Best Focus Mitts
Focus mitts, also known as punching mitts, boxing matts or focus pads, are padded targets that training partners wear on their hands. This allows you to throw your punches from various directions and combinations with a moving target. Focus mitts, when used in combination with body protectors and a set of MMA gloves or boxing gloves, also allow you to throw a greater combination of strikes to the hands and the body.
The moment when you’ve thrown a punch is actually one of the most vulnerable moments in combat sports. That’s because one of your hands is preoccupied and so is your mind. A good adversary can take advantage of that moment to strike you while your guards are down. Focus mitts allow you to practice moving while punching and steering clear of counter strikes.
Of course, you can also choose to go for punching bags. But focus mitts are a lot cheaper and they don’t need significant storage space, which makes them more attainable for most people. Furthermore, focus mitts can also make for a moving target rather than a stationary one, as is the case with free-standing punching bags.
There are a lot of different types of focus mitts out there. How do you know which is right for you? In this article, we give you an overview of some of the best focus mitts for boxing, MMA, and other combat sports.
Best Boxing Focus Mitts
1. Fairtex Contoured Focus Mitts
Fairtex Contoured focus mitts are perfect for all forms of combat sports. These focus mitts are made of high-quality leather and they’re perfectly contoured so they can fit into the natural curves of the hand, which makes for a natural fit and grip. The design is also such that your training partner can get a strong grip on it, which is necessary when receiving punches.
When it comes to focus mitts, the level of protection and shock absorption is crucial because the training partner may be on the receiving end of some really strong punches and throws. This focus mitt is layered with shock-absorbing foam and it’s also covered by an ultra-light protective soft hand and finger hood compartment. This ensures that the focus mitt can absorb the strongest punches and your fingers — the most vulnerable parts of your hands — are also perfectly protected.
The only issue with this focus mitt is that the largest size may not be large enough for men with extra-large hands. They fit snugly for most users, but not those with especially large hands. In terms of cost, these focus mitts are certainly some of the most expensive, but they’re completely worth it because of how good and reliable they are. It’s also extremely durable so you can use it for several years and on a regular basis without worrying about it wearing off or tearing.
All things considered, Fairtex Contoured is the perfect set of focus mitts for everyone, be it beginners or professionals. The only people it’s not suitable for are those with very large hands.
2. Ringside Panther Focus Mitts
Ringside is one of the most reputable names in combat sports fighting gear and the Ringside Panther focus mitts are used by professional boxers and boxing gyms across the globe. These focus mitts are extremely durable, strong, and they’re also fairly reasonable for most people.
The best aspect of Ringside Panther is that it’s extremely durable and can last long. A lot of companies lower the cost of their focus mitts by using synthetic leather, which wears away a lot sooner and develops cracks and tears soon. This makes them unsuitable for frequent and longterm use. However, Ringside Panther has been made of genuine leather that can last several years even after regular use. This comes with a slight drawback that’s common to all leather periods — you need to break them in so that they’re not too stiff. A few training sessions should be enough to properly break these focus mitts in.
Ringside Panther has also been designed and contoured to adapt to the wearer’s hands and wrists naturally. This minimizes the shock from the punches considerably and also increases the wearer’s comfort. Another unique aspect of this focus mitt is that the inside comes with a ball-shaped padded spot that you can hold on to. This prevents the mitts from slipping and it also adds a greater sense of comfort and padding to keep your hands safe.
This focus mitt measures 10″ x 7.5″ x 3″ in size, which is fairly standard. This makes it large enough to hit but not so much that the wearer gets exhausted soon. The biggest advantage of this focus mitt is that it’s extremely affordable despite being a professional focus mitt. All things considered, these are some of the best value-for-money focus mitts you can get.
3. Cheerwing New Target Focus Mitts
If you’re looking for an extremely cheap and affordable set of focus mitts, then Cheerwing New Target is the perfect set for you. This is one of the most reasonable focus mitts out there, a fraction of the cost of some of the others. Sure, this focus mitt isn’t suitable for longterm use by professionals, but it’s more than capable of providing enough support for beginners and novices.
This focus mitt has been made of high-quality and durable PU leather that’s easy to maintain and clean. This is authentic leather so you don’t have to worry about it cracking too soon. This focus mitt is also covered in a high potency foam padding that helps with shock absorption. It doesn’t provide the level of protection you may need to absorb high-intensity punches delivered by professionals, but it’s strong enough to take punches by beginners and novices. The inside of the mitt also comes with a palm ball that you can hold on to for support and extra padding.
This focus mitt is also pre-curved along the natural curvature of the hands and wrists so it’s comfortable to wear and it offers a better striking surface. This focus mitt measures 8.66” x 7.09” x 1.18” and weighs 7.05 ounces. It’s suitable for training in combat sports like MMA and BJJ. It’s available in four colors — Blue, Red, White, and Yellow.
4. RDX Gel Hook & Jab Pads Focus Mitts
The focus mitt by RDX Gel Hook & Jab Pads is one of the best focus mitts for professionals because it excels in comfort, strength, and shock-absorption.
The inside of this focus mitt is made of an ‘Infused Shock Dispersion’ foam that provides the padding and ensures that the focus mitts retain their shape and don’t buckle under impact. It also includes a Shock-Gel layer which facilitates shock dissipation across the mitt and absorption so that the force of the impact spreads out and dissipates. This layer also contributes to the solid and formidable strength of the mitts.
The external parts of the focus mitt are covered in a SpongeX foam layer, which helps the mitt retain its shape. Finally, the entire focus mitt is covered in cowhide leather that’s extremely strong and doesn’t wear and tear even after longterm frequent use.
The RDX Gel Hook & Jab Pads focus mitt is also extremely comfortable. Your hands and fingers can easily slide into the pockets designed specifically for them. Your palm is stationed comfortably against the palm ball that enhances your grip while also offering additional padding. The wrist locks are also extremely soft and they can lock the mitts in place without chafing your wrist.
This focus mitt has been designed with reinforced stitching so that it doesn’t come apart. The back of this mitt is also made of mesh fabric so that it’s breathable and your sweat and moisture can wick off without collecting inside. In terms of performance, this focus mitt can take a lot of beating without letting you feel the impact. Since it’s made of genuine leather, you will need to break it in initially, but that won’t take too long if you use it frequently.
5. Title Platinum 2.0 Focus Mitts
Title Platinum 2.0 has been a top seller amongst focus mitts for over a decade now. This focus mitt is designed with 100% genuine high-quality leather that ensures that it will last a long time, even if it sustains continued, frequent, and powerful punches. Since it’s made of leather, it’s not very flexible and you’ll have to use it a while and work out with it before it becomes flexible, but that’s true for all the best leather products.
This focus mitt is equipped with a hook-and-loop style attachment for the wrists along with a D-ring. This ensures that the focus mitt is secured snugly to your wrists without issues. This focus mitt also features 2.5” of contoured shock-absorbing molded padding. This ensures that the focus mitt can absorb and dissipate the strongest of punches without letting you feel the vibrations. The inside of the mitt also comes with a foam rubber palm ball for added grip, stability, and padding. Title Platinum 2.0 has also been upgraded with a back finger cover and wrist pad. This protects some of the most vulnerable parts of your hands — the fingers and wrists. These focus mitts measure 9.75” x 7.5” x 2.5” and weighs 2 pounds.
The only issue with this focus mitt is that the target circles aren’t perfectly aligned with the center of the pads. As such, the targeted areas meant to be punched are slightly raised and hard, which can throw the punches off balance. Furthermore, this also means that there are certain vulnerable spots that can actually result in an injury for the training partner if someone punches them hard enough. Some even felt unsure about the position of the thumbs
All things considered, Title Platinum 2.0 is a great option for beginners who want a high-quality and durable focus mitt. But it’s not perfectly designed and some of the positioning of the padding and training circles is dubious and can result in injury. That’s why Title Platinum 2.0 isn’t suitable for professionals and advanced trainers.
6. Venum Cellular 2.0 Focus Mitts
Venum Cellular 2.0 is the perfect focus mitt for those who are looking for extremely powerful and durable mitts that can sustain considerable damage and impact while still being extremely lightweight. This focus mitt is suitable for everyone from beginners to professional trainers, but it’s not highly recommended because it’s also one of the most expensive focus mitts on the market.
This focus mitt has been designed with a bear-claw and it features a cellular material that covers the entire mitt so that it doesn’t slip or slide. This enhances your accuracy and also prevents accidents that may occur due to the mitts slipping.
Besides the expensive price tag, the only real issue with this focus mitt is that the straps are fairly flimsy and the padding may be a little too bulky for some people. The straps have to be secured firmly and they still risk coming apart. And the padding may be deemed excessive by some people.
However, the padding is a relative subject. Despite having such padding, this focus mitt is extremely lightweight and facilitates fast focus control. The palm is also curved naturally so that it can slip perfectly into your wrists and hands. It also features a high-performance density foam that adds strength to the entire focus mitt while also helping to dissipate the shock of the most powerful blows.
This focus mitt has been designed and imported from Thailand. It’s suitable for everyone, be it beginners or professional trainers, though the expensive price tag makes it unreachable for many people. You can get it in four different colors — Black/White, Matte/Black, Neon Pink, and Neon Yellow.
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Last update on 2024-10-30 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API