Cameron
Welcome to Grapplers Graveyard! If you are new to our site and the business that we run, we are a review site that helps combat sports athletes find top rated gear so they don’t have to sift through the mess that is already out there. This list that we have is going to be all about MMA sparring gloves. We do have a list that is already on our site for MMA Gloves in general (best sparring, competition, and hybrid) so be sure to check that out if that is more so of what you are looking for.
Here at Grapplers Graveyard, we buy and test everything that we review. We are a combat sports athlete ourselves and love the lifestyle that comes along with training. If you want to follow along be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel!
Best MMA Gloves For Sparring
Okay so let us help you save some time when choosing the best sparring gloves. Our list is as follows:
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Best Overall: Sanabul Essentials MMA Gloves
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Runner up: Sanabul Core Series MMA Gloves
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Best For Budget Buyers: RDX Sports Sparring MMA Gloves
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Best Quality Leather: RDX Sports Sparring MMA Gloves
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Best for a Splurge: Hayabusa T3 7oz Sparring MMA Gloves
Video of this list:
Sparring Gloves vs Hybrid Gloves vs Competition Gloves
First lets answer a simple, yet important, question about the difference between the gloves that are on the market. As mentioned in the heading above, there are three styles of mma gloves that you should be aware of: Sparring Gloves, Hybrid Gloves, and Competition Gloves.
Sparring Gloves
Sparring gloves typically carry these qualities:
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These gloves are designed with extra padding to provide more protection during sparring sessions. Typically these gloves start at 7oz and are heavily padded.
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They are typically heavier and offer more cushioning to reduce the risk of injury to both you and your training partner.
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Sparring gloves are ideal for practicing techniques and drills at a slower pace while still providing sufficient protection.
Hybrid Gloves
Hybrid gloves typically carry these qualities:
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As the name suggests, hybrid gloves combine features of both sparring and competition gloves. Typically they weigh more than 4 oz and max out at 7oz in most cases.
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They offer some padding for protection during sparring sessions but are also lighter and more compact, resembling competition gloves.
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Hybrid gloves are suitable for both sparring and bag work, offering versatility in training.
Competition Gloves
Competition gloves typically carry these qualities:
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These gloves are specifically designed for MMA competitions and are lighter and less padded compared to sparring gloves. Typically they weigh about 4 oz.
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Competition gloves prioritize speed and mobility, allowing fighters to strike with more precision and agility during fights.
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While competition gloves offer less protection compared to sparring gloves, they are essential for getting accustomed to the feel and weight of gloves used in actual fights.
Best Overall: Sanabul Essentials MMA Gloves (9.3/10)
As you may have known if you followed us for a bit, we connected with the team over at Sanabul to collaborate and give honest feedback on their gear. We are big fans of the products that they sent us and look at them as a leader in the combat sports space for high-quality, durable, and protective gear.
The Sananbul Essential MMA Gloves fit that same level. For only $29.99, you could get these gloves for sparring sessions. Overall, I believe that they are the best bang-for-buck product on the market right now, offer some of the best cushioning around the knuckles for safe training, and have great protection and support for both your hand and wrists. You can also upgrade and get the CORE Series Pair if you like the color ways better!
At Grapplers Graveyard, we have a rating scale known as the Graveyard Scale. For MMA Gloves, the criteria we look at are the following: Quality/feel, Protection, Hand Coverage, and Weight. Being that all sparring gloves are the same weight, the gloves on this list all scored the same rating.
Quality/Feel (1.8/2)
I like the leather on these gloves a lot but the feel of the leather on the RDX sports MMA Sparring/Hybrid gloves feels better. That is the only reason why we were giving Sanabul a 1.7 in that rating. At the end of the day, personal preference is what made it score lower but some of you may feel the exact opposite.
These gloves are a great quality product that is affordable and straight up gets the job done!
Protection (3/3)
The protection and padding on these gloves are incredible. For testing purposes, I was punching both a punching bag and a wall. To my surprise, you don’t really feel much on your knuckles when doing those things with these gloves on. We giving the essential MMA sparring gloves from Sanabul a perfect score in this category!
Hand Coverage (2.5/3)
I ordered a size medium based on the sizing chart on their site and the there was a tiny bit of space between the end of my had and the end of the glove. Nothing that would impair my training capabilities but it was something I noticed.
All my knuckles on my hand are covered and protected including the ones on my thumb.
Weight (2/2)
All sparring MMA gloves should be around 7oz or more for optimal protection of both you and your sparring partner. Generally, heavier gloves provide better protection for both sparring partners and your knuckles.
Pros
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Only $30
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Smooth Leather exterior
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Excellent padding around the knuckles (feel nothing when punching a wall or heavy bag)
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Three velcro straps for wrist support
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Breathable, comfortable, and durable
Cons
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The straps that hold the fingers in place can be a little uncomfortable in between your fingers after long rounds of training
For only $29.99, you could get these gloves for sparring sessions. Overall, I believe that they are the best bang-for-buck product on the market right now, offer some of the best cushioning around the knuckles for safe training, and have great protection and support for both your hand and wrists. You can also upgrade and get the CORE Series Pair if you like the color ways better!
7 oz gloves are regularly used by MMA fighters for sparring and technical training. The thick padding provides enough protection for your hands and training partners all in a streamlined shape to allow for grappling plus ground and pound.
Best For Budget Buyers & Highest Quality: RDX Sports Sparring MMA Gloves (8.9/10)
The RDX Sports Sparring MMA Gloves are probably one of my personal favorite gloves that I own. I love love love the feel of the leather on these gloves. The wrist support on these gloves is top tier as well, it offers three straps of velcro to really get that snug feeling to your hand.
Quality/Feel (2/2)
The quality of this product speaks for itself. The first thing I noticed when comparing the gloves that I own was the RDX sports leather was noticeably better than competing brands. We are giving RDX Sports MMA sparring gloves a perfect score in this category.
Protection (2.4/3)
When I did the punch test on the walls and heavy bags I felt as though the padding on these gloves was not as good as the two pairs of Sanabul Gloves (Essential & CORE Series). The padding is still pretty good but it is noticeably a bit smaller compared to the padding on those Sanabul Gloves. I would compare the firmness of this padding to being something much like a tempurpedic pillow, it is a bit more on the firm side but still does do what it intends to do.
Wrist support on these gloves is great, it offers three straps of velcro to create a lot of support around the wrist area. Also, these gloves have a nice little touch to it with the stiched on RDX Sports Emblem right on the wrist!
Hand Coverage (2.5/3)
Much like the Sanabul pairs that I had, there was a bit of space between the outside of my hand and the outside of the glove. All my knuckles are covered and my thumb felt like it was adequately protected.
Weight (2/2)
All sparring MMA gloves should be around 7oz or more for optimal protection of both you and your sparring partner. Generally, heavier gloves provide better protection for both sparring partners and your knuckles.
Pros
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Cheapest pair of sparring gloves on this list
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I personally love the quality of this product most on the list
Cons
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The padding is not as great as the Essential MMA sparring Gloves
Frequently Asked Questions
How should sparring gloves fit?
Sparring gloves should fit snugly but comfortably around your hand and wrist. The glove should fit securely around your hand without feeling too tight or constricting. Make sure there are no areas of bunching or creasing in the palm or fingers, as this can indicate an improper fit. The thumb of the glove should align comfortably with your own thumb, without feeling too tight or restrictive as well.