Top King gear review Empower gloves + Pro shin guards

So, I've owned these two for just over 5 months now, training for 2/3 times a week. I'm no expert Muay Thai pro I only started 6 months ago. I'll start by saying that I don't really take any particular care with these, I only wipe them down with a disinfectant wipe after use to stop them smelling bad, it's fair to say that they get a fair amount of abuse also I'm not sponsored by anyone, it's a full honest review.

I have the Top King empower gloves (non-air) and the Top King Pro shin guards, I chose not to get the Empower shin guards as they looked a bit too flashy and I preferred the look of the plain black Pro.

Quality (Gloves):

Astounding, every stitch is spot on, the materials feel incredibly high quality and I'm yet to break anything on them. Probably the only thing I've noticed is that the graphic is flaking a little bit in one area however this was due to me leaving them outside in direct sunlight to kill bacteria and freshen them up a bit, however if you try to rub it then the graphic won't peel.

Overall I'm very happy with the quality of the gloves.

Fit (Gloves)

The gloves have a snug fit and I have average sized hands, this includes wearing wraps. I like the fit as it's not very loose so it feels like it is really protecting your hands. The wrist support is excellent, I used Twins gloves in the gym and after using TKB gloves I'd never use them again, you can barely move your wrist backwards and can move it in a little. I wouldn't recommend it for grappling/clinching though.

Advice
To sum up the gloves I think they are brilliant, I would like to try the Air variant one day but these gloves aren't letting me down anytime soon. One guy in the gym with the same gloves in white said that if you have large hands your best bet is to go for the 16oz gloves as they have a bit more room. I've also found that the best way to kill bacteria on the gloves is to just get one of those dettol surface wipes and wipe the inside of the glove thoroughly after training, leaving it in the sun is also a good method but I found it made the graphic peel a bit.



Quality (Shin guards)
The shin guards have the exact same quality feel as the gloves do. The fabric on the back of the shin guards is very soft and doesn't irritate the skin, I've also found it fairly breathable so you don't have a lot of sweat all over your shins. The graphic hasn't peeled at all on these shin guards but its only a small one so I didn't expect it to, the leather has wrinkled a little but that doesn't bother me tbh.


The elastics that go behind the ankle and below the foot have some seriously good stitching on them, like I've literally pushed and pulled them so much and yet the stitching holding them together just won't let go. Top marks to TKB for that!


The hook and loop straps also continue the same quality with them having a strong hook and loop fabric that doesn't come loose while sparring which is a big plus. also another thing I just adore is the part where you 'thread' the hook part of the strap to secure it around your shin. It has a metal oval which makes it so much easier to thread though and really does let you put it on tightly without fear of anything ripping.

 

Couldn't add more than 6 photos so here's an extension

The fit (Shin guards)
They have a lot of padding which my sparring partners do appreciate haha
With the straps you can adjust them to however tight you want I like it to be quite snug and yet again these don't fail to impress. You shins won't be sore if you spar using these and will absorb a lot of shock from a good kick.


Advice
I'm 5' 7" and 140lbs, from the floor to the base of my knee it is 44cm and I wear a size M. I know there's some debate going on about the length of the shin guard and if it's meant to cover the knee or not. Personally I like it not to cover the knee as I feel going to a size L would be too large for me and restrict my movement a bit, of course this is down to personal preference. After taking the shin guards off I'd recommend wiping the inside as that fabric can get a bit stinky if you just throw them in your bag after absorbing your sweat. they do dry out quite quickly naturally as they open but wiping them with a dettol wipe just keeps them a bit fresher.

I know it sounds like I'm advertising the product but I have to say these things are just going to last me forever. Hit me with some questions if you've got any

 

Not even a loose thread...


Leather's wrinkled a bit but that's no biggie.

 

Welcome to the forums. Nice review and pics!!! TK's do not fit my hand at all....I wish they did because those Empowers look very nice!!!

 

Thanks buddy, a lot of the new guys that come into the gym like these gloves, it's a shame they don't do a size for larger hands, genetics are a bitch at times haha. I might do a review of my mouthguard considering there aren't an awful lot.

 

Nice review Tazojla. I also just publish a new review of TOP King gloves on my site.

Here are our author Jhullian pros and cons:

1. Very well padded for hand protection (great for those with hand issues)
2. Great for sparring and offer plenty of protection for punches which normally would get through
3. Gloves are relatively wide, favors those who use high guards/blocks often
4. Durable and 100% leather
5. Stays cool and dries quickly
6. Glove design is stylist and unique
7. Padding on the back of the hand and wrist make blocking kicks a breeze

Cons

1. A more

 

i have pretty much the same setup as you except my set is white (and the gloves are 14s). the graphic is starting to wear out a bit but theyre over a year old at this point. most people think im wearing 16s...thats how puffy they are. had a set of Twins but my knuckles always hurt in them so theyre pretty much brand new.

 

whats the difference with super air and empower?