Let me start by saying that I reserve 5 star reviews for products that I not only absolutely love, but that I genuinely feel are high quality and would be loved by others. These gloves are easily worth paying $75 -80 for. This review is for the 14oz glove in Red/Black. Remember: If you find this helpful, please click the "helpful" button below. I will try to update with photos in the next week or so.
BACKGROUND - I started boxing a few months ago. I've had a lot of friends express interest in trying it out, but they've all been forewarned about the loaner gloves at the gym - you might get a ringworm or catch scurvy from them. So, I wanted a pair of easily disinfected gloves to own as a personal loaner set. I decided to shell out an extra $15 for these bad boys over RDX's bottom shelf units, mostly because Rival seems like a legit, science-based brand and I've been wanting to try out their products. I also figured it'd be good to have the second pair be something I might actually be interested in using myself. That line of thinking led me to a decision between these or Ringside's Apex Bag Glove. Both are synthetic. Both are $50. Both are made by reputable companies. Both have questionably flashy branding on the glove. The Ringside has a mesh palm panel, but these Rivals had a wider wrist strap.
FIT - I'm about 5' 11", 180 lbs with exactly 8.5" hand circumference without wraps. According to Rival's sizing chart, I'm exactly on the line between the 12 oz gloves and 14 oz gloves. I figured the 14 oz were my huckleberry, so that's what I ordered. When I tried them on straight out of the box without wraps on, the lower palm area of the glove felt suspiciously snug. I thought it might not fit with my typical wraps (I always wrap with 180" mexican wraps.) However, I come to find out that the PU material Rival puts in the palm of these gloves is actually stretchy. The thumb is attached, in a nice position, and seems plenty roomy. You WON'T jam your thumb with these gloves bc the foam on the knuckle and foam is very stiff. Finger box is perfect for me, grab bar in the right place. I typically wear a size M winter glove, for reference.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS - The overall feel and style of these gloves is very trim and well formed, the opposite of "pillowy". They're very lean gloves and I like that about them. If you're on the border of two sizes, I would err on the side of ordering up unless you have very very skinny hands. If you don't want a lean glove and prefer to box with pillows on your hands, this may not be the glove for you. If you like to slip your gloves on/off fast while training, you will probably need to order 2 sizes larger. The wrist opening is conical, getting most narrow just at the base of the hand. There's a stiff-ish plate on the back of the wrist, under the velcro strap that helps support your wrist and offers some protection. Finger flexibility is minimal - you can close the fist, but can't open it much.
Next point - the foam in these gloves is quite firm. It has a snappy, substantial feel to it. I think it has to be IMF or something very similar and I don't know why Rival wouldn't advertise that feature more than they do with this glove as a direct competitor for the Ringside Apex Bag Gloves or Title's IMF products. I've only worn these for one session, but they do give you really good response on the heavy bag, which I personally like. I think they'd do really well on mitts, too, telling you with a nice "pop" whether your punches are nice, powerful, and on target. This "lean" feel is really helpful to me when practicing combos bc I feel like I recover my punches faster, less time spent with my knuckles mushing into the padding. But yeah, definitely don't hit anyone anywhere with these guys or you'll probably cut them. I think these would be a great glove option for ladies or smaller folk because they give lots of protection despite their light weight. I think a smaller female boxer or fitness trainee could sport a 8 or 10 oz pair of these bad boys and get really good hand protection in a glove that actually fits them well.
PROS - Great fit, good protection on the heavy bag even for heavy hitters, great wrist support. They come in a lot of sizes and color combinations if you care about that sort of thing. Easily wipe-downable. Stitching looks good. Seems like the padding will be very durable. Excellent value for the price.
CONS - Not leather. I can't speak to the actual durability because I've only used them once, but I'm sure to get at least $50 worth of use out of them. No mesh or ventilation in the palm, so they could get stinky if you don't keep glove dogs in them. Also, If you like slipping your gloves on/off quickly during training, you may want to size up.
OVERALL VERDICT - I like these gloves. A lot. I will probably keep them in rotation as a second pair when they're not being loaned out. If I get a chance to do a side-by-side with the Ringside Apex's, I will update this review.
| Item Package Dimensions L x W x H | 13.35 x 6.85 x 4.33 inches |
|---|---|
| Package Weight | 0.43 Kilograms |
| Brand Name | RIVAL |
| Color | Baby Blue/Gray |
| Material | Polyurethane |
| Suggested Users | unisex-adult |
| Number of Items | 1 |
| Manufacturer | RIVAL |
| Part Number | RB7-BLGY |
| Size | X-Small |
| Sport Type | Boxing |
