Going the Distance: Venum Elite Boxing Gloves Review
Whether you’re looking for a boxing glove for sparring, bag work, or fitness training, you’re going to want a great pair of boxing gloves. And while you can easily snag a cheap pair, it can be worth the investment to kick down a little more cash. For a little more money, a good boxing glove will keep your hands safe and comfortable and, with the proper care, will last a long time. Venum Elite Boxing Gloves are in the mid-range of the price spectrum at around MSRP $90. For that price, you’re getting a pair of handmade boxing gloves with a semi-leather shell over triple-density foam cushioning.
The attached thumb protects your thumb from bending backward if you miss the bag and from thumbing your opponent in the eye (by accident, I’m sure), while the perforated leather palm is designed to vent out hot air and moisture during a workout. In addition to the perforation vents, the palm sports reinforcement to absorb shock during heavy bag work or sparring sessions, and the long cuffs support the wrists. The semi-leather outer shell consists of leather treated with an external layer of pigment, which keeps the leather soft but adds a waxy, protective layer for durability. Strengthened seams bolster this durability, and the large Velcro closure makes it simple to put on the gloves during solo workouts.
Testing & Review
I took the Elites through two different stages of testing: the first was a series of workouts on the heavy bag over the course of a few weeks, then I passed them along to a tester for 2 months of durability testing in a local fight gym. For the heavy bag work, the objective was to see how well the triple-density foam protected my hands against an immobile object. Luckily for my hands, they felt great. Throwing combos that ended with a solid straight right or left hook, the bag shook with the impact instead of my hands and wrists.
Body blows were the harder test, as the bag moves far less as you punch closer to the base. The gloves worked well during hooks to the body as well. My hands felt the impact more than I did with headshots, but I never got the sharp sting of wrist compression, thanks to the dense foam and thick wrist closure.
For durability testing, my tester put the Elites through 2 months of 3-hour-long training and sparring sessions a week at a local fighting gym. After the test period, the gloves still looked and felt like new, except for a few dirt marks on the glove’s white exterior. My tester praised the Elite’s comfort and feel for sparring sessions and has made them his go-to glove when fighting.
We both noted that the only real ding was that the ventilation isn’t as good as you’d find in a pair of gloves with fully mesh palms. But for the amount of protection and durability that they provide, it’s not a bad tradeoff at all.
Venum Boxing Gloves Conclusions
The Elite Boxing Gloves from Venum have a higher price point than others, but you definitely get what you pay for in this case. The durability and cushioning give this pair excellent value for the price. The gloves still look new after weeks of testing, and online reviews report that the gloves stay pristine through years of constant use, from the seams to the cushioning.
If you’re looking for a pair of gloves that will do the distance with you, Venum’s Elite Gloves are a great choice.
Key Features:
- Semi-leather
- Triple-density foam
- Locked-down thumb sleeve
- Reinforced wrist
- Perforated leather ventilation
Pros:
- Durability
- Style
- Palm pad
Cons:
- Minimal ventilation
Source:
- Aniline Leather & Semi-Aniline Leather – Signature Leather
