Muay Thai Gloves Review: Which are the Best?

There are so many muay thai glove options, selecting the right pair can seem challenging.  This guide will review the major thai boxing glove brands and give helpful tips on selecting the right pair and size for you.  

Twins Special makes professional quality muay thai gloves in Thailand. These really are the Cadillac of gloves. Their heavy duty velcro wrist closures provide excellent support and make them easy to take on and off. The padding is very impact resistent, compact, and well placed. I have used Twins 14oz gloves many times without hand wraps, and have never had sore hands, let alone an injury. Their heavier gloves aren't overly bulky like some other brands. The construction is excellent--genuine leather and high quality padding that really will last a lifetime.

Twins gloves will cost between $65 and $75 and really are worth it. You can put these gloves through intense use for 10 years, easily. The leather, padding, and velcro all hold up perfectly. The glove even conforms to your hand over time.

Twins are the most used glove of professional thai boxers in Thailand.

Windy gloves are also professional quality, made in Thailand.  Next to Twins, they are the second most used gloves by professional Thai boxers.  I find their wrist support to be slightly  less than Twins' gloves, although still very good.  These gloves are very compact and your hand fits securely inside.  The padding is excellent despite having a lean feeling.  The construction is excellent and these gloves will also last at least 10 years.

Windy gloves range from $80-$90.  They are certainly worth the price, although if you have weaker wrists, you may want to go with Twins.

Fairtex makes an excellent muay thai glove, but at $90 to $100 a pair, they're really not worth the significant price difference. Twins and Windy are of equal quality, so why pay more? Fairtex have great padding, good wrist support, and excellent construction, but you really are paying more for marketing and the brand name--not a superior glove.

You should never pay less than $50 for a pair of muay thai gloves.  Brands like Title and Everlast make attractive looking gloves, but they are of inferior quality.  These gloves will only last a year or two before needing to be replaced.  Even worse, they will not provide your hand and wrist the protection they need for intense training.  You will save money in the long run by investing in Twins or Windy.

Most professional and amateur fights are done with a 10oz glove.  This size glove is not optimal for training, however.  If you are under 160 lbs, I recommend a 14oz glove.  The extra weight will give you a better workout and your training partners will thank you for the extra padding when it comes time to spar.  Over 160lbs should opt for a 16oz pair.  If you are a super heavyweight, you may even want to consider an 18oz pair, although these can be harder to find.  

We have gone over the major brands, but there are many more--Boon, Raja, Top King, and others.  The muay thai glove you select should support your wrist and protect your hand.  I've used many different gloves over my muay thai career, but I give my final recommendation to TWINS.

They're excellent all around, professional quality, do what they're supposed to do, and they last forever.  In addition, they are moderately priced.