Best sparring gear?

[Fu-Pow]

I need your guys help.

I'm trying to put together a "Sparring Package" for my classmates to buy.

This would include Helmet, Gloves, Mouth Guard, Foot Pads, Shin Pads and Groin Protector.

Considerations are affordability and durability as well as the ability to be used in tournaments.

I'm thinking that basically I could set up two packages.

One "entry level" set up for continuous type sparring (probably dipped foam rubber).

And the other for more advanced students....ie medium to full contact sparring/san shou type gear(would probably have to be boxing type head gear.)

As I haven't tried many types of gear myself (I'm pretty happy with what I've got) I thought the forum might be a good place to get some consensus.

Specifically, has anyone tried gear by Title?

Is it any good or is it crap.

Thanks in advance for your help.

[PHILBERT]

All the gear you'll ever need. (http://store.yahoo.com/martialartsmart/sparringgear.html)

[themeecer]

Speaking of sparring gear ... has anyone use the groin protectors you wear outside your clothing? They look rather funny but if they work it would sure beat trying to slide a cup in your jock strap during class.

[Oso]

I've bought some Title stuff and it's pretty decent and reasonable priced.


oh, and themeecer, read the instructions again. The cup goes IN the strap before you put it on.:D

[Jowbacca]

Title Boxing's online store is also pretty sweet.

My own personal opinions on gear:

1. Gloves:

Kickboxing gloves tend to be Twins at #1, Fairtex at #2. Grant gloves are always good; Everlast is pretty good, and Title's decent. I think Grant Japanese style may run the cheapest.

Might wanna consider some heavy training gloves for daily practise in addition to some regular sized one for possible competitions.

As far as heavy gloves go, Title makes the heaviest at 22 and 24 ounces but they feel real "foamy" and they feel like they don't give you a good fist; not a good fit.

My Everlast 20 ouncers have a real good fit.

I kinda like the Everlast better, but the foam of the Title makes it feel like it'll hold up longer without compressing the padding.

2. Shin Guards:

From my personal experience, Fairtex shin guards are like huge pillows for the shins, but just leather and a little cardboard for the instep. When yer flat footed like me, they hurt like a mother just walking.

A lot of people swear by Twins; but with a similar design I could see them being equally as uncomfortable.

TC2000 Shinguards are a lot of foam, with no type of thick reinforcement. Feel a bit soft but I like 'em better than the Fairtex. I kinda recommend the 1 piece version; but if you're gonna get the 2-piece, get the 2 toned "shoes". The solid color vinyl instep "shoes" have a lot of stuff on the bottom of the foot, making traction next to impossible. The 2 tone vinyl instep booties have just 2 straps going along the bottom so you might actually get some traction.

Cotton shinguards and instep are my favorite. They're not all that thick and I think they wear down over time- which can be a good thing for conditioning the shins.

Generally, stay away from the foam dipped stuff, cuz it tends to rip over time.

I've heard a lot of complaints about Title shinguards.


To Be Continued

[Shaolin-Do]

"as anyone use the groin protectors you wear outside your clothing? "

Thats what we use at my kwoon :) Work quite well, actually. Not quite as tough as the plastic ones, but significantly more roomy feeling... :)

Century or macho are the most frequently used around here... pretty good IMHO. Those fingered "kempo" gloves are bad azz tho... :)

[Jowbacca]

3. Cup:

Thais usually use a metal cup and you may want one just in case u go that hard. Fairtex sells one.

For the "outside the pants" cups, I've always liked these. I like both my TC2000 and my Everlast ones; the 2 are very comparable, the Everlast one is just slightly more snug. I think Title makes a decent cup.

4. Wraps:

For wraps, go ahead and spend the money for the 1 dozen Mexican style wraps from Everlast. Mexican style wraps just seem more durable to me, and they give a better wrap. I'm sure other brands are good as well.

5. Headgear:

The only 2 headgear I've tried on that I've ever liked are TC2000 vinyl and Everlast (the classic red one with the cheek protection).

There are some boxing companies that specialize in headgear that other people swear by, but I don't know enough to have an opinion.

I don't mess around with kuoshu masks or face cages. For starters they rarely fit me well- when the bar's sitting on your nose, any jab to any part of your head draws blood. They are also disorienting- they're hard to see out of and any time you get hit they shake your head up a lot more than otherwise. You basically trade facial contact for a whole lot more head movement; yah, fewer black eyes, but probly not good for your brain.

6. Mouthguard:

Double-sided mouth guards are definitely worth the price. Plunk down the change and get a good Brain Pad.

7. Tournament sparring:

People using fingerless gloves seem to have a distinct advantage in tournament sparring. I'm not sure all tournaments allow these; but a pair of TC2000 fingerless or MMA gloves (like Ouano or Harbinger) might be a good thing to have.

8. Peripherals:

Probably wouldn't be a bad idea to include stuff like a jump rope and maybe a small minute timer. A big gym bag couldn't hurt.

Fairtex makes my favorite jump rope: thick, heavy, plastic rope, light, plastic handles.

Jump ropes are also an area of personal preference- ie leather, rubber, heavy plastic (thai style), elementary school style with the plastic sheaths, etc.

You can pick up a small minute timer with a refrigerator magnet on the back for pretty cheap in a few different places, like Title's site and maybe even Best Buy.

[themeecer]

Originally posted by Oso
oh, and themeecer, read the instructions again. The cup goes IN the strap before you put it on.:D
Lol, I know that. But going through a workout and doing forms with a cup on can be as painful as being kicked. So you wear the jock strap minus the cup and when it comes time to spar you slip the cup in.

[GeneChing]

Fu-Pow: If you're a school with a resale license, look into www.tigerclaw.com for wholesale. www.martialartsmart.com is retail.

[WuMan]

for the TC2000 fingerless gloves, how is the padding compared to over sparring gloves like those Macho gloves?

[Jowbacca]

Wuman

Not sure which macho gloves you're talking about. One thing I've noticed with "TMA fingerless gloves" versus "Grappling Gloves" is that the TMA gloves tend to have softer foam and softer skin; but Grappling gloves actually extend further over the front of the knuckles with more padding. Over time; with the TMA gloves, the padding over the front of the knuckles seems to shrink, as the finger holes extend & distort and the padding gets compacted. On the other hand it seems that the leather and padding of the Grappling Gloves soften up a bit.

note: my Grappling Glove knowledge is a limited to mostly Harbingers; those blue Pride gloves look a bit more padded with softer-looking leather.