The Ringside IMF Tech Boxing Gloves are great for fighters looking for mid-budget boxing gloves. They’re very durable, made of genuine leather and are great for sparring.
| Metric | Grade |
| Price to Quality | 5/5 |
| Durability | 4/5 |
| Padding | 5/5 |
| Wrist Support | 5/5 |
| Fit | 5/5 |
| Breathability | 2/5 |
| Overall Score | 26/30 |
Ringside’s IMF Tech Boxing Gloves are a good option for advanced fighters on a budget. They’re made of real leather, which gives them tremendous durability. In fact, these are the cheapest real leather boxing gloves I’ve seen. In terms of price, the closest competition they’ve got is from SMAI, but SMAI aren’t as good when it comes to padding.
Because when it comes to padding, these Ringsides have very soft and dense foam padding, making them perfect both for sparring and bag work.
They take very little time to break in have very good knuckle protection.
Although, I would definitely recommend using them for sparring, because it’s rare to find gloves with such a soft padding that won’t hurt your training partner. This is also helped by the elasticated sheath that sits on top of the velcro strap.
This elastic sheath serves two purposes. First, it makes sure that your sparring partner won’t get cut on the velcro strap. And second, it tightens the fit around your wrist for better wrist support. This might be a bit limiting if you’re using them for Muay Thai or kickboxing, but for boxing this is exactly what you want.
Their main drawback 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.
If I had one other criticism of these gloves, it would be the quality of the velcro strap. On all the models I’ve seen, it’s very flimsy and I’m not sure it’s going to last long.
Still, if you’re looking for real leather gloves, but you’re on a budget, the Ringside IMF Tech Boxing Gloves offer great value for money and excellent protection.
What I like:
- All-leather. Great durability
- Very good padding
- Good for both sparring and bag work
- Great wrist support
- Great value for money
What I don’t like:
- Difficult to put on by yourself
- The velcro strap isn’t very durable
- Low breathability
- Need some time to break in
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.
In the case of the Ringside IMF, the construction quality is very good for the price. It’s not as good as something like a Cleto Reyes or a Winning, but they can definitely last you a long time.
What I love about these gloves is that they’re made of real leather. This is very surprising, given their price. Yes, they’re definitely more expensive than something like the Everlast Everlast Pro Style Training Gloves, but these are the cheapest genuine leather boxing gloves that I’ve ever seen.
Why is real leather such a big deal? Because leather is the most durable and comfortable material for boxing gloves. When it comes to mid-budget gloves, most companies go for some kind of faux leather – PU leather, PVC, etc. So it’s really nice to see that Ringside hasn’t gone for the cheap route.
Padding Design
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.
The Ringside IMF have 2.5″ of padding on the knuckles. Actually, the “IMF” stands for “Injected Molded Foam” and it works by injecting a liquid component into a mold. This makes the padding more uniform, durable and shock-absorbing. It also makes them much faster to break in and feel soft when you punch with them.
Glove Fit
In my experience, the two most important factors for boxing gloves are 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 Ringside IMF have a very snug fit, which is helped by the elastic sheath above the velcro strap. But even apart from the sheath, the gloves feel very comfortable, even if you aren’t wearing hand wraps.
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.
This is one are where the Ringside IMFs fall a bit flat. The only breathability they offer is four aeration holes in the palm area and two aeration holes on the thumb, which is absolutely not enough if you’re doing an intense heavy bag or sparring session.
More: How to Take Care of Your Boxing Gloves
Verdict
Overall, the Ringside IMF Tech Hook and Loop Boxing Gloves offer amazing value for money. They’re some of the cheapest genuine leather boxing gloves I’ve seen and they offer great durability. As long as you can live with the limited breathability and are careful with the flimsy velcro strap, they’re a great choice for sparring and are going to serve you well for a long time.
You might also like:
The Best Boxing Gloves for Wrist Support
The Best Budget Boxing Gloves
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 Budget Boxing Gloves
