Questions on Kickboxing Training Equipment Manufacturers

[KenJeet]

Hi, I was wondering if someone could give me some recommendations. I own a pair of Twins Muay Thai 16 oz velcro wrist sparring gloves. I have been doing a bit of boxing lately and was told by one of the head trainers that I can not spar with them because they have an attached thumb that can injure someone during practice. My goal is to start getting some full-contact or perhaps, international rules kickboxing matches and am looking for the right equipment. I have a perfectly good pair of the above mentioned Twins gloves but now have become a little worried on whether I should even get the Twins professional fight gloves if a match may not permit them due to the unattached thumb. Furthermore, I called Fairtex to ask them if their gloves had unattached thumbs and they told me that they don't. All of their gloves have attached thumbs for the fighters safety. They told me that the unattached thumb is a more classical Muay Thai glove. I have looked into Ringside, Fairtex, and Twins for bag gloves, sparring gloves, fight gloves, head gear, and shin guards. What do you all recommend? I am leaning toward the Fairtex right now. Furthermore, should one get a bag glove specifically for doing bag work and focus mitt training and a sparring glove for sparring?

Second question is the following: I have been told by my boxing trainer that I should get bag gloves of at least 16 oz. also because anything else is just too light. However, I have seen in most of the Muay Thai catalogs for bag gloves that they are mostly light gloves that offer minimal protection to the hands. What do you guys recommend a light or heavy bag glove to work the heavybags, double-end bag, and focus mitts?

My third question is the following: I have recently ordered a catalog from Tigear because I saw an advertisement in Black Belt magazine in which a bat is being smashed into a guys shin. The shin guards look pretty damn good. They call the technology SHOCKTEK. They use injection molded technology to make them. It says that the dense padding absorbs shock and disperses impact. For additional absorption, it says that the design features vertical air pockets that allow the padding to flex on impact. Do any of you have any experience with these? How do they compare to the Twins, Fairtex, Ringside, Revgear, etc., pads?

Your help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again!!!

[mushinmaster]

I don't know that much about official rules and regulations, but fairtex is great. Fairtex = Muay Thai

I'm not training for a fight or anything, and I use bag gloves with minimal protection usually. That class is more for street-type fighting. Every once and awhile I throw on the 16oz-ers for some resistance training. However, whenever I go to boxing class, we always use the 16oz gloves. 16ozers on the mits too.

I go barefisted on the speed bag.

For some really good buys go to www.titleboxing.com
They've got great equipment at low prices.

Shingaurds?
Come on, be a man!

[Arrgh]

I've had good experience with Ringside's products. I would also check your local sporting goods stores for other equipment. I've gotten a lot of good equipment from the lacross section of Modells.