Buy curved pads, in the lightest weight that still protects whoever is holding them, and check the forearm strap before you look at anything else. That answers it for most gyms.
Thai pads are the one piece of kit where the person paying is rarely the person being hit. The coach buys them. The coach also takes several thousand kicks a week through the forearms. So this thai pads buying guide is written from behind the pad, because that is where they fail and where money gets wasted.
It is worth knowing what a pad actually absorbs. When researchers measured Muay Thai roundhouse kicks, they did it by mounting a strain gauge behind a kicking pad — foot speed at impact tracked closely with the force delivered. Everything that force does not do to the pad, it does to the holder's arm.
Curved or straight?
Curved pads have a concave striking face that cradles the shin as it lands, so the kick sits into the pad rather than skidding off it. Straight pads give a flatter, more defensive surface that suits punches and knees. For most coaches and strikers, curved pads are the best, especially if you only have one or two pairs.
The practical difference shows up in the holder's shoulders. A curved pad turns a round kick into a push you can absorb through the forearm and body. A straight pad transmits more of that as a twist, and after six rounds you notice.
Weight is the decision nobody thinks about
Go lighter than instinct tells you.
Thicker, denser pads protect the holder better. They are also punishing to hold for ten rounds, and holder fatigue is what makes it difficult to recover between sessions. A coach who is fresh in round eight runs a better session than one carrying two heavy slabs of leather.
The exception is real. If your gym has big kickers and the holders rotate, buy the thickest pads you can and let the weight be shared. Light pads under a genuinely heavy kicker leave the holder taking the difference through the forearm, and that catches up with people.
If one person holds for everyone, or the holder is smaller than the strikers, go light and accept the trade.
The forearm strap fails before the padding does
Check it first. Not the leather, not the foam — the strap and the stitching anchoring it.
A well-built pad has a broad, reinforced forearm strap and a proper handle and that is what separates a pad lasting three years in a busy gym from one coming apart in six months. It is also the cheapest place for a manufacturer to cut cost, which is why budget pads feel fine for a fortnight and then start to slide.
A strap that loosens mid-round is not only irritating. It moves the pad off the line of the kick, and the holder ends up catching shots on the edge.
Leather or microfibre?
Microfibre for most gyms. Leather if you will dry them properly.
Leather lasts longer and moulds with use, and it feels better doing it. It also cracks if it goes into a kit bag wet or confined space, which is often what happens in a busy or small gym. Microfibre is lighter, cheaper, wipes clean and does not hold odour — which counts for something gripped by sweating hands every night.
Modern microfibre is durable and no longer the compromise it was ten years ago. The material outside matters less than the foam density inside. A dense foam that takes a round kick without bottoming out is what protects the person holding, whatever it is wrapped in.
The brands, and who each one suits
Every pad below is stocked on the UK store.
| Pad | Material | Weight | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Twins Special KPL10 | Leather | Heavy | The gym standard. One pair to last years. | Heavy through a long round. One size only. |
| Twins Special KPL12 | Leather | Heaviest | Big gyms with heavy kickers and rotating holders. | Punishing for a smaller holder. |
| Twins Special KPS10 | Microfibre | Light | Twins build with far less to carry. | Less protection under a genuinely heavy kicker. |
| Fairtex KPLC2 | Leather | Medium | The safe all-rounder. Start here if unsure. | Not the lightest pad in the range. |
| Fairtex KPLC5 | Microfibre | Light | Long sessions and smaller holders. | Light pads pass more back to the forearm. |
| Fairtex KPLC6 | Microfibre | Light | Junior classes and compact holders. | Smaller catching surface. Less forgiving. |
| Fairtex LKP5 | Microfibre | Light | Leg kicks only. | A specialist. Cannot hold a full round. |
| Boon CKPM | Leather | Medium | Best build in the range. | One option, no colour choice, stiff break-in. |
| Mongkol KGM02 | Leather | Medium | Technical rounds and home setups. | Single strap rotates on hard kicks. |
| Primo Classic | Microfibre | Medium | Forgiving for newer holders. | Little long-term evidence of how they wear. |
| Primo Elite | Microfibre | Light | Sharp, quick technical rounds. | Smaller surface. Little wear evidence yet. |
Twins Special
The pads most coaches picture when they think of Thai pads. The KPL10 is the classic curved leather pad, the KPL12 is the heavier deluxe version, and the KPS10 is microfibre and noticeably lighter to hold. Browse the full Twins Special range.
The weakness is weight and price. The KPL12 in particular is a lot of pad, and a smaller holder will feel it well before round ten. Our Twins pads also come in one size, so there is no compact option in the range.
Fairtex
The KPLC2 is the standard curved pad and the one to buy if you are not sure — it sits in the middle on weight, price and feel, and it does nothing badly. The KPLC5 is the lightweight microfibre pad and the right answer for long sessions. The KPLC6 is a smaller build, and the LKP5 is a dedicated leg kick pad. See the full Fairtex range.
The weakness: the KPLC2 is not the lightest pad here, and the LKP5 is a specialist. Buying the LKP5 as a first pair leaves you unable to hold a full round.
Boon
Hand made in Bangkok and built as though they expect you to pass them on. The CKPM is the best-constructed pad in the range for what it costs, and the stitching around the strap is the giveaway. Browse Boon Muay Thai gear.
The weakness: limited colour choices and a long, stiff break-in. They are hard work for the first month.
Mongkol
Traditional, well priced, and perfectly good for technical rounds and lighter work. See the Mongkol range.
A single strap rotates more on a hard kick than a double-strap pad, and in a busy gym that becomes a daily annoyance. This can make things difficult if you're working consistently with heavy kickers.
Primo
Microfibre pads in two builds — the Classic is larger and more forgiving, the Elite is smaller and quicker for sharp technical rounds. Both are light and wipe clean. See the Primo Fightwear range.
The weakness: Primo are newer to pads than to shorts, so there is less long-term evidence of how they wear. Early signs are good, but Twins and Fairtex have a twenty-year head start on proof.
Buying your first pair
If you are equipping a home gym or holding for one training partner, buy the Fairtex KPLC2 or the Boon CKPM and stop reading. Both are mid-weight, both are curved, and both will outlast the arrangement.
If you are kitting out a gym, buy two pairs rather than one better pair. Pads dry between sessions, and a wet pad held every night is a pad you replace next year. Our equipment guide for committed practitioners covers how the rest of the kit bag should scale alongside that.
New to pad work entirely? Start with the essential Muay Thai equipment for beginners guide — pads are rarely the first thing a beginner needs to own, and gloves and shin guards come first.
Holding well matters more than the pad you hold. Our guide to how to hold Muay Thai pads covers the positioning that keeps the force in the pad and out of your shoulder.
Looking after them
Wipe them down after every session and let them dry in open air, never in a sealed bag and never on a radiator. Heat is what cracks leather, not use.
Rotate pairs if you have them. Alternate which arm takes the heavier side of the session. And accept that pads are consumable — a pad taking a thousand kicks a week is doing its job right up until the moment the strap goes. Pair them with gloves suited to pad work rather than sparring gloves, which are built to protect a partner instead of transmitting a clean shot.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I spend on Thai pads?
Think in three tiers rather than a figure. The Mongkol KGM02 is a good entry point and holds up fine for technical work. The Fairtex KPLC2 and Boon CKPM sit in the middle and suit most home gyms. Twins leather is the top of the range, and earns it in a gym replacing pads on a schedule.
Are Thai pads sold in pairs?
Yes, unless a listing says otherwise. Thai pads are sold in pairs as standard because holding with one is not a thing anyone does through a round. Always check the listing before ordering if you specifically want a single pad, as occasional lines and replacements are sold individually.
Should a beginner buy curved or straight Thai pads?
Curved. A concave face cradles the shin and forgives an imperfect catch, which is exactly what a newer holder needs. Straight pads demand better positioning and punish mistakes through the wrists and shoulders. Buy curved first, and add straight pads later if you want sharper feedback on punches and knees.
How long do Thai pads last?
Three years or more in a home gym, closer to twelve months in a busy commercial gym held nightly. The strap and its stitching fail long before the padding does, so inspect that seam monthly. Drying pads properly after every session roughly doubles the working life of leather.
Do I need Thai pads or focus mitts?
Both, eventually — they do different jobs. Thai pads take kicks, knees and heavy punches through the forearm. Focus mitts are for speed, accuracy and combination work with the hands. If you can only buy one and you train Muay Thai, buy Thai pads.
Which pads should you buy?
Home gym or one training partner: the Fairtex KPLC2 or the Boon CKPM. A busy gym with heavy kickers: Twins KPL10, or the KPL12 if your holders rotate. Holding long sessions on your own: the Fairtex KPLC5 or the Twins KPS10, and your shoulders will thank you in round nine.
On a tight budget: the Mongkol KGM02, accepting that the single strap will move more than you would like.
Whatever you land on, check the strap before the badge. That is the whole of this thai pads buying guide in one line. Browse the full range of Muay Thai pads and buy the pair you will still be holding in three years.
