What do I need for my first boxing class?

Hand wraps and gloves, and a mouthguard if there is any chance of contact work. Many gyms loan gloves for a first session — ask before buying.

What size gloves for a beginner?

12 oz for bag and pad work. If you will spar in the same pair, buy 16 oz instead, since that is the standard sparring weight in most gyms.

How often should I replace boxing gloves?

When the padding compresses enough that you can feel your knuckles through the front. Bag gloves last longer than sparring gloves because the standard they need to meet is lower.

Boxing Gear & Equipment

Gloves, wraps and head protection — the short list that covers everything from your first bag session to sparring.

Boxing Gloves

MMA, boxing and Muay Thai gloves for bag work and sparring.

Hand Wraps

Wrist and knuckle support under every glove.

Headgear

Head protection for sparring and competition.

What boxing actually requires

Boxing has the shortest equipment list in combat sports, which is part of its appeal. Wraps, gloves and a mouthguard get you into almost any gym. Everything after that is either about sparring safety or about not destroying your first pair of gloves through overuse.

The glove weight question dominates. For bag and pad work, 12 oz suits most adult beginners; 10 oz gives a sharper feel and suits lighter or more experienced boxers. For sparring, 16 oz is the standard and most gyms enforce it regardless of your weight, because the padding is protecting your partner rather than you. If you can only buy one pair and you intend to spar, buy 16 oz.

Wraps are not optional and are not a beginner-only item. Gloves pad the impact; wraps hold the bones of the hand together and brace the wrist, which is where most punching injuries actually happen. 180-inch semi-elastic wraps suit most adult hands. Learn to wrap properly early — a badly applied wrap is barely better than none.

Headgear is a sparring purchase, not a starting one. Buy it when you begin contact work, choose open-face if you value vision and cheek protection if you cut easily, and do not let wearing it change your intensity. Beyond that, the only other thing most boxers need is a second pair of gloves so bag work stops eating the padding their sparring gloves depend on.

Frequently asked questions

What do I need for my first boxing class?: Hand wraps and gloves, and a mouthguard if there is any chance of contact work. Many gyms loan gloves for a first session — ask before buying.
What size gloves for a beginner?: 12 oz for bag and pad work. If you will spar in the same pair, buy 16 oz instead, since that is the standard sparring weight in most gyms.
How often should I replace boxing gloves?: When the padding compresses enough that you can feel your knuckles through the front. Bag gloves last longer than sparring gloves because the standard they need to meet is lower.