Best RDX gloves

RDX have proved themselves as a solid gear provider for MMA, boxing and Muay Thai gear.

They make high quality gloves that will stand the test of time, and their prices won’t break the bank.

So, if you’ve decided that you want to go with RDX for your training and sparring gloves, you just need to pick the best ones for your training.

In this guide, I will walk you through the best RDX gloves available, and give guidance around what you should be looking for in a good pair of gloves.

 

Guide contents

• RDX gloves comparison table
• Sparring/training gloves reviews
• What to look for in gloves

RDX Glove reviews

I’ll start this guide by telling you that although RDX have a big range of gloves, there isn’t actually much difference between them all.

The main difference is that they offer 2 basic quality synthetic leather gloves (The Egos and the Cosmos) and then they have a few high quality real-leather gloves (The Aces, S5, T1 Elites and S4)

So, it’s almost a case of choosing whether you want a budget pair, or an expensive pair – and then picking the style you want along with some minor feature variations.

Now I’ll run through each pair.

 

RDX Ace

The Ace’s are my favourite from the high-quality RDX range.

They are made from real leather, which makes them really tough and durable, and they have both foam and gel inside across the knuckles for a solid layer of protection.  They have thick Velcro straps, so that they stay on tightly and feel nice and firm on your hands.

They also have a mesh palm which I think is good for ventilation and really does help to fight the dreaded glove stench creeping in over time. The wick underlining absorbs sweat to stop your hands feeling to slippery inside.

 

RDX Ego

The RDX Ego gloves are the cheapest pair of training gloves they offer, so they aren’t the best – but the quality is certainly OK for the casual trainer.

They are made from “Maya hide” leather which is actually a synthetic leather (a lot of people are understandably misled by this title and think they are buying real leather gloves). They are well made, but they feel a little flimsy – largely because of the very thin Velcro straps that don’t feel like they are holding the glove in place.

Whilst these gloves won’t last forever – if you’re on a small budget, they will provide adequate protection for most people sparring and hitting punch bags.

 

RDX Cosmos

The Cosmos are another one of the cheaper “Maya hide” (synthetic leather) pair of gloves, but they are a bit better than the Egos. They are slightly bulkier and more sturdy, with thicker Velcro straps which make the gloves fit much better. They also have a mesh palm which gives them good ventilation and stops them from smelling bad.

If you’re going for a budget pair of gloves, it’s worth paying a few more pounds for these instead of going for the Egos in my opinion.

 

RDX S5

The RDX S5s are another good pair from the high quality real leather set. They are filled with foam but also have a gel lining which helps absorb more impact from punches – this lining also runs across the palms which is a nice feature for taking out the sting when catching kicks in Muay Thai or MMA.

The gloves are very well ventilated with a part-mesh palm and a wick layer which draws the sweat away from the hands – this is good for keeping the gloves clean and reducing bad smells.

The cuffs are elasticated as well as having Velcro hook and loop straps, making these gloves feel very sturdy and snug.

 

RDX T1 Elite

The T1s are made from real leather and have a high quality foam and gel lining. The mesh palm gives good ventilation and overall they are a similar standard to the S5 and Aces.

The only thing I don’t like about these gloves is that the cuffs are a bit flimsy compared to the others, and the Velcro straps are quite thin – this makes them feel a bit loose.

 

RDX S4

The S4s are made from real leather and are very high quality, with a foam filing and gel palm lining. They have very thick sturdy cuffs and Velcro straps which makes the gloves fit very well. They have small ventilation holes and an anti-bacterial wick layer to draw sweat away and keep the gloves clean.

 

See also: The best Venum boxing gloves reviews

 

What to look for in boxing gloves

When buying boxing gloves for Muay Thai, MMA or any other combat sport, there are a few things you need to consider.

I’ll run through them now.

 

Weight

If you will be sparring in your training, you need to get gloves of 16oz or heavier.

Anything lighter than 16oz and the glove padding will not be thick enough to protect your sparring partners from your knuckles – which could cause bruising or even cuts, and make you very unpopular at the gym.

If you won’t be sparring, you can get lighter gloves which allow you to move your hands a bit quicker.

 

Check out the best freestanding punch bags

 

Material

Gloves will generally be made from real leather or a synthetic leather.

Real leather will last longer than synthetic leather, because it’s stronger. But you will pay a bit more money for real leather gloves.

I would personally always opt for real leather gloves, because synthetic leather will start to crack after a while if you train regularly – meaning you will have to buy another pair soon after.

Also, be aware that “Maya hide leather” (which you will see in a lot of RDX product descriptions) is not real leather – it’s synthetic.

 

Cuffs

The cuff of boxing glove is the part that wraps around the wrist.

I find that a thick robust cuff helps the gloves to fit properly and feel more solid on your hands – whereas small flimsy cuffs don’t hold the gloves tight to your hand.

You also want to make sure the cuffs have good Velcro straps, but all RDX gloves do.

 

Ventilation

Ventilation may not seem important, but badly ventilated gloves will start to smell pretty bad, pretty quickly – especially if you don’t look after them.

Part mesh palms are great for ventilation but small holes in the glove also do the job.

If you want to avoid your gloves smelling like death, make sure you take them out of your gym bag when you’re not training and allow air to get to them. Also give them a wipe down with something absorbent like a kitchen towel.

Pro tip: I really hate smelly gloves, so I pop a glove deodoriser in mine which really keeps them fresh.

Don’t forget hand wraps

If you’re training boxing, Muay Thai or MMA you should already be wearing hand wraps. But if not, you’ll need to get yourself a few pairs.

Hand wraps firm up your hands, and add another layer of protection that you won’t get from gloves alone.

Boxing gloves are designed to be worn with hand wraps, so you will find they fit loosely if you don’t wear them with hand wraps. Also, if the gloves aren’t tight to your hands, they won’t be firm and adequately protective.

I have a few pairs of wraps that I rotate to make sure I’m always wearing a clean pair whenever I train – this helps to keep the gloves clean.

RDX make some decent hand wraps, as do Venum, Adidas and Sanabul.

 

Best RDX gloves

Whether you train Muay Thai, MMA or boxing, a good pair of gloves is crucial.

RDX make a decent range of gloves, and their pricing is affordable – so they are a great brand to go with.

Personally, I think all of the real leather RDX gloves are great value for money, and will last you for years. As I said, there isn’t a huge difference between the high-end gloves other than the look, ventilation and cuffs, so you just need to make a choice based on those factors.

If you want to learn more about gloves from other brands, and see how they compare, check out my full guide to the best boxing gloves for Muay Thai or best MMA gloves

 

Happy training!