Best Budget Gloves for Beginners: Everlast Pro Style Training Gloves
Best Budget Boxing Gloves for Advanced Fighters: Ringside IMF Tech Hook and Loop Boxing Gloves
With over 18 years of martial arts experience, you can say I know a thing or two about combat sports gear! With this guide, I’ve compiled a list of the best budget boxing gloves. While making it, I’ve poured through hundreds of user reviews and combined the insights from them with the knowledge I’ve gained over my years of training martial arts. So no matter if you’re a complete beginner or an intermediate fighter, this review will definitely help you find what you’re looking for!
Table of Contents
1. Best Budget Boxing Gloves
Best for Beginners – Everlast Pro Style Training Gloves
Another Great Beginner Option – Trideer Pro Grade Boxing Gloves
Best for Advanced Fighters – Ringside IMF Tech Hook and Loop Boxing Training Sparring Gloves
Another Great Advanced Fighter Option – Title Classic Boxing Gloves
Sanabul Essential Gel Boxing Gloves
Venum Challenger 2.0 Boxing Gloves
RDX Boxing Gloves EGO
Cleto Reyes Hook & Loop Training Gloves
Twins Special Velcro Boxing Gloves
RIVAL RS100 Pro Sparring Boxing Gloves
2. Why do I Need Boxing Gloves For, Anyway?
3. Types of Boxing Gloves
3.1. Bag Gloves
3.2. Sparring Gloves
3.3. Training Gloves
3.4. Other Types of Gloves
4. What to Look For
4.1. Construction Quality
4.2. Padding Design
4.3. Glove Fit
4.4. Closure Type
4.5. Breathability
5. Conclusion
1. The Best Budget Boxing Gloves
Best for Beginners – Everlast Pro Style Training Gloves
Everlast is one of the most recognizable boxing brands. They’ve been making boxing equipment since 1917. So it’s no surprise that their Pro Style Training Gloves are one of the most popular boxing gloves for beginners, and when you look at them, you can clearly see why.
They’re quite inexpensive and are perfect if you’re just starting out, or if you’re just not sure if you want to do boxing long-term. They’re made of 80% polyurethane and 20% plastic. Normally, this would make them not very durable. However, they’re surprisingly sturdy, especially given the low price.
I’ve used them in the past, and I’ve always been surprised at the breathability they offer.
Some users complain that they smell bad after use, but as long as you don’t leave them in a closed area (e.g. your gym bag), and let them ventilate, then you should be fine.
Now, If you punch very hard, then you might feel the padding getting thin. This was my problem with them. Since my workouts are more intense than what a beginner might do, my hands started getting sore. If you’re having the same problem and the feeling continues even with hand wraps, then you should consider upgrading to a more heavy-duty pair of gloves.
As it stands, though, the Everlast Pro Style Training Gloves are a great option for beginners looking for a good pair of budget boxing gloves.
What I like:
- Low price point
- Very durable for non-leather gloves
- Optimal protection for this price
- Easy to put on and off by yourself
What I don’t like:
- Synthetic materials. Low breathability
- Not recommended if you hit very hard
- Very few available designs
Another Great Beginner Option – Trideer Pro Grade Boxing Gloves
Trideer are another good option if you’re on a tight budget. They have multi-layered foam padding, which makes them good for both sparring and heavy bag training..
In terms of breathability, the Trideer Pro Grade Boxing Gloves have aeration holes in the palm. From my experience with budget boxing gloves, I can tell you that these holes are a lot better than a breathability mesh. This is because on cheaper models the mesh isn’t as good as the one on more high-end gloves.
In terms of downsides, these gloves are intended for Muay Thai and kickboxing. This means they have less padding than traditional boxing gloves. Consequently, they offer less wrist protection and support than traditional boxing gloves. So I wouldn’t recommend them if you’re a complete beginner.
Still, being made for Muay Thai also means that they’re more flexible in the wrist section. This is good if you value parrying and wrist mobility. But it also means you’ll have less wrist support when you’re punching hard.
As for material, they’re made of synthetic leather. And while that won’t last you as long as genuine leather, this Trideer pair is great a step up from the Everlast Pro Style Training Gloves.
What I like:
- Very low price
- Good durability for the price
- Good customer service
What I don’t like:
- Low breathability
- Weaker wrist support
- Can break down during very intense workouts
Best for Advanced Fighters – Ringside IMF Tech Hook and Loop Boxing Training Sparring Gloves
Ringside’s IMF Tech Boxing Gloves are a good option for advanced fighters on a budget. They’re made of leather, have high durability, and use a very secure velcro strap.
While they do need some time to break in, once they do, they offer great knuckle protection thanks to their thick padding. This makes them great for both bag work and sparring. The only drawback to these gloves is their low breathability. They don’t have any breathing holes or mesh. This means you’ll be relying solely on the fact they’re made out of leather, and that can only get you so far.
Still, if you’re on a tighter budget, the Ringside IMF Tech Boxing Gloves offer great value for money and excellent protection.
What I like:
- All-leather. Offers great durability
- Very good padding
- Good for both sparring and bag work
- Good value for money
What I don’t like:
- Difficult to put on by yourself
- Low breathability
- Need some time to break in
Another Great Advanced Fighter Option – Title Classic Boxing Gloves
Title are another mainstay of boxing gear. Their Classic Boxing Gloves are a good example why that is. They’re made of vinyl. Normally, vinyl isn’t the most durable material, but these gloves hold up remarkably well. Lots of users report the gloves holding up even after months of intense use.
The padding starts off a bit stiff, but after some time of breaking them in, using them on the heavy bag feels great.
You can even use these gloves for sparring. This is thanks to their slim design, which helps you slip past your partner’s defenses and see their punches coming.
Overall, if you’re on a tight budget, the Title Classic Boxing Gloves offer really good value for money.
What I like:
- Very durable for the price
- Great padding makes them good for heavy bag work
- Great gloves for sparring thanks to slim design
- Very good value for money
What I don’t like:
- Made of vinyl. Won’t last as long as genuine leather
- Padding needs time to break in
- Not the best-looking design
Sanabul Essential Gel Boxing Gloves
Sanabul are a relative newcomer to the world of combat sports. But that doesn’t mean they don’t make some very good equipment.
Their Essential Gel Boxing gloves use gel for their padding, making them a great option for heavy bag training. This is why I’d recommend getting Sanabul’s 16 oz gloves. Not only do they provide more support, but they’re also heavier, which will give you a better workout.
What I like:
- Great value for money
- Decent breathability
- Wide range of designs
What I don’t like:
- Some users found the gloves very tight
- Not the best wrist support
Venum Challenger 2.0 Boxing Gloves
Venum is one of the most recognizable brands in combat sports. Their Challenger 2.0 Boxing Gloves are among their most popular products.
Their padding is made of multi-layered, natural foam. So, if you need gloves for sparring, these are a great choice. You can even use them for bag work. They’re also quite compact and very well balanced. A lot of users say that sparring with them feels very good.
The palm area is padded very well. This is a big help for blocking. But it’s also good for mitt drills. The padding is so thick that you and your partner can use the gloves instead of focus mitts. And if you both have Challenger 2.0 gloves, you don’t have to waste time changing from mitts to gloves.
The main drawback of these gloves is that they’re made of synthetic leather. While the material they’re made of is better than most other synthetic gloves, chances are they won’t last as long as gloves made of real leather. And at this price point, there are quite a lot of leather gloves you could go for.
Another thing to note is that these are definitely a striker’s gloves. Their padding is stiff, and when you hit something, you’ll feel it. So if your form isn’t good enough, this could lead to injury. But if you favor a more aggressive boxing style, then this is exactly the type of padding you want.
As for the look, Venum definitely isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. But if you’re into bolder designs, then this is definitely your type of boxing glove!
What I like:
- Durable for synthetic leather gloves
- Available in a lot of designs
- Good balance
What I don’t like:
- Not a good option if you have sensitive hands
- Not as durable as a pair of leather gloves
- Hold more smells than leather gloves
RDX Boxing Gloves EGO
RDX are another very popular combat sports brand. And their EGO Boxing Gloves are a great example of that. Although they’re made of synthetic leather, they are surprisingly durable. The padding is very tightly packed, which means your hands will be well protected during heavy bag work.
They’re also a good choice if you also need gloves for sparring. This is because these gloves have a very tight and thin profile. This is great for sparring, because that way they won’t obstruct your vision, and you’ll more easily see your partner’s punches coming.
In terms of downsides, some users complain that these gloves run a bit small. So consider buying a size up.
But overall, they’re a great pair of cheap boxing gloves that get the job done!
What I like:
- Very durable for the price
- Very good padding
- Very good wrist support
What I don’t like:
- Synthetic leather. Won’t last as long as genuine leather
- Gloves run a bit small. Consider getting a size up
- Not many designs available
Cleto Reyes Hook & Loop Training Gloves
One of the mainstays of boxing, Cleto Reyes are the pioneers of Mexican-style boxing gloves. And their Hook & Loop Training Gloves are no exception. Made of full grain leather, and have very good stitching, making them extremely durable. This ensures that they’ll last you quite a long time.
They use latex foam for padding. Why is that important? Because latex is a very responsive material, and it has extremely high recoil. This makes the gloves very springy. So whenever you punch, the high recoil of the padding will let you reset very quickly.
Another great feature of the Cleto Reyes Hook & Loop is the amazing breathability. They have a relatively open design, as well as lots of aeration holes. So although your hands will get sweaty, it won’t be distracting you too much from your training session.
Like all Cleto Reyes gloves, these also have great wrist mobility. Their flexibility gives your hands a very wide range of motion. That range of motion, however, comes at the price of a lack of wrist support. So, if your technique isn’t good, you are definitely going to feel it.
If you have sensitive hands, or some weakness in your wrists, then Cleto Reyes are definitely not the gloves for you. When hitting, especially if your hands aren’t wrapped, you can actually feel your knuckles through the material.
However, if you’re the type of boxer who likes throwing multiple punches per round, then these are probably the best for you.
What I like:
- Full grain leather
- Extremely thick and durable
- Very good breathability
- Good range of movement for your hands
- Good wrist mobility
- Very good power transfer
- Wide range of available designs
What I don’t like:
- Very expensive
- Some people have problems with the thumb area
- Little padding around the wrist. Wrong punch may cause injuries
Twins Special Velcro Boxing Gloves
As a brand, Twins mainly specialize in Muay Thai. But their Twins Special Boxing Gloves are a very good fit for boxing, as well.
Made of genuine leather, you can expect these to last you quite a while of intense bagwork or sparring. They have very good padding, even though they may need a couple of training sessions to break in.
The leather and aeration holes provide a lot of breathability. While your hands may not stay dry, they won’t feel unbearably hot – even during intense workouts.
However, if you have bigger hands, consider other brands, or ordering a larger size than you’re used to. Maybe it’s because they’re based in Thailand, or just because Muay Thai gloves usually run a little smaller, but a lot of people complained about these gloves being smaller than expected.
What I like:
- Great wrist support
- Good breathability
- Good padding
- Made of leather. Makes them durable, and helps with smell
What I don’t like:
- Quite expensive
- Thumb is small. Some users found it uncomfortable
- May be too small for some boxers
- Not many designs available
RIVAL RS100 Pro Sparring Boxing Gloves
Rival is a relatively new company, based in Canada. One of their main selling points is their innovations, and their high quality. Instead of using leather, their RS100 Pro Sparring Gloves are made out of microfiber polyurethane (PU). By most accounts, this makes them almost as strong as leather gloves, and it means that they’ll last you quite a long time. They offer good breathability, but since they’re made from synthetic materials, they may be prone to holding smells.
They use multi-layered foam padding which makes sure your hands stay protected. They’re a good option for both bag work and sparring.
What I like:
- Good, thick padding. Offer good knuckle protection
- Very good durability for non-leather gloves
- Good breathability
- Don’t hold smells
- Good for both sparring and bag work
What I don’t like:
- Very expensive
- High price for non-leather gloves
- Thick padding means you get less feedback in your punches
2. Why do I Need Boxing Gloves For, Anyway?
There are many factors that make for a good boxing glove. But before you even start thinking about them, you first need to think about why you even need gloves in the first place.
Boxing gloves’ main purpose is to protect your hands from injury. There are 27 bones in your hand. Whenever you punch a hard surface (like a heavy bag, or someone’s face), you put pressure on all of them. If your striking technique isn’t correct, you can do some serious – even permanent – damage to your wrist. This is why it’s vital to use both gloves and hand wraps for combat sports such as boxing, Muay Thai, and MMA.
The other main purpose of boxing gloves is to protect your partner during sparring, as well as to (at least somewhat) mitigate the damage you do to your opponent during a tournament. Those are the two main purposes of boxing gloves. However, you also shouldn’t underestimate their ability to enhance your workout. The added weight can help you develop strength, endurance, and punching speed.
So, taking all of that into account, you should really think about for what purpose you’ll be using your gloves.
Do you plan to do a lot of work on the heavy bag? Maybe you want to do a lot of sparring? Perhaps, you just want to build up your speed and endurance? Or maybe you’re into boxing for the cardio and you just want some cool new boxing gloves with a sleek design.
Once you know the answer to these questions, you’ll know what kind of gloves you’re looking for, and you’ll be able to judge for yourself which of the factors below you need to pay the most attention to.
3. Types of Boxing Gloves
Depending on their purpose, there are several types of boxing gloves. The three main types are bag gloves, sparring gloves, and training gloves.
3.1. Bag Gloves
These are the most common type of gloves. Usually heavier, they have extra padding to cushion the hands when punching a heavy bag. Not recommended for sparring, as they can really harm your partner.
The extra padding usually makes them heavier, which is a perfect addition to your workout, even if you aren’t doing any bag work. The added weight not only incentivizes keeping proper form, but it can also greatly enhance your endurance.
3.2. Sparring Gloves
Sparring gloves emphasize thicker padding so as to minimize the damage you do when punching your partner.
It’s usually a bad idea to use these gloves on a heavy bag, since that could wear down the padding.
3.3. Training Gloves
Training gloves are a middle ground between bag gloves and sparring gloves. However, most of them are better at one of these tasks, and not as good at the other. Many of them are dense, and can really hurt your sparring partner. There are many arguments for and against using training gloves instead of having one pair for bag work, and another pair for sparring.
A couple of points in favour of having separate pairs is that they won’t wear out as quickly, and that specialized gloves are better at their intended purpose when compared with a jack-of-all-trades. However, having only one set of training gloves has its advantages, too. Not only is it less expensive to have only one pair, but a well constructed training glove can be used for both sparring, and bag work. It’s also a good option if you’re a beginner, and aren’t sure what you want to use your gloves for.
However, bear in mind that the texture and hardness of the heavy bag roughens up a glove’s punching surface, and they gradually wear down the padding. This makes the gloves harder, and could lead to hurting your sparring partner.
So, if you’re not a beginner, and are looking for some good training gloves, be sure you know what type of training you want to be doing. If you plan on doing a lot of bag work and sparring, make sure you pick out something of higher quality. That way the padding will hold up for longer.
3.4. Other Types of Gloves
Some other types of gloves include professional and amateur competition gloves. I won’t go into detail about them, since they’re usually provided by the event organizer to ensure a fair fight.
One interesting fact about professional boxing gloves is that they have less padding, and often use horsehair padding in addition to foam or gel. They use horse hair to increase power transferred from the punches. Most commercial gloves don’t use horsehair, because it breaks down quickly, and offers less protection for your hands.
Another interesting glove type are the so-called coach gloves which are a combination of boxing gloves and focus mitts.
4. What to Look For
There are several factors you need to look for when picking the right boxing gloves. The most important of them being construction quality, fit, and breathability. But there are other aspects you need to consider, too. But first things first:
4.1. Construction Quality
Construction quality is the most important factor for glove longevity. The best boxing gloves are made of leather. High-quality leather is strong, breathable, looks good, and can last a long time. It’s also a plus if the glove is made of fewer separate pieces of leather. This means there are less seams – and by extension – less places where the glove can fall apart.
Of course, when you’re on a budget, you can find decent boxing gloves made of synthetic leather or other materials, but bear in mind that they won’t last as long as leather gloves. In addition to being less durable, gloves made of synthetic leather offer less breathability, and are sometimes less comfortable.
4.2. Padding Design
As I already said, a boxing glove’s main purpose is to protect your hand. This is achieved by using good, high quality padding. Padding on the knuckles protects them from injury when striking at a heavy bag or your opponent’s body, while padding on the backside of your hand helps you defend against attacks when blocking and parrying. Nowadays, almost all gloves use latex or foam for padding. Different manufacturers use many different techniques when cutting and layering the foam they use for padding, and that greatly affects the quality of the glove. Done properly, it feels great when you hit, and the gloves can last a long time. Done poorly, and the padding can not only quickly fall apart, but also hurt your hands.
Unfortunately, the outer appearance can’t always inform you how good punching with a glove feels like. Some gloves look thin on the outside, but feel extremely soft when you punch, and vice versa. Some gloves look massive on the outside, but feel like you’re hitting bricks. It all depends on the glove’s construction and foam design.
One of the best ways to tell if a glove has good padding or not is to look for a manufacturer who has a proven track record of making high-quality products that last a long time.
4.3. Glove Fit
In my experience, the two most important factors for boxing gloves is padding and fit. I’ve tried on quite a few expensive boxing gloves that just didn’t fit right. And regardless of how high quality they were, I still wouldn’t use them.
Some gloves are better suited for people with bigger hands and wrists, while others will feel better if your hands are smaller. If your gloves are too big or too small, you can have difficulty forming a tight fist. Hitting like that will not only ruin your workout but can also lead to serious hand injuries.
The length of your fingers is also important. Your fingers need to fit comfortably, and the glove should curl easily when you make a fist. Another important aspect is being able to easily open and close your hand. That way you can quickly transition from having a relaxed hand for blocking and parrying to making your hand tighter for punching.
You should also consider how stiff you want your gloves to be. When you hit with a softer glove, it feels like it molds to your hand. Hitting with harder gloves feels more impactful, and if you use proper form, you feel very structurally sound. You need to find out for yourself what type of gloves you prefer. Personally, I like using harder gloves, because I like feeling the impact when striking.
I can tell you from experience that long training sessions can really help you feel the benefits of softer gloves. Also, if you have more sensitive hands, or have a history of hand injuries, then I definitely recommend getting softer gloves.
4.4. Closure Type
A glove’s closure refers to the way it’s fastened to your hand. There are two main types of closure:
- Laces – the classic closure type, it’s also the most supportive. Unfortunately, it’s also the slowest, and you’ll need help when you take them on and off. If you’re training alone, you can either tape them, or use Lace Converters
- Velcro – not as secure as laces, but much faster and more convenient. They’re ideal if you’re training alone
4.5. Breathability
During training, your hands will get very hot and sweaty, so it’s important to have more open gloves that allow the skin on your hands to breathe. Not only is this more comfortable, it’s also good for the padding. Sweat is acidic, and with enough time, it can actually break down the padding. Ideally, you want gloves made out of leather, as it’s a much more breathable material than its synthetic counterparts.
More: How to Take Care of Your Boxing Gloves
5. Conclusion
Boxing gloves are perhaps the most intimate piece of gear a fighter can have. You train with them every day, and they accompany you during every part of your path as a martial artist.
So, choosing the right pair of gloves is a very personal decision. Still, for beginners, I recommend the Everlast Pro Style Training Gloves. If you’re a more experienced fighter looking for good, cheap boxing gloves, I’d definitely go for the Ringside IMF Tech Hook and Loop Boxing Gloves or the Title Classic Boxing Gloves.
You might also like:
Title Classic Boxing Gloves Review
RDX Freestanding Punching Bag Review
The Best Sparring Gloves
The Best Kickboxing Gloves
The Best Muay Thai Gloves
The Best 16 oz Boxing Gloves
The Best Outdoor Punching Bag
The Best Boxing Mouth Guard
