- Joined
- Oct 15, 2003
- Messages
- 5,395
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Introduction:
Greetings and salutations readers. If you haven't read my review for my custom Mexican style gloves then you'll want to take a peek at it (http://www.trialbyfiremma.com/gloves/ring-to-cage-custom-made-gloves/) They're pretty much the best custom gloves I could have ever asked for. I was able to pick everything from the color to the foams and more. It only set me back $130.00 for each glove but it was one of the best investments I ever made. I'm now going to review Ring to Cage's Winning clones. This glove didn't start out as mine. At about the same time I sent in some products to be cloned, my buddy did the same with pair of worn and torn 16 oz. Winnings. It was basically standing on it's last leg and he wanted to see if it was possible to get the same glove at a lower price. I felt that I needed to review it and after a trade, the gloves are now mine. Let's be honest, Winnings is hands down one of the best gloves anyone could use. It'll be very hard to even come close to Winnings. Let's see how close Mohsin and his team came to touching the sun.
Fit & Feel:
The fit and feel of these clones are different from what I anticipated. They fit tighter and are shorter than the Winnings but it's funny because they're exactly the same size. The Winnings have a much roomier hand compartment by comparison. I've heard people not liking the the fit of the Winnings and everyone is going to have a different experience with fit, but I found that the Winning's hand compartment to be roomy but comfortable. The Winning clones just feel like a different glove even if it's built to look the same. I would say that for 16 oz gloves the Ring to Cage clones are a better option for users with smaller hands. I can't comment on the break in period but thankfully my hands are bigger than my friends. I was able to work on the fit and I must say that they still molded nicely. I don't see myself wearing a thick knuckle guard with these gloves but thankfully I didn't need to use one because of the padding.
I think that overall this glove is great. I really like the fit but what I love about this glove is how the glove has been designed to be slightly open and how perfect the thumb placement and position is. It's very natural and comfortable. I can make a great fist inside the glove and still open my hands up to parry shots and catch kicks. The thumb looks long but it actually feels short once my hand is inside the glove. I like how padded it is and how it is tucked in behind the main contact area of the glove. It's a really good fit. The grip bar is just as awesome because it doesn't get in the way of anything. It is wide but not too padded so I can still make a good fist without it getting in the way of clinching.
I think my friend dropped the ball. He simply asked for the gloves to be cloned and didn't want to add his own touches to the gloves. I would have at least asked for ventilation holes because there are none. It's not Ring to Cage's fault but if they ever mass produce this glove it'll be one thing I'm going to look for. The lining is freaking awesome and I think it's the best lining Ring to Cage has ever used. It's the opposite of the Dri Max lining they are known for. The lining is very strong, very smooth and slick, and feels cool to the touch. The inside of the gloves still smell fresh! I'm not sure what it is exactly but I'll be sure to ask for this lining for every custom glove I order (I don't think I need more gloves though).
Quality & Craftsmanship:
People say that Winnings are far from perfect or not worth the money. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Winnings is a glove that just feels phenomenal to use and their craftsmanship is top notch. Their materials are excellent even if they are supposedly easy to replicate. They are doing something right and every company out there is trying to do what Winning does. These clones are no different. Mohsin and his team took on the job to pattern this glove after Winnings and they honestly did a superb job in every area except of course the fit. The glove is the best looking and most accurate clone I've seen. Is it 100%? Nope, but I'd say that it's at least 95% accurate. Really the only thing on the outside of the glove that could have been better was the wrist cuffs. I would have loved to see a better looking wrists cuffs but it really didn't affect the performance of the glove.
The colors aren't as vibrant and glossy and the leather isn't as supple. You can tell from the side by side photos. Ring to Cage isn't going to be able to compete with those types of materials but they still use high quality materials. The leather is still soft and smooth but not as soft as Winnings which is fine to me. I'm comparing a $300.00 glove to a $130.00 glove. I'm not going to expect a 1 to 1 clone without paying 1 to 1 prices. I've put 50 rounds on the gloves not including the rounds my friends put on them. The leather is still holding up and looks nice. I wouldn't expect anything less from them. I really like Ring to Cage stuff because of how well it holds up.
Performance:
I'm impressed how good the padding is on these gloves. I am being honest when I say that they feel just as good as the real thing. I find that the gloves provide awesome hand and knuckle protection on the hardest bag we have. I understand that the padding Winnings use isn't exactly rocket science or earth shattering, but I gotta give credit to Ring to Cage for taking on this glove and coming out on top with a great product.
The padding is great for every aspect of training. I can hit the bags hard, I can throw fast combinations because they're light for being 16 oz, and I don't have to pull my punches when I'm sparring. I love Ring to Cage's MiM gloves but I think I like these gloves better because the padding is less bulky and provides just as much if not more protection for being thinner and feeling lighter. I actually use these gloves more for the heavy bag and mitts than sparring. I'm trying to prolong the life of my Winnings so I use them for sparring and I use the clones as my beater gloves. They do all the hard work that I don't want to put on my Winnings. I can't feel my knuckles on anything and the wrist support is excellent. That means that no matter what I'm doing with these gloves, I can do it with absolute confidence and that is an awesome feeling. I can see these gloves going out faster because I'm using them twice as much but the price to performance ratio is awesome. I'll be definitely getting my moneys worth from these gloves, but in this case I feel that it's a great trade since I like them better than the custom Mexican gloves.
Closing Comments:
There you have it loyal readers. A damn good clone of one of the best gloves money can buy. I thought that the Triumph United Japanese Heatseekers 1.0 were really good Winning clones but these gloves are head and shoulders the best clones I've ever seen and used. They're not a clone of 1 to 1 scale but the overall performance and quality of the glove make them one of my favorite gloves to use. That includes my custom Mexican gloves that have been replaced by this glove. I got these through a trade but they costs $130.00 (same as my custom Mexican gloves) since it was a custom order. I can see these glove being produced and sold online. I feel that this glove is very good training and sparring glove. Will it topple Winning? Not a chance. Winnings is simply too different of a beast and costs more than twice this glove. However, these gloves are a great low cost option that comes pretty damn close to providing the same protection for significantly less money. If you are reading the review and want the glove then I'd suggest sending Mohsin an email. I'm pretty sure if he sees the gloves and review he can replicate the glove again because he already has the pattern.
Final Score:
9/10
-1 because the wrist cuffs could have been done a little better
For those who don't like to read:
+Good materials
+Good craftsmanship
+The lining is excellent and makes me wished they used it in more gloves
+The gloves great
+Really good padding for all around training
+Good wrist support and long laces
+The thumb is in a great position
+I can make a great fist
+The price to performance ratio is excellent because a custom glove only costs $130.00
-I think the wrist cuffs could have been done a little better
-I would have picked a different logo
-I would have put in ventilation holes
Pictures
Greetings and salutations readers. If you haven't read my review for my custom Mexican style gloves then you'll want to take a peek at it (http://www.trialbyfiremma.com/gloves/ring-to-cage-custom-made-gloves/) They're pretty much the best custom gloves I could have ever asked for. I was able to pick everything from the color to the foams and more. It only set me back $130.00 for each glove but it was one of the best investments I ever made. I'm now going to review Ring to Cage's Winning clones. This glove didn't start out as mine. At about the same time I sent in some products to be cloned, my buddy did the same with pair of worn and torn 16 oz. Winnings. It was basically standing on it's last leg and he wanted to see if it was possible to get the same glove at a lower price. I felt that I needed to review it and after a trade, the gloves are now mine. Let's be honest, Winnings is hands down one of the best gloves anyone could use. It'll be very hard to even come close to Winnings. Let's see how close Mohsin and his team came to touching the sun.
Fit & Feel:
The fit and feel of these clones are different from what I anticipated. They fit tighter and are shorter than the Winnings but it's funny because they're exactly the same size. The Winnings have a much roomier hand compartment by comparison. I've heard people not liking the the fit of the Winnings and everyone is going to have a different experience with fit, but I found that the Winning's hand compartment to be roomy but comfortable. The Winning clones just feel like a different glove even if it's built to look the same. I would say that for 16 oz gloves the Ring to Cage clones are a better option for users with smaller hands. I can't comment on the break in period but thankfully my hands are bigger than my friends. I was able to work on the fit and I must say that they still molded nicely. I don't see myself wearing a thick knuckle guard with these gloves but thankfully I didn't need to use one because of the padding.
I think that overall this glove is great. I really like the fit but what I love about this glove is how the glove has been designed to be slightly open and how perfect the thumb placement and position is. It's very natural and comfortable. I can make a great fist inside the glove and still open my hands up to parry shots and catch kicks. The thumb looks long but it actually feels short once my hand is inside the glove. I like how padded it is and how it is tucked in behind the main contact area of the glove. It's a really good fit. The grip bar is just as awesome because it doesn't get in the way of anything. It is wide but not too padded so I can still make a good fist without it getting in the way of clinching.
I think my friend dropped the ball. He simply asked for the gloves to be cloned and didn't want to add his own touches to the gloves. I would have at least asked for ventilation holes because there are none. It's not Ring to Cage's fault but if they ever mass produce this glove it'll be one thing I'm going to look for. The lining is freaking awesome and I think it's the best lining Ring to Cage has ever used. It's the opposite of the Dri Max lining they are known for. The lining is very strong, very smooth and slick, and feels cool to the touch. The inside of the gloves still smell fresh! I'm not sure what it is exactly but I'll be sure to ask for this lining for every custom glove I order (I don't think I need more gloves though).
Quality & Craftsmanship:
People say that Winnings are far from perfect or not worth the money. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Winnings is a glove that just feels phenomenal to use and their craftsmanship is top notch. Their materials are excellent even if they are supposedly easy to replicate. They are doing something right and every company out there is trying to do what Winning does. These clones are no different. Mohsin and his team took on the job to pattern this glove after Winnings and they honestly did a superb job in every area except of course the fit. The glove is the best looking and most accurate clone I've seen. Is it 100%? Nope, but I'd say that it's at least 95% accurate. Really the only thing on the outside of the glove that could have been better was the wrist cuffs. I would have loved to see a better looking wrists cuffs but it really didn't affect the performance of the glove.
The colors aren't as vibrant and glossy and the leather isn't as supple. You can tell from the side by side photos. Ring to Cage isn't going to be able to compete with those types of materials but they still use high quality materials. The leather is still soft and smooth but not as soft as Winnings which is fine to me. I'm comparing a $300.00 glove to a $130.00 glove. I'm not going to expect a 1 to 1 clone without paying 1 to 1 prices. I've put 50 rounds on the gloves not including the rounds my friends put on them. The leather is still holding up and looks nice. I wouldn't expect anything less from them. I really like Ring to Cage stuff because of how well it holds up.
Performance:
I'm impressed how good the padding is on these gloves. I am being honest when I say that they feel just as good as the real thing. I find that the gloves provide awesome hand and knuckle protection on the hardest bag we have. I understand that the padding Winnings use isn't exactly rocket science or earth shattering, but I gotta give credit to Ring to Cage for taking on this glove and coming out on top with a great product.
The padding is great for every aspect of training. I can hit the bags hard, I can throw fast combinations because they're light for being 16 oz, and I don't have to pull my punches when I'm sparring. I love Ring to Cage's MiM gloves but I think I like these gloves better because the padding is less bulky and provides just as much if not more protection for being thinner and feeling lighter. I actually use these gloves more for the heavy bag and mitts than sparring. I'm trying to prolong the life of my Winnings so I use them for sparring and I use the clones as my beater gloves. They do all the hard work that I don't want to put on my Winnings. I can't feel my knuckles on anything and the wrist support is excellent. That means that no matter what I'm doing with these gloves, I can do it with absolute confidence and that is an awesome feeling. I can see these gloves going out faster because I'm using them twice as much but the price to performance ratio is awesome. I'll be definitely getting my moneys worth from these gloves, but in this case I feel that it's a great trade since I like them better than the custom Mexican gloves.
Closing Comments:
There you have it loyal readers. A damn good clone of one of the best gloves money can buy. I thought that the Triumph United Japanese Heatseekers 1.0 were really good Winning clones but these gloves are head and shoulders the best clones I've ever seen and used. They're not a clone of 1 to 1 scale but the overall performance and quality of the glove make them one of my favorite gloves to use. That includes my custom Mexican gloves that have been replaced by this glove. I got these through a trade but they costs $130.00 (same as my custom Mexican gloves) since it was a custom order. I can see these glove being produced and sold online. I feel that this glove is very good training and sparring glove. Will it topple Winning? Not a chance. Winnings is simply too different of a beast and costs more than twice this glove. However, these gloves are a great low cost option that comes pretty damn close to providing the same protection for significantly less money. If you are reading the review and want the glove then I'd suggest sending Mohsin an email. I'm pretty sure if he sees the gloves and review he can replicate the glove again because he already has the pattern.
Final Score:
9/10
-1 because the wrist cuffs could have been done a little better
For those who don't like to read:
+Good materials
+Good craftsmanship
+The lining is excellent and makes me wished they used it in more gloves
+The gloves great
+Really good padding for all around training
+Good wrist support and long laces
+The thumb is in a great position
+I can make a great fist
+The price to performance ratio is excellent because a custom glove only costs $130.00
-I think the wrist cuffs could have been done a little better
-I would have picked a different logo
-I would have put in ventilation holes
Pictures
