Review Ringside's Gel Shock Sparring Glove 14oz

[MIDMOBOX]

Well I got an itch and had to scratch it again. This time thought I needed/wanted a new set of sparring gloves and a quick flip through the ringside catalog and I was on the phone dropping my hard earned cash on yet another set of gloves. I had been looking for another set of sparring gloves off and on for awhile to tell the truth. I already own a pair of ringside

 

[blanko]

posts some pics and that would be a perfect review~!

 

[MIDMOBOX]

I'll drop some pictures soon. Until then heres the link to ringsides photos of them

http://www.ringside.com/detail.aspx?ID=25878

 

[blanko]

i would really like to know how it feels to get hit by them. I have heard some horror stories about jell gloves..

 

[BAMF]

How does the suede hold up with sweat and water?

 

[MIDMOBOX]

All in due time, i'll put them through the paces tommorrow.The foam padding on the gloves feels like the ringside's normal sparring gloves. It doesn't feel too bad. I'll make sure I get hit alot so I can give a better opinion.

The suede will probably darken over time. But that doesn't bother me.

 

[MIDMOBOX]

Well I got to the gym today intent on using these great new gloves. However It didn't work out that way. Once wrapped up and ready to go I noticed that they weren't nearly as comfy as they had been. I seriously don't like the fit with wraps on. My little finger lays on top of the palm seam and the palm is pulling apart in the middle. A little stretch at the palm is OK in my book but this seems like too much. I'll call Ringside Monday and not talk to Joush B and see if its a sizing problem and exchange the gloves for the next size up(if it exists) or if every single set of these gel shocks is that small find a new set of gloves to order. Then I will follow up on the review.

 

[MIDMOBOX]

Well luck would have it and a very nice customer service rep named Ashley was the one to help me this time. I didn't bother even asking for a larger size in the gel shocks so that part of this review is over. Instead they had me send the Gel Shocks back and in exchange I now have a pair of IMF's in 16 oz coming upon recipt of my Gel Shocks.

It cost me 12 bucks to ship them back. UPS is fast but that seems like a lot when I could almost drive to Lenexa for about that.(OK gas is 2.67 here) and that would mean my truck would have to get like 60 mpg to get me there and back. So I guess its not that bad after all. The nice thing about shipping stuff back to ringside is that they don't charge for shipping your replacement item back to you. Saving me another 12 bucks.

I actually hate buying stuff on the internet or by phone. I can never seem to get the right sizes and end up spending extra cash on return shipping. But until everlast actually sells things from their factory/warehouse which is like 2 miles from my house that's what I'll be stuck doing.

I figure the IMF's will be here by the weekend and at that time I'll change this thread to all about them or just add my opinion to 3s_em1's thread about the IMF's http://www.sherdog.net/forums/showthread.php?t=543300

IF the 16oz IMFs fit like crap too, I'm sure I'll find somebody around the gym to take them at a huge discount. I am not paying another 12 bucks to ship those back too. Maybe I should just roadtrip to Lenexa and pay ringside's showroom a visit. I'm sure that they would be happy to see me after I drive all the way to KC to return the second pair of gloves they say should fit.

 

[rockwilda]

if you don't want your IMF's i'll take em!

 

[MIDMOBOX]

Well as an update I will let you all know that the Gel Shocks got shipped back to Ringside leaving here on Monday and they arrived on Tuesday in KC. Now I will see how long it takes to get my new gloves. Today is Friday so no new gloves til monday at least.

 

[3s_em1]

Just make sure yo give the IMF's a chance. The fist time I tried them on, the fit a little tight. After 4 rounds of sparring, the fit like a "glove" lol.

BTW, I use Ringside-Mexican handwraps. 180 inches.

 

[MIDMOBOX]

I've had to wear in Ringsides before the Gels were way tight with wraps to the point of uncomfortable. (Old hint take the glove and force a tennis ball into the pocket overnight to stretch it slightly)

 

[The Giff]

Have you been to their store in Lenexa? If so do they have most of their product on the showroom floor?

 

[MIDMOBOX]

I've never been there, I know people who have and they said you can walk out with anything in their catalog including a ring. Next time I'm in KC and not on other business I'll hop the river and find out for myself.

 

[MIDMOBOX]

Well its monday and the IMF's arrived today. Took them to the gym tonight and I'll review them soon. The first thing I will say about them is they are seriuosly soft and pillow like but firm feeling on the giving end.

 

[BAMF]

Yup the IMFs are soft of your partners face and on your hands.

 

[Theodore]

Hmmm... we shall see how I like em. I am picking up my pair of the 16oz gel's tomorrow when I get to the gym. Ringside had em on back order for awhile. Everyone at my gym seems to really like them so far, hopefully I will think the same!

As for the showroom, its pretty small, but they have the walls COVERED in stuff. It's attached to the warehouse so you can get anything from Ringside or CSI right then and there. I usually order via phone and just pick it up to save on shipping and so I get my stuff faster.

 

[MIDMOBOX]

I'm glad you like the gels they just didn't feel right to me. They also seemed heavier than the 14 oz the were suppose to be. I don't mean they actually weighed more but they just felt heavy on the hands, I think the balance of the glove was off because of the weight of the gel. I did some shadow boxing with the gel's prior to shipping them back and they just never felt right to me. But again I've spent at least the last 7 years in a pair of the internationals. THe IMFs on the other hand balance a little better but are still a little tight. The Gels weight is forward of the hand making them seem heavier than they are.

I've only put about 10 rounds of actual contact sparring on the IMFs so I'm not sure how they will feel long term. I also have yet to be seriously hit with the IMFs but by saturday I'll find out. Then I will post a full review of the IMF's compared to the Gels or Intenernationals.

 

[MIDMOBOX]

Well I'm going to move the rest of my portion of this thread over to the IMF glove review

http://www.sherdog.net/forums/showthread.php?t=543300

I can't endorse the Gels for the reasons stated above but I can still stick by ringside and they products they have. But if you've got the Gels or get the gels feel free to keep this thread going with additional reviews.