The most important tool that a boxer has is their hands. Therefore, protecting their hands during training and on fight night is paramount to success. There are so many different types of boxing gloves on the market that it can often be confusing to know what exactly they are for.
Understanding what different pairs of boxing gloves are and which are the best boxing gloves for different training types is essential. The two main training gloves that you will find are sparring gloves and boxing bag gloves.
While to an untrained eye they may look very similar, they both have very different purposes. In this article we will take a look at both types of gloves, their differences and also whether or not they can be used in place of each other.
What Are Boxing Bag Gloves
Boxing bag gloves are a style of boxing glove that are specially designed to be on punch bags such as heavy bags and other boxing training bags. Because they are designed for bag work they feature dense padding, ultimate wrist support, hand protection and incredibly durable materials. This is because they have to withstand the force that a fighter is throwing at a typically dense punch bag.
These are an essential piece of boxing training equipment, especially for beginners. Practising combinations, improving speed, maximising power and polishing up your technique are all skills that are perfected on a punching bag. Bag gloves allow you to sharpen these tools while offering your hands the protection they need when hitting heavy punch bags.
There are several different styles of bag gloves. The most famous style is the bag mitts which have a very low profile and dense padding in a very thin glove style. However, you can also get different styles of bag gloves that emulate a typical boxing glove for the ultimate fight night feel.
What Are Sparring Gloves
For all competitive boxers, whether amateur or professional, sparring is an essential training practice. Boxing sparring gloves are specially designed to allow fights to emulate a real fight while offering far more protection and padding for both the hands and the punches landing on a sparring partner.
Sparring is about getting better and getting more experience in the ring, not about damage. That is why sparring gloves are much higher-ounce gloves than fight gloves. This extra padding and cushioning makes sparring sessions much safer and prevents unnecessary damage from occurring before fight night.
There are two main styles of sparring gloves, lace-up sparring gloves and velcro sparring gloves. Both styles give fighters ample amounts of padding but velcro straps allow for an easy open and close of the gloves whereas lace-up gloves allow fighters to get a more locked-in feel from their gloves.
What Are The Main Differences Between The Two Types Of Boxing Gloves
As the two are designed for different training purposes, there are many differences between them. Other than the fact that one is meant for bag work and the other is meant for sparring sessions, they have several other differences such as;
Glove Size - The size difference between the two different types of gloves is very evident. Boxing bag gloves are typically designed with a very low profile style and a much thinner and denser layer of padding. However, sparring gloves typically feature a much larger profile due to the larger quantity of soft padding that the gloves need.
Glove Weight - The weight of a bag glove does not matter at all, therefore they are typically lighter gloves with less padding than what you would find for sparring. In sparring there are different oz gloves that you need to wear depending on your weight. The heavier you are in weight, the heavier your sparring gloves should be. This is because the heavier the glove, the more padding and protection it offers.
Construction - Another difference that not a lot of people realise is the difference in the structure of the gloves. Sparring gloves are typically designed with extremely flexible and soft materials to enhance comfort and reduce the risk of injury. Whereas bag gloves are typically designed with much more robust materials to help them withstand the constant force of hitting a heavy bag.
Can I Use Bag Gloves For Sparring?
The easy answer to this question is no. Boxing bag gloves should never be used for any type of sparring. This is because the materials and the padding are far to stiff and dense. Sparring with these gloves could lead to serious injuries and inflict way more damage on a sparring partner than is necessary.
Sparring is all about getting in the work you need, in a controlled and safe environment. That Is why sparring gloves are designed using softer materials and larger padding. No gym anywhere in the world will allow you to spar without the correct sparring gloves for your weight.
Can I Use Sparring Gloves For Bag Work?
In theory yes you can. However, it is extremely important to note that constantly wearing sparring gloves for heavy bag work will make the materials and the padding deteriorate quickly. Constant hitting of the heavy bag with sparring gloves will cause the padding to break down. This will make the gloves far more dangerous for sparring.
Because of the potential risk that it can cause, we would not recommended that you use the same gloves for hitting a heavy bag as you do for sparring, even if they are sparring gloves. At the end of the day, boxing training is about being able to sharpen your skills and learn the sweet science in a safe and controlled environment.
Which Type Of Boxing Glove Is Best For Me?
When deciding on which boxing glove is best for you there are many different considerations that you must take into account. The three main considerations to take into account when deciding on the best boxing gloves for you are;
What You Are Boxing For - There a huge percentage of boxers who box simply for exercise and the amazing health benefits that it can bring. If this is you, then investing in several different pairs of boxing gloves for different types of training is probably not worth the investment. You probably do not do much, if any sparring and your sessions will likely consist of mostly bag or mitt sessions. Therefore bag gloves are probably your best bet.
However, if you are an avid boxer who also regularly spars and takes part in amateur or professional bouts then both pairs would be beneficial. This would allow you to be able to hit pads and bags whilst also being able to spar in a safe manner.
Training Volume - The more intense your training is, the more durable and high-quality your equipment needs to be. If you simply train once a week, then gloves that are comfortable are your best bet. However, if you intensely train multiple times a week then the gloves you wear are far more important.
Professional fighters or fighters who are training at high intensities numerous times a week need to prolong and protect their hands. Therefore, ensuring that they have the right type of gloves for the right styles of training is paramount for safety and durability.
Gym Rules - One of the most important factors that you must take into account are the rules of your gyms. You will find that many gyms have their own sets of rules and guidelines that detail the types of gloves that their members must wear during sparring and bag sessions.
If your gym does have specific requirements then you must make sure that your gloves meet these requirements. Otherwise, you may turn up with your brand-new gloves to be told that you are not allowed to wear them for sparring.
High-Quality Boxing Bag Gloves & Sparring Gloves From Geezers Boxing
Here at Geezers Boxing, we are proud to be the UK’s leading boxing equipment retailer and to stock the biggest brands in the sport such as Venum, Adidas Boxing, Nike Boxing, Cleto Reyes, Ringside, Winning Boxing and so many more.
We stock a huge range of high-quality sparring gloves and also a huge range of premium bag gloves. We also stock many other amazing boxing products such as boxing boots, hand wraps, competition gloves, mouthguards, protective equipment and more.
