Adidas Adispeed 501 (14oz Velcro)
“The Corvette of Boxing Gloves”
Sleek, stylish, and fast luxury
Intro
Adidas is an interesting company to me in how it has a seemingly long history in combat sports. Adidas is a staple in the amateur ring. They have lines of boxing and taekwondo shoes, in addition to all the fashion branding they have. That made me very interested in their top line boxing glove model, the Adispeed 501. Metallic colors, sleek look, embossed slogans, real leather . “Designed in USA” is usually a copp out for most gloves made in pakistan or china that tweak logos and designs, but I figured Adidas was big enough to command a unique glove and I think they delivered on this one. Right now these are definitely in my “top 5” gloves, and they are at the lower end of the pricing scale for what I consider top tier gear.
The Wrist 8/10
The wrist closure is pretty standard velcro, other than it starting out wider and tapering off, and closing up on a bit of an angle. It’s more of an aesthetic change than a functional one, but the closure is as solid and secure as most other good velcro closures out there.
Hand Comfort & Ease of Use 9/10
The lining in the Adispeed 501s is the smoothest out of any glove I’ve tried by far. Imagine a glove lined with satin and that’s sort of what it feels like. Not as hot as satin, but nearly as smooth. Things are snug but not tight. Is it a perfect lining? No. There is a bit of looseness to the inner material that tends to get a little worse with sweat. Nothing that makes it uncomfortable, but there’s a bit of that sensation of when a sock bunches up so you have to wiggle your hand around a sometimes when putting them on. That said, still super comfy all around. The 14oz are probably the smallest I would want to wear with my usual “L” sized hands.
You can feel there are different layers of foam padding. Softer on the outside and denser against the hand. And when I really feel for it, I’m pretty sure there is a separation of foam covering the fingertips. Sort of from your second knuckle that acts as almost a joint in the gloves on the inside. That allows for a super good fist around a curved grab bar. There is also a definite spot for your fingertips to pull on, making even that part much more comfortable than most. Ergonomics were definitely considered when designing these.
Super slick looking metallic painted genuine leather.
Punching & Protection 8/10
These are definitely on the softer side, which would make a 16oz version excellent for sparring. Bagwork and training is still very very good, with decent pop and good protective feel. They seem to do everything well and aren’t bulky which is one of the things I like in a glove. They’re definitely one of my go-to pairs. The soft nature of the outer padding does make me question extra long term durability, but no problems I have encountered yet. The padding on the back of the firearm under the velcro seems to just be there to maintain shape rather than offer any actual protection. That makes the wrist sleek and compact like a Winning glove, but at their price you could get two or three pairs of Adispeeds for what a pair of Winnings would cost with getting maybe 75% of the same performance and quality.
Other Features and Intangibles 8/10
I have heard some talk about quality issues, especially when the line first came out, but this pair has been flawless as far as I can tell. I generally try to stay away from grading the “look” of a glove because that is so subjective to each person, but they do have a premium look and feel. Adidas is a recognized brand, the design definitely has some of their flair, and you do get little details like the “Designed in USA” stamp, as well as the symbol denoting the genuine leather, and an embossed “Only the Best for the Athlete” along the outer forearm which is a nice touch.
Other versions:
