Glove Durability

[Benry]

So I've been lurking on the boards for a while and this question just hit me:

How long ARE gloves supposed to last?

When glove manufacturers (Title, Everlast, Cleto Reyes, etc) make a glove and price it, is there some rule of thumb for how long their gloves are supposed to last or do they just go by the cost of material/labor?

I bought some sparring gloves for my gym, the Ringside IMF tech lace up sparring gloves, that are $60. With near daily use they fell apart in about 6 months. On one of them the stitching literally exploded and the IMF foam flew out of the glove like a baseball. There are also a ton of $30 Everlast gloves there that are used daily on the bags/mitts that have been there for years. The foam has compressed and the hand compartment sucks but they're still holding up. Everlast seems to be a big culprit of this, with their higher end gloves (Powerlocks, laced Protex, MX line, etc) seem to break down pretty quickly despite being $100+

Of course I've also seen and owned gloves that were more expensive and seemed to last forever. I had a pair of velcro 12oz Cletos that I used on the bag pretty much daily and they looked and felt as fresh as the day I bought them when I sold them about 9 months later. I've seen reviews where gloves were pretty much useless after 6 months of use, despite being on the higher end price-wise (some Sabas, UMA, etc), but I've also seen reviews and some gloves that just kept chugging along year after year despite constant use (a pair of Rivals a gymmate uses, a pair of $50 Title Platinums, etc). There was a testimony here a few years ago where a guy bought a pair of Grants that started to deteriorate (stitching, padding) 3 months into use, despite being almost $400.

I don't know, I guess the point I'm trying to get at is how exactly do these companies price these gloves and how long are they supposed to last? I mean, I don't really think it's good business to make a pair of gloves that cost $130 but only last six months.

To add to this, what do you guys do to maintain your gloves and increase their longevity? I use a leather conditioner and glove dogs to try and keep the leather from drying out and the inside from becoming rancid.

 

[hangulmalmotayo]

Good question. Longevity seems to be partly determined by use and how hard one goes.

That said, there seems to be little correlation between glove price and durability, at least within the $100 range. It seems like Winnings last pretty long. Same with Reyes... So far, also, the TU Death Adders seem to be holding up relatively well—though my pair are beginning to show signs of wear in the padding.

I think part of the difficulty with reports on glove durability is that people are not necessarily using gloves with the same consistency. Some people report glove use based on the amount of time they've owned the gloves, but rotate the glove use so that it's practically being used only once or twice a week, if that.

In my own experience, it seems reasonable to expect a pair of training gloves to last 9-12 months when used on the heavy bag regularly. Gloves in the $100+ range that don't last that long are not worth it, in my opinion.

 

[iFossil]

I suppose there is no real answer to that for the companies.. I mean I'm under 145lb, I'm using 16oz for sparring. Someone is over 200lb can also be using 16oz for sparring. We could very well purchase the same gloves. For me obviously gloves will last much longer than those heavy puncher, there is no doubt about that. So for them to price it according to durability would not be practical, if that happens, they will pick durable padding that might not always be the best available.

I think the general rules is use another pair as your bag/pad work horse gloves, while keep your expensive quality gloves as your sparring gloves. And then your work horse gloves might not necessarily always be a pricey pair, you can grab a quality mid range gloves and replace that every while and then. Unless you run into knowing a pricey pair that can truly last your usage, then by all means go ahead.

The concept tends to be denser padding will last longer on bags, as they get less compressed over time. But I know hangulmalmotayo has said it a bit differently and he is real gloves destroyer here. He goes through gloves faster than anyone I have ever known. lol So I guess you should hear him out.

 

[Toyan]

Glove durability range due to textile quality, construction, frequency of use, how hard you're hitting, and maintenance. Another consideration is the difference between bag work, pads or sparring.
I expect >6 months of use at >4 training sessions per week.
I use lysol spray inside, glove dogs and saddle soap for care.
Throwing wet gloves in a gym bag until the next day is bad for the leather which needs to dry and breathe.

 

[hangulmalmotayo]

I suppose there is no real answer to that for the companies.. I mean I'm under 145lb, I'm using 16oz for sparring. Someone is over 200lb can also be using 16oz for sparring. We could very well purchase the same gloves. For me obviously gloves will last much longer than those heavy puncher, there is no doubt about that. So for them to price it according to durability would not be practical, if that happens, they will pick durable padding that might not always be the best available.

I think the general rules is use another pair as your bag/pad work horse gloves, while keep your expensive quality gloves as your sparring gloves. And then your work horse gloves might not necessarily always be a pricey pair, you can grab a quality mid range gloves and replace that every while and then. Unless you run into knowing a pricey pair that can truly last your usage, then by all means go ahead.

The concept tends to be denser padding will last longer on bags, as they get less compressed over time. But I know hangulmalmotayo has said it a bit differently and he is real gloves destroyer here. He goes through gloves faster than anyone I have ever known. lol So I guess you should hear him out.

Yeah, I wouldn't use really nice gloves for bag work. Seems unnecessary and wasteful...

As far as cleaning gloves go, I just put my gear in front of a fan after I work out. I've only had one pair with stank (and this happened because I let someone try them on...). Apart from that, the fan method is effective at preventing bad smells. I will sometimes use a wet towel to clean off the surface if they're dirty. I use the Febreeze spray bottle rather than Lysol on gear after I spar just because I feel like Lysol causes the material to deteriorate.

 

[makedansure]

My John Golomb training gloves came with a 5 year guarantee. I did ask John what the intended use of the gloves is, and he told me sparring, so not heavy bag training per se. I did gently used them to check out the padding, and they felt great. I did not ask him if using them on the bag would void the warranty. I think his guarantee is based on people taking care of the gloves and using them as intended, and not being idiots.

I've been using them to spar 2-3 times a week, and I love them. I open them up afterwards, wipe down the sweat (the leather is amazing and supple) and air them out next to a fan in the evenings after sparring, ensuring that they are fully dry inside. I'm thinking that these will last a very long time at the rate I spar, which is not very frequently.

 

[Ryyonvin]

My John Golomb training gloves came with a 5 year guarantee. I did ask John what the intended use of the gloves is, and he told me sparring, so not heavy bag training per se. I did gently used them to check out the padding, and they felt great. I did not ask him if using them on the bag would void the warranty. I think his guarantee is based on people taking care of the gloves and using them as intended, and not being idiots.

I've been using them to spar 2-3 times a week, and I love them. I open them up afterwards, wipe down the sweat (the leather is amazing and supple) and air them out next to a fan in the evenings after sparring, ensuring that they are fully dry inside. I'm thinking that these will last a very long time at the rate I spar, which is not very frequently.

This is the first I've heard of that brand. After a quick google and g&e search they seem pretty interesting. I didn't see anything regarding your experience and impression with them (aside from this thread). What do you think of them? Were they worth the price you paid?

 

[danboxing]

Glove durability range due to textile quality, construction, frequency of use, how hard you're hitting, and maintenance. Another consideration is the difference between bag work, pads or sparring.
I expect >6 months of use at >4 training sessions per week.
I use lysol spray inside, glove dogs and saddle soap for care.
Throwing wet gloves in a gym bag until the next day is bad for the leather which needs to dry and breathe.

+ weight and density of the heavy bag

 

[makedansure]

@Ryyonvin
John Golomb (aka the Glove Doctor) is of the original Everlast Family. From what I know, he makes all of the products on that site.

It took me a while to get used to them because they're unlike anything I've ever used before, but they are amazing.
Definitely worth $425 or whatever is being charged. I had an issue with the gloves and he gave me a shipping label, and returned them with the issue resolved. Also, the five year guarantee and getting to speak with the person who actually crafts the equipment is an amazing experience. I will eventually do a review. I've put in only about 40-50 rounds thus far, and I've only had one rough-ish sparring session in them.

 

[danboxing]

So I've been lurking on the boards for a while and this question just hit me:

How long ARE gloves supposed to last?

When glove manufacturers (Title, Everlast, Cleto Reyes, etc) make a glove and price it, is there some rule of thumb for how long their gloves are supposed to last or do they just go by the cost of material/labor?

I bought some sparring gloves for my gym, the Ringside IMF tech lace up sparring gloves, that are $60. With near daily use they fell apart in about 6 months. On one of them the stitching literally exploded and the IMF foam flew out of the glove like a baseball. There are also a ton of $30 Everlast gloves there that are used daily on the bags/mitts that have been there for years. The foam has compressed and the hand compartment sucks but they're still holding up. Everlast seems to be a big culprit of this, with their higher end gloves (Powerlocks, laced Protex, MX line, etc) seem to break down pretty quickly despite being $100+

Of course I've also seen and owned gloves that were more expensive and seemed to last forever. I had a pair of velcro 12oz Cletos that I used on the bag pretty much daily and they looked and felt as fresh as the day I bought them when I sold them about 9 months later. I've seen reviews where gloves were pretty much useless after 6 months of use, despite being on the higher end price-wise (some Sabas, UMA, etc), but I've also seen reviews and some gloves that just kept chugging along year after year despite constant use (a pair of Rivals a gymmate uses, a pair of $50 Title Platinums, etc). There was a testimony here a few years ago where a guy bought a pair of Grants that started to deteriorate (stitching, padding) 3 months into use, despite being almost $400.

I don't know, I guess the point I'm trying to get at is how exactly do these companies price these gloves and how long are they supposed to last? I mean, I don't really think it's good business to make a pair of gloves that cost $130 but only last six months.

To add to this, what do you guys do to maintain your gloves and increase their longevity? I use a leather conditioner and glove dogs to try and keep the leather from drying out and the inside from becoming rancid.

R2C Deluxe-mim Sparring (50-70$) will survive at least one year for a heavy hitter. Better than Title, Everlast, etc.

 

[Woldog]

If your sparring gloves that you use only for sparring don't last 5 years you've been ripped off.

 

[muaythaimall]

Out of all the Thai made brands, Fairtex generally last the longest but it depends if you dry your gloves out each day or just leave them in the bag.
I know a guy from Queensland in Aus and he was going through leather gloves every 3 months. He ended up trying a pair of the Fairtex F Day gloves which are microfibre and they've already last 6 months and still going strong.

https://www.muaythaimall.com/shop/fairtex-boxing-gloves-f-day-limited-edition-bgv11/

Keep in mind, the more you use them the faster they will deteriorate just like running shoes yet that generally last a lot longer than running shoes. lol

 

[Budchenko]

[Question] Bag Glove Durability

I know this post is old so I'm going to post here as well as create a new thread (once I'm allowed - I'm a new member).

Hey y'all want to compile some data about bag glove durability in order to decide what gloves to purchase as well as inform other potential buyers about what bag gloves would be most suitable for them.

Please provide as much detail as possible for as many of the gloves as you've used. Documentation via videos or pics of condition and use would be excellent. Second hand information is cool (i.e. observations of glove durability of other boxers you've heard of or seen). If you've used multiple pairs of the same model, feel free to detail each of them or provide average info. Some info that would be useful is listed below. Feel free to include any other relevant information I failed to consider.

Manufacturer, model, quality assesment, material composition to the greatest known detail (i.e. type of padding, density, thickness, type of encasing material [leather, synthetic etc.], other materials used and construction details [double stitching, welted seams etc.]) listed weight (or actual weight if you weighed them), year purchased, how long they lasted, where they failed, how and why you think they failed, use conditions (volume of bag work performed [frequency, rounds, punches thrown, any metric to quantify volume]), intensity (i.e. generally speaking did you use ~30% avg. intensity ala Mayweather during open workout demonstrations for example or did you use ~60%+ avg. intensity ala Jaron Ennis's bag workout here for example), your average training weight weight, how you rate your punching power (video example if possible), bag info (weight, density, make, model, year constructed, material composition, etc.), and how you maintained the gloves (or didn't).

Not using all this prospective data for algorithmic input, app or glove development, or any other purpose that would lead to financial gain. I'm just a curious nerd. lol

Thank you for your help!