When is it time to replace your boxing gloves and other boxing equipment?

Smelly, tattered, or your boxing gloves have just lost their shiny new luster? It is supposed to be as all boxing gear have a performance life, after which Infinitude Fight advises you to buy boxing gloves. Other boxing equipment guarantees improved performance and offers you continuous protection. But how do you know it’s time to take the plunge and replace your gear? 

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Boxing Gloves 

Boxing gloves come in various types, styles, and forms. All styles are different come with different durability scales depending on usage. Let’s look into a few of these: 

Bag Gloves or Training Gloves 

Bag and training gloves are put under the most vigorous routines and thus should be replaced every 8 to 9 months – depending on the frequency of use – assuming you are using them 5 to 6 times per week. Consider 5 times per week, 4 weeks in a month, for 6 months makes 120 rounds give or take. 

You should track the number of rounds by logging each workout to get an accurate usage record by a minute. 

Read More: All About Boxing Gloves – FAQ, Uses, and Care

Once you notice that the padding is smashed or you feel an amplified impact on your knuckles through your gloves, it might be time to replace them to avoid potential hands, knuckles, and wrist injuries. Remember that boxing gloves price also drives their quality; the higher on the price spectrum, the better quality you’ll get – however we advise staying within a reasonable budget. 

Care Tips and Tricks 

Remember never to use bag and sparring gloves interchangeably; the harder surface of the bags will rapidly break down the padding foam in the sparring gloves. Doing bag work with your sparring gloves creates more problems by creating a tougher surface and potentially embedding smaller particles of material into the striking area of the gloves, which will impact more harshly when you spar with a sparring partner. 

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Sparring Gloves

When it is about boxing equipment, especially sparring gloves, for a more comfortable and boosted experience, you should replace your sparring gloves every 6 months – depending on the frequency of use. Let’s assume you are using the gloves for sparring three times per week; 4 weeks in a month, 6 months of usage will make about 72 rounds. 

We advise that you track the number of rounds you log each sparring session to get a precise and accurate minute record for usage. If you happen to notice the material and leather of the gloves around the knuckle area has started cracking or showing too much wear and tear, replace them immediately to ensure your hands’ safety. 

The scale? One should always feel approximately 2” of padding material across the knuckle. With added strain of wear and contact, the padding foam will break down quickly and be replaced. 

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Care Tips and Tricks

To get the most out of your sparring gloves and increase their life, make it a habit to clean them properly after each use. By removing sweat, body oils, and salts – that becomes the reason for the breakdown of leather and padding foam construction – you will increase the life of the gloves and receive better use from them. Let your gloves dry thoroughly between sessions to discourage the build-up of moisture, mildew, mold, and bacterial growth. 

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Boxing Shoes

Boxing isn’t only about your hands and the boxing gloves, and other boxing equipment is just as crucial to your success – most importantly, the boxing shoes. The boxing shoes should always be replaced every 6 months also depending on the frequency of usage. 

For example, let’s take them being used in gym and in sparring for 6 times a week. 6 times per week, 4 weeks in a month, 6 months will fetch you approximately 144 rounds. As with every other type of boxing gear, it is advised to maintain a log of each session to get the most out of your shoes while still being cautious. 

Once you see the soles breaking down or deteriorating by coming loose from the upper portion of the shoe or the ankle support getting loose, it is a good time to replace them and prevent possible rolled ankles or foot injuries.  

Care Tips and Tricks 

It is advisable not using running shoes and boxing shoes interchangeably. The lighter-weight sole and materials of boxing gloves are not designed for hard surfaces or outdoor usage. If used outside the ring or on the non-padded surfaces, Boxing shoes will wear out the shoes quickly and reduce the support they offer.

Hand Wraps

Hand wraps are typically worn under the boxing gloves and are one of the most important parts of every boxing equipment set. Ideally, the hand wraps should be replaced after 4 to 5 months of usage, depending on how well you take care of them and your frequency of use. 

If you let your hand wraps dry out completely after each session, wash them regularly after every one or two sessions, additionally keep them safe from tears and snags, you most definitely be getting the most out of your wraps. 

Care Tips and Tricks 

Please make it a habit of never rolling the hand wraps up and throwing them in your gym bag or locker after a session. Let them dry thoroughly before rolling them up – readying them for your next workout. Keeping your hand wraps clean and replacing them frequently will also increase the life of your boxing gloves. Using fresh or new wraps will keep your gloves free of bacterial growth, mildew, and mold. Using hand wraps in rotation – buy hand wraps in multiples – will help make your gloves last longer and keep them free from bad odor and deterioration. 

Headgear

Remember to replace your headgear every 9 months or so, again depending on the frequency of your usage. Let’s assume you are using the head guards 3 times in a week, 4 weeks in a month, 9 months will fetch you 108 rounds approximately. 

Ideally, the head guard doesn’t take much pounding and impact compared to the boxing gloves. The direct impact is not often, and head guards do not absorb much force and do not need to be designed to take consistent abuse. 

Care Tips and Tricks 

Making the most out of your headgear, you must clean them out after each use. Thus, you will get the most out of your head guard by removing excess body oils, sweat, and hair products that break down the leather, foam construction, and interior foam. Always let your headgear dry thoroughly between each session to discourage the growth of bacteria, mildew, and mold. 

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