DoubleJab
26-09-2010, 02:52 PM
The gloves I was using to spar with before these ones were a pair of 16oz MTG Pros and I’ve used these as a point of reference in this review because a) they are the only quality sparring gloves I have owned before, and: b) I think they are similar to the Thai brands that many people use, Twins, Sandee, Fairtex etc etc so it’s a useful comparison.
Look
They aren’t going to get the looks of admiration that Punchtown or Hayabusa might get you but I like them. Classic understated boxing look.
Photo 1 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/18539971@N00/5021240909/)
Photo 2 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/18539971@N00/5021255031/)
Performance
Size wise they are definitely bigger and heavier than the MTGs. However the Velcro wrist straps are much wider and I’ve found this helps cope with the weight of the glove, you support the weight more with your forearm than with your wrist. Despite being heavier, I find when I’m throwing punches they actually feel lighter than the MTG’s.
At first the hand section seemed a bit tight and when I did some pad work to break them in before sparring I did it without wraps because of this. However, having worn them a couple of times they loosened up inside and now they’re a perfect fit with wraps on.
They softened up quickly and in comparison to the MTG’s they are definitely softer, this is ideal for me as I’m often bigger than my sparring partners and wearing these I can hit a bit harder without knocking anyone out.
Despite this softness the amount of padding means that your hand is very well protected. The thumb section is especially well padded which is great as this is an area I’ve hit in the past and it can be a problem joint for boxers. I’ve sparred with them about 6- 7 times now and I’ve never any problems at all, even when I’ve caught my sparring partner’s elbows. If you’ve ever had any hand problems, or if you just want to ensure you never have any, then these would be good gloves. When you wrap your hands and put them on you feel like you could punch a brick wall and not get hurt!
Photo 3 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/18539971@N00/5021853432/)
Photo 4 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/18539971@N00/5021249221/)
Quality
I’ve only owned these for about a month so I can’t comment on their longevity but they seem to be extremely good quality. The stitching is solid and the inside feels lot more robust then the MTGs. I think that last point is quite important as it often seems to be this that causes gloves to be discarded. Once they tear inside they start to smell terrible and don’t fit the same.
Photo 5 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/18539971@N00/5021255031/)
Photo 6 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/18539971@N00/5021859126/)
Value for money
This is a difficult one. They cost £75 which is about £30 more than a pair of Sandee and about £20 more than Fairtex or Twins, all of which are quality gloves. On the other hand a pair of Reyes weigh in at about £115 and Winning are more than that.
I think overall they're worth the cost if hand protection and the other good points already mentioned are high priorities for you.
Where to get them (http://www.lemarr.com/boxing/product/ultimatepro-mkii-gloves-velcro-1/)
Look
They aren’t going to get the looks of admiration that Punchtown or Hayabusa might get you but I like them. Classic understated boxing look.
Photo 1 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/18539971@N00/5021240909/)
Photo 2 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/18539971@N00/5021255031/)
Performance
Size wise they are definitely bigger and heavier than the MTGs. However the Velcro wrist straps are much wider and I’ve found this helps cope with the weight of the glove, you support the weight more with your forearm than with your wrist. Despite being heavier, I find when I’m throwing punches they actually feel lighter than the MTG’s.
At first the hand section seemed a bit tight and when I did some pad work to break them in before sparring I did it without wraps because of this. However, having worn them a couple of times they loosened up inside and now they’re a perfect fit with wraps on.
They softened up quickly and in comparison to the MTG’s they are definitely softer, this is ideal for me as I’m often bigger than my sparring partners and wearing these I can hit a bit harder without knocking anyone out.
Despite this softness the amount of padding means that your hand is very well protected. The thumb section is especially well padded which is great as this is an area I’ve hit in the past and it can be a problem joint for boxers. I’ve sparred with them about 6- 7 times now and I’ve never any problems at all, even when I’ve caught my sparring partner’s elbows. If you’ve ever had any hand problems, or if you just want to ensure you never have any, then these would be good gloves. When you wrap your hands and put them on you feel like you could punch a brick wall and not get hurt!
Photo 3 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/18539971@N00/5021853432/)
Photo 4 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/18539971@N00/5021249221/)
Quality
I’ve only owned these for about a month so I can’t comment on their longevity but they seem to be extremely good quality. The stitching is solid and the inside feels lot more robust then the MTGs. I think that last point is quite important as it often seems to be this that causes gloves to be discarded. Once they tear inside they start to smell terrible and don’t fit the same.
Photo 5 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/18539971@N00/5021255031/)
Photo 6 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/18539971@N00/5021859126/)
Value for money
This is a difficult one. They cost £75 which is about £30 more than a pair of Sandee and about £20 more than Fairtex or Twins, all of which are quality gloves. On the other hand a pair of Reyes weigh in at about £115 and Winning are more than that.
I think overall they're worth the cost if hand protection and the other good points already mentioned are high priorities for you.
Where to get them (http://www.lemarr.com/boxing/product/ultimatepro-mkii-gloves-velcro-1/)