Gloves are an amazing feat of evolution and advancement in all things boxing. They are used in combat sports like boxing, Muay Thai, and also MMA.
Experts at Infinitude Fight believe that a boxer or trainee needs to change many pairs of Boxing gloves during their training and professional career. Considering the boxing gloves price points, one might want to use them as long as possible; however, this is not feasible.
Boxing Gloves
Gloves are designed to be sturdy tools as their purpose is to inflict hard punches, plus the gloves are the most common and vital part of any boxing equipment set.
However, the gloves do come with a lifespan, after which they start to deteriorate and might even become harmful. But, there are a few things you can do to increase the lifespan of your gloves, and we have created a brief guide on this below.
But first, let’s discuss the factors which affect the durability of gloves:
Quality
The make and quality of the boxing gloves affect their lifespan—gloves made from higher quality materials relatively last longer in contrast to other variants. Understandably, quality variants come with a hefty price considering the materials used to manufacture them.
If you are an experienced boxer, training frequently, it will help if you buy quality gloves manufactured by renowned brands, which can bear the daily usage. Such variants have a decent lasting and will save you from frequent replacements.
Read More: BEST BOXING GLOVES 2021 – FOR FITNESS, SPARRING, AND TRAINING
Training Level
The frequency of your training routine affects the gloves as more users will result in more stress on the gloves. Regular use affects padding and inflicts tears and bruises.
Professional boxers use gloves more frequently than beginners and have more substantial punching power, which puts added strain on the gloves; causing them to deteriorate quickly and need relatively quick replacements.
However, if you plan to train once or twice a week, your mitts can last you a couple of years or more, granted they are of good quality and you take good care of them.
Glove Care
We all love shiny new things and treat them with care in the beginning. But our neglect towards them starts to take effect, and suddenly we get too tired to give gloves a good wipe off or put them out to air.
If you want to make your gloves last longer and stay fresh, regular care is the key here. You need to clean the gloves after each use, session, match more so if they are an expensive pair.
Read ahead for more details on how to increase the lifespan of your gloves.
Additionally, we recommend keeping a backup pair of gloves handy as you never know when you might need them.
Expensive Gloves; do you need them?
Mostly, price does have a connection with quality, so the answer is yes!
A glove pair with a $100 price tag will be better than a $25 pair; however, the type of gloves is also important. The gloves which are less expensive and last longer might not offer sufficient support to your wrists or hands.
Read More: How to Choose The Right Color of Boxing Gloves?
This is serious; boxing should not be taken for granted, and neither its tools of protection. Yours and your opponent’s safety should be the chief priority. The cheaper gloves can become a safety hazard and can multiply the risk of sustaining injuries.
The boxing gloves prices are sometimes an indicator of their quality as the makers use high-quality materials to make relatively expensive variants. Additionally, in these gloves, more padding is added on the inside to protect the knuckles as they come under impact while throwing a punch.
For an experienced boxer, it is advised to buy boxing gloves which are higher-end for heavy bag training sessions. For beginners who are just starting, a moderately priced pair of gloves should do fine.
How to Increase the lifespan of gloves?
If you care for your gloves regularly and adequately, they will last you longer and offer you protection and boosted performance. Care becomes more important if you are investing in an expensive pair; however, we do not recommend spending too much, as sooner or later you will have to give up the gloves, no matter how much you take care of them.
The gloves only need a regular care routine without having to spend too much. To make your gloves more durable, follow the steps mentioned below:
Regularly Cleaning Gloves
Make it a habit of cleaning your gloves after each use, training session or fight, to increase their lifespan. It takes only a few minutes each session and proves to be highly beneficial in the longer run. You can invest in some cleaning solutions or even make your own with water and vinegar*.
Mix both in equal parts and give the gloves a thorough wipe both inside and outside. This way, vinegar will kill off the bacteria and germs inside and outside the gloves.
*It is vital to research your gloves’ type, make, and materials before putting cleaning materials on them as each glove can respond differently to cleaning agents.
Conditioners
There are many exclusive leather gloves conditioners available in the market. The conditioners prevent the leather exterior from dryness – drying out and starting cracking. Similarly, you can apply some essential oils with a cotton sheet on the gloves in a circular motion once they are dry. Essential oils also help mask the odor.
Remember to use ones that do not have harmful chemicals which can potentially damage the gloves.
GloveStix
For the smell, you can use a GloveStix, which is a deodorizer. It helps to remove smell and discourages the growth of bacteria. The GloveStix absorbs moisture and neutralizes the smell.
Proper Storage
After you are done with the cleaning rituals for the gloves, please do not put them in a closed dark space, such as your locker or the gym bag. Germs in such confined areas have the potential to thrive and contaminate.
Put out your gloves to air dry so the odor and moisture dissipate naturally. The best practice is to hang them and take them down only when using them again. Also, you can use a fan to dry the inner part of gloves but never use a hot blow dryer for drying purposes as this will irreversibly damage the gloves.
Conclusion
We have discussed the factors that affect the durability of the gloves and how you can increase the gloves’ lifespan. Utilizing the gloves’ unassuming cleaning routines, you can efficiently work out the best possible care for your gloves and boxing equipment.
