Tuff MuayThai Gladiator Black Boxing Gloves 16oz Review
Brand
TUFF are a Thai brand who have been producing Muay Thai gear since 2003. Known for producing gloves and shins with a range of graphic designs such as wolves, demons and the reviewed design, gladiators.
About the gloves
The Tuff MuayThai Boxing Gloves come in a range of colours, though for some reason the only ones available on the TUFF website are black or white. I have to admit I preferred the white but these gloves were brought to match the Tuff MuayThai Hybrid Shin guards that we recently reviewed (See the review here). Availability of all colours can again be a bit limited from the Tuff website, despite them being available from other retailers in alternative colours. However when the glove arrived and I had the chance to test them out I quickly grew to like the gloves and forgot the colour issue.
Weight and distribution
As 16oz gloves these were always going to be on the larger end of the scale, thought they are noticeably bigger than some brands, such as the Fairtex BGV1’s. The majority of the weight distributed to the knuckles and back of the hand, however the wrist strap is wide enough to disperse the weight and leave you well supported. Overall the gloves feel well balanced offer with enough protection to give confidence that you aren’t going to hurt your sparring partner.
Aesthetics
I love the look of these gloves. The matte black base offset by gold trim and the silver, gold and white graphic of the gladiator helmet on the back of the hand are all well done, and the TUFF logo is positioned perfectly on the wrist strap to leave it central when the gloves are strapped on the wrist. Overall the gloves have a clean cut modern look, though if you prefer the old school look to your boxing gear you might prefer a more traditionally styled boxing glove.
Materials
All TUFF gloves are made from high quality genuine leather, and lined with a soft synthetic material making them very comfortable. They’re fitted with a breathable mesh across the palm to help keep your hands cool during training and have a 7.5cm wide Velcro strap that keeps them in place during even the toughest sessions.
Craftsmanship
These gloves are solidly made, they’ve certainly not given me the same troubles I’ve had with the matching shin guards (leading me to assume that’s a material issue rather than a craftsmanship problem). The stitching on the gloves is very neat double stitching on the majority of joints, and the leather is evenly bunched as it completes the half circle round the side of the fingers. As well as this the heat transferred design hasn’t shown any signs of wear even after months of regular training.
Comfort/use
I’ve never had any problems with the comfort of these gloves, though I did initially feel that they have quite a lot of space inside for my hands, even in wraps. My hands weren’t sliding around inside them during sparring but there was definitely some room either side of my fingers. This is mostly personal preference though, and once I got used to them and broke them in they’ve proven to been very comfortable and frankly a pleasure to use.
Cost
The TUFF website lists the black and white variants at $59.99, or £39, which I think is a reasonable price for the quality of these gloves. However if you want to find the other colour variants you’ll need to search online and prices may vary.
Looking to buy these?
Pros/Cons
+ Well balanced
+ Durable (especially the design)
+ Reasonably priced
– Very limited colour choice on the TUFF website
– Some space around hand even with wraps on
– Modern look may put off fighters who prefer the ‘old school’ look
Feel free to add your own thoughts on these in the comments below.
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