Boon Muay Thai Boxing Gloves Review

Boon is still a relatively new brand in Thai boxing. This little known Thai company is something of a rarity here in the UK, but they have quite the reputation when it comes to making affordable, quality, “less flashy” gear which gets the job done and withstands the rigors of intense Muay Thai training. Providing shin guards, head guards, belly pads, kick pads and focus mitts, their most sought after gear is the Muay Thai Velcro Boxing Gloves. Padding and Protection As Boon gloves are all top-grain cowhide leather, when I first unwrapped these gloves I was hit with a distinct “leathery” smell, which automatically made me think there was something was special about these gloves. They also include 3 layer foam which offers solid protection around the knuckles and back of the hand for blocking kicks. The thicker layer which extends down the glove offers greater wrist stability as opposed to their Twins and Fairtex counterparts. These gloves are often compared to Western style boxing gloves in terms of their ergonomics. The padding is generally a little stiffer, but they still make great sparring gloves in the 16 oz variant, despite feeling lighter. The smaller variants are also great for hitting the bag, which is where these gloves really excel. Unlike other Thai brands such as Twins or Top King, these gloves feel more streamlined and less “pillowy” or top heavy. The distibution of padding gives this glove a balanced feel. You really feel like the glove is an extension of your entire forearm instead of just a glove. Being so light weight, these make great gloves for pad work or hitting the bag because they aren’t as springy as some brands. Comfort and Design The design of these gloves make them an all-round great glove for not just Muay Thai, but Boxing and MMA too. They feature a "webbed" thumb attached to the main padding of the glove with a single piece of leather. The grip bar within these gloves is also not too big nor too small and is made of a soft leather which stretches across the entire width of the palm. Another feature of this gloves is the vented palm allowing the gloves to stay cool. They feature 7 holes directly under the grip bar on the palm; this design is reflective of the hot training conditions in Thailand and how cool they stay after long practices. The interior is lined with soft materials which again are probably a factor in how cool they stay. Like most Thai brands, when you first purchase them, they do fit very snug though. Not as snug as Top King, but they will take a few sessions to break in. Once they do, they conform to your hands and form a perfect fit. They are on the tighter side of Muay Thai gloves, but many see this as a benefit. An area where these gloves really shine however is the wrist protection and is something that puts these gloves above Fairtex and Top King for me. A very large velcro strap extends almost all the way down your forearm when you put these gloves on, locking your fist and forearms in place. As mentioned earlier, these gloves take a "less flashy" minimalistic approach. Boon is known for its classic brown gloves, but you really can't go wrong with any of the colours. Neither colour bleeds and the Boon logo on the back of the glove does not experience any peeling. The gloves are available in Black, Blue, Red and Pink but the Brown is a best seller because of it's "authentic" look and worth checking out. Some may dislike these gloves for it's "plainness", while others will love it.