These are the best boxing and martial arts headgear to protect your skull from serious injuries.
One of the most dangerous injuries you can sustain while boxing is to your skull. No matter how well you may train, there’s no way you can make yourself impervious to punches directly to your skull. A punch delivered with the right force and to the right part of your head can result in grave injuries. That’s why it’s absolutely crucial to wear a good boxing headgear when you’re facing off against an adversary.
You may be trained to protect yourself, dodge punches, and even weave so you take punches in the least impactful areas. But even with all that training, you may still sustain injuries that can be extremely dangerous or even fatal. But if you’re wearing a boxing headgear, you don’t have to worry about bruises, cuts, or intense injuries. That, in turn, also liberates you from fear, which allows you to fight better.
However, different people have different head sizes and requirements. That’s why a single headgear won’t be suitable for everyone. You need a headgear that’s comfortable for you and one that will serve you the best. There are a number of different types of boxing headgears out there, but you need to find one that’s suitable for you.
In this article, we give you an overview of some of the best boxing headgears so you can make an informed decision.
Best Boxing & Martial Arts Headgear For Protection
1. Winning Headgear FG2900
Winning Headgear FG2900 is currently one of the most expensive boxing headgears on the market, but that’s only because it’s also one of the best. This headgear is used by professionals from across the globe and it combines ideal comfort and safety with functionality. However, because it’s so expensive, this boxing headgear is largely only used by advanced boxers or professionals. In fact, this boxing headgear is even favored by Manny Pacquiao, which speaks to how amazing this boxing headgear really is.
This boxing headgear is made of high-quality synthetic leather on the outside. Some people are hesitant about buying products with synthetic leather. That concern is valid because a lot of synthetic leather products aren’t durable and they wear away easily. However, Winning Headgear FG2900 is made of one of the most durable synthetic leathers formulated specifically by Winning. As such, the material is extremely durable and it can sustain years of abuse without tearing or wearing away.
This boxing headgear is also equipped with a unique Mexican-style design. This comes along with a lacing system at the back of the head that ensures that this boxing headgear will firmly enclose your head and it won’t come off. You also won’t need to readjust this boxing headgear after taking hits to your head, which makes it perfect for the ring.
When it comes to padding in boxing headgear, it must be balanced out against the visibility and functionality. Some boxing headgears provide too much padding, so much so your range of motion and visibility are impeded. Meanwhile, there are some boxing headgears that don’t have enough padding, which makes them risky. This boxing headgear has a well-padded forehead and cheeks. The padding also extends to your nose but it never interferes with the eyesight. As such, this boxing headgear perfectly balances functionality with padding.
All things considered, this is undoubtedly the best boxing headgear on the market. However, due to the insanely expensive price tag, it’s largely meant for professional boxers and advanced practitioners. Winning Headgear FG2900 only weighs 9 ounces and it’s available in five colors — Blue, Gold, Green, Purple, and Red.
2. Ring to Cage Deluxe GelTech 2.0
Ring to Cage Deluxe GelTech 2.0 is a strong alternative to the aforementioned Winning Headgear FG2900. However, this boxing headgear is a lot more reasonably-priced so most people can afford it. This boxing headgear is fairly light, weighing only 15 ounces. It’s made of genuine leather so you can rest assured that this headgear will be extremely durable. You should, however, be prepared for a little discomfort initially because leather takes some time to break in.
This boxing headgear also comes with a “Dri-max” fabric liner, which some people favor instead of vinyl. This material dries out extremely fast so you don’t have to worry about sweat remaining in the headgear. It also keeps you fairly dry because the fabric absorbs all the sweat. This feature comes in handy during long training sessions and competitions.
Some people complain that this boxing headgear looks too bulky. To an extent, that’s true. This boxing headgear does look very bulky, even though it’s fairly light. However, it’s still designed such that it has enough padding but without blocking out your line of sight. This boxing headgear has enough padding to protect your nose and your entire face, but the window around the eyes is enough to look through. The only issue is that you have to sacrifice some of your peripheral vision so you’ll have to turn your head sideways to see what’s around you.
This is not a Mexican-style boxing headgear. As such, instead of lacing it around the back, you’ll have to use a 1” chin strap and loop it around the bottom of your chin. The hook and loop system is comfortable and easy to use, but it’s not as snug as the laces around the back. The padding on this boxing headgear is made of strong foam and gel that can easily absorb shock.
All things considered, Ring to Cage Deluxe GelTech 2.0 is one of the best boxing headgears on the market. While it may not be as comfortable as the aforementioned Winning Headgear FG2900, it provides just as much support and it’s a lot cheaper so most people can afford it.
3. Cleto Reyes Traditional Headgear
Cleto Reyes Traditional Headgear is one of the most unique boxing headgears on the market because it comes with a nylon face bar meant for nose protection. The nose is one of the most delicate tissues on your face and it breaks pretty easily. While most boxing headgears provide padding for your head and the rest of your face, they can’t cover the nose because that risks impeding your vision as well. However, Cleto Reyes Traditional Headgear provides ample padding for the rest of your head and also for your nose.
This boxing headgear is lightweight enough that you can wear it comfortably. It also comes equipped with an adjustable chin strap so you can adjust it according to your face so it’s properly fastened and doesn’t shake loose. The hook and loop closure is strong enough that it remains fastened. But, if necessary, you can also quickly fasten it during a competition without losing much time or focus.
This boxing headgear is made of completely genuine leather, which makes it more durable and resilient than most headgears that use synthetic leather. It also happens to be handmade and the attention to detail is evident in this headgear. In terms of padding, this boxing headgear is covered with latex foam that can absorb the hardest blows without caving.
Most importantly, this boxing headgear is also equipped with a lightweight nylon front bar that protects your nose. The design, however, is such that the windows for your eyes are perfectly open and you can see clearly. You even have access to some peripheral vision. As such, this boxing headgear perfectly combines visibility with comfort and support.
All things considered, Cleto Reyes Traditional Headgear is one of the best boxing headgears on the market for beginners and advanced boxers alike. It’s available in 11 different colors — Black, Blue, Citrus Green, Pink, Purple, Red, Solid Gold, Tiger Orange, Titanium, White, and Yellow.
4. Venum Elite Headgear
Venum is one of the world’s best brands for combat accessories. Their reputation lies in producing extremely functional high-quality products that are also fairly reasonable and affordable. Venum Elite is one of the best boxing headgears because it marries affordability with strong levels of protection.
This boxing headgear is made for elite and advanced boxers, even though it’s affordable enough for just about anyone. This boxing headgear is fairly lightweight, weighing only 13 ounces. It has a streamlined and clean design meant to provide the greatest range of motion possible without sacrificing protection.
This boxing headgear also happens to be handmade so you can rest assured that every stitch will be handled with precision and you have a complete assurance of quality. This headgear features an outer shell made of skintex leather, which is a form of synthetic leather that’s often used in combat gear because of how durable and strong it is. This synthetic leather is one of the best imitations of actual leather possible and it helps bring the cost of the product down considerably. Furthermore, since this is synthetic leather, you don’t have to break it in.
In terms of protection, this boxing headgear has plenty of padding for your head, chin, cheeks, forehead, and ears. Furthermore, instead of small slots for the eyes, this headgear has a large enough space around the eyes that you have complete visibility. However, that also means that the area around your eyes and nose are left relatively vulnerable.
All things considered, Venum Elite is one of the most durable, strong, and affordable boxing headgears for both professionals and beginners alike. The only issue is the lack of protection around the nose and the fact that it comes only in one size with limited adjustability. As such, it may not fit everyone.
5. Title Gel World Headgear
Title Gel World is a great option for fighting headgear, especially for MMA and Muay Thai practitioners. This boxing headgear has been made of genuine leather and comes with layered padding inside. In terms of padding, this boxing headgear features an outer foam layer and an inner gel layer, which makes it far more effective and absorbing shock than most traditional headgears.
All-foam boxing headgears are also effective but one that includes a gel layer provides better shock dissipation so you barely even feel the impact. As such, purely in terms of shock absorption, there are few headgears that can beat Title Gel World. But unfortunately, the type of padding isn’t the only determinant of a good headgear and Title does stumble in a few other areas.
You need to have a strong headgear that fastens perfectly around your face so it doesn’t move or get dislodged while fighting. This headgear doesn’t have a chin strap or lacework but instead relies on velcro at the back of your head. As such, the velcro can come undone easily and that will leave the headgear free to move about, which can compromise your safety during a match.
This boxing headgear also comes with chin padding but that only offers minimal protection. This headgear doesn’t compromise visibility and you get peripheral vision as well, but it doesn’t protect your nose very well. All things considered, Title Gel World is a great option for you if you care most about the type of padding, but there are some drawbacks that prevent it from being a perfect boxing headgear.
6. Ringside Fightgear
Ringside Fightgear is an extremely affordable boxing headgear suitable for beginners and novices. This boxing headgear has a thickly padded surface that covers your head, cheeks, and forehead. The headgear is made of genuine durable leather so it will take some time to break-in, but after that, it’s completely comfortable.
This boxing headgear also provides nose protection without sacrificing vision. Sure, this headgear doesn’t offer as much visibility as some other headgears and you may not have complete peripheral vision. But if you’re a new boxer, then that’s a worthy sacrifice for your protection.
This boxing headgear features a buckle chinstrap from which you can fasten the headgear. You can fasten it even during a competition without losing much time. All things considered, Ringside Fightgear is a strong choice for beginners, novices, and those on a tight budget. It’s available in two colors — Blue and Red.
Last update on 2023-06-07 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API