Professionals and amateurs alike will both be able to reap the rewards of training on the speed bag. Training on a speed bag offers great benefits, including improving your reaction time, your hand-eye coordination, speed, and cardiovascular health. To get the best of the speed bags, it is essential that you protect your hands with a good pair of speed bag gloves.
This article will outline the difference between speed bag gloves and heavy gloves, how to choose the best speed bag gloves for you, and our recommendations for the top 5 best gloves for speed bag training.
What's the Difference Between Speed Bag Gloves and Heavy Bag Gloves?
Speed bag gloves are designed differently to heavy bag gloves as they serve different purposes. Heavy bag gloves feature two to four layers of foam to provide better shock absorption. Speed bag gloves have less padding so that they are less bulky making it easier to be more agile, quicker, and able to last longer.
What’s more, the reduced padding reduces the pressure on your wrists. Typically speed bag gloves will be smaller and lighter, again this is to aide agility and reaction time.
Some boxing gloves are better suited for different purposes, for example, if you are using a standing punching bag or a freestyle hanging bag. Either way, your boxing gloves should feature a full wrist strap to prevent injuries. On a separate note, if you are looking to purchase punching bags, Walmart punching bag and bundles are a practical and budget-friendly choice.
How to Choose the Best Speed Bag Gloves
Sometimes the search for the right sporting gear can be overwhelming as there is so much choice. When it comes to finding the best speed bag gloves for you, it is important to take into consideration the size, weight, comfort, padding and material.
1. Size, Weight, and Padding
As a general rule of thumb, the bigger the person, the bigger the boxing gloves needed. Weight will be affected by the size and padding of the glove.
While you will need less padding for speed bag workouts, you will still need a decent amount of padding to absorb the impact of the bag. The distribution of padding in the glove will also affect how it feels. Typically, you want most of the padding placed at the front side of the glove for the most protection.
2. Materials
Speed bag gloves are typically made from either real or synthetic leather. They can come in all kinds of materials under the umbrella term of ‘leather’. For example, you can get gloves that are manufactured from cows hide or kangaroo hide.
There are some very authentic feeling synthetic leather options out there, however, opting for a pair of gloves made from genuine leather is the preferable option. This is because they will feel more comfortable, last longer and can be cleaned more easily. While the price might be higher, consider it an investment as the durability of the gloves will be significantly better.
3. Comfort
Comfort is key. If you are uncomfortable, chances are you are going to be ill-equipped for speed bag practice or any boxing training for that matter. Whatever you wear, it should provide you with sufficient wrist support, and ideally, they will also have an attached thumb.
Glove liners on the inside should be soft to the touch. Another thing to note is break-in periods, some take longer than others and so if you are looking for a pair with a shorter break-in period, it is worth looking at reviews.
Our Top 5 Best Speed Bag Gloves
1. Evergel Hand Wraps by Everlast
The Evergel Hand Wraps offer some serious support for your wrist, and the combination of Evergel and Isoplate foam padding makes for a highly protective speed bag glove. The wrist strap is fully adjustable and uses a Velcro fastening so you can find that perfect fit for you! This highly functional glove is also very comfortable due to its neoprene liners insider the glove.
These speed bag gloves are so good that some boxers like to wear them underneath their sparring pair. The versatility gives them bonus points. Overall, the combination of comfort, protection and functionality means these hand wraps are easily one of the better options. Everlast offers a 120-day warranty for this product.
The RDX Boxing Hand Wraps are a great option when it comes to speed bag workouts. The hand wraps have a Shell-Shock gel padding that absorbs shock upon impact. Additionally, the gloves are made of woven cotton fabric, an excellent fabric in preventing wear and tear. You can ensure that your wrists will be well supported as the glove features a 75cm extra-long wrap-around. If that wasn’t enough to convince you then perhaps the thermal regulation technology will, as you can say goodbye to sweaty palms and nasty odors.
The RDX hand wraps are built for purpose and look good too. You can get them in a number of colors; however, a personal favourite is the deep blue gloves with a gold embroidered patch on the wrist. The RDX Boxing Hand wraps are built to last at a very affordable rate.
The RevGear Gel Hand Wrap is an ergonomically designed, light-weight glove. While it is not made of genuine leather, it employs a tough neoprene material combined with a gel lining to create a snug and protective fit. Alongside this, they come with a wrist strap that has a length of 120 inches! The strap can be secured or undone easily with a quick hoop and loop system.
This glove provides ultimate wrist support; however, the distribution of gel padding does not protect the whole hand. Whether you want to go hard during speed bag workouts or you want to use these underneath other boxing gloves, RevGear fulfils either purpose well.
The Meister Gel-Padded Pro Hand Wraps are an elite glove that provides top-notch comfort as well as superb protection. They are manufactured using an elastic carbon fibre that moulds your hand so well it feels like a hug. The stretchable design allows boxers to slip their hands right in without any fuss. Meister uses a combination of gel and aerofoam material to achieve extra thick padding that protects your knuckles and the backs of your hands. They feature a thick 26-inch premium lycra straps that provide your wrists with serious security.
While these gloves were not designed specifically for the sole purpose of speed bag practice, they make a pretty exceptional pair of gloves for that exact purpose. It is a highly durable option that is versatile in its use. What’s even better is that they come at an affordable price, so you won’t end up burning a hole in your pocket.
The Title Boxing Speed Bag Gloves are designed solely for the purpose of speed bag training. It has been manufactured out of genuine full-grain leather that is built to lasting even the most rigorous of training sessions. This may come as a surprise to some, but these gloves are actually quite light and far from bulky. The padding is evenly distributed across the glove ensuring protection for any part of the glove that comes into contact with the bag. Additionally, it features an elastic stretch palm wrist band, making it easy to slip on and off.
The old school design is sleek and attractive. This glove was crafted to help enhance your speed and agility during speed bag practice. However, being that it is made of genuine leather it is not a cheap option. What’s more is that these gloves lack wrist support, which in the long run can cause discomfort and possible injury.
A Quick Summary!
When it comes to training on speed bags it is essential to have the right gear to get the maximum benefits out of it as well as maximum protection. There is a fair amount to consider when purchasing speed bag gloves, but hopefully, this guide will have shed some light on the key factors to bear in mind when finding the right gloves for you! It is hard to single out the best gloves for speed bag training, especially as there are so many exceptional designs.
Our top pick for the best speed bag gloves has to be the Evergel Hand Wraps by Everlast, not only because they provide a decent amount of wrist support, but also because of their versatility.
Everlast achieved an impressive balance between protection and support that makes it ideal for other use, including going under gloves and even sparring. The Velcro fastening is a secure and quick release strap, saving you time and effort. All this at an affordable rate is what makes the Evergel Hand Wraps by Everlast our number one recommendation for the best gloves for speed bag training.
Commonly Asked Questions:
Is a speed bag a good workout?
Of course! In fact, it's a great way to add some fun and mix up a typical workout routine. In addition to being a great cardio workout it also helps improve motor skills, coordination, reaction time and speed. It is also great for arm and shoulder muscle development.
What oz gloves should I use on a speed bag?
Typically the oz for a speed bag glove will range from 8oz to 12oz. It will depend on the size of your hands. The lower end of this range will be best suited for youth and those requiring gloves for small hands. The higher end is suited for bigger adults and those with larger hands. 10oz gloves are the most popular weight for all types of bag and pad work.
Do I even need gloves for my speed bag training?
You don't necessarily "NEED" to wear gloves for hitting the speed bag. In fact, many recommend not wearing gloves for speed bag training. The preference is usually hitting with your hands or wraps. However, gloves can be helpful if you would like to avoid any hand injuries, cuts, abrasions, or the speed bag is extremely hard. It is for this reason speed bag gloves are becoming more popular and the ones we have reviewed here are hand wraps or gloves specifically designed for this purpose.
How do you wrap your hands with a speed bag?
Unroll the hand wrap and place the loop at the end around your thumb. Then place the first part of the wrap around the back of your hand (not the palm). Pull the wrap around your wrist twice. Now bring the wrap across the palm of your hand (in between your thumb and your index finger) and wrap it around your knuckles twice.
Now bring the wrap across your palm again in the opposite direction and loop it around the back of your thumb. Bring the wrap around your wrist and as you are passing your thumb and then loop it back around your thumb in the same direction the process started in. Wrap your knuckles one more time and come across the back of your hand, wrapping your wrist once.
Pull the wrap across the back of your hand and place in between your pinky and ring fingers. The wrap should now be across your palm. Repeat this step placing it in between your ring and middle fingers. Repeat this step placing it in between your middle and index fingers. Repeat this step placing it in between your index finger and thumb, then bring the wrap around the middle of the back of your hand. And finally wrap your wrist one more time.
Alternate between wrapping your wrist and knuckles, using whatever wrap is left. Finally stick the 2 pieces of velcro together and lock your wrap in place.