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I LOOOOOVE me some Fairtex!!! This is why: The quality and craftsmanship is unbelievable for the price (and even beyond) in my opinion. I have never experienced a quality control issue with any of their products. Now I'm not saying that all of their products are great and don't need work, but even the ones I didn't like were crafted pieces of art!
I have had 1 pair of BGV1's, 2 pairs of BGV5's, 1 pair of BGL3's, 2 pairs of BGV9's, 1 pair of BGL7's, and 1 pair of BGL6's. No I do not own ALL of them anymore, and as the title suggests, the L7,V9, & L6 are all the Fairtex gloves I need and own....for now. So I will get right into it and breakdown some of the pros and cons for ME, and shortly explain why these 3 models have survived not just use and abuse, but my habit of trading and hoarding gear! :icon_chee
Note: I do not have pictures of the gloves I no longer own (as I was not yet posting reviews), but surely you can find pics of them throughout the forums very easily.
BGV1: Fairtex's flagship model...their bread and butter. Like all Fairtex gloves, it is constructed very well with quality materials and craftsmanship. Thai style glove, short cuff, open palm, straight thumb, no grip bar. Very compact for a 16oz glove, one of the most compact I've come across. I ended up cutting the thumb attachment before I sold them because the thumbs were just too straight for me (used strictly for pads and bags after that--NO SPARRING due to thumb pokes and injury). Funny enough, I was no longer jamming my thumb like I was when the thumb was attached.
BGV5: Labeled as "super sparring" gloves...ohhhh no no no. These gloves man....I don't know what the deal is with these but I kept having sore knuckles. First I had a pair in 12oz and thought maybe they were too light, so then I picked up a pair in 16oz. I had the same problem, except now my hand was sliding all over the place in them! Just a weird foam combination my hands definitely didn't like. For what it's worth it was beautifully constructed. More of a western shaped fist, curved thumb, grip bar, robust thumb attachment, longer padded cuff. Too bad they weren't all that functional for me. SOLD!!!
BGL3: This is pretty much just a lace up version of the BGV5. At least I'm convinced it is. Both gloves have an identical profile and even on descriptions, both are stated to have the same "triple layer" foams suited for training/sparring. They felt the same on my hands anyways, and I didn't like it (knuckle pain). These gloves seem huge. Not just in the pocket, but in overall profile. Long ass cuff! Hahaha. Again, beautifully crafted though. Maybe it's just my hands I guess...would be a great buy for someone with larger hands and no hand/knuckle problems.
BGL7: The holy-grail of gloves that need to be broken in....PERIOD. Goddamn these bastards take a long while and a hard beating to break in. When new, these gloves are hard as F***, tighter than a virgin, and just overall stiffer than a board!!! I can't remember a glove I hated more....then grew to really enjoy using. I got to reading somewhere on the forums that some guys stuff tight gloves with old fabric and rags to help stretch out tight areas (like the thumb seam on most tight fitting gloves). So I got some small wooden dowels, a couple of my sons big blocks toys, and wrapped them in rags and stuffed them in the gloves for a day. Major difference--once the hand compartment gets nice and comfortable it becomes less of a chore to get the padding to break down and come into its own. It now has this semi custom feeling where the inner foam has molded to my hands and knuckles. I have them in 14oz. "Mexican Style" (more like Mexican cut really...) lace up bag/pad gloves. Triple cuff wrist, nicely padded wrists and palms, snug fitting, attached thumb, grip bar, dense double layer latex foam. These will be in my rotation for a long time, though used mostly for pad work--because that's when there is someone to lace me up. When laced, the wrists on these babies are CAST-LIKE due to the dense padding in the triple cuff as well.
BGV9: I've had these in 18oz and 16oz (only own the 16's now). Although deferred to as the Hook and Loop version of the BGL7's, they are a different animal (same exact cut & profile though). The foam in these don't seem to be the same "cement-mix-foam" used in the BGL7's. And both of the BGV9's I've owned are older models before the new "slightly modified/improved" versions came out with the softer foam. It's like they took the concrete out of the gloves. The foam and padding is great on these gloves. Nice protection and feedback. Awesome gloves all around. Hand compartment is on the larger side but I do like to wrap my hands with more padding on the knuckles or use knuckle guards when using these on the heavy bag. Mexican cut (flat, long, and lean), slim profile compared to other 16oz gloves, not bulky at all, well balanced. The gloves have a curved and attached thumb (The way the thumb is attached is work of art in itself! Those who own the BGL7/BGV9 know what I'm talking about), a compartment shape that lends to making a solid natural fist, and a wide Velcro closure that stays put. I can't really fault these gloves for anything. I know Fairtex and others have advised on not using these for sparring, but I have--and to no ill effect. The padding breaks in very nicely and I think most will be surprised. That being said, I think the newer models with the softer foam should be just fine for regular sparring. The padding on the 7's are a no-go for sparring however.
BGL6: By far, my all time favorite Fairtex glove! This is actually a pro fight glove I had custom made in 16oz with custom colors. Beautiful, beautiful glove. The cut and profile is a hybrid between a western and an eastern glove. Partially open palm, curved fully attached thumb, thickly padded on the backhand and palm (especially the knife of the hand). All these attributes makes sense considering this glove is or was used in K-1 and other kick-boxing organizations and events. Not a single flaw. The gloves fit snug, the padding is just right. I am able to deliver power while not sacrificing protection. Not as soft or thick as the BGL3's when new, but better feeling on the hands overall. Although boxing gloves can be used for muay thai and vice versa, in terms of glove profiles, we know that most western gloves are built for boxing, most eastern gloves are built for muay thai (or are patterned after a thai glove), so it seems fair to say that these gloves with their combination of features cater to kickboxing--where punches and kicks are equally important. I must say that this shape and profile is my favorite and the only other gloves I own that shares the "western thumb/eastern palm" are my 16oz Boosters. My Raja made Golden Gear gloves come close but the palm is wide open (compared to partially), and the thumb isn't as curved--nor is it in the most ideal location. Best thumb out of all gloves I have tried and owned. It's set more towards the face of the palm (just as the thumb would be when the fist is closed) compared to other gloves--where most of the time the thumb is off to the side of the fist. Price point is just stupid crazy too....something like $92 shipped from Thailand, made to order, to my front door in California. And I think $25 was for shipping. So if you're in Thailand or somewhere closer than I am, this glove is easily a top 10 glove in my opinion (top 5 in my rotation) and should not be passed up!!!
All Fairtex gloves use a nylon water repellent lining. It has always been nice and tight with no bunching (except for slight bunching in my 16oz BGV5's). It is my preferred fabric of choice in a glove due to its easy nature to clean and wipe down. No dank ass glove stank for me! My cloth lined gloves have usually developed the dank sooner, but it all depends on use and how well you maintain your gear.
Long read...hope you guys enjoyed :icon_chee
I have had 1 pair of BGV1's, 2 pairs of BGV5's, 1 pair of BGL3's, 2 pairs of BGV9's, 1 pair of BGL7's, and 1 pair of BGL6's. No I do not own ALL of them anymore, and as the title suggests, the L7,V9, & L6 are all the Fairtex gloves I need and own....for now. So I will get right into it and breakdown some of the pros and cons for ME, and shortly explain why these 3 models have survived not just use and abuse, but my habit of trading and hoarding gear! :icon_chee
Note: I do not have pictures of the gloves I no longer own (as I was not yet posting reviews), but surely you can find pics of them throughout the forums very easily.
BGV1: Fairtex's flagship model...their bread and butter. Like all Fairtex gloves, it is constructed very well with quality materials and craftsmanship. Thai style glove, short cuff, open palm, straight thumb, no grip bar. Very compact for a 16oz glove, one of the most compact I've come across. I ended up cutting the thumb attachment before I sold them because the thumbs were just too straight for me (used strictly for pads and bags after that--NO SPARRING due to thumb pokes and injury). Funny enough, I was no longer jamming my thumb like I was when the thumb was attached.
BGV5: Labeled as "super sparring" gloves...ohhhh no no no. These gloves man....I don't know what the deal is with these but I kept having sore knuckles. First I had a pair in 12oz and thought maybe they were too light, so then I picked up a pair in 16oz. I had the same problem, except now my hand was sliding all over the place in them! Just a weird foam combination my hands definitely didn't like. For what it's worth it was beautifully constructed. More of a western shaped fist, curved thumb, grip bar, robust thumb attachment, longer padded cuff. Too bad they weren't all that functional for me. SOLD!!!
BGL3: This is pretty much just a lace up version of the BGV5. At least I'm convinced it is. Both gloves have an identical profile and even on descriptions, both are stated to have the same "triple layer" foams suited for training/sparring. They felt the same on my hands anyways, and I didn't like it (knuckle pain). These gloves seem huge. Not just in the pocket, but in overall profile. Long ass cuff! Hahaha. Again, beautifully crafted though. Maybe it's just my hands I guess...would be a great buy for someone with larger hands and no hand/knuckle problems.
BGL7: The holy-grail of gloves that need to be broken in....PERIOD. Goddamn these bastards take a long while and a hard beating to break in. When new, these gloves are hard as F***, tighter than a virgin, and just overall stiffer than a board!!! I can't remember a glove I hated more....then grew to really enjoy using. I got to reading somewhere on the forums that some guys stuff tight gloves with old fabric and rags to help stretch out tight areas (like the thumb seam on most tight fitting gloves). So I got some small wooden dowels, a couple of my sons big blocks toys, and wrapped them in rags and stuffed them in the gloves for a day. Major difference--once the hand compartment gets nice and comfortable it becomes less of a chore to get the padding to break down and come into its own. It now has this semi custom feeling where the inner foam has molded to my hands and knuckles. I have them in 14oz. "Mexican Style" (more like Mexican cut really...) lace up bag/pad gloves. Triple cuff wrist, nicely padded wrists and palms, snug fitting, attached thumb, grip bar, dense double layer latex foam. These will be in my rotation for a long time, though used mostly for pad work--because that's when there is someone to lace me up. When laced, the wrists on these babies are CAST-LIKE due to the dense padding in the triple cuff as well.
BGV9: I've had these in 18oz and 16oz (only own the 16's now). Although deferred to as the Hook and Loop version of the BGL7's, they are a different animal (same exact cut & profile though). The foam in these don't seem to be the same "cement-mix-foam" used in the BGL7's. And both of the BGV9's I've owned are older models before the new "slightly modified/improved" versions came out with the softer foam. It's like they took the concrete out of the gloves. The foam and padding is great on these gloves. Nice protection and feedback. Awesome gloves all around. Hand compartment is on the larger side but I do like to wrap my hands with more padding on the knuckles or use knuckle guards when using these on the heavy bag. Mexican cut (flat, long, and lean), slim profile compared to other 16oz gloves, not bulky at all, well balanced. The gloves have a curved and attached thumb (The way the thumb is attached is work of art in itself! Those who own the BGL7/BGV9 know what I'm talking about), a compartment shape that lends to making a solid natural fist, and a wide Velcro closure that stays put. I can't really fault these gloves for anything. I know Fairtex and others have advised on not using these for sparring, but I have--and to no ill effect. The padding breaks in very nicely and I think most will be surprised. That being said, I think the newer models with the softer foam should be just fine for regular sparring. The padding on the 7's are a no-go for sparring however.
BGL6: By far, my all time favorite Fairtex glove! This is actually a pro fight glove I had custom made in 16oz with custom colors. Beautiful, beautiful glove. The cut and profile is a hybrid between a western and an eastern glove. Partially open palm, curved fully attached thumb, thickly padded on the backhand and palm (especially the knife of the hand). All these attributes makes sense considering this glove is or was used in K-1 and other kick-boxing organizations and events. Not a single flaw. The gloves fit snug, the padding is just right. I am able to deliver power while not sacrificing protection. Not as soft or thick as the BGL3's when new, but better feeling on the hands overall. Although boxing gloves can be used for muay thai and vice versa, in terms of glove profiles, we know that most western gloves are built for boxing, most eastern gloves are built for muay thai (or are patterned after a thai glove), so it seems fair to say that these gloves with their combination of features cater to kickboxing--where punches and kicks are equally important. I must say that this shape and profile is my favorite and the only other gloves I own that shares the "western thumb/eastern palm" are my 16oz Boosters. My Raja made Golden Gear gloves come close but the palm is wide open (compared to partially), and the thumb isn't as curved--nor is it in the most ideal location. Best thumb out of all gloves I have tried and owned. It's set more towards the face of the palm (just as the thumb would be when the fist is closed) compared to other gloves--where most of the time the thumb is off to the side of the fist. Price point is just stupid crazy too....something like $92 shipped from Thailand, made to order, to my front door in California. And I think $25 was for shipping. So if you're in Thailand or somewhere closer than I am, this glove is easily a top 10 glove in my opinion (top 5 in my rotation) and should not be passed up!!!
All Fairtex gloves use a nylon water repellent lining. It has always been nice and tight with no bunching (except for slight bunching in my 16oz BGV5's). It is my preferred fabric of choice in a glove due to its easy nature to clean and wipe down. No dank ass glove stank for me! My cloth lined gloves have usually developed the dank sooner, but it all depends on use and how well you maintain your gear.
Long read...hope you guys enjoyed :icon_chee
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