Boon have been making Muay Thai gear from their own factory in Bangkok since 2002, and their whole approach is substance over decoration. The designs are restrained where most Thai brands are loud. The build quality is why people buy them twice.

Sizing — read this first

Boon gloves often run snug.

If you are coming from Fairtex or Twins and you are between sizes, size up. This is the most common sizing mistake we see on Boon, and it is the reason a glove that should fit perfectly on paper ends up going back. The gloves themselves are excellent — they simply fit tighter than the ounce rating suggests.

The shorts are a different story, and easier. Boon's size chart is one of the few that adds a full inch per size rather than overlapping between them, so the steps between sizes are cleaner and less ambiguous than most. Measure your waist, read the chart, order.

The gloves

Hand made in Bangkok, with excellent wrist support and a firm, well-constructed feel. Boon also make one of the better lace-up gloves available, and a proper bag glove if you want to keep your sparring gloves for sparring.

Standard weights: 16oz for sparring, 12oz for bags and pads.

The shorts

A traditional, retro cut — shorter, wider through the leg, and timeless rather than fashionable. If you want the classic Muay Thai silhouette rather than a modern slim fit, this is the brand.

As with all Muay Thai shorts: never tumble dry them. Heat destroys the elastic in the waistband, and once that goes the shorts are finished.

The pads and mitts

• CKPM — curved kick pads. Built like they expect you to hand them down.
• FMC — curved focus mitts.
• FMSC Micromitts — smaller, lighter and faster than a standard mitt. They punish anything sloppy, which is the point. Not a beginner's tool.

See all Thai pads and focus mitts.

Who Boon suits

People who want gear that lasts and do not need it to announce itself. There is very little flash here, and that is deliberate.

Just remember the snug fit on the gloves. If in doubt, size up — or message us and we will tell you exactly what to order.