Glove stench is common amongst people with sweaty hands. After training, the interior of the gloves are soaked with sweat and when left uncleaned, the dampness makes them a thriving environment for bacteria to grow. Moisture breeds bacteria, and it’s these bacteria that give off a fowl stench which is really hard to get rid of. One of the best ways to prevent or minimize stench is to wear breathable boxing gloves.
Stinky gloves are a big turn-off. The stench linger on your hands long after training, even after you rub them vigorously with soap. More than anything, stinky gloves is a sign of poor hygiene and that your gloves are infested with bacteria or mold that causes the odor.
If you put on your smelly gloves when you have a wound on your hands, it can even lead to skin infections. Gloves maintenance is an under-rated aspect of training but it is vital if you would like to keep your gloves clean and fresh smelling.
Quick Tips on Choosing Breathable Boxing Gloves
Tip #1 – Genuine leather tends to breathe better than synthetic leather. Animal leather is more porous, especially when compared to a material like vinyl. This is why synthetic leather gloves can feel real warm when you wear them for training, which is a real bane for sweaty hands. Microfiber leather is a viable option with typically good price-point and more breathable compared to vinyl gloves.
Tip #2 – Look for boxing gloves that incorporate mesh panel on the palm. While most gloves come with perforated palm, they are usually inadequate for proper ventilation. (See image below for comparison)
Breathable Boxing Gloves Recommendations
The right kind of gloves can go a long way, especially for people with sweaty hands. There are quite a number of brands that offer gloves with better ventilation and dry quicker. These gloves typically have vents or mesh in the underside to allow for more breathability. If you have severely sweaty hands, check out our top gloves recommendations:
Fairtex Breathable Gloves BGV1-BR
Fairtex BGV1BR Muay Thai Boxing Breathable Gloves for Men, Women, Kids | MMA Gloves, Kickboxing, Gym, Workout | Premium Quality, Light Weight & Shock Absorbent 12 oz Boxing Gloves-Yellow
- Breathable & Perfect Fit: Fairtex boxing glove 2 pair set has an ergonomic & contoured hand compartment that fits snugly for men & women. Breathable design keeps your hands dry & cool during training.
- Shock Absorbent: The muay thai gloves are constructed of premium leather with Fairtex foam system and pads for excellent hand and knuckle protection & shock disbursement for heavy bags & speed bag
- Versatile & Multipurpose: These workout equipment gloves are perfect for boxing, kickboxing, MMA, & other combat sports. Also great for general fitness, martial arts etc
- Breathable & Perfect Fit: Fairtex boxing glove 2 pair set has an ergonomic & contoured hand compartment that fits snugly for men & women. Breathable design keeps your hands dry & cool during training.
- Shock Absorbent: The muay thai gloves are constructed of premium leather with Fairtex foam system and pads for excellent hand and knuckle protection & shock disbursement for heavy bags & speed bag
- Versatile & Multipurpose: These workout equipment gloves are perfect for boxing, kickboxing, MMA, & other combat sports. Also great for general fitness, martial arts etc
The BGV1-BR is a upgrade of the Fairtex’s best-selling BGV1 gloves. As the name suggests, the improvement comes in the form of the use of mesh material in the underside. This is the best material that allows for better ventilation and breathability. The ventilation works very well and any moisture dries very quickly.
The padding and leather are of high quality, and it boasts a streamlined design, making them look smaller and less pillowy than other brands. Fairtex makes the best Muay Thai gloves with excellence in workmanship, fit and support. This is a must buy!
| User Feedback |
| – “The mesh inner lining helps a lot with the smell and sweat in the gloves.“ – “Amazing comfort, love the mesh Material for better circulation of air. You’ll still get sweaty but they dry quickly and don’t smell either.“ |
>> Click here to purchase Fairtex BGV1-BR at Amazon Now <<
Twins Special Air Flow BGVLA 2
Just as the Fairtex breathable gloves, the Twins Special Air Flow is an upgrade of their flagship standard gloves BGVL-3. Similarly, these use an air mesh in the upper palm area that helps them dry out faster. The ventilation also mean they are cooler when you wear them.
Twins Special is one of the most popular Muay Thai brands, almost everyone comes to own a pair sooner or later. They are reasonably affordable but there is no compromise on the quality or workmanship. Just as durable as the Fairtexs and with a springier padding, these are definitely our top pick for beginners as entry level gloves.
| User Feedback |
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>> Click here to purchase Twins Special Air Flow at Amazon Now <<
Top King Super Air
As one of fan-favorite Muay Thai brands, these Air gloves are not a surprising entry from Top King. Like Fairtex and Twins offerings, the Air gloves use a mesh for the palm area for ventilation. This system improves the breathability of the gloves, making them cooler to wear and easier to dry.
Top King gloves are extremely well made and provide fantastic protection through the extra padding in the knuckles and wrists. The well-padded wrist area makes them very good as sparring gloves for protection against kicks.
The only con I can squeeze out is that the cuffs extend a little higher than other gloves and could take getting used to. But this little quirk actually keeps your wrists straight and helps to minimize wrist injuries.
Other than that, Top King gloves are known to be more snug than other brands so you might want to avoid if you have large hands.
| User Feedback |
| – “I have smaller hands for my size, and with wraps on my 16 oz are snug.“ – “Been using these for @ a year. No signs of damage. Great gloves.“ |
>> Click here to purchase Top King Air at Amazon Now <<
Hayabusa T3 Boxing Gloves
Hayabusa T3 Boxing Gloves for Men and Women Wrist and Knuckle Protection, Dual-X Hook and Loop Closure, Splinted Wrist Support, 5 Layer Foam Knuckle Padding - Black/Red, 16 oz
- A Revolutionized Training Glove: You need a glove that checks all of the boxes, from protection and comfort to durability and fit. T3 Boxing Gloves do just that, with a decade of sports science &...
- Built For Comfort With A Tailored Fit: Interior fabric feels smooth and cool on your hands and helps to regulate your hand temperature. Two interlocking velcro wrist straps adjust to fit your hands...
- World Renowned Wrist Support: The dual wrist straps and splinting system work together to keep your wrists aligned with each punch. It locks your wrists in place when you strap up, preventing risky...
- A Revolutionized Training Glove: You need a glove that checks all of the boxes, from protection and comfort to durability and fit. T3 Boxing Gloves do just that, with a decade of sports science &...
- Built For Comfort With A Tailored Fit: Interior fabric feels smooth and cool on your hands and helps to regulate your hand temperature. Two interlocking velcro wrist straps adjust to fit your hands...
- World Renowned Wrist Support: The dual wrist straps and splinting system work together to keep your wrists aligned with each punch. It locks your wrists in place when you strap up, preventing risky...
Hayabusa is known for extensive research and innovation in the design of their products. One of the outstanding features is the inner fabric which boasts an anti-microbial technology that delivers anti-odor properties, improved ventilation, enhanced breathability and thermo-regulating properties. What that means, is that they will keep your hands cool and will dry up fast.
These gloves are up there in terms of other aspects such as quality, protection and especially wrist support. Incidentally, this is also one of our top recommendations for providing the best wrist support. No wonder this is one of the most recommended gloves for Muay Thai, boxing and mma training.
| User Feedback |
| – “ I spent a long time going through reviews and looking at higher end gloves before taking the leap on the T3s, and I couldn’t be happier.” – “They have great wrist support, aren’t too hot, and fit my hands well. They also don’t retain the smell from the inevitable sweat that comes when using proper boxing gloves. Very happy with these.” |
>> Click here to purchase Hayabusa T3 at Amazon now<<
Ringside Apex Boxing Gloves
Sale
Ringside unisex adult White/Black 14 oz glove, Red/Black, Ounce US
- 2 1/4 inches of IMF (Injected Molded Foam) Tech is ideal for sparring or bag work
- Durable and easy to clean synthetic leather shell with full wrap around hook and loop closure and attached thumb for safety
- Get in shape one punch at a time with the comprehensive protection offered by these boxing MMA Muay Thai training workout gloves
- 2 1/4 inches of IMF (Injected Molded Foam) Tech is ideal for sparring or bag work
- Durable and easy to clean synthetic leather shell with full wrap around hook and loop closure and attached thumb for safety
- Get in shape one punch at a time with the comprehensive protection offered by these boxing MMA Muay Thai training workout gloves
The Ringside Apex is the brand’s flagship line of gloves made with their proprietary IMF technology. Basically, the gloves are made using a molded foam system that contours the shape of the fist and offers excellent protection. Besides a mesh palm panel, the anti-microbial liner combines to reduce odor-causing bacteria.
The long cuffs and extra wide velcro straps offer incredible wrist support, and the padding is springy enough for extra protection of your knuckles. The cons of these gloves are that they are a little stiff and won’t make the best gloves for clinching or sparring.
They are also less durable and of lower quality compared to the other entries on this list, but this is compensated with a more affordable price tag.
| User Feedback |
| – “Very comfortable and very breathable.“ – “ They’re for training. Heavy bag, light sparring – they’re perfect.“ |
>> Click here to purchase Ringside Apex at Amazon now<<
Sanabul Essential Gel Training Gloves
Sanabul Essential Gel Boxing Gloves | Kickboxing Gloves | Punching Bag Gloves For Men and Women, Black/Pink 12 oz
- Performance engineered leather construction. High quality and durable material is easier to clean and maintain
- Gel impact protection foam. Gel Infused foam provides superb protection and softness to help prevent injury to your hands while training
- Longitudinal arch design. Constructed to fit the natural curvature of the hand for proper fist closure while striking
- Performance engineered leather construction. High quality and durable material is easier to clean and maintain
- Gel impact protection foam. Gel Infused foam provides superb protection and softness to help prevent injury to your hands while training
- Longitudinal arch design. Constructed to fit the natural curvature of the hand for proper fist closure while striking
The Sanabul Essential Gel gloves is one of the best selling training gloves on Amazon. The number one reason is the affordability but they are actually pretty decent gloves at their price point.
The use of synthetic leather is expected at this price tag and frankly, these certainly aren’t the most durable gloves. But they hold up reasonably well and most importantly, they offer good breathability over many other gloves via the mesh panels.
If you have plans to take Muay Thai more seriously, this will not be not the best option. But as the cheapest gloves on the list, I would readily recommend these especially if you train casually.
| User Feedback |
| – “For the price, you can’t beat it. Nice material in and out“ – “ I do muay thai and go hard 4 days a week and they are holding up well.“ |
>> Click here to purchase Sanabul Essentials at Amazon now<<
Conclusion
Breathable Muay Thai gloves are a great boon to sweaty fighters. They feel cooler to wear while you train and the ventilation system facilitates better drying of the interiors after training.
Don’t get it wrong. You still need to clean and maintain your gloves if you want to keep them smelling fresh for as long as they last. However, the right pair of gloves can go a long way in minimizing unpleasant odors plagued by excess perspiration.
Choose the right gloves. Smell fresh. And enjoy Muay Thai.
Chok dee!
I use a container and put a dehumidifier. My fairtex dry very quick, their inner lining are made from polyester or nylon, some kind of those. Whereas my rival gloves that have cotton fiber on its inner lining, and they dry longer than my fairtex.
What’s your dehumidifier setting? If too dry, the gloves leather will end up cracking very fast.