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.
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.
