There are two main types of gloves for sports such as boxing or kickboxing. One is a small, light glove called a bag glove. It provides little to no protection and looks like a thin leather mitten. The other is a training or "sparring" glove meant for solid contact. It is much bulkier and covers more of the hand than the bag glove. This is what most people think of when referring to boxing gloves.
Bag Gloves
Bag gloves are meant for hitting soft targets such as speed bags or double-end bags. You can find these in a variety of designs and sizes. Traditional bag gloves have no thumb covering or any type of secure fastening. Modern bag gloves look more like actual boxing gloves but are made of lighter materials. Some models are weight adjustable. As of 2010, these gloves cost between $9.95 and $199.99.
Training Gloves
For heavy training and sparring, you need training gloves. These are thicker with higher quality foam and padding. Usually, there are also separate gloves for punching heavy bags and for full-contact sparring, but many trainees use the same pair of gloves for both. If you have a pair of high quality training gloves it's not a problem. Training gloves range from $14.99 for a pair of youth-size gloves to $229.99 as of 2010.
Sizes
Size for training gloves refers to the amount of padding used. Training gloves are available from 8 to 16 oz. You can find training gloves with a Velcro or lace closure. For smaller hands that need heavy padding, use lots of hand wrapping to take up some space. Bag gloves are sized by the length and width of the glove. Less hand wrapping should be used, since these are meant for light contact.
Protection
The amount of protection a pair of gloves affords is measured in ounces. Training gloves use thicker, better-quality foam in greater amounts. The adjustability of the closures provides wrist stabilization to avoid hyperflexion. Training gloves also have an attached thumb to help keep the thumb tucked in. Bag gloves have few--if any--of these features. The protection level usually ends at avoiding friction burns at the knuckles from punching bags.
Warning
Never use bag gloves when hitting a training partner--you could seriously injure both you and him. Using training gloves at all sessions will wear down the padding faster and reduce the amount of protection. Wear hand wraps to protect your hands and wrists. Always consult your doctor before starting any exercise program.
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