The entry of women into boxing has now forced manufacturers to churn out gloves that are cut to fit the unique female hand’s structure right from scratch. So, as a female fighter, you are no longer tied to men’s small-sized gloves. This means that you can get a pair of mitts that you don’t have to force your hand into.
But, hey, pink isn’t the only telltale for the best boxing gloves for women. In fact, as you’ll find out in these women’s boxing gloves reviews, color comes last, and for a good reason.
Fist fighting has been considered a man’s thing since time immemorial. And while women started showing interest in this game as early as 1904, they have all along been forced to bear with men’s boxing gloves, particularly going for the small sizes thanks to their seemingly slimmer design.
Unfortunately, not even the smallest men’s gloves will offer your hands the required protection from the impact of striking trauma. That’s because women tend to have slightly smaller hands than men.
Their fingers are also notably slimmer. This means that even if you got a small pair of men’s gloves to force your hands into, your fingers and knuckles may still lack the optimum protection that they need from the bags and your opponent’s dense skull.
Best boxing gloves for women in 2021
The Cleto Reyes Hook and Loop Training gloves reign supreme in any discussions of the best boxing gloves for women, not only because of its irresistible pink color but its superb blend of comfort and protection too.
Verdict
The high star-rating that these gloves continue to enjoy are a clear indication that they make the best choices out there. Among other things, we appreciate that they are made of pure leather and have seemingly reliable seams to last you almost forever.
In addition, they also come in a wide range of colors; 32 colors to be precise. This means that getting a pair to match your gloves to your boxing shoes and headgear might be quite easy.
PROS
- Handmade for quality control
- Made from goatskin leather for durability
- Enough padding
- Strong seams
- Strong seams
CONS
- Costs top dollar
For vegans and female boxers who don’t plan to spend a lot on a pair of training gloves, Everlast Pro Style might be your best alternative in this list.
Unlike the Cleto Reyes above, this pair is made of synthetic leather. Surprisingly, it’s nearly as durable and offers almost all the great features that we’ve come to like in the best training gloves for women.
Verdict
For the price, you’ll be hard pressed to get another pair of gloves that offers the features that Everlast offers in its Women’s Pro Style gloves. Among other things, we like their superb ventilation that will definitely go a long way in keeping you cool and minimizing odor build up. We also love that they come with a thumb-lock feature and a reliable wrap-around strap closure.
PROS
- Heavy-duty for heavy bags
- Fits perfectly
- Durable
- Anti-microbial technology
- Superb ventilation
CONS
- Might ship with a slight odor
Twins- a company in Thailand- may not hold a candle to the big name giants that we are used to; Ringside, Venum, Cleto Reyes, and Everlast among others in terms of popularity.
However, this manufacturer has curved an edge for itself with the quality of its gloves not to mention their renowned longevity and comfort levels.
Verdict
This is yet another highly recommendable option for those who want nothing short of quality. These are handmade premium-quality leather gloves with strong seams for durability and reliability. They might take some time to break in. But they are bound to be your favorites thereafter.
PROS
- Handmade with strong seams
- Reliable padding
CONS
- Might take some time to break in
- Leather smell lasts for some days
Our next choice here is a pair that has been cut specifically with women’s petite hands in mind. It’s also a go-to model if you are scouting for the best affordable gloves for women, teenagers, and kids.
Verdict
Ringside is a well-established name in the world of boxing. Although it’s mainly known for men’s boxing arsenal, its Women’s IMF Boxing gloves seem to have connected so well with its target market. They might not be the best boxing gloves for daily heavy-duty workouts. However, if you want something affordable for light boxing training, these gloves might impress you.
PROS
- Friendly price
- Sturdy construction
- Eye-catching style
- Fits well
CONS
- Not for heavy-duty bag workouts
If you are looking for cheap women gloves for beginners, look no further than the Venum Challenger 2.0. What actually attracted us to these gloves is the amazingly low price tag that they come at.
As a warning, these gloves are not the most durable and won’t survive strenuous bag work 2-3 sessions per week. But that’s’ because they are meant for intermediate boxers and casual gym goers, not elite fighters.
Verdict
The Venum Challenger 2.0 gloves are among the best models that you can get in this price tag. We like that they fit well and have an amazing amount of protection. However, although they are marketed towards both intermediate and advanced fighters, we recommend them to beginners debit to the construction material.
PROS
- Affordable
- Great shock absorption
- You can hit harder thanks to the wrist support
CONS
- Might not survive long, strenuous heavy bag work
Leather gloves are the most sought-after in most fist-fighting sports. However, they also tend to be the most evasive due to their insanely high price tags.
If you are desperate for the best leather gloves for women but your budget won’t allow you to splurge on the high-end models, the RDX Maya gloves could offer a great alternative.
Verdict
The RDX Maya is a great, inexpensive pair that anyone looking for affordable women’s gloves should give a shot.
The manufacturer has left no stone unturned in making them super protective and comfortable. They don’t suffer from heat retention thanks to the ventilation and gel lining and it’s also super easy to keep odors in control. If affordability is your major concern, consider these.
PROS
- Very affordable
- Durable
- Nicely cut for a good fit
- Nice padding
- Excellent heat and odor control
CONS
- Available in pink color only
Our last recommendation in our picks of the best boxing gloves for women 2021 happens to be the best-seller on several online platforms at the moment.
These are also among the cheapest models available here. And what’s appealing is how they are able to remain affordable without lessening protection and comfort.
Verdict
The Sanabul Essential boxing gloves are worth every penny for those in need of affordable women boxing gloves. These gloves have a good amount of padding and they perform excellently in keeping you cool and dry.
Word of caution though; these gloves are meant for light training sessions such as sparring. Otherwise, they may not hold up well if they are subjected to continuous heavy bag training.
PROS
- Fits your hand’s shape
- Reliable Velcro closure system
- Mesh palms keep you cool
CONS
- Not the best for heavy bag training
The difference between women’s and men’s boxing gloves lies right in the design. Women’s gloves are crafted with a smaller cage to offer a perfect fit for their smaller fists.
And although the market now offers unisex gloves that target both men and women, a good number of female fighters affirm that women’s boxing gloves fit better. A good fit leads to better protection and better performance in return.
Narrowing down to gloves designed purposely for women isn’t the end though. There are a ton of other vital values that you’ll need to put into consideration before committing to a single pair.
For instance, it’s important to note that boxing gloves come in different sizes ranging from 6 oz to 14 oz. Each size is meant for a certain style (training or competition) and your weight.
Other important considerations include the construction material, type of closing, and, of course, the color.
How we chose the Best Boxing
Gloves for WomeN
Material
Similar to men’s versions, women’s gloves are also made from a variety of materials ranging from leather to synthetics. Needless to mention, these materials perform differently both in the ring and at the gym and also differ in terms of price, durability, and ease of cleaning.
Leather gloves are the most expensive although certain brands such as Cleto Reyes have a way of offering high-quality models at relatively lower price tags.
Genuine leather gloves from Thai land also tend to be cheaper than those made in the USA perhaps because of the differences in labor costs. These gloves can be made from cowhide, goatskin, or even buffalo leather.
Cowhide leather gloves are the most common though. These gloves are easily available and offer the best durability. They also offer incredible flexibility thanks to their good stretch and are also the most comfortable.
These gloves are also known to offer excellent breathability and to control odors the best. That being said, this is the way to go if you are looking for the best women’s boxing gloves for a heavy bag.
The challenge that comes with leather gloves is that they can absorb water and perspirations to some degree. This may cause discoloration with time.
Synthetics– of course, not everyone will be comfortable putting their hands into a dead animal’s skin gloves. If this is you, the synthetics department has a ton of animal-free gloves for you.
The main advantage that synthetic gloves offer is affordability. You can also get them in virtually any color and style. This is what makes it so easy to match up your synthetic gloves with your other boxing apparels.
Worth noting, synthetic is an umbrella term referring to artificial materials crafted to mimic real leather. The most popular synthetics used to make boxing gloves include polyurethane (PU), vinyl, and microfiber.
Microfiber (the latest technology) is said to offer near-leather qualities. It might be worth looking into if you want a reliable pair of gloves for training (bag work and sparring) without spending much.
The main drawback that comes with synthetic gloves is that they don’t last long especially with regular training. They also tend to trap a lot of heat inside. Thus, if you really have to go this way, consider whether the pair has any way of improving breathability.
Size of Glove
With the ideal type of material in mind, the next big step is to identify the right size of gloves. Ideally, you want a pair of glove that you can easily fit your fist into without forcing things. There should not be any form of slack or movement as this may cause injuries when punching.
Gloves are measured in weight depending on the amount of padding used in it. So, if you see a glove labeled 16 Oz, this means that it has around 16 ounces worth of protective padding. As a rule of thumb, the heavier the gloves, the more padding there is for your knuckles.
Women’s gloves come in 4 major categories depending on your weight and what you intend to use the gloves for.
- 6 oz gloves: this category offers the best boxing gloves for children, teenagers, and female fighters with considerably small hands. From a weight and height perspective, this size will fit fighters under 8 stones (51.2kgs) and under 5 foot respectively.
- 8 oz gloves: this size offers the best choice for women between 50 and 60 kgs in weight but with petite hands.
- 10 oz- 12 oz- if you weigh upwards of 60kgs, your search should start here. This range offers the best boxing gloves for personal training and fitness.
- 14 oz – 16 oz- this category is for fighters in the 65-78 kgs weight bracket. These are the best boxing gloves for sparring. We also recommend this category if you are looking for the best gloves for muscle development and building endurance.
Mind you, some gyms won’t let you spar with gloves under 16 oz. So, always check with your coach before making a purchase.
Closings (Velcro or Lace-up)
Boxing gloves can be designed to use a lace-up system or Velcro. Right off the bat, lace-up gloves offer the best fit allowing you to develop a sure-fire fist in readiness for the heavy bag or opponent.
Trouble sets in when trying to put them on and off alone. If you’ll always be training with a trainer or partner, these are the best options.
Otherwise, Velcro (a.k.a hook and loop) gloves are easy to glove up especially when there’s nobody else in sight. Among other drawbacks, Velcro gloves tend to lose their grip with time. Again, the strap may be too long leading to exposed Velcro that might scratch your trainer or opponent.
Color
Yes, color matters a lot when buying a pair of gloves. If you’ll be using your gloves mainly for boxercise or if you are buying the gloves for your child, pink might interest you.
On the other hand, if you participate in professional boxing and competitions, you’ll want to understand color psychology.
Believe it or not, different colors affect your performance and your opponent’s psyche differently. For instance, red is said to signify strength, courage, and danger. It is also argued that red exhilarates your heart beat and breathing rate.
Playing around with psychology, Roy Jones Jr. hides his powerful punches behind white gloves in most bouts to create a sense of cowardice or innocence before unleashing destruction on his opponents.
Q&As
Q: Which is the right glove size for me?
A: This heavily depends on 2 things; your weight and what you intend to do with the glove. If you weigh 51-64kgs, 10-14 oz gloves might suit you.
Of importance, remember that the heavier the glove, the more protection it offers. 16 oz gloves are the most preferable if you want the best boxing gloves for hard training and sparring.
Q: Are cheap gloves good to buy?
A: Yes and No. The best gloves for boxing will always cost you a pretty penny. But that’s because they are crafted for durability and protection.
Cheap gloves are just that… CHEAP. In most instances, you’ll realize that they compromise protection and durability for looks. However, if you are buying them for a kid or if you want the gloves for irregular boxercise, a cheap pair might still suffice.
On the same note, not all expensive gloves are worth your money. Do your diligence to determine the quality of material used and the general construction design. Previous buyers’ reviews offer lots of insights on the reliability of each pair.
Q: Should I consider lace-up or Velcro gloves?
A: Lace-up boxing gloves are the most recommendable not only because they are old school cool, but because of their tight fit that rarely comes loose too. However, they are usually a few bucks pricier than their Velcro competitors. In addition, you may find it quite hard to glove them up when alone.
Velcro gloves are super easy to slide in and out of even when exercising alone in odd hours. They are also relatively cheaper. The major drawback, however, is that they tend to lose their grip with time. Again, the strap may be too long for your wrist leaving a portion of the Velcro hanging loose.
