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Kickboxing gloves take a different beating from boxing gloves. You punch, but you also block kicks, catch legs and clinch, so the glove needs padding over the back of the hand and enough flexibility to grip. That's why many kickboxers wear Muay Thai-style gloves, with a shorter cuff and padding spread more evenly around the hand.
For most people in kickboxing classes, though, a good all-round training glove works fine. What matters most is the right weight (usually 12 to 16 oz), a secure wrist strap and a shell that survives heavy bag rounds. We compared five current gloves: two classic Thai-style gloves from Fairtex and Twins Special, and three all-rounders from Venum, Hayabusa and Sanabul.
Quick Picks
- Best Overall: Fairtex BGV1 Muay Thai Boxing Gloves. Best for a leather Thai-style glove that handles bags, pads and sparring.
- Best Classic Thai Glove: Twins Special BGVL3 Boxing Gloves. Best for a traditional Thai glove in a wide range of weights and colors.
- Best for Classes: Venum Challenger 4.0 Boxing Gloves. Best for kickboxing and cardio kickboxing classes, in 8 to 18 oz.
- Best Wrist Support: Hayabusa T3 Boxing Gloves. Best for hard punchers who want a locked-in wrist.
- Best Budget: Sanabul Essential Gel Boxing Gloves. Best for trying kickboxing without spending much.
Comparison Table
| Gloves | Best for | Style | Shell | Weights | Closure | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairtex BGV1 | Overall | Muay Thai | Genuine leather | 10–16 oz | Hook and loop | Check price |
| Twins Special BGVL3 | Classic Thai | Muay Thai | Leather | 8–16 oz | Hook and loop | Check price |
| Venum Challenger 4.0 | Classes | All-round (boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai) | Synthetic leather | 8–18 oz | Not specified | Check price |
| Hayabusa T3 | Wrist support | Boxing-style | Vylar engineered leather | 10–18 oz | Dual-X hook and loop | Check price |
| Sanabul Essential Gel | Budget | All-round | Engineered leather | 10–16 oz | Hook and loop | See options |
The Best Kickboxing Gloves, Reviewed
Fairtex BGV1 Muay Thai Boxing Gloves: Best Overall
Who it's for: Kickboxers and Muay Thai students who want one leather glove for everything.
The BGV1 is Fairtex's classic training glove. Retailer listings describe genuine leather, a hook-and-loop closure and a contoured, snug hand compartment, in 10 to 16 oz, and market it for training and sparring for men, women and kids. Fairtex also sells it in bundles with hand wraps, shin guards or glove deodorizers.
The Thai-style design spreads padding around the hand, which helps when you block kicks with your gloves, and the shorter cuff lets your wrists move in the clinch. Leather makes it a long-term glove for people who train several times a week. If you throw a lot of hard boxing hooks, the T3's stiffer wrist is the alternative.
Pros
- Genuine leather
- Thai-style padding and flexible cuff
- 10–16 oz for bag work and sparring
Cons
- Less wrist stiffness than boxing-style gloves
- Costs more than synthetic gloves
Fairtex BGV1 Muay Thai Boxing Gloves
by Fairtex
Twins Special BGVL3 Boxing Gloves: Best Classic Thai Glove
Who it's for: Kickboxers who want a traditional Thai glove in their choice of weight and color.
Twins Special's BGVL3 is a staple Thai training glove. Listings describe leather gloves sold for Muay Thai, kickboxing and MMA training, in sizes from 8 to 16 oz and colors including black, white, purple and yellow, with a hook-and-loop strap.
The wide weight range is useful: 8 to 10 oz for smaller users and pad work, 14 to 16 oz for sparring. Listings vary on details (one even labels it a competition glove), so confirm the weight and color you're selecting.
Pros
- Leather Thai-style glove
- 8–16 oz range
- Lots of colors
Cons
- Listing details vary by seller
- Shorter cuff gives less wrist support for boxing hooks
Twins Special BGVL3 Boxing Gloves
by Twins Special
Venum Challenger 4.0 Boxing Gloves: Best for Classes
Who it's for: Beginners and regulars in kickboxing or cardio kickboxing classes.
Venum designed the Challenger 4.0 for boxing, kickboxing and Muay Thai, and pitches it at beginners and intermediate fighters. It uses synthetic leather with triple-density foam and a reinforced palm, and the weight range runs from 8 oz to 18 oz in many colors.
That makes it an easy choice for classes: light weights for cardio kickboxing, heavier ones for bag work and sparring. Very heavy daily bag use will wear the synthetic shell sooner than leather.
Pros
- Made for boxing, kickboxing and Muay Thai
- 8–18 oz range
- Triple-density foam
Cons
- Synthetic shell
- Wrist structure not detailed
Venum Challenger 4.0 Boxing Gloves
by Venum
Hayabusa T3 Boxing Gloves: Best Wrist Support
Who it's for: Kickboxers who punch hard on the bag and want maximum wrist stability.
The T3 is a boxing-style glove, and Amazon lists it for boxing, kickboxing and Muay Thai training. The Dual-X closure uses two crossing straps with "4x Fusion Splinting" to keep the wrist aligned, over a Vylar engineered leather shell and multi-layer Deltra-EG foam, in 10 to 18 oz.
The trade-off for kickboxing is a stiffer wrist and longer cuff, which makes clinching and catching kicks a little less natural than in a Thai glove. For bag-heavy kickboxing, that wrist support is worth it.
Pros
- Excellent wrist support
- 10–18 oz range
- Durable engineered leather
Cons
- Premium price
- Stiffer for clinch work
Sanabul Essential Gel Boxing Gloves: Best Budget
Who it's for: New kickboxers who want decent padding at a low price.
Sanabul's Essential is the brand's entry glove, with gel impact foam over the knuckles, an engineered-leather shell and mesh palms for ventilation, in 10 to 16 oz. It suits pad work, bag rounds and kickboxing classes.
It's a straightforward glove without premium wrist systems. If you train three or more times a week for months, you'll get more life from leather gloves like the BGV1.
Pros
- Budget tier
- Gel foam over the knuckles
- Many colors
Cons
- Basic wrist support
- Shell wears sooner than leather
Sanabul Essential Gel Boxing Gloves
by Sanabul
Currently unavailable on Amazon
Kickboxing Gloves vs. Boxing Gloves
| Muay Thai / kickboxing-style | Boxing-style | |
|---|---|---|
| Padding | Spread more evenly, including the back of the hand | Concentrated over the knuckles |
| Cuff | Shorter, more flexible | Longer, stiffer |
| Grip | Easier to open the hand and clinch | Fist stays closed |
| Best for | Blocking kicks, clinch work, Thai pads | Hard hooks, boxing sparring |
| Amazon | See options | See options |
For most kickboxing classes, either style is fine. If your class includes clinching or catching kicks, Thai-style gloves feel more natural. If it's mostly punching on bags, a boxing-style glove gives more wrist support.
How to Choose Kickboxing Gloves
Weight
| Use | Typical weight | Amazon |
|---|---|---|
| Cardio kickboxing classes | 10–12 oz | See options |
| Bag and pad work | 12–14 oz (16 oz for heavier people) | See options |
| Sparring | 16 oz (check your gym) | See options |
Smaller adults and many women do well in 10 to 12 oz for classes and bags. For a full chart, see what size boxing gloves you need.
Leather or synthetic
Leather gloves like the BGV1 and BGVL3 last longer and mold to your hand. Synthetics like the Challenger 4.0 cost less and are easy to wipe down. Our leather boxing gloves guide explains the trade-offs.
Closure
Hook and loop is standard and quick. Look for a wide strap that wraps fully around your wrist.
Fit
With wraps on, your fist should close fully, your hand shouldn't slide and the strap should close with good overlap. Thai gloves often feel a little roomier in the palm.
Kickboxing vs. MMA gloves
If your classes include grappling or ground work, you'll need open-finger gloves; see our MMA gloves guide.
Kickboxing Gear Checklist
- Gloves (above) and hand wraps
- A bag long enough for low kicks: see our kick boxing bag and Muay Thai heavy bag guides
- Shin guards for partner drills and sparring (see our MMA shin guards picks)
- A mouthguard for any sparring
Then put the gloves to work with our heavy bag kickboxing workout.
Common Mistakes
- Buying 8 oz gloves for bag work as an adult. Too little padding for hard rounds.
- Using bag gloves to spar. Keep a softer 16 oz pair for sparring.
- Skipping wraps. Wraps support the wrist under any glove.
- Kicking a short bag. Low kicks need a long bag that reaches the shin.
Kit by Level
| Level | Gloves | Add | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trying classes | 10–12 oz all-round glove | Wraps | See options |
| Training 2–3 times a week | 12–14 oz leather or quality synthetic | Wraps, shin guards for partner drills | See options |
| Sparring | 16 oz soft pair kept for sparring | Mouthguard, shin guards, headgear if required | See options |
One Pair or Two?
Bag work packs glove padding down. If you spar, keep one softer 16 oz pair for sparring and use a second pair for bags and pads. If you only do classes and bag work, one good pair is enough.
Caring for Kickboxing Gloves
Open the straps after each session, wipe the outside and the palm, and let them dry in moving air. Shin guards need the same treatment. Our how to clean boxing gloves guide covers getting rid of smells.
Gloves for Pad Work and Thai Pads
Holding Thai pads takes kicks to the arms, while punching mitts takes fast combinations. For the puncher, 12 to 14 oz gloves are a good middle ground on pads. Lighter gloves feel faster, but heavy bag rounds in the same session will be harder on your knuckles. If your class mixes pads and bag work, pick one weight that suits both rather than switching.
Hand Wraps for Kickboxing
Wraps under kickboxing gloves do the same job as in boxing: they keep the wrist straight and pad the knuckles. Thai-style 180-inch wraps are common. Our what size boxing gloves guide explains how wraps affect glove fit.
When to Replace Kickboxing Gloves
Replace gloves when the knuckle padding feels flat, the strap stops gripping, the lining tears or the smell returns soon after a deep clean. Blocking kicks wears the back-of-hand padding too, so check that area as well as the knuckles.
Kickboxing Gloves for Women
Most kickboxing gloves are unisex. Many women do well in 10 or 12 oz for classes and bag work, with 14 to 16 oz for sparring if the gym allows. A snug hand compartment and a strap that closes tightly around a slimmer wrist matter more than a women-specific label. Try gloves on with wraps before deciding.
How We Chose
We researched these gloves rather than testing them. Specs come from manufacturer descriptions and retailer listings for each model found through search. We compared glove style, materials, weights and closures, and weighed common owner feedback about fit, comfort for blocking kicks and durability under bag work.
FAQ
What is the difference between kickboxing gloves and boxing gloves?
Kickboxing gloves are often Muay Thai-style: padding spread more evenly over the back of the hand, a more flexible grip and a shorter cuff that lets you clinch and catch kicks. Boxing gloves concentrate padding over the knuckles and often have longer cuffs for wrist support. For most kickboxing classes, either works.
What size kickboxing gloves should I get?
Most adults use 12 to 14 oz for bag work and classes and 16 oz for sparring. Smaller adults and many women do well in 10 to 12 oz, and heavier people may want 16 oz for the bag too. Check your gym's sparring rule.
Are kickboxing gloves good for boxing?
Yes. Thai-style gloves like the Fairtex BGV1 and Twins Special BGVL3 work for boxing training. Boxers who throw lots of hard hooks may prefer the longer cuff and stiffer wrist of a boxing-style glove like the Hayabusa T3.
Can women use regular kickboxing gloves?
Yes. Most kickboxing gloves are unisex, and lighter weights (8 to 12 oz) suit many women. Look for a snug hand compartment and a strap that closes tightly on a slimmer wrist.
Do I need shin guards with kickboxing gloves?
For bag work, no. For partner kicking drills and sparring, yes: most gyms require shin guards along with gloves, a mouthguard and often headgear.
Verdict
The Fairtex BGV1 is the best kickboxing glove for most people: genuine leather, Thai-style padding and weights from 10 to 16 oz. Choose the Twins Special BGVL3 for a classic Thai glove in more colors and weights, the Venum Challenger 4.0 for classes, and the Hayabusa T3 if wrist support on hard punches comes first.