Unsurprisingly, the best boxing gloves for women are the ones that are ergonomically designed to best fit the hand of a female fighter specifically.
The stereotypes surrounding women in sport are only reinforced when brands manufacture sports gear that is designed to be ‘lady-like’ and ‘feminine’ as opposed to being designed to help that female boxer fight like a champion. Boxing is a sport that welcomes all, and more and more brands are starting to reflect this in their sporting equipment, as they start to produce gloves for youth, women, and men! No longer do they pop a flower on a men’s glove, color it pink and call it a ladies boxing glove.
Whether you are a seasoned veteran of the sport, or just thinking about giving it a go, this guide gives you an overview of the difference between men’s and women’s boxing gloves. We also cover what makes a great pair of gloves and provide our very own top 5 recommendations of the best boxing gloves for women currently out there!
What is the Difference Between Men's and Women's Boxing Gloves?
Typically, women have smaller hands and slimmer fingers than men. Consequently, a good women’s boxing glove is designed with a narrower hand cage within the glove in order to prevent possible injury.
If you are new to the boxing world, the hand cage is the part of the glove that your palm rests on. Having this smaller cage is key to a tight and comfortable fit, that won't just leave your hand feeling as though it's loose and free within the glove.
What’s more, is that women tend to have shorter wrists. So, catering to this, women’s boxings gloves are designed to be shallower. This enables women’s fingers to be able to reach the top of the gloves. Once again, the idea behind this is that creates a better, more suitable fit for a woman’s hand that allows her to land blow after blow without injuring herself upon impact.
If in doubt about what brand to go for, often there will be brands out there that have their gloves designed by women for women. These are the ones to pay attention to as no one knows more about female ergonomic design than the female fighters. Notable brands include Society Nine and Fairtex.
What Makes a Great Pair of Women's Boxing Gloves?
When deciding on boxing gloves for women, whether you are searching for bag gloves, training gloves or sparring gloves, there are essential factors that needed to be considered. These include materials, thumb locks, odor control, weight, size, Velcro/lace, and color. Ultimately, all these factors are there to ensure that you are fully protected, and so it shouldn’t be a decision a fighter makes lightly.
Materials
The best women's boxing gloves tend to be made of real leather. There’s nothing quite like laced up, leather boxing glove, however, there are close seconds. For example, you can get boxing gloves made of polyurethane vinyl or synthetic leather that are practical, attractive, and easy to clean. It’s no secret that you get what you pay for. If you end up paying under $40 dollars for a pair of ‘genuine’ leather gloves, then don’t be surprised if these gloves don’t provide you with the full protection you need.
Velcro vs Lace Up
Another aspect to consider is whether you want your gloves to lace up or use Velcro straps. Each has its own pros and cons.
Velcro straps are much easier to get on and to adjust by yourself. They tend to not be as secure as the lace-up alternative, however, if you buy a pair that has a longer velcro strap than usual, then this will provide you with some extra security. One thing to note is that the velcro ends up getting caught on things, which can cause damage, especially to the all-important hand wraps.
The lace-up gloves are undoubtedly very stylish, however, can be a pain as you’ll need help when it comes to putting the gloves on and off. A lot of fighters prefer laced gloves as they provide a snugger fit, giving their hands and wrists more protection, which is vital when it comes to heavy bag work and sparring.
Weight
Regarding the weight of gloves, professional female fighters tend to use 8-ounce gloves if they weigh 147lbs or under. Female fighters above 147lbs will opt for the 10-ounce gloves. Most gloves will be available in a variety of weights and sizes. What you get just depends on the size of your hands the purpose for what you need the gloves for.
Remember though, the heavier the glove, you are more likely to feel the fatigue sooner.
Features
You don't need to pay attention to brands that will overcharge you for their ‘new’ and ‘amazing’ features. Ultimately a fairly standard feature that you will want your gloves to have is a thumb lock and some anti-odor technology.
Our Top 5 Recommendations of the Best Boxing Gloves for Women
1. Cleto Reyes: Women's Official Lace Up Fight Boxing Gloves
Cleto Reyes is renowned for producing high quality, professional boxing gloves for women. The women’s official lace-up glove is anatomically designed to fit the shape of a woman’s hand and has a slim shape. This makes a welcome change as for too long women have been putting up with clunky ‘unisex’ gloves that just don’t feel right.
The Cleto Reyes boxing gloves are manufactured using long-lasting safetec foam instead of excessive heavy padding that just weighs you down. These gloves are the real deal, they are made from genuine leather and have extra long laces to secure your hands even more so. They have a water repellent lining to help with the longevity of the gloves. Both the lining and the real leather are manufactured under strict quality control. The gloves have attached thumbs that reduce the likelihood of eye or thumb injury.
The Cleto Reyes boxing gloves are one of the best and are used by professional boxers worldwide! They are a costly option; however, it is worth the cost when your packing powerful punches with a lightweight feel. Nonetheless, as with anything, nothing is perfect and a flaw for the Cleto Reyes women’s boxing gloves is that they are only available in pink.
Cleto Reyes has developed a very practical and sturdy glove, however, unfortunately, has fallen short by conforming to the stereotype that all women like pink.
The Adidas Women’s Hybrid Boxing Gloves are designed with the female anatomy in mind, providing maximum comfort and safety during training. They pride themselves in having created real gloves for women and not just a man’s glove painted pink.
The ergonomic shape of the glove has a narrow hand chamber more suitable more women. These gloves are made from polyurethane leather (synthetic leather), giving them long-lasting durability. They are best used for heavy bag work, mitt training and sparring. Whether you are a pro or a beginner, you will appreciate the unique multi-layered SDX foam construction that keeps your knuckles safe no matter how hard you hit.
What’s more, the gloves have a ClimaCool nylon mesh to keep your hands cool during training. This keeps the athlete comfortable as well as keeping out excess moisture. The pair of gloves feature an extra-wide wraparound strap, alongside a hook and loop fastening for a comfortable, secure fit.
These gloves come in a black and white classic combination. Adidas has created a glove fit for female fighters at an affordable rate! Whether you are a professional fighter or an amateur, these gloves provide not only optimum comfort but also optimum protection.
The Rival Boxing RB7 gloves are a versatile choice. They can be used for bag work as well as sparring, and so you can certainly get a good amount of use from these boxing gloves.
The training gloves are made of using a resistant Carbonium PU (synthetic leather) and while they are not specifically made for women, they are made for those with smaller hands. They feature a hook and loop closure, alongside an ergonomically designed wrist strap preventing your hands from slipping.
These training gloves certainly have character as you can choose from a number of color combinations, allowing you to express your personality through your gloves! The Rival Boxing gloves are definitely one of the more affordable options and are probably better suited to a beginner or a recreational boxer.
The Title Boxing Tie-Dye bag gloves are super cool and make for a trendy, yet practical training boxing glove. This colorful option is made of a durable synthetic cover with reinforced seams to give it that long-lasting durability.
Title’s exclusive infused foam technology, alongside almost 2 inches of infused foam placed over the first and knuckles, together have created a shock absorption like no other! You’ll be able to deliver those powerful punches without fear of injury.
The gloves offer a wide wraparound strap with a hook and loop closure, as well as wrist inserts to really ensure wrist stability. You can work as tirelessly as you like, and these gloves will not hang onto sweat or any nasty odors as they feature a moisture-wicking hand liner on the inside.
The Title Boxing Gloves are sure to make you stand out. Their distinct style and sturdy construction make for a very cool and practical glove. However, it is important to note that these training gloves are best used for heavy bag training as opposed to sparring.
Society Nine is an incredible brand that celebrates the fight in every woman. They are a modern women’s boxing brand that develops high-quality gear, including these exceptional Icon Lace-Up Boxing Gloves. Society Nine stand to empower women and it shows in these gloves.
You can rest assured that you will be totally protected as the gloves provide a snug fit around the wrist and are padded with high-quality leather around to the wrist to absorb impact. Furthering your protection is the lace-up feature which allows for the best fit that is custom to you. Often people can be put off by the idea of lace-up gloves, however, with these gloves feature a lace and loops tool which allows you to secure your laces without the help of anyone else!
A perk of the Society Nine Icon gloves is that they are versatile, they can be used for heavy bag training, sparring and mitt training. Additionally, they come in a white and light blue combination that is simple yet has a strong aesthetic appeal. Society Nine have hit the nail on the head with these gloves, and it is no surprise, as it a glove designed and developed by women for women.
A Quick Summary!
Women have been participating in boxing for a long time now, and only recently have brands started to acknowledge and act upon this. Female fighters are being taken seriously now, and their ability to perform is on an upward trajectory as brands begin to create gear that is targeted specifically to a female fighter needs.
Having gloves designed for women allows for a better fit and in turn better protection. Not only this but also it is empowering for women to be acknowledged in the boxing world and having access to good quality boxing gear will do that.
It's hard to pick the best glove as there are lots of notable options out there. However, if we had to single out the best boxing glove for women, it would be the Society Nine Icon Lace-up Boxing Gloves. We have chosen this one as it has paid significant attention to the anatomy of a woman’s wrist, hand, and knuckles. It has been designed around the needs of a female fighter and not just slapped on a pretty color on a men’s glove.
What’s more, this is not just because it has an exceptional design, but also because Society Nine represents a movement. They celebrate the fight in each woman and seek to empower women in boxing. This is something special and ought to be acknowledged.
We hope this guide has helped in finding the best boxing gloves for women and understand the differences between male and female gloves.