Choosing the best heavy bag gloves is not as complicated as you might think but this is only the case if you know what to look at. The good news is there are countless options available at the moment. The bad news is that the best gloves for heavy bag use for you might be different than what is perfect for someone else.
During your search for the best boxing bag gloves, you have to choose the appropriate size, material, and more. At the same time, you need to get proper wrist support, think about your boxing needs (Muay Thai training can be different than regular boxing), and take into account price. We will go through what you need to know and recommend the very best bag gloves so you quickly settle the velcro vs laces debate and buy something of appropriate quality for your hands to be fully protected.
How To Find The Right Glove Size
The best heavy bag glove for you is the one that snugly fits on your hand. This means you need to choose the correct size or you can easily injure yourself when hitting the punching bag. But, what size gloves for heavy bag use should you consider?
Striking gloves range in sizes from 6 oz to 20 oz. Find the best size by measuring:
Out of the 3, the hand circumference is the most important. Always use fabric tape measure and measure under the knuckles for accurate numbers. The tape has to meet in the middle of your palm. When you cannot use such a tape measure, a string can be used, as long as you then mark it. Measure then with the use of a ruler.
Different Types Of Gloves
Traditionally, when punching the heavy bag, you use the best boxing gloves. However, this does not mean you choose any glove and you might also opt for gloves designed for other combat sports. There are actually 4 types of striking and boxing gloves that can be mentioned:
Bag Gloves
Just as the name implies, these are the best bag gloves because they are manufactured exactly for this purpose. They have less knuckle padding so that punches can be felt more. This aids in getting more accustomed to how it feels to hit something.
Gloves for the heavy bag are created so that when you punch, you quickly figure out if your form is broken or if you did not land correctly. You feel the impact and can easily adjust so that you practice technique. However, this is only suitable at a beginner level.
Modern bag gloves feature more padding than what was used in the past. This is because constant hitting without proper padding can lead to injuries. When you choose bag gloves, you need to be sure that your hand is protected. In fact, many trainers recommend the use of the same gloves you use in sparring for heavy bag training.
Training Gloves
These are usually the best heavy bag gloves for beginner use because they have extra padding. This allows for safer sparring and bag work. However, they are not specialized in any of these. Basically, this is an introductory glove that offers the necessary support but cannot be seen as the best for a more experienced athlete.
Sparring Gloves
These gloves are very good for sparring and include extra padding that can protect the person wearing them and the sparring partner. The size is the same as with heavy bag training gloves but the weight is higher due to the presence of extra padding.
Competition Boxing Gloves
The debate over heavy bag gloves vs boxing gloves is as old as punch bag gloves are. The most important thing to consider when choosing competition boxing gloves is fit. The knuckles feature less padding and the goal is for the opponent to feel the strike. However, when talking about punching bag with gloves, you need extra padding.
Two competitive boxing gloves levels exist:
Sizing for these is dictated by the boxing association that oversees the fight and is largely decided based on weight division. Also, the amateur ones are more regulated as rules as this level are stricter. Usually, they are very easy to identify because they are blue or red, with a white overlay over the knuckles. This is added so that judges can easily score strikes.
What Do The Pro Boxers Use?
When they choose their gloves for heavy bag sessions, professional boxers mainly think about protection. They go light during the session and do not actually need to train hard. Basically, professional boxers choose the best boxing gloves with a thicker foam padding due to:
Their Skill Level Is Higher
Professional boxers already have very good technique and power. They do not focus on power so they mainly hit the bag to work on conditioning, timing, speed, and flow. You will also often see them moving differently as if they are shadow boxing with a heavy bag.
Hands Might Be Injured
Because of the rigorous heavy bag training of the past and the many boxing matches, professionals need to preserve their brittle hands. They always aim for high-quality products that can provide the most safety possible.
Heavy Bags Are Used As Warm-Up
Pro boxers do most of the heavy training routines early in the morning or at least during the early afternoon. When most people see them in the afternoon or evening, they just want to spar. Due to this, they actually often use boxing gloves for heavy bags similar to those of beginners so they can then focus on the more important part of their training routines.
Now Showing Full Power
Most pros rarely show off their ability in the gym. Bag training is oftentimes just reserved for the media. Also, the best boxing trainers prohibit their athletes to show off anything, especially during a training session.
Things To Consider
When you choose the best punching bag gloves, you take the same considerations as when you choose gloves for other purposes. This is why, besides the already-mentioned size factor, you have to think about other things that should influence what you should put your hands on.
Glove Material
This impacts durability, cost, and comfort. The most common options on the market right now are leather and vinyl.
Glove Closure
Every single professional agrees that glove closure can make a huge difference in how it is used. The big debate is all around Velcro or laces.
Laces are often preferred because of the more stable, tighter fit. Velcro is better when taking into account how easy it is to loosen or tighten the glove.
For most strikers, during a training session Velcro is considered to be better. This is because the glove can be closed in seconds while offering a suitable wrist support for both hands. The laced gloves are preferred by professionals for competition.
Keep in mind that it is very difficult to do things you would normally do during training sessions with laced boxing gloves, like going to the bathroom or drinking water. Also, laced gloves might cut the sparring partner, which is not something you want to see happen.
Color
This is the least important thing to take into account when you choose gloves for heavy bags. There is no limit at the moment and the market is filled with practically all patterns and colors you could consider. You can easily get what you want for boxing routines.
The only thing to remember is that when you choose gloves that you would use for both the heavy bag and for competition, you are often limited to blue or red. Amateur boxing is regulated and the color you need to use is usually pre-determined.
Recommended 5 Best Boxing Gloves for Heavy
TITLE Gel World Bag Gloves
These heavy-duty bag gloves are made out of excellent materials and offer a suitable level of protection. You can use them with really heavy punching bags because of the extra safety layers included. This is a big reason why TITLE Gel World was often listed on the lists of the best boxing gloves ever since 2015.
The gloves feature a breathable fabric inner layer to guarantee hands remain dry. Then, the next layer is gel lining. It is unique since it better absorbs shocks and can give you the much-needed custom fit.
The protection you need when you hit the heavy bag is increased with the tight cushion that is forming around the hands. Then, there are many layers of extra foam padding to offer increased shock absorption.
When you buy, you can choose out of various styles and color schemes so the gloves are very popular among women and men. All leather panels use double stitching to offer increased durability. The fit is secured with the use of a completely adjustable D-ring that features loop closure and a hook.
The only problem with these gloves is that they are not suitable for Muay Thai training. It is hard to open your palm and your hands will be clinching. This is because these gloves are mainly made for boxing training. Even so, they can still be considered if you are not bothered by not being able to open up your palms.
These RDX Training Gloves may be designed for Muay Thai training but they are also useful in MMA grappling and boxing training. They are made with full-grain cowhide leather so you can expect really high durability and resilience. In fact, this makes the gloves very good for punching the heavy bag and for sparring, allowing you to easily keep your hands in proper striking positions. Extra sturdiness is gained with double-stitched seams and the gel-integrated padding reduces striking shock.
When you use the gloves, you instantly noticed the well designed hook-and-loop system, which makes it very easy to take off the gloves and get a close-fitting when you decide to use them. Then, the wrist area features extra protection with the addition of high density foam.
Inside the glove, you find a breathable mesh so your hand remains cool and ventilated. At the same time, this reduces the possibility of having to deal with unpleasant smells.
RDX made sure that these striking and boxing gloves last and that your wrists are protected at an affordable price. You can use them regardless of the size of your wrist as you are sure the fit is tight. Also, the design is stylish and rugged so it is appreciated by most buyers.
Not many cons can be said if you decide to end your shopping research with a pair from RDX. In fact, many gyms offer an RDX pair of gloves for free for beginner students to hit the heavy bag and get used to the experience.
These Ringside Gel Shock gloves were built with the punching bag in mind. They give you an extra protective barrier made out of foam and gel, with the latter being right around your knuckles for extra shock absorption. This means you do not even need wraps, although they are usually recommended around the wrist and knuckles. The medium weight available is 12 oz but you can also go for higher oz if you want to. Keep in mind that there is no 16 oz option, although you can opt for 18 oz boxing gloves for heavy bags.
This product is available in 3 colors, including red, blue, and black. The main material used is leather and it has a thick elastic strap. This offers a very good, tight fit.
These boxing gloves are not suitable for sparring but they are very good for training with a punching bag. Striking shocks are absorbed and the light nature of the materials used allows you to focus on your technique while you increase endurance and power.
As expected, the gloves are not good for Muay Thai or MMA striking but for boxing practice, they are among the best you can buy at the moment.
Given the reputation Everlast has in the boxing world, it should not be a surprise that this is among the best-selling heavy bag gloves available right now with a very high rating. It is hard to argue with the quality offered and how secured your fist remains during use.
As opposed to the more costly options, the gloves are made out of neoprene. The material may not be leather, but is still a top choice, even if it is synthetic. It feels just as durable as using leather. At the same time, it is flexible so you get increased elasticity and movement when you need it.
Inside the glove, you have pre-curved proactive foam placed in a comfortable and natural position. Due to the pre-formed construction, the hand and fingers are kept in a secure and safe position. Also, you will surely appreciate that the grips on the palm are padded so you have extra protection for an area of your hand that is usually vulnerable as you punch the heavy bag.
The Pro Style Training Gloves are very good and preferred even by several professionals that often hit the heavy bag. You can choose out of black, pink, and red and the best selling point for the gloves is that they are surprisingly durable given the price tag.
If the budget is not a problem for you, the Venum Elite Boxing gloves should be considered as being among the best heavy bag gloves for beginners and more advanced athletes. When it comes to boxers gloves, Venum is a respected brand and you can quickly figure out why when you put your hands on this pair.
The immediate thing that you notice when you look at the gloves is the beautiful design. Many come to be attracted by how beautiful a new pair of Venum gloves is. This is because every single pair is handmade in Thailand. The security you get is increased with an attached thumb and three layers of natural foam. The shape and grip are completely anatomical and you can be sure that your hands stay dry thanks to holes and the grip bar utilized.
Even if the Venum Elite Boxing Gloves are pricier than other options, you can be sure you keep your hands safe and you buy gloves for heavy bag training that will last for a very long time. It is impossible not to consider these as being among the best boxing gloves for bag training or even home training routines.
Final Verdict
Overall, we have to recommend two models as the best gloves for punching bag use. This is because both the TITLE Gel World Bag gloves and the Venum Elite Boxing Gloves are very good choices. These brands are renowned for their boxing gloves for heavy bag use, sparring, and even competition.
To put it as simple as possible, TITLE is very good if you are mainly interested in performance and wrist support while Venum has high-quality heavy bag training gloves that you can surely use for a very long time. The hand protection you get with both models is great so you will most likely choose between the two based on design and budget. They are simply both the best boxing gloves for heavy bags. However, Venum does have a slight edge for those that need to have their hands in a position that is more similar to Muay Thai.