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Muay Thai Gloves
Muay Thai gloves look like boxing gloves, but they are built for a different job. The cuff is shorter and more flexible so the wrist can move freely in the clinch. The padding is spread across the back of the hand rather than concentrated at the knuckle, because in Muay Thai you block kicks and elbows with your gloves as often as you punch with them. And the hand sits in a straighter, more open position, so you can catch, frame and parry without fighting the glove.
Put a pair of boxing gloves on for a Muay Thai session and you will feel the difference within a round. The cuff fights you in the clinch, and the back of your hand takes the impact of a shin with nothing behind it.
Choosing the right weight
Glove weight is measured in ounces, and it is the first decision to get right. It is less about your body weight than about what you are doing in the session.
- 10oz and 12oz — bag work and pad work. Lighter gloves let you move faster and feel your shots properly.
- 14oz and 16oz — sparring. The extra padding protects your training partner as much as it protects you, and most gyms will not let you spar in anything lighter.
- 8oz — competition, and usually dictated by your promotion's rules.
- 6oz and 8oz — children. See kids' gloves.
If you can only buy one pair and you spar at all, buy 16oz. If you can buy two, buy 12oz for bags and pads and 16oz for sparring. Keeping them separate makes both pairs last considerably longer — sparring gloves that have been battered against a heavy bag stop protecting your partner long before they look worn out.
Gloves for children
Most Muay Thai brands do not make gloves for children at all. They make small adult sizes, which is not the same thing — the hand compartment is the wrong shape, the padding is the wrong density, and a child ends up in a glove that neither fits nor protects.
As a rough guide, 6oz suits ages 5 to 8 and 8oz suits ages 9 to 12 — but hand size varies far more than age does. If the glove rotates on the hand, it is too big.
See the full kids' range.
How the brands actually fit
This is where most people get caught out. Two pairs of 16oz gloves from different brands can fit and feel completely different, and the ounce rating tells you nothing about the shape of the hand compartment.
Fairtex
A compact hand compartment and firmer padding. The result is a direct, responsive feel — you sense the shot land. Fairtex excel at clinch work, framing and pad work, and they reward technical precision over comfort. They run true to size, which makes them the safest choice if you are buying without trying a pair on, though anyone with larger hands may find them tight. Available in leather (BGV1) and microfibre (BGV1C-PLUS) if you want something lighter that will not hold odour.
Twins Special
Widely treated as the benchmark sparring glove. Thick, soft padding absorbs impact exceptionally well, and the hand compartment is roomier than Fairtex, which means noticeably less hand fatigue across long sessions. The trade-off is that they feel bulkier and a touch slower. If Fairtex feel tight across your knuckles, Twins are the answer. The BGVL4 keeps the classic BGVL3 feel but trims the padding on the back of the hand, which makes a real difference in the clinch.
Primo Fightwear
A longer cuff and a wider spread of padding — closer to a hybrid between a Muay Thai and a boxing glove. The extra cuff length gives noticeably more wrist support, which suits anyone with a history of wrist trouble, or anyone who throws heavy on the bag.
Boon
Hand made in Thailand, with excellent wrist support. Boon 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, and it is the reason a glove that should fit perfectly on paper ends up going back.
Top King
The cushiony option. Plusher, softer padding than most, with a well-balanced feel and strong knuckle protection. If you find Fairtex too firm and direct, Top King sit at the other end of that scale.
PRYDE
Modern styling with a fairly compact fit, similar in shape to Fairtex, and good wrist support. Well suited to pad work and lighter sparring.
Fumetsu
Competitively priced, and one of the very few brands offering a genuine kids' range — most Thai manufacturers do not make one at all. A sensible first pair for anyone starting out, or for kitting out a child.
Velcro, lace-up, bag or MMA?
Most people want a standard velcro glove. But the other formats exist for real reasons.
- Velcro — on and off in seconds, on your own. The default for training, and what most of these gloves are.
- Lace-up — you cannot put them on by yourself, which rules them out for most training. In exchange you get a wrist fit nothing else matches. Competition and serious pad work.
- Bag gloves — light, minimal padding, elastic wrist, built for speed and feel on the bag. Not for sparring.
- MMA gloves — open-palm, for grappling and MMA sparring.
Authenticity
Counterfeit gloves are a genuine problem in this sport, particularly with the best-known Thai brands. The simplest warning sign is price: be wary of any glove discounted 50% or more below RRP. You can establish the real RRP by checking three or four retailers, since it is usually consistent across all of them.
Everything we sell is genuine, sourced directly from authenticated distributors and from the manufacturers themselves.
Making them last
What kills gloves is not impact. It is moisture.
Sweat soaks into the foam, the foam breaks down, and the lining begins to smell. Wrap your hands every session — wraps act as a sweat barrier and keep moisture out of the glove in the first place. Never leave gloves zipped inside a kit bag overnight; pull them wide open and let air get inside. Keep them out of direct sunlight and off radiators, both of which will crack leather.
For the full method, read our guide to cleaning and freshening up your gloves, or our ultimate guide to Muay Thai gloves for everything in one place.
FAQS
How do I choose the right size?
For sparring, we always recommend at least 16oz. This weight helps you minimise risk of injury to yourself and training partners. Yet this is where bodyweight does play a factor. While you shouldn’t really go below 16oz for sparring, if your classed as heavyweight or above, you may want to go 18oz or above.
How do you choose gloves for Muay Thai?
After considering this, you can choose your Muay Thai gloves based on personal preferences. Colours, designs and shapes are different across gloves and brands, so it’s worth comparing a variety to be sure.
What size boxing gloves for women?
What do the weights mean on Muay Thai gloves?
Expect variance when buying handmade gloves, as no two pairs are the same. For example, you may buy a 16oz pair of gloves and one of which may weigh 16oz exactly, while the other weighs 16.5 oz. This isn't an issue when overweight, but it can be if they are underweight (i.e. state they are 16oz but actually weigh 12oz). This is only really an issue with poor quality gloves. All the brands we stock work diligently to ensure accurate weights and measures. You can easily measure them on a scale.
What makes Muay Thai gloves different from boxing gloves?
Secondly, most brands have short wrist cuffs on their Muay Thai gloves. This is to help the gloves flex when clinching.
Finally, Muay Thai gloves have a padded bar on the inside of the palm at the outer edge. This helps protect your hands when defending and catching kicks.
Which gloves are best for weak wrists?
Finally, you should work to build strength in your wrists and ensure proper recovery between training sessions. Although not medical advice, our guide on looking after your hands and wrists can help.
What size gloves for sparring?
16oz is the minimum for sparring. If you're preparing for competition, you may spar some rounds with the weight that you'll fight in. Ideally, you will have a dedicated set of gloves for sparring. This is important for their longevity as well as to the benefit of your partner. After all, no-one wants to be hit in the face with gloves that have just hit old pads or been on the floor.
