Focus mitts, they have a couple of different names like coaching pads, punching pads or even target pads. By these names you already have the idea what this is gonna be used for.
Unlike many other boxing equipment like boxing gloves, punching bags, speed bags and all, these are really cheap. You can find yourself a pretty decent one in around 50 bucks.
These help out a fighter in every possible way. It’ll help him get his rhythm right, his stance perfected. What’s most important is that the coach gets to understand where his trainees are doing wrong. What helps the most a trainer with focus mitts is that they significantly increase the accuracy of the fighters.
Best Focus Mitts – Top Picks
These here are selected based on the feedback of the buyers, recommendation of the pros and how much of the needs the mitts meet.
1. Sanabul Essential Curved Boxing MMA Punching Mitts
Won’t have to worry about it fitting you.
Features & Benefits
Yeah, this one will fit perfectly on anybody be it one of your petite friends or a football player. The Sanabul being the futuristic brand it is put in a built-in palm grip. This grip is what makes it hold on to any hands regardless of the size.
As everybody seeks stuffs that perfectly fits on ‘em, Sanabul made the mold of this focus mitts to perfectly take the shape of the hands. This gives the hands a contour fit and the comfort you’re seeking.
The primary function of the glove is to give numb down the shock, which these focused mitts indeed does quite perfectly. The guys over in Sanabul are using a super light foam which they’re calling the Santec Ultra-Light Foam.
This thing feels like an extension of the user’s arm rather than an isolated piece of equipment due to the mold and especially due to the half ball palm grip. The grip can also be adjusted to the size of the hand of the user and also the user’s liking. This takes any possibility that the coach might be injured during practice.
The palm grip too makes things more adjustable and customizable. But you see, what makes this really great is its curvature. So, your students can not only practice those jabs and crosses but also hooks and many other moves.
You’ll have plenty of colors to choose from. Sanabul made these in six different colors, that includes neon, green, black, red and copper.
And last but not the least is its leather construction. This makes it one of the best focus mitts for gyms because of its monstrous durability and ease of cleaning.
Cons
Everything about it is perfect except for the lack of ventilation despite the meshes on each side of the back. Users are complaining that it gets real hit and humid in there because of the lack of ventilation.
2. Pro Impact Curved Focus Mitts
Will help you increase accuracy.
Features & Benefits
Unlike most other mitts that are out there, this one comes with a white circle in the middle, this will help you to increase your accuracy in an exponential rate as well as your skill set. And that makes it one of the best focus mitts for boxing.
This too has a curved surface to make it useful for all sorts of moves and not only for those jabs and crosses. This and a couple of other factors give the focus mitts the air of professionalism to it.
This mitt too is made out of leather, genuine leather. This gives its over the top ruggedness, durability and longevity. And this is also the reason why it’s completely scratch proof. Combination of the high-end leather and the curved surface makes the mitt a perfect one for long and daily workout.
Yeah, another thing to mention for those who’re a nit choosy, it’s available in two colors, black and brown. The black one’s completely black and has a white bullseye and the brown one’s actually a combination of brown and black and has a brown bullseye.
If you’ve already used a mitt or two you know how troubling it is to have sweaty interiors. They’re just uncomfortable. Pro Impact gave one of those sweat absorbing interior lining. This keeps things dry and comfy.
That’s not all about how they designed the interior. They’ve put the ball in the center to make the grip a lot better. The hook and loop closure is also really great at holding your hands tightly so it won’t be slipping off anytime soon.
The padding, they’ve used 35% more padding than usual to make it more shock absorbent. This makes it easier to hit the mitts harder than ever without any noticeable impact for both parties. Besides it’s got a wider face so it really easy to hit.
Cons
The mitts is just a bit too hard to be used with bare knuckles. So, wearing gloves is a must.
3. PAMASE Boxing Leather Punch Focus Mitts
Thick but lightweight.
Features & Benefits
Pamase went over the board and gave a whole 1.5 inches of mold and dense. Mahn, youjust know that this guy will give one hell of a protection. Your trainee can go haywire with nothing to worry about you. It serves as a good cushion too, so its not gonna be too hard for your trainee.
One other issues that happens with mitts is its weight. Sometimes they are just a bit too heavy to be kept one the air for long. But this one is light.
Not only does it offer a pretty sleek protection and look but its curved surface offers a lot of versatility in regards to variation of styles. I mean you trainee and do all sorts of punches and kicks. He’ll not be stuck with just jabs and punches like in those straight mitts.
The exterior cover, its PU leather. It’s smooth, so no scratches you want to go bare knuckles for a few rounds. It ain’t anything that’s toxic either.
You might have seen that the padding slowly starts to bulge out after a few weeks or so. But this one has a Hem with strong nylon string. So, ain’t anything gonna come out. And you know how strong nylon strings are. For those portions of the edges that doesn’t have hems, it has pretty solid stitching too.
This thing is 20 cm in breadth and 25 cm in height. So, if your trainee isn’t all that precise with his punches i.e. even if he fails to punch the bullseye he’ll still be able to punch the mitts though. Oh, yeah I forgot to mention that this mitt has bullseye too. It ain’t a portion of leather in another color it’s just painted on the striking surface.
If you’re worrying about it fitting you, it has a hook and loop strap to make almost all adult hands fit quite snugly. And as I’ve mentioned the measurements you should have a pretty good idea if you’re will fit or not.
This one comes with a 30 Days refund policy. If you think that anything on this pair of mitts is subpar, you’ll get a total refund.
Cons
There’s no wrist support. That might cause some serious pain for the one who’s wearing it.
4. Elite Sports Curved Boxing Punching Mitts
Durable, Lightweight, Versatile
Features & Benefits
Despite having a PU leather which is ultra-lightweight , all for the sake of making the mitts lightweight as a whole, it holds quite the durability. That’s what makes it stand out in this huge array of focus mitts, durability and lightweight at the same time.
It doesn’t have a bullseye but it has that elite symbol there. So, it’ll get the job done nicely. Speaking of the striking surface, this too has that curved striking surface. So, you know how effective this is gonna be. It offers an apparently enlarged striking surface. Besides, it makes things one more notch comfy since it follows the natural curve of the hands.
Yeah, another thing about this, it’s really easy to clean. So, if you’re buying it for a gym or gonna be using it for the gym, this one is gonna be real handy.
Super dense foam and mold gives all the protection that you might need and obviously that satisfying pop. It offers a cushioning surface to the trainee and the protection to the trainee.
You won’t have to be worried about the mitts fitting you. It has the hook and loop Velcro strap, so almost all hands will fit on perfectly in the pocket. Unlike a few other focus mitts this one has the wrist support, so the trainer won’t feel that intense pain on the wrist.
This one has the mesh panel on the sides. The meshes help out a lot with ventilation and definitely keeps you hands dry. So, there won’t be any of that sweaty interior and irritation.
This one has been designed for both males and females and people of a large range of ages. That includes anybody and everybody in-between 18 and 55. You can use it for all sorts of purposes like boxing, kick boxing, karate and so its one of the best focus mitts for Muay Thai.
This pair of focus mitts is available in eight different colors. Yeah, there’s so many of those since its gonna serve all of this huge array of people. I am an advocate of the black one, since its not gonna be apparent to the naked eye that the colors fading away.
Cons
There’s no separate slot for the thumbs. That’s a bummer since it’ll feel a lot of thrust without anything to hold it and you’ll feel like your thumbs are gonna be flying off.
5. RDX Punching Mitts
Comfy & Durable
Features & Benefits
The foam and padding that’s used in this very case is something else. The foam that they’re using is the Tri-Slab and the Supremo-Shock Foam. And also in an effort to disperse the force all over the mitts and reduce the pressure or impact RDX has used an infused shock dispersion sheet. This is the layer that keeps the mitts in their shape. It’s super sturdy and gives the mitts its durability.
They even used gel to reduce the force, pressure or impact by multiple folds. It not only disperses the force equally but also absorbs a lot of it. On top of that, this gel does not make the mitts any softer but it increases the hardiness of the mitts. And this hardiness gives that satisfactory feel.
These multiple layers of padding have been covered from all sides with a spongeX foam. This reduces the probability of the mitts busting open. And there’s also hem to make sure that such occurrences don’t happen anytime soon.
RDX has always given the comfort of their user one of their top priorities. Fingers slide in perfectly inside the pockets. Then there’s the mesh ventilation on top to keeps things dry and comfy inside the pockets. The pockets having no inner lining is really easy to clean, you can just shove in a wet towel and clean it easily. And that curve of the mitts gives a ball type thingy to grip on to.
And for the support there’s the wrist strap, it has a bit of padding to make it softer and comfortable. It doesn’t hold on too tight. But it does hold the hand quite securely in place so that it doesn’t slip off.
The stitching has been reinforced to increase the durability. Besides there’s the hem so the probability of it ever popping is really low.
The focus mitts have been made out of an 100% genuine cowhide leather. You know how good leather is and how easy it is to clean.
So, taking in the factors of reinforced stitching, hem, genuine leather and the brand name of RDX it can be assured that this is gonna be one hell of durable pair of focus mitts.
Oh yeah, the dimensioning of this thing………… it’s 6 cm thick and the height is 25 cm, the breadth’s about 19 cm.
Cons
Having to sweat absorbing interior lining is really problematic. Despite the ventilation, sweaty people tend to keep on sweating.
Another thig about this is the horrendous smell it comes with. It’ll go away slowly though.
6. Cheerwing PU Leather Punching Mitt
Cheap
Features & Benefits
It’s a comfy pair of focus mitts both for the trainer and the trainee. It’s satisfactory to punch it and also to hold it.
The design is quite ergonomic. Your hands will fit in nicely inside the pockets and it won’t feel like they’re flying off. There’s a lot of mesh for ventilation. So, the pockets are gonna remain dry throughout the training session. The pocket extends to the wrists to make sure that you get a support there too.
On top of the mesh ventilation there’s quite a few holes too. That alone says a lot about how comfy this is gonna be.
The PU leather and the potency foam makes it really comfy and easy for the trainer to throw punch and punch without feeling much of the impact. No matter how you use the pad ain’t gonna be warping anytime soon.
Only weighing in about 7 oz this is a super lightweight focus mitt. You can be training with this for hours without feeling the weight of the focus mitts taking a toll on you. There’s hem on the edges so it not gonna be busting open that easily.
And as for the dimensioning this thing is about 22 cm in height and 18 cm in breadth. The thickness is also about 3 cm.
If you’re a bit choosy about colors, this pair of mitts is available in four different colors.
Cons
You get what you pay for. Yeah, they’re lightweight, very much lightweight but that comes with a cost of minimalist padding. So, it hurts really bad when the trainee hits the focus mitts.
7. RDX Boxing Pads Hook & Jab Pads
One of the best focus mitts for MMA
Features & Benefits
This one has a lot of similarities with the last RDX focus mitts that I’ve talked about just recently. But this one is a bit cheaper than the previous one.
It has three isolated layers of padding one after another. The first layer is the spongeX next in line is the Max Shock Equilibrium Sheet. This second layer is technologically designed to absorb a huge portion of the impact and distribute it equally throughout the padding. Lastly, there’s the Infused Shock Dispersion Sheet. This one quite efficiently disperses the force around the padding.
As for the exterior coating you’ll be getting a Maya Hide leather. Maya hide leather isn’t the genuine leather but it’s still quite durable and smooth.
It even has a painted-on bullseye on the striking surface. It really helps to practice accuracy.
SpongeX foam on the sides along with the hem makes sure that the focus mitts won’t be busting open from the sides. This adds a lot of durability to the focus mitts.
The hand pocket is really nice and provides snug fit. There’s even multiple perforation to create and enhance breathability. This keeps the hands and palms dry. On top of that there’s the moisture wicking interior lining. Speaking of palms, there’s round curvature on the back side to fit the natural curvature of the hands or the palms.
Cons
The durability is a bit below average. But you can’t be complaining about it for the price you’re paying.
Buying Guide to Find yourself the Best Focus Mitts
There’s are few things that you have to keep under consideration to buy yourself the best. Let’s talk about ‘em.
Padding
The fundamental object of the punching mitts is its ability to absorb shocks. The better it is at doing that the better. It is indeed important for the trainee but mandatory for the trainee. He’ll have to keep his palm on the required spot after shots and shots of punches.
Just beneath the exterior cover is the padding. Top of the line padding creates a pop which kind of rebounds the fists.
Paddings usually consist of the foam alone but the high-end ones come with integrated gel. This serves the purpose of absorbing and dispersing the shock while retaining the shape of the focus mitts. The ‘’shape” it’s important.
Padding isn’t supposed to be all that tough, it has to have a cushiony feel to it. Otherwise, it’ll hurt the trainee real bad, not only the trainee it might end up hurting the metacarpals and phalanges of the trainer too.
Weight
The weight of the mitts is a very vital aspect. Too less of a weight will create some huge thrust and might just injure you. So, any focus mitts that’s under 1 lbs isn’t all that of a good idea to be used.
But on the other hand, if you’re using one that’s just to heavy, like more than 3 lbs or so then your hands are gonna ache after a while you’ve started using ‘em.
Stitching
Like in every other thing that has stitching, focus mitts’ durability is also symbolized by its stitching. The fatter the stitching are the better.
So, while you’re shopping for focus mitts find ones that have thick threads and seams to protect them.
Hand Holding Pockets
Um not quite sure if this is the name that it referred to, but you know what um talking about. There are a few variances of this.
Some are half glove type having isolated slots for every finger. Then there are a few that has wrist strap with just one big pocket to fit the whole hand. Some have ventilation other don’t.
Mitt that has an outward curve on the pocket size are a bit more ergonomic.
Ventilation
Those need ventilation, period. Some brands choose perforation, some choose meshes and some go old school and make those big holes. All of them serve the purpose quite effectively.
Moisture Absorbing Lining
Despite the ventilation, you’ll obviously see a lot of people sweating. To prevent the irritation of the sweaty interior some brands started giving this moisture wicking interior lining.
And that makes a hell of a difference. Some folks just keep on sweating regardless of the breathability of the pockets. That’s cause they’re sweaty. This moisture absorbing interior lining absorbs the sweat and keeps everything dry.
Types of Focus Mitts
There are a few types of focus mitts……. Let’s check ‘em out.
Contoured Focus Mitts
The focus mitts of this category fit on the hands perfectly due to its curved shape. The curvature is just perfect to take the shape of the hands and that makes the impact spread across all of the surface area of the hands. Thus, apparently decreasing the weight.
So, if your trainee or the one you’re gonna be training with throws some rock solid punch, you should consider getting yourself one of these.
Flat Focus Mitts
The issue with flat mitts is that it doesn’t offer much versatility as like the contoured ones. With flat mitts you can only practice straights and jabs. You can’t be doing any of those hooks and crosses.
Another issue with this is that you’ll have to be keeping your palms flat too.
Cuban Style Focus Mitts
These are also known as micro focus mitts. Usually mitts have a pretty large surface area. So, it s really hard to miss. But if you’re training with one of these then you’ll be able to increase your accuracy really fast. These are the best focus mitts for boxing.
Air Focus Mitts
These are really very heavy. That’s cause they’re very heavily padded and can take on some serious punches.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there right or left for focus mitts?
Yes, obviously there is. Focus mitts come in pairs. So, like every glove the right one will definitely not fit the left one.
Does mesh ventilation really increase breathability?
Yeah, they do. Mesh ventilation is really good at keeping the interior cool by letting in air.
Is very large focus mitts good for training?
No, they’re not. Focus mitts are all about focus. So, if your one is just too large then your training won’t be increasing your accuracy.
Conclusion
Focus mitts are an essential to boxing, Muay Thai, kick boxing and all sorts of martial arts. These in their lifespan go through intense beating. So, they gotta hold on and be in one piece and their shape after those training sessions.
Choosing the right and the best focus mitts, going through the correct and required training regime will boost your skill before you know it.
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