TopBoxer Win1 (16oz Velcro)
“The JEEP of Boxing Gloves”
Big and bouncy, made for the real world, and customizeable.
For a ‘boutique manufacturer’ outside of the mainstream brands, there is a lot of buzz and name-dropping online about Topboxer. The reason is they really do offer great quality at great value. On top of that, you can buy their ready made items and easily make lots of customizations on your own. I consider customization a “perk” and try not to get too dazzled when companies specialize in it because I start wondering if my dollars are going into the glove or the customization. Not a worry here. The pair I have was a ready made pair on sale of a Manny Pacquiao themed glove. It serves as an example of what you could make for yourself, but since you don’t punch with colours and logos, let’s get into it.
The Wrist 8/10
The wrist is solid and loops all the way around. The construction of the entire glove is solid and the overall bulk helps build up the wrist. Good velcro, easy to put on and take off. NO complaints here! Feels like a real boxer’s length.
See the difference? Winning’s standard velcro closure on the left. Topboxer Win1’s on the right.
Hand Comfort & Ease of Use 7/10
They fit fairly snug. Pretty easy to get on when you are training on your own with a bit of a pull. Nice lining. The ventilation holes in the palm actually feel like they work. Feels cushiony and doesn’t have any spots that are too loose or restrictive. Everything I would pretty much say is above average, but with no single feature that blows me away.
Topboxer has a few different stock styles before getting into the custom stuff. These Win1’s to me are very much a sparring style where I have read their “Alien” line is more of a Mexican style and better for training.
Genuine leather construction. Some of the little dots are actual dots in the white leather, and some I think are just dust I didn’t wipe off. You don’t notice imperfections when the glove is just in your hand. The leather is nice and above average.
Punching & Protection 7/10
These are my current selection for best gloves for sparring. They are a true 16oz. Not too big and not too small. Compared with the Rival Classic Sparring gloves they’re a bit more compact, and compared to the Rival RS11 they’re a bit bulkier. In terms of plushness, I would say they best compared to Twins, except as a true boxer version. It doesn’t feel like there are any hand protection vulnerabilities and they are nice and soft enough on the ‘receiving’ end.
Bag work is a bit of a different story. The padding that makes them protective also deadens the punches a lot. I’ve read a few comparisons of these to Winning gloves, that they’re just as good but cheaper. That’s not true at all, in my opinion. Yes they are protective like Winning. They are soft like Winning. But they don’t feel at all like Winning. Winning gloves are soft but compact. These are soft and bulky. Winning gloves are been described as “pillows”, but no THESE are pillows. As in it feels like you have pillows on your hands. Not the best for punch feedback, but definitely good for protection.
Other Features and “Intangibles” 9/10
Quality, price, and value are three words that sum up these Topboxer gloves. The artwork on the back of the glove is actually embroidered, not just printed on. I mean they look amazing and could probably sell for easily an extra $100 to those really wanting something unique.
Specifically on quality, having now bought a couple of pairs of gloves from boutique Mexican producers and comparing the two, I can say the quality here is excellent. These don’t have some of the flaws (some may say charm) of the Mexican small brands, but I would say overall quality and consistency of construction is better.
Other versions:
Alien boxing gloves
"Old School” boxing gloves
Custom gloves
