- Joined
- Oct 15, 2003
- Messages
- 5,391
- Reaction score
- 0
Performance:
This headgear is my go to headgear for sparring. The reasons are simple. This headgear provides excellent visibility and it just feels very natural to me. I see everything when I'm sparring. It doesn't leave me feeling claustrophobic or anxious because I can only see my sparring partners upper body and thighs. It's important for me to find a balance of protection and being able to see what's going on around me. This allows me to slip punches, evade kicks, and move around a little better. Basically, it allows me to be more comfortable while sparring. I can see strikes so I can slip or evade them better. There are times that I've worn other headgear where it was harder to see things coming so instead of slipping or parrying I would cover up. That was my reaction when I was using something that just didn't feel right for me. This was so on the opposite end that it's a permanent fixture in my gym bag. I also appreciate how light the headgear is because I barely notice that it's on.
Another reason it's my first pick for sparring out of all my other headgear is because it absorbs damage very well. I've said in other reviews that headgear minimizes the shock of punches, but this feels like it absorbs and nullifies the feel of being punched. There isn't pain when I'm eating leather. I feel and don't feel punches at the same time. It's a bit hard to describe I think it might have something to do with how thick and dense the padding is around the headgear. It works best with Boxing/Muay Thai gloves however. I tried it with MMA gloves sparring when I was helping someone with their camp and I could feel more of the shock from punches. It just felt more concentrated and the “openness” of the headgear allowed a bit more facial compact because of the minimal glove size. I like this headgear for Boxing or Muay Thai sparring.
The only thing I can see that might turn a few people off is that the cheek protectors aren't as thick as other Mexican headgear. I had no problems with it myself since my nose is short and flat and my cheeks push the padding out past my nose. I can see how a person with a big nose and shallow cheeks might receiving more contact than myself but I'm just speculating here. I think the cheeks could have been a little bit more padded. When the headgear isn't put on you can see how that it actually sits further back than the forehead padding.
Closing Comments:
I really like this headgear. A classic Mexican style headgear that kept it traditional. It definitely grew on me the more I used it. I think this has to be my favorite headgear by Triumph United. Once I got past the stiffness I found that the headgear had excellent visibility and protection. I would just pay attention to the sizing though. The circumference of my head is 24” and I had to order a size down from what I wear because the size of the headgear was to big. I think this is a good option not only for people who train MMA but also Boxing and Kickboxing.
Final Score: 9/10
-1 because the cheeks could have been thicker
For those who don't like to read:
+Excellent craftsmanship
+Aesthetically simple and familiar but pleasing
+Good shock absorbing padding
+Good value
+Good for all striking disciples
+Chin buckle is interesting but effective
+Durable
+/-Better for Boxing or Muay Thai than it is for MMA gloves
+/- No ear straps but the ears are oversized
-Cheek padding could have been a tad thicker for users with longer noses
-No size chart
Pictures
This headgear is my go to headgear for sparring. The reasons are simple. This headgear provides excellent visibility and it just feels very natural to me. I see everything when I'm sparring. It doesn't leave me feeling claustrophobic or anxious because I can only see my sparring partners upper body and thighs. It's important for me to find a balance of protection and being able to see what's going on around me. This allows me to slip punches, evade kicks, and move around a little better. Basically, it allows me to be more comfortable while sparring. I can see strikes so I can slip or evade them better. There are times that I've worn other headgear where it was harder to see things coming so instead of slipping or parrying I would cover up. That was my reaction when I was using something that just didn't feel right for me. This was so on the opposite end that it's a permanent fixture in my gym bag. I also appreciate how light the headgear is because I barely notice that it's on.
Another reason it's my first pick for sparring out of all my other headgear is because it absorbs damage very well. I've said in other reviews that headgear minimizes the shock of punches, but this feels like it absorbs and nullifies the feel of being punched. There isn't pain when I'm eating leather. I feel and don't feel punches at the same time. It's a bit hard to describe I think it might have something to do with how thick and dense the padding is around the headgear. It works best with Boxing/Muay Thai gloves however. I tried it with MMA gloves sparring when I was helping someone with their camp and I could feel more of the shock from punches. It just felt more concentrated and the “openness” of the headgear allowed a bit more facial compact because of the minimal glove size. I like this headgear for Boxing or Muay Thai sparring.
The only thing I can see that might turn a few people off is that the cheek protectors aren't as thick as other Mexican headgear. I had no problems with it myself since my nose is short and flat and my cheeks push the padding out past my nose. I can see how a person with a big nose and shallow cheeks might receiving more contact than myself but I'm just speculating here. I think the cheeks could have been a little bit more padded. When the headgear isn't put on you can see how that it actually sits further back than the forehead padding.
Closing Comments:
I really like this headgear. A classic Mexican style headgear that kept it traditional. It definitely grew on me the more I used it. I think this has to be my favorite headgear by Triumph United. Once I got past the stiffness I found that the headgear had excellent visibility and protection. I would just pay attention to the sizing though. The circumference of my head is 24” and I had to order a size down from what I wear because the size of the headgear was to big. I think this is a good option not only for people who train MMA but also Boxing and Kickboxing.
Final Score: 9/10
-1 because the cheeks could have been thicker
For those who don't like to read:
+Excellent craftsmanship
+Aesthetically simple and familiar but pleasing
+Good shock absorbing padding
+Good value
+Good for all striking disciples
+Chin buckle is interesting but effective
+Durable
+/-Better for Boxing or Muay Thai than it is for MMA gloves
+/- No ear straps but the ears are oversized
-Cheek padding could have been a tad thicker for users with longer noses
-No size chart
Pictures
