Sandee Curved Thai Leather Kick Pads Review

Brand

Sandee is a staple of the Muay Thai world, founded in 1977 they have over 35 years’ experience producing some of the highest quality boxing and Muay Thai equipment in the world. With their manufacturing facility based in Bangkok they offer worldwide delivery centred in the UK, and they can boast a stable of sponsored fighters throughout the years including Jo Calderwood, Daitan Jackson and previously UFC middleweight star Michael Bisping.

About the Pads

These pads are one of two types of kick pad produced by Sandee, the other one being the Flat Thai Kick Pads we’ve previously reviewed. They’re one size fits all, and available in red and white, black and white, blue and white and black and yellow, the same as the flat variant.

Aesthetics

Overall these have a simple functional aesthetic, you don’t get the flashy bright colours you can find with other brands like twins but I don’t think this necessarily takes anything away from the Sandee pads. Instead I feel that it makes them seem tough and no-nonsense – they don’t need to be flashy, they’re there to serve a purpose like a tool, and make you the best fighter you can be.

Materials

Leather, cloth-fibre webbing, a latex core and some stainless steel rivets to hold the straps and handles on – Sandee have kept it nice and simple. They’ve selected high quality 100% cow hide leather which means these pads are going to be very durable (they’re designed to survive in the busiest Bangkok gyms, some of the toughest places on earth) and from what I’ve seen they certainly hold up to some heavy punishment.

Craftsmanship

Sandee are a brand you can normally rely on to make their gear well and these pads are no exception. They’re completely handmade in Thailand and the construction is very high quality. They’ve double stitched every joint to make sure they can stand up to the regular impacts they have to take and they’ve doubled up the stainless steel rivets they used to fix the arm straps and grip bars in place, to help them stay secure under the stress of heavy training. Overall the pads are very well made, and feel like they’d be able to stand up to pretty much anything you can throw at them.

Use – When Striking

Hitting these pads feel fantastic. They’re packed with 7 layers of cloth webbing and a latex core so you get feedback from every strike letting you know you’ve connected well. While they’re fairly hard pads you can use any weight gloves on them without discomfort, and as a bonus the firmness of the pad is great for conditioning your hands and shins.

Use – When Holding

The first thing I look for when I’m holding a set of pads is a tight fit at the wrist, which the Sandee curved pads provide nicely with two Velcro loop straps and a solid grip bar – all of them worth together to stop the pad from sliding round your wrist. An added bonus on the curved pads is a ergonomically designed wrist support that adds to the comfort of pad and stops you from jarring your wrist when you hold for a powerful strike.

Cost

Sandee have priced these pads at £115 which I believe to be a reasonable price. They’re made of top quality materials, handmade, well built and they’re a great all round set of pads. If you’re a beginner looking to buy your first set of pads these would serve you very well, though they may be out of your budget, but if you’re a trainer or you own a gym these pads are going to serve you well and hold up to some serious punishment and would be well worth the money.

Looking to buy these?