Sparring Gloves

"Numerous Customer Testimonials on Sherdog"

Customer testimonials on Sherdog

"it was obvious that KO was the best"

I was given a set of KO gloves as a promotion about 12 years ago. In that time I have gotten out of marshal arts but in the last year I got back into it. My 12 year old gloves are done and after looking at the other options it was obvious that KO was the best. Thanks for a great product!

— Greg C. - Minnesota

"I love these gloves!!"

I love these gloves!! The workmanship is excellent (performance, durability and construction), is made with all top leather grain for maximum protection during intense sparring or bag workout. These are my second pair of gloves I had purchased from Neil (owner), the first pair I had for about 7 years or more. There's nothing wrong with my old pair, the construction is still in excellent condition, it's just faded a little due to serious usage. Padding is excellent on these glove and increases protection against punches and kicks during sparring. Try a pair, you won't be disappointed, guaranteed satisfaction!! I can't keep these gloves a secret anymore and one last thing, you can't beat the price!!

Northern CA - come and get them!!

Loyal customer,
— Ferdinand M. - Northern California

"...I can definitely rely on KO's sparring gloves"

The first day I used the gloves I ended up hitting the heavy bag so hard that the two main links of the chain holding up the bag bent completely out of place. I might not be able to rely on the heavy bags at our dojo but I can definitely rely on KO's sparring gloves.

— Ryan Y. - Lapeer, MI

"I would highly recommend the KO Fightgear gloves to anyone, as they are not only of high quality, but the level of customer support is excellent"

I have always had trouble finding a pair of gloves that fit well and also are made of quality leather and workmanship. One of my fellow boxers had bought a pair of gloves from KO Fightgear and I was very impressed by their quality and subsequently purchased a pair of 12oz sparring gloves from them. I have been using them since April when I started preparing for my first amateur fight on 9 June. I was surprised to see how well they fit my hands and how comfortable they feel! I train intensively 4 days a week for about 7 hours in total doing a mix of padwork, bagwork and sparring. Having something that fits well with reliability really makes a lot of difference in what I get out of each training session as my hands are properly protected. I would highly recommend the KO Fightgear gloves to anyone, as they are not only of high quality, but the level of customer support is excellent.

— Gwen B.
New South Wales, Australia
(Gwen, thank you from New Jersey, USA.)

"The site says, 'KO FIGHTGEAR is built like a tank.' We disagree — it’s built better than a tank!"

We recently received some equipment to test and evaluate for one of our other combatives programs. In our humble opinion, KO Fightgear is the finest hand-made training gear on the market! The site says, “KO FIGHTGEAR is built like a tank.” We disagree — it’s built better than a tank! You want sturdy — you got it! AND... it’s all leather! This gear will last you at least a jillion years. The customer service is outstanding and timely, and the prices are fantastic. Please visit their website today, or contact Neil and tell him Combat Hard sent you.

— gutterfightingusa review link

"At this price, I think that these are the best gloves you can get."

It seems sometimes that (if you can't afford Twins/Windy/Fairtex gloves) we are always looking for that training/sparring glove that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. I came across these KO fightgear gloves by Peak Athletics in New Jersey. They are very reasonably priced (under $40 shipped as of 3/08). I said to myself that if they didn't turn out to be great sparring gloves, they could always be my next pair of bag gloves...always a way to justify buying new gear. Well, I unboxed them today and let me tell you, I was pretty impressed.

Padding & Protection

First off let me talk about the padding. It seems that this is something that varies vastly between gloves and was the most interested in. I had a pair of cheap everlast training gloves that were hard as stone...I felt bad sparring with them and in the end I think it affected the way I approached sparring. I was definetly more tentative as I didn't want to score and break my partners nose. I was looking for a softer glove so I could free up a bit. Well these gloves do have more padding at the knuckle area, albiet not by much. Still a bit on the hard side, but hey, training isn't a pillow fight. The padding is cell foam so you can be sure that your gloves will resist compacting for a long time. Also, the thumb is attached very securely by a gigantic thick leather piece so there will probably never be any thumb separation.

Fit & Finish

The fit on these gloves run on the small side. I have medium hands and can barely palm a basketball so that should give you an idea of the size of the gloves by my hand in the photo. I haven't had a chance to put the gloves on with Evergel wraps, but I think it would be pretty tight until the leather stretches. Best to use cotton wraps. The profile is pretty slim as well, it should be good for slipping your punches in between your opponents guard...sweet. The leather is thick and the stitching is really impressive on this glove (especially at this price). These gloves look like they will last a long time and take a beating.

The Verdict

At this price, I think that these are the best gloves you can get. While a little on the hard side you can use these for light sparring or heavier sparring with headgear. The KO Fightgear gloves gets my vote for the budget minded fighter.

— MMA Hub review link

"We are truly impressed with the KO Fightgear gloves, it pretty much has it all when it comes down to comfort, quality and value."

The KO Fightgear gloves are by far one of the best entry level training gloves you can buy. At only about $35 (note this price is no longer valid) you get a super comfortable and durable glove. Unlike similar gloves in this price range, the KO Fightgear training gloves are constructed of 100% leather. The glove is also built very compact, but with its cell foam padding it provides outstanding protection and absorbs shock nicely. With hand wraps you can fit the glove to your preference. These training gloves come in a 12 ounce and 16 ounce size. We are truly impressed with the KO Fightgear gloves, it pretty much has it all when it comes down to comfort, quality and value.

— MMA Hub review link

"I wore myself out hammering on the bag and I have to say these gloves are fantastic so far."

Customer service:Ordering online was fast and easy but the best part of the ordering process was the fact that I placed my order late in the day 3:40 on a Friday and the order still shipped the same day. I sent an e-mail to Neil asking if there was anyway the gloves would ship that day, knowing that it would most likely not happen. He e-mailed me right back and said that the UPS truck had just picked up at 3:20 but that he called them and they were coming back to pick the gloves up. I was blown away, and sure enough 30 minutes later another e-mail with the tracking number. I never would expect to get this type of customer service anywhere, Neil is building a business based on quality products at great prices AND he is providing outstanding customer service. There's an old saying in the sales industry that states "Price, Quality, Service, pick two because you can't have all three." Neil has ignored this adage, I am very glad he did.

Initial Impressions:The gloves appear to be very well made, very high quality leather, all stitching is clean, wrist padding is dense and exceptionally supportive, wrist strap is wide and very strong, and fit is excellent. The padding seems a bit dense to me but I like the compact feel of the gloves and as long as my sparring partners do not complain that they are too hard (doubt they will) I'll be happy with them.

1/2 hour heavy bag beatdown: I wore myself out hammering on the bag and I have to say these gloves are fantastic so far. The padding is not as thick as my IMF sparring gloves but does a very good job of protecting my hands. The wrist support is the best that I've experienced, even with wraps on my IMF gloves did not instill total confidence in the wrist support category, however the KOs had me not worrying about it at all.

— sherdog.com forum member - combatkimura - review link

"I have those same gloves, have held up strong for almost a year now. Neil and KOFightgear were great to deal with, too."

I have those same gloves, have held up strong for almost a year now. Neil and KOFightgear were great to deal with, too.

— sherdog.com forum member - Bring On Fedor - review link

"definitely have no complaints."

I have the same gloves and definitely have no complaints.

— sherdog.com forum member - gjmccag - review link

"Great customer service and a stand up guy."

Aloha everyone! Just wanted to thank you for posting such helpful reviews. I just got off the phone with Neil and all I can say is "AWESOME". Great customer service and a stand up guy. I'm really excited to get my Gloves and Mitts. Again thanks everyone for posting such helpful reviews. Aloha!

— sherdog.com forum member - naks7 - review link

"Love my KOFG gloves. Very highly recommended."

Love my KOFG gloves. Very highly recommended. I haven't had any complaints from sparring. They do require some break in time but it won't take long. I need to get a second pair so I can have a separate pair for sparring.

— sherdog.com forum member - CFMC04 - review link

"Neil KO fight gear = The Best!!!!"

Neil KO fight gear = The Best!!!!

— sherdog.com forum member - GalltiK - review link

"...it's been like 4-5 years since my very first pair of KOs. Man they lasted a long time..."

Yeah it's been like 4-5 years since my very first pair of KOs. Man they lasted a long time and when they finally went I honestly felt like I accomplished something.

— sherdog.com forum member - ClampXVII - review link

"Gotta luv Neil and his attention to customer service no matter how small the order!"

Gotta luv Neil and his attention to customer service no matter how small the order!

— sherdog.com forum member - Gifted Striker - review link

"I hit the heavy bag with them last night and couldn't be more impressed. Heavy duty leather, good stitching, comfortable fit."

I was going to post separate review, but then I realized it's all been said here already, so I'll just add a bit.

I ordered my gloves on Thursday and they arrived promptly on Friday! I live just across the river in NYC, but it's almost like Neil drove them over the bridge and dropped them off for me. Amazing.

I hit the heavy bag with them last night and couldn't be more impressed. Heavy duty leather, good stitching, comfortable fit. The padding is definitely on the firm side - good and protective for bag work. I'm sure they'll break in a little more, but they were very comfortable and supportive right off the bat. I have fairly big but narrow hands, and the 16 ounce fits well. The wrist straps are stiff and supportive, though I had to really crank them down to get a tight fit on my toothpick wrists.

As everyone else said, great gloves that stand on their own. With the low price, a screaming deal!

— sherdog.com forum member - Bank - review link

"Neil inspires me to give better customer service"

Neil inspires me to give better customer service to my Canadian clients, he's awesome to deal with.

— sherdog.com forum member - GFG - review link