably due to the reason it's the best, most cushioning form of padding.
We’ll help you find gloves with the right stuff.
Mesh/ Lining
One thing that is not often thought about with gloves is the comfort level that you get when wearing them. You want a pair of gloves that you won’t hate to put on. As such, try and look for gloves that have some moisture-wicking ability and mesh, especially in the palm area.
If your gloves don’t have a good mesh or liner, then they are going to smell very bad, very quickly.
This obviously isn't good for hygienic reasons, plus can distract you when you're trying to focus on training.
All in all, if you keep your mind on these features, you’ll be a lot happier for it.
What are the Different Types of Muay Thai Gloves?
Before we dig into the list of the top Muay Thai gloves, we’re going to take a bit of a closer look at the different types of gloves. After all, there are certain ones that you’re going to use during various parts of training that let you focus on safety and developing technique.
Either way, here are some of the different styles of gloves that you can expect to see while you’re shopping as well as their uses.
Training Gloves
The training gloves are basically your “all in one” gloves. You can get a lot of different uses out of them if you get the correct weight. You can count on putting in some bag work with them, do some pad strikes, and even get into some sparring. They are probably the most common gloves that you’re going to see out there and they make a great first pair of gloves for you to buy. With that in mind, you can count on seeing quite a few styles of these out there.
In terms of the weight that you can find these in, you’ll mostly see them at 12oz which is more than enough unless you’re a bigger person and are going to be really nailing a bag.
Bag Gloves
Speaking of striking bags, these gloves are pretty much designed solely for the purpose of hitting a heavy bag. This is very useful for people that are training on honing their strikes.
They typically come in weights between 8 and 10oz, but they can be heavier. They are designed with padding that is shock-absorbing, so you can count on safety and good training. However, the only thing is that bag gloves are basically not gloves that you are going to use for anything else, whereas training gloves are versatile in their training capabilities.
Sparring Gloves
Sparring gloves are basically training gloves with added protection around the hands and wrist, giving you a better chance of keeping your hands out of harm’s way. Better still, you have a lower chance of punching your training partner in a way that’s going to excessively hurt them.
Now, with the extra padding that you get in the sparring gloves, they tend to run a little higher on the scale. Don’t be surprised to see 14-16oz gloves being used. Still if you find a reliable pair of training gloves that are higher in their weight, then you can get away with using them for sparring.
Muay Thai Glove Reviews
Now we know what to look for in a pair of Muay Thai gloves, let's look at some of the best options.
Twins Special Gloves
Noteworthy Features:
When you’re considering some of the top glove companies for Muay Thai, Twins are one of the best.
After seeing the Twins Special Gloves, you’ll understand why we came right out of the gate with them.
Starting off with the materials, you’ll see that the gloves are made using 100% leather in Thailand. This straight away is an indicator of their quality, as where better to make Muay Thai gloves, than the home of Muay Thai itslef?
Plus, as I mentioned earlier, genuine leather is durable, comfortable and extremely long lasting, which is why it's great to see it used on these gloves.
The gloves are easy to slip on since they use a Velcro fastener instead of lacing up. This lets you get them on and off easily, without having to have someone help you out.
Like a lot of other Twins products, these are handcrafted; they aren’t mass-produced junk like a lot of other knock-off brands that are flooding the market these days. They are high quality and come from a company that has built up a faithful following in the fighting community over years and years.
They come in all kinds of sizes and they are designed to be multi-purpose, suitable for an array of training aspects.
You can have anything from the low-weight competition grade 8oz, all the way up to the gloves that you use to work the heavy bag or spar. They also come with some extra padding around the fist and knuckles to keep you protected while you train.
Another great feature is the amount of colors that you can get. With these, you’ll get red, blue, pink, black, white, and ton of other options. This lets you stand out, find a pair to suit your style, or just be able to easily pick your gloves out from the rest of the people you train with.
The final thing to think about is the price. In this case, you’re going to pay a somewhat moderate price.
With that said, when you consider all the advantages that these gloves offer, it’s easy to see why so many people make the investment.
All in all, these are some of the best gloves for Muay Thai, so it’s a good spot to start.
Fairtex Muay Thai Style Gloves
Noteworthy Features:
Fairtex is another huge name when it comes to Muay Thai gear and they really put a lot of work into these gloves. You’re going to look at them and think that they look kinda bland, but they got it where it counts.
Once you get a closer look at these gloves, you’ll see that they have a very good shell that is made out of premium grade leather and handmade in Thailand. That’s a pretty good start because it means that these gloves aren’t going to wither, break down, and fall apart on you right away. These are going to be your gloves for a long, long time... providing you don't lose them!
That’s why you shouldn’t even blink when you see the rather high cost of these gloves for the larger sizes. We always say that you should get what you pay for, and you get all that and more when you invest in a pair of these gloves.
Now, speaking of the cost, that is somewhat contingent upon the sizes that you get for these. These gloves come in sizes from 8oz to 18oz, so you can get a pair that will suit you no matter what, but the price does increase to accommodate more materials.
That being said, these gloves are not made with any specific purpose in mind. They are built to cover all aspects of training, while providing you a comfortable fit and design. That’s why they are definitely some of the best Muay Thai training gloves out there today as they can handle a wide variety of training on bags, pads and sparring.
One of the things that we really like about this pair was the fact that they have a rather tight fit to them. When you slide your hands into a pair of these, it’s going to feel like the gloves are an extension of your hand, and that can be very useful while you’re training. You don’t want something that is so bulky that you’re not properly landing strikes or feel uncomfortable blocking.
Part of what makes these gloves so tight is the hook and loop design on the wrists that has some extra padding and a thick belt to keep the gloves fitting tightly to your hand.
All in all, you’re going to fall in love with these gloves, just like many other Muay Thai enthusiasts have. They may have a somewhat plain look, but they come in a ton of colors.
It’s hard to find all of that in a pair of gloves, but here they are.
Fairtex Microfiber Gloves
Noteworthy Features:
Surprise, surprise- Fairtex made the list again with another entry that are made to provide a great training experience. The Fairtex Microfiber Gloves that we’re looking at here provide the user with all kinds of support and ventilation that will keep you feeling comfortable whilst training.
Starting off with the outer shell, you’ll find that they are made from a high quality material: premium grade genuine leather. Once again, that means that the durability is high, the break-in period is low, and you can count on the gloves taking a beating and not showing it. It’s pretty consistent stuff, there.
Now, the inside of the glove is just as important as the outside. The inside has a different lining than other models from Fairtex. It uses a microfiber lining to keep your hands cooler and to wick away moisture. Another element of the user comfort can be seen in the ventilation holes that are on the inside of the thumb on the gloves. That means you are not going to fill the gloves with sweat and have no relief, which cuts down on smells and decreases the risk of potential infections.
They're are also a great pair because they provide the wearer with a grip bar on the inside. You can use that to maintain your form so that you’re not landing punches in a way that’s going to hurt your hand or wrist. This is backed up by more wrist support through the gloves' hook and loop closure. You should feel very comfortable and safe while you are training with these gloves on, which of course, is incredibly important.
Another great aspect of the Fairtex Microfibre's is that they come in all the different sizes you need to cover different aspects of training. Fairtex offer these ranging from 8oz to 16oz in size, and that should be more than enough to fit most people.
True to the Fairtex way of doing things, this pair come in an array of different colors to chose from, allowing you to find a pair that matches the rest of your gear.
The only thing that might throw a wrench into the situation is the price tag. These are near the top of the list both in price and quality, so you have to think about if the investment is worth it to you.
If you're a beginner, it may be worth skipping these and going for a cheaper pair, until you're certain you'll be continuing Muay Thai or kickboxing for the long run.
Top King Gloves
Noteworthy Features:
The Top Kings name might not be as familiar as some of the others out there, but that doesn’t mean their gear isn't high quality. The Top King's are a solid entry into the top Muay Thai gloves for a whole bunch of reasons.
First and foremost, these gloves are on the low to moderate price range, making these excellete for beginners looking for a good quality first pair. With that said, their price is almost unbelievable due to the fact that these gloves are made from some very high grade materials.
Like many of the other options we’ve reviewed here, this brand makes their gloves out of premium leather. That leather is going to make them last a nice long time without breaking down and leaving you with splintered chunks of material. They breathe a little better than PU gloves as well, even without a lot of ventilation for them.
This particular pair doesn't have as many sizes available as some of the other pairs out there. They come in 10oz up to 16oz, so most people out there will have their needs met.
Yet, when you look closer at the padding that is inside of these gloves (not that you’ll see it) you’ll see that you’re getting a lot of protection within them. The foam is tough and somewhat dense, giving you plenty of protection but not taking away all the power from your hits.
These training gloves are also helpful when it comes to keeping your wrists safe. A lot of beginners will throw their strikes with improper form, not having their hand and wrist in the correct position. That can hurt in the best case and injure you in the worst.
However, the long cuffs on these run a decent way up the forearm, providing you with a bit more protection than some of the other models we've looked at - again making this particular pair ideal for beginners.
The people that want to look good while they are training (isn't that all of us?) will love these, too.
They come in a wide assortment of colors and styles. Among the favorites we picked were the Gold Super Snake that resembles snake skin and the Solid Black options.
Both look great and show the gloves in the best light. Overall, you’re getting a pretty darn good pair of gloves here for a bit of a lower cost. These are worth checking out if you’re just getting started with Muay Thai.
Windy Muay Thai Training Gloves
Noteworthy Features:
If you’re looking for some of the best Muay Thai training gloves, then these Windy's are going to be a top contender. One of the first reasons that this is the case stems from the pedigree of the company. They have been at this for over six decades, making gear for fighters before there was even mainstream Muay Thai.
These aren’t going to do a lot for people that are fashion conscious. You are getting a pair that have some options in colors in red, black, gold, brown, and blue, but they're very much old school in terms of their looks.
We know that everyone wants to talk about protection, and that is one of the things that we took into account.
They has a lot of padding, almost to a fault. They aren’t sleek by any stretch of the imagination, but they offer great protection, which makes them very good for training.
That being said, the padding is a little too springy for some people’s tastes. You aren’t going to be able to land any flush knock outs with these, as the same padding that keeps your hand safe also prevents those massive connections. Still, for the purposes of training, these are fantastic.
Unfortunately, these only come in 12oz, so they're right in the middle of size and weight for the most part. Like we said, though, they are bit on the larger size for a pair of 12oz gloves.
The shell of these is made from natural leather, which is pretty good. However, these gloves aren’t as durable as some of the other genuine grades of leather out there, but still better than most of the synthetics that you’ll see on the market.
With all of these things in mind, you can't really go wrong with Windy. They do have a moderate to high price point, but they do offer the training fighter quite a bit.
Overall, these are a fantastic training pair, but they might not be everyone’s cup of tea due to their size.
Venum Challenger 2.0
Noteworthy Features:
We know the first thing that most people do when shopping is look at the price of the product and see how much it’s going to cost them.
That’s why your jaw is going to hit the floor when you see that Venum is offering some of the least expensive gloves on our list. Venum is known for high quality goods as well as being a little more pricey, but that’s not the case here, which is partly due to the fact that these gloves have been out a while now.
Still, Venum continue to sell them... and at that price, we definitely continue to buy them.
Another reason that these gloves aren’t going to cost a higher sum is that they're not made from premium leather. That doesn’t mean they will not serve you well, though. They are some of the best Muay Thai training gloves because they are something that just about any practitioner will be able to afford, and that comes at the cost of genuine leather.
The PU synthetic leather that is used in this pair of gloves is new-age. It’s not some of the really old junk out there that used to crumble and split. It’s going to handle the rigors of most training sessions with ease. It’s not going to break in as easy as genuine leather, but it will get the job done for most people.
Now that we’ve gone over the material on the outside, let’s look at the inside- where it really counts.
The foam that Venum uses in their products is triple density and shock absorbent. In other words, it’s going to absorb a heck of a lot of the impact of your strikes, making them particularly suited to heavy bag training.
Another great part of using these gloves is that they have a strong Velcro closure system and pretty thick wrist strap. This is great as it keeps them in place nicely around your hands, as well as provides your wrist with additional support, so that it doesn't buckle when your land a punch at an awkward angle.
As always, Venum has put forth some pretty amazing designs and colors that you can choose from when you buy them. They have the snake bite branding and a ton of great colors like black and red or white and gold. Essentially, there's going to be a pair for you, not matter your style preference.
Finally, they come in sizes 8-16oz. Those sizes will cover the vast majority of people and requirements out there.
Overall, the Venum Challenger 2.0 gloves are a solid addition to the best Muay Thai training gloves on the market. The fact that just about anyone can afford them makes them even more enticing for people just getting started in their Muay Thai training.
Fairtex Muay Thai Gloves & Wraps
Noteworthy Features:
Since we’re taking a look at gloves that are considered the best, it was important to us to come up with some of great options for beginners.
The Fairtex Muay Thai Gloves and Wraps are a pair that is in the moderate price range, which is nice considering that they are made from genuine leather and also come with a pair of hand wraps. The chances are that you’re going to need some wraps while you’re training anyway, so this is a pretty great option, especially considering the price.
Anyone that uses hand wraps for training and sparring will know that getting quality wraps for free is a deal that nobody should pass up. Some of the best hand wraps can cost a decent amount, so it definitely saves you a few bucks down the line.
Yet, there is more to these gloves that proves their high quality. For example, the gloves are made from premium leather like the other Fairtex pairs we’ve covered. They are going to take a little bit of time to break in but they’ll feel great once you do. They’re also going to last a while longer than other training options made out of synthetic leather.
Another great aspect of this pair is that you can use them for just about any kind of training that you want. That can be bag work, pad work, or using them for sparring.
All in all, the Fairtex gloves are a solid pair that provides the users with a good starting pair and free wraps for a good price. You get to choose from only two color schemes, but that doesn't really matter, as long as the quality is there, which it is.
Sanabul Essentials Gloves
Noteworthy Features:
While these aren't going to win any awards in the quality department, these gloves are pretty much ideal for any beginner getting started in Muay Thai. Sanabul are known for releasing budget friendly martial art equipment, that while not the best in quality, definitely holds up well.
With that in mind, these are definitely some of best Muay Thai gloves for beginners. As the name suggests, these gloves are very good for people that need the bare essentials and not a whole lot more.
Let’s take a look at the price tag first. These have the lowest price point that you’re going to find for gloves and we really mean that just about anyone can afford a pair of these. That’s makes it great for people that are trying to get into martial arts without spending a ton of money on the required gear.
Another great thing about this pair is the design. Starting on the outside you’ll notice that the gloves are not made from genuine leather; they use synthetic leather than gives you the ability to have good protection while cutting costs.
Are these gloves going to last as long as some of the genuine leather ones? Probably not. Yet, they’re going to give you enough quality to get through a bunch of training - especially as a beginner where you probably won't even spar for a fair while.
The protection that the gloves offer is pretty darn good when everything is said and done. The gel-infused foam design that they use absorbs the shock from blows pretty well. So you comfortably work a heavy bag and get more than enough protection.
Speaking of protection, the gloves come in sizes 8 to 16oz, so you’ll find a pair that fits for just about any occasion.
This pair is very comfortable, too. With mesh palms and ventilation, your hands will stay dry and cool. If you’re new to Muay Thai, that can be a true blessing as you acclimate to the feelings of your hands being confined.
All in all, this is a great pair of beginner gloves that gives you a lot of color and design options. You get a good quality pair that will be a great starting point, and all of that for a ridiculously low price.
Popular Brand of Muay Thai Gloves
There are some brands out there that make and Muay Thai gear that people all over the world love.
They have experience, provide top-quality gear, and do everything they can to keep their customers happy.
Let’s take a quick look at some of those companies; they will look familiar as the chances are, they've appeared on our list once or twice.
Fairtex
Fairtex is a company that has a history that stretches back over 50 years. The company was founded by Phillip Wong, who opened a store for apparel that later grew into a Muay Thai gear provider. He loved Muay Thai, and that is reflected in the work that continues under the name of Fairtex to this day.
Fighters from all over the world know the brand name and wear it proudly while they train and fight professionally while wearing the gear. Now, the company continues to innovate in the realm of Muay Thai, providing a range of high quality gear such as foot sleeves, wraps and shorts.
Twins Special
If you’re looking for one of the original brands of Muay Thai gloves, then Twins Special is going to be a great place to start. They are recognized throughout Thailand as being a source of some of the most high quality products when it comes to Muay Thai.
Their gloves are among the best sellers in the country, and have received numerous accolades. Moreover, they are known for being the only brand that is allowed to be used at the famous Lumpini Stadium in Thailand. Providing optimal protection for their users, Twins Special has become a common sight in Muay Thai training places all over the world.
Venum
Founded in 2004, Venum is a newer brand that has come to prominence in an area of sales that is typically based in tradition. The fact that they have grown to become so well-known and respected is a testament to the fact that many people enjoy the gear that they produce.
Venum is a company that is most-often known for their high quality and flash designs. Their gear covers multiple disciplines of martial arts, including Muay Thai, and they are known for middle and high quality pieces. If you see the name Venum on gear, you can typically be assured that it is going to be one of the best of its kind.
Muay Thai VS Boxing Gloves: What's the Difference?
While they may look similar, there are a number of differences between Muay Thai gloves and traditional boxing gloves.
The video below will go over some of these key differences.
Best Gloves for Muay Thai: The Verdict
We came into this article looking to provide you with the information on the best gloves for Muay Thai and that is what we’ve done. Even though there can be one best, we are choosing a best for two different categories. Let’s see what we came up with.
Best Overall: Twins Special
The best overall gloves that we decided on are the Twins Special.
There's a lot to love about this pair. They're made by hand in Thailand, and are designed with some of the best materials out there. You can count on getting real premium leather and high quality Velcro straps to keep them on tight while you’re beating on a bag or during sparring.
Without a doubt, these are going to be some of the most durable gloves that money can buy.
They have plenty of material strength and padding, so you’re not going to ruin these gloves with just a few training sessions.
There's also the factor of the price to consider. These are moderately priced, so they are a little bit of an investment, but they are worth it. The overall versatility of these ensures that you don’t need to buy specialty gloves unless you were training for clinching specifically.
All in all, it’s hard to do better than the Twin Special.
Best for Beginners: Fairtex Muay Thai Gloves & Hand Wraps
We know that Fairtex has gotten a lot of good looks during this article, so it shouldn’t surprise anyone to see them here with the best Muay Thai gloves for beginners. The Fairtex gloves are wonderful because they don’t even cost as much as you could expect to pay for quality gloves alone.
Then you've got to take into account that Fairtex give you the extra hand wraps for free with your purchase. We love when companies provide quality extra goods along with a great pair of gear that you initially sought. So, when it comes to getting a good bang for your buck, this is how you do it.
That doesn’t discount the amazing quality that you get with these. You’ll have premium leather construction along with powerful Velcro. The only thing you don’t get out of these gloves is a lot of style choices, but when you see all the other benefits, it's hard to even care.
Final Thoughts
First and foremost, we wanted to take some time to thank you for reading our guide on the best Muay Thai gloves.
We hope that we have been able to provide you with some quality choices.
While we named some of the best brands out there, don’t be surprised to see quality gloves come from others. That being said, you can always count on the big names like Fairtex, Top King, and Twins Special to give you gear that will last a very long time.
Once again, thank you for reading. If you have any questions, feel free to ask below. We would also welcome any input from you on our rankings.
You can enter those comments in the section below as well.
Just like always, we hope you learned something new and we hope to see you back here soon!
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