Apparel and Gear Workout Gear The 11 Best Boxing Gloves of 2023 Knock out the competition with these boxing pro-approved gloves. By Kristen Geil Updated on March 22, 2023 Share Tweet Pin Email We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more. Photo: Shape / David Hattan Your first boxing workout is an eye-opening experience. The high-impact sport challenges your coordination, balance, and agility. Even correctly throwing a punch is way more complicated than it seems. But the world of jabs and uppercuts comes with major payoff: Boxing is a full-body workout that relieves stress and combines cardio and strength training into one comprehensive, kick-ass workout. Before you jump in the ring, you’ll need a pair of high-quality boxing gloves to protect your hands. While you can “shadowbox” without any protective gear, boxing gloves are a necessity when sparring with a partner or working with a heavy bag — both natural progressions of your training. First, it's important to understand how different boxing glove options stack up in terms of material, weight, fit, and intended use. For example, beginners should use gloves that weigh less than experienced boxers who are sparring and need the extra heft, says Courtney Belcastro, C.P.T., lead trainer at Title Boxing Club in Chicago. Boxing gloves can be made from genuine leather, faux leather, and neoprene, and while genuine leather is the gold standard, neoprene has the advantage of being machine-washable. We interviewed boxing pros such as Belcastro and Anthony Crouchelli, N.C.F.S., C.P.T., founding trainer at Grit Bxing and director of talent at Liteboxer, using their expert input to understand the must-have features in boxing gloves and how to choose boxing gloves for beginners, kickboxing, sparring, and more. Before you wrap your hands and get into your boxer’s shuffle, here’s what to know about buying boxing gloves. Our Recommendations Best Overall: Title Boxing Dynamic Strike Hook and Loop Heavy Bag Gloves Best Budget: Sanabul Essential Gel Boxing Gloves Best for Beginners: Venum Elite Boxing Gloves Best Splurge: Cleto Reyes Hook and Loop Training Gloves Best for Training: Everlast Elite Pro Style Training Gloves Best for Fitness Classes: Trideer Pro Grade Boxing Gloves Best for Sparring: Fairtex Sparring Gloves Best Hand Weights: KNUX Premium Hand Weights Best for Kickboxing: Liberlupus MMA Gloves Best Knuckle Protection: Hayabusa T3 Boxing Gloves Best Washable: Century Strive Boxing Gloves Best Overall: Title Boxing Dynamic Strike Hook and Loop Heavy Bag Gloves Walmart Buy on Walmart Buy on Target Buy on Forzasports.com Why We Like It: It’s made with 100 percent genuine leather for max durability.It’s Worth Noting: There’s no mesh or ventilation. The Title Boxing Dynamic Strike Hook and Loop Heavy Bag Gloves take the belt for best boxing gloves overall, thanks to their genuine leather construction. “My go-to recommendation is always 100% genuine leather gloves for the most durability and longevity,” says Belcastro. “If you’re boxing a lot in your workout routine, you want gloves that offer the support you need but last. I often compare them to a baseball glove that you’d want to break in and cherish for a period of time.” The dynamic foam lays over the fist, back of the hand, and wrist, and it was designed to be anatomically correct for the most ergonomic fit possible. While there is a moisture-wicking liner inside the gloves, there’s no mesh or ventilation to help keep hands even cooler. These gloves are best suited for heavy bag punching, but if you’re progressing into sparring, you might need gloves with more padding. Price at time of publish: $63 Key specs: Colors: 3 | Sizes: 12 oz, 14 oz, and 16 oz | Material: 100% leather | Hook and loop Velcro closure Best Budget: Sanabul Essential Gel Boxing Gloves Amazon Buy on Amazon Buy on Sanabulsports.com Why We Like It: The faux leather material makes these gloves seriously durable, without the price tag of genuine leather.It’s Worth Noting: These boxing gloves come in 8- and 10-ounce weights, which are better suited for children. The Sanabul Essential Gel Boxing Gloves provide the plush protection and quality of professional gear at a price that won't feel like a sucker-punch. From a durable, easy-to-clean faux leather exterior to a soft, gel-infused foam interior, these gloves are the perfect high-quality pick for everything from bag work to training, depending on which weight you choose. Details such as a hook-and-loop closure for added wrist support and mesh palm paneling only make the design more practical. Plus, the gloves won't require break-in time, thanks to a unique arch design that hugs the hand. These gloves are especially highly rated among beginners, and the brand sells matching shin guards, MMA gloves, head gear, and accessories if you’re reading to take your boxing hobby to the next level. We love that the Sanabul Essential Gel Boxing Gloves come in a wide variety of colors and sizes. But heads up: The 8- and 10-ounce sizes are meant for people under 100 pounds (usually youth boxers). Price at time of publish: $30 Key specs: Colors: 8 | Sizes: 8 oz, 10 oz, 12 oz, 14 oz, and 16 oz | Material: Faux leather | Hook and loop Velcro closure Best for Beginners: Venum Elite Boxing Gloves Amazon Buy on Amazon Buy on Walmart Buy on Venum.com Why We Like It: Reinforced palms and triple-density foam offer optimized shock absorption. It’s Worth Noting: There’s not as much wrist support as other gloves. Beginner boxers may be nervous about sore knuckles and aching palms after their first few sessions of hitting the heavy bag, which is why the Venum Elite Boxing Gloves are perfect for beginners. These gloves have a one-two punch of reinforced palms and triple-density foam, which improves shock absorption and provides extra protection (read: beginners won’t feel as sore after boxing). There’s also a high-quality faux leather exterior and reinforced seaming, which improves the durability of the gloves. Lastly, perforations in the palm add a little ventilation to prevent sweaty palms and lingering odors. If you have wrist pain or have suffered wrist injuries in the past, these gloves may not have enough wrist support for you. The Velcro wrap around the wrist wasn’t as tight or supportive as we’d hoped; you might need extra protection or thicker wrist wraps. Price at time of publish: From $52 Key specs: Colors: 20 | Sizes: 8 oz, 10 oz, 12 oz, 14 oz, and 16 oz | Material: Faux leather | Hook and loop Velcro closure Best Splurge: Cleto Reyes Hook and Loop Training Gloves Amazon Buy on Amazon Buy on Cletoreyesboxing.com Why We Like It: These genuine-leather gloves have water-repellent lining.It’s Worth Noting: The fit is a little too snug. Think of Cleto Reyes as the Lululemon of boxing gloves. It's expensive, but the quality speaks for itself — just ask Crouchelli, who swears by the brand and its genuine leather gloves. The Cleto Reyes Training Gloves have water-repellent linings, attached thumbs, and two inches of latex foam padding to keep wrists and fists protected. Equal parts plush and compact, they feel lightweight but still deliver the full power of your punch. These gloves are primarily recommended for sparring and people who train heavily, so if you’re a casual boxing class-attendee, you can probably save by choosing a lower-cost pair of boxing gloves, such as the Sanabul Essential Gel Boxing Gloves. They also feel tight to get on, especially considering the room needed for boxing wraps. Price at time of publish: From $215 Key specs: Colors: 25 | Sizes: 12 oz, 14 oz,16 oz, and 18 oz | Material: Genuine leather | Hook and loop Velcro closure The 12 Best Lululemon Leggings of 2023, Tested & Reviewed Best for Training: Everlast Elite Pro Style Training Gloves Amazon Buy on Amazon Buy on Dick's Buy on Target Why We Like It: The mesh palm increases ventilation to keep hands cool during long training sessions.It’s Worth Noting: The wrist straps and half-straps, which can be difficult to fasten. Perfecting your punch is a key part of training and bag work — and the Everlast Elite Pro Style Training Gloves are designed to help. They conform to the natural shape of your fist to keep your arm correctly aligned during bag and mitt work., Two layers of evenly distributed foam protect through every strike. Plus, the patented EverMesh ventilation covers the palm and keeps hands cool and dry during long sparring sessions. The hook-and-loop closure makes it easy to rip off your gloves between sets for a quick hydration break. However, the wrist straps are on the short side, so they can be difficult to refasten without assistance. Price at time of publish: $45 Key specs: Colors: 1 | Sizes: 12 oz | Material: Faux leather | Hook and loop Velcro closure The Best Punching Bags, According to Customer Reviews Best for Fitness Classes: Trideer Pro Grade Boxing Gloves Amazon Buy on Amazon Buy on Trideer.com Why We Like It: The ergnomical design protects hands and follows the natural contours of the fingers.It’s Worth Noting: The smallest size available is 14 ounces. For those who enjoy dropping in on boxing fitness classes, the Trideer Pro Grade Boxing Gloves will seamlessly transition between boxing intervals and strength work. The curved faux leather design packs three layers of padding to absorb your blows during different exercises on heavy bags or with mitts. Use the hook-and-loop closures to quickly remove your gloves for strength exercises such as lunges, squats, or burpees, then pull them back on in time for a punching interval. Or, if you prefer to keep the gloves on, they’re contoured and padded to support you during high planks and push-ups. Plus, ventilated mesh paneling means you can get super sweaty during class without worrying about lingering odors. However, for boxers at the lightweight level or with small hands, these gloves might not be a fit. The smallest size currently available is 14 ounces, which is typically meant for people from 140 to 160 pounds. Price at time of publish: $20 Key specs: Colors: 2 | Sizes: 14 oz and 16 oz | Material: Faux leather | Hook and loop Velcro closure Best for Sparring: Fairtex Sparring Gloves Amazon Buy on Amazon Buy on Fairtex.com Why We Like It: They offer high-quality genuine leather at a lower price point.It’s Worth Noting: They take a little time to break in. These multi-purpose gloves work for a range of boxing activities, but opting for the 14- or 16-ounce gloves ensures you're ready to spar with a partner. Their snug-fit design provides shock disbursement and knuckle protection for practice fights as you finesse your skills. Plus, they’re one of the cheapest genuine leather options on the market. But be warned: Genuine leather can take a little time to break in, so ease into using these boxing gloves for sparring. Price at time of publish: From $85 Key specs: Colors: 23 | Sizes: 8 oz, 10 oz, 12 oz, 14 oz, and 16 oz | Material: Genuine leather | Hook and loop Velcro closure Best Hand Weights: KNUX Premium Hand Weights Amazon Buy on Amazon Buy on Throwdown.com Buy on Throwdownfit.com Why We Like It: These hand weights let you level up your shadow boxing.It’s Worth Noting: These knuckles don’t wrap around your wrists, so you’ll need to maintain a tight grip while using them. Not ready to step into the ring or punch a bag? Try these KNUX hand weights to get a similar workout while shadowboxing. The ergonomic design gives each finger space to grip to mimic the feeling of punching with gloves, and you can choose from a wide variety of weights to best suit your needs. The texturized rubber coating won’t slide around if your hands get sweaty, and the weight is at the front of the knuckles, which maxes their effectiveness and makes them feel balanced. Just make sure you hold on tightly while using them. There’s no way to loop the “knuckles” or attach them to your hands, so if you let go during a powerful punch, these weights will go flying. Price at time of publish: From $20 Key specs: Colors: 5 | Sizes: 1 lbs, 2 lbs, 3 lbs, 5 lbs, and 8 lbs (each) | Material: Texturized rubber | Open grip Best for Kickboxing: Liberlupus MMA Gloves Amazon Buy on Amazon Why We Like It: The 10 millimeters of padding still provide plenty of knuckle protection without external gloves.It’s Worth Noting: They run big. The best kickboxing gloves ditch excess padding around the fingertips to give more flexibility to your punches. This popular pair still provides plenty of knuckle protection with 10 millimeters of padding, but they have a cut-out palm design for better grip and airflow. Available in two sizes, they're made with plastic-based faux leather that won't show wear and have a hook-and-loop closure for optimal fit. Order a size down to ensure the best fit without any rubbing or slipping. Also, be careful once the sweat starts to flow; the open finger-design means that sweat may transfer onto the knuckle padding and cause slippage on your punches. Price at time of publish: From $30 Key specs: Colors: 1 | Sizes: S/M and L/XL | Material: Faux leather | Hook and loop Velcro closure Best Knuckle Protection: Hayabusa T3 Boxing Gloves Amazon Buy on Amazon Buy on Hayabusafight.com Buy on Dick's Why We Like It: The five-layer foam design outperforms the other gloves we analyzed.It’s Worth Noting: The dual straps are a hassle to put on and take off. Attention to detail makes the Hayabusa T3 Boxing Gloves worth their higher price. They not only use five layers of special foam technology to maximize shock absorption, but they also have a unique splinting system to keep your wrist aligned and supported during punches. The interior fabric feels smooth and cool on your hands, even after high-intensity boxing, and the fit feels spot-on. While the dual-strap closure system helps provide the perfect fit and extra security, these gloves are hard to put on and take off without help — so water breaks become a little awkward. However, it may be worth the trade-off if you want to prioritize extra wrist support (and you can always just use a water bottle with a straw). Price at time of publish: $159 Key specs: Colors: 18 | Sizes: 8 oz, 10 oz, 12 oz, 14 oz, 16 oz, and 18 oz | Material: Faux leather | Dual strap closure Best Washable: Century Strive Boxing Gloves Amazon Buy on Amazon Buy on Centurymartialarts.com Buy on Academy.com Why We Like It: These can be machine-washed in cold water for easy, convenient cleaning.It’s Worth Noting: They’re only available in the 10-ounce size. Knock out any odor with the Century Strive Boxing Gloves, which are machine-washable and dryer-friendly. They're made with neoprene, which holds up well during washing and dries quickly to keep your hands comfortable during even the most intense training sessions. These foam-padded boxing gloves also have grip bars to subtly correct your form, and the fun, eye-catching designs resist cracks and fading. Heads up that these gloves only come in the 10-ounce size, and they’re designed for longer, narrower fists. We’d also recommend washing them in a mesh laundry bag on delicate and air-drying, if possible, to maintain shape and avoid potential damage — just in case. How We Selected We started the process of choosing the best boxing gloves by interviewing two boxing experts: Courtney Belcastro, C.P.T., lead trainer at Title Boxing Club in Chicago, and Anthony Crouchelli, N.C.F.S., C.P.T., founding trainer at Grit Bxing and director of talent at Liteboxer. We asked them to get us the lowdown on everything to know about boxing gloves, from fit and material to moisture-wicking and durability. With their expertise, we analyzed top-rated, reputable boxing brands to find candidates for the best boxing gloves across several user-friendly categories. Finally, after spending dozens of hours analyzing specifications, features, and more, we curated this list of the best boxing gloves for all types of boxers. What to Know About Boxing Gloves Weight and Size Boxing gloves range in weight from 10 to 20 ounces based on the cushioning. Lighter options are intended for training, while heavier designs are mostly used for sparring. The best way to shop for your gloves is to consider your intended usage, followed by your body weight or hand size. Many brands offer a sizing chart, but here's a quick cheat sheet: Anyone attending fitness classes or training with heavy bags should stick to gloves no heavier than 14 ounces. This weight provides enough protection for bag work but won't negatively impact the speed or accuracy of your punches. If you're joining a boxing gym with a ring and doing regular partner work, opt for gloves with more heft. The extra padding protects your opponent from blows and increases the difficulty of your workout. Material “Materials for boxing gloves can vary from 100% genuine leather, to faux leather, to neoprene,” says Belcastro. Genuine leather gloves offer the most durability and longevity, so leather boxing gloves are best for consistent boxers who want lasting support. “I often compare them to a baseball glove that you’d want to break in and cherish for a period of time,” adds Belcastro. Faux leather tends to be more affordable and is a great choice for beginners just starting the sport, but faux leather gloves don’t last as long as genuine leather gloves. And less traditional fabrics offer unique benefits; neoprene, for example, is lightweight and washable, making them ideal for commuters. Fit It's important for gloves to fit properly to provide full protection to your knuckles, fingers, and wrists. They should feel equal parts snug and comfortable, with your fingertips touching the tip of the glove. "An easy way to connect the dots is to think of your boxing glove like a shoe," adds Crouchelli. The 8 Best Shoes for Strength Training of 2023, According to Experts Padding Many beginners accidentally pick top-heavy designs with too much padding at the tip. According to Crouchelli, this weight imbalance can lead to a disconnect on punches. Avoid the issue by selecting designs with less exaggerated tops — or your new gloves could be a swing and a miss. "Heavily padded gloves are reserved for boxers who have sparring in their future,” explains Belcastro. “You want to make sure your gloves feel ‘balanced,’ with enough padding to provide support but not too much where you feel like you are being weighed down by it.” The Best Weightlifting Gloves (Plus, How to Clean Them) Frequently Asked Questions How do you clean boxing gloves? Most boxing gloves can be wiped down with a damp cloth or deodorizing wipe in between workouts. Depending on the material, some may be machine-washable. Check the manufacturer’s instructions for details. Are boxing gloves worth it? If you plan to box regularly (think: two to three times a week), investing in boxing gloves will improve your performance and maybe even save you money if your studio charges for glove rental. “Your biggest question to ask yourself is ‘how often do I plan on boxing in my routine?’” says Belcastro. “If the answer is multiple times per week, investing in a more durable, higher-quality glove will be a better bang for your buck.” And if you plan on sparring or training competitively, you’ll definitely need your own gloves with more support for the high intensity training. What size boxing gloves do I need? Boxing glove sizes are typically recommended based on the size of the boxer using them. Exact measurement and size recommendations will vary by brand, so check with the boxing gloves brand specifically for purchasing. However, here’s a general guide:Up to 100 lbs: 8 oz101 to 150 lbs: 10 to 12 oz151 to 175 lbs: 14 oz176 lbs and over: 16 to 18 ozBeginners should user lighter gloves, while more experienced boxers who spar and fight regularly will want heavier gloves for more padding and power. Why Trust Shape Kristen Geil is a senior fitness editor at Shape with 10 years in the fitness industry, and she’s been boxing regularly (including sparring with a trainer) since 2015. She’s a NASM-certified personal trainer and recently led Shape’s first-ever Best in Fitness Awards, where she vetted and selected nearly 170 of the best fitness products for anyone at any point on their fitness journey (including the best boxing gloves, according to our editors). She conducted research interviews and dove deep in all types of boxing gloves for hours to ensure this list is a knockout success. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit