Note: I received many requests for this so here’s my in-depth Twins Special Boxing Gloves review.
Step into any legit Muay Thai gym in Thailand, or even around the world, and you’ll probably see more than a few pairs of Twins Special boxing gloves around. It is today, one of the most popular and trusted brands among Muay Thai fans all over the world.
Many western boxers have also taken to Twins Special Boxing gloves for their quality and affordability. How well do Twins Special gloves fare against their competitors?
TL;DR: Twins Special Muay Thai Gloves are dependable workhorses for training and competition. They are classics punching gloves that most people who train Muay Thai, own at some point in time.
Twins Special gloves are most renowned for their generous cushion padding which provides excellent protection for padwork, heavy bag and Muay Thai sparring. Because of this, they are ideal especially for beginners.
The overall fit is comfortable, neither too snug or roomy and will fit most hands. They do have a big, pillowy look that is less streamlined compared to standard boxing gloves.
If you want something other than the usual black or red, Twins offer lots of colors and designs to choose from.
Read on for an in-depth review of the Twins Special Muay Thai Boxing gloves and the brand’s history before investing in a pair.
About Twins Special
Formally established in 1992, Twins Special (more commonly known as Twins) is a household name in the world of Muay Thai.
The brand’s gear and equipment are most notably seen in Muay Thai gyms all over Thailand, as well as at the renowned Rajadamnern stadium in Bangkok.
In this short amount of time, they have overtaken most Thai brands like Windy, and Thaismai that have much longer histories. From there, word spreads, and everyone starts talking about these affordable yet high quality Muay Thai boxing gear.
Now they are loved and used all over the world in almost all pugilistic martial arts from boxing to Krav Maga and of course, Muay Thai.
The company has relied on word-of-mouth and you will not see much of an online presence. Their Facebook page is curated in Thai language with little regard for their non-Thai fans. When you have faith in your products, you let them do the talking.
Twins Special Gloves Review
Punching gloves are designed to replace bareknuckle boxing so as to minimize health hazards. They lower the impact that might otherwise cause harm to hands over prolonged period.
For both of these purposes, Twins gloves excel in the job. This review is based on my experience with the standard BGVL-3 model as seen above.
How They Fit
I have read a few different opinions on the fitting of Twins gloves but the majority of consensus is that they fit average to large hands adequately. For my own experience, it is also inline.
I have slightly skinnier hands than average and after breaking in, you can feel a roomier fit than most other brands. This becomes a matter of preference as some people tend to like some snugness in their gloves while others don’t.
For those who prefer a fit that doesn’t feel like it’s cutting off blood to your hands, Twins is tops.
Physical Size
I feel like Twins Special gloves have become the default Muay Thai gloves size by which other brands are measured against. They are definitely puffier than western style boxing gloves and as you can see in the comparison against Fairtex, they are bulkier.
It’s not an anomaly as Fairtex is the real oddball among Muay Thai gloves with their streamlined design. There’s nothing inherently bad about the glove size except that they might dwarf down petite and skinnier folks.
For general training (pad work, bag work), just go for 12oz or even 10oz gloves if you are of a lighter weight class but at least a 14oz for sparring.
Protection
This is why people buy Twins gloves for. The all-round cushion is a boon for protecting your hands and wrists during bag work and sparring.
They are thoroughly well-padded and that’s the reason why they sport a puffy look. Your knuckles and all those soft little bones and ligaments are safe in these gloves.
With sparring, I feel that Twins gloves are the most merciful options for your sparring partners as they have a softer padding which lends to softer impact.
Twins gloves have cuffs that are on the shorter/narrower side. This is a common feature for most Muay Thai brands. In terms of offering wrist support, they tend to be inferior compared to traditional western gloves (like Cleto reyes or Winning) but still adequate for most people.
It’s also worth mentioning that Muay Thai gloves are usually a little more flexible around the wrists to cater for clinching.
Durability
Durability is a key defining quality to determine how well a pair of gloves are made. Glove-making is an art much more than people realise. It’s not as simple as what most people think.
Even though Muay Thai gloves that are made in Thailand have gained a reputation for quality in the fight gear industry. Glove makers need to be trained for months, sometimes a year for them to be competent.
If brands cannot be bothered with quality-control, you get velcros and stitching that fall apart in a matter of months, even weeks.
Generally speaking, gloves can last anything from a year to a few years depending on usage and climate. In this aspect, Twins gloves are as good as it gets compared to the other offerings in the market. They will hold up nicely under most circ*mstances.
Aesthetics
Overall, aesthetic is not something the brand is well-known for but they are stepping up their design game in the last 2 years. They are still far from looking the best compared to brands like Yokkao.
However, if you are not looking for anything fancy or particularly outstanding, there’s little to fault over the brand.
The standard models are plain, single-colored while a “Fancy” range offers anything from dragon prints to tribal designs and lots more. Again, nothing I would consider exceptional compared to Fairtex or Yokkao.
Price
Prices for Twins gloves have been adjusted over the last few years and they are now among the most expensive Muay Thai brands. You will pay more for them whether online or even if you purchase them in Bangkok.
For real leather gloves (almost all of their gloves are leather unless stated otherwise), they are very reasonably priced. Expect to pay around 60USD in Bangkok and around 75-85USD online (Amazon) for an authentic pair of Twins Special gloves.
Bear in mind that Fairtex and Top King prices are not too far off.
Twins Special Gloves Models
There are several glove models put out by Twins. I have yet to try them all out (I just need basic gloves) so here are my reviews of those that I have personal experience in using.
There have been several reports on reddit/MuayThai and sherdog forum about bad experience when shopping from twinsfightgear.com. This online shop is not operated by Twins directly but a reseller/retailer based in US.
Some customers have reportedly not receive their purchase after ordering, and had to file for refund through the credit card companies.
While there have been online users who have received their orders from the site, they may take weeks, sometimes even months for the items to ship.
My sincere recommendation is to just steer clear and order from Amazon.com where there is an amazing return policy in place and orders are usually shipped fast.
You can also shop from Muay Thai online stores that are based in Thailand. Check out my list of the “Best Muay Thai Online Stores” including a 10% discount code.
Twins Special BGVL3
As you should realize by now, Twins standard gloves are dependable workhorses for beating things and people up in the gym and in the ring.
This is the classic model that almost everyone owns a pair of, at some point in time. Maybe even a few pairs. For those who like to keep it real, keep it simple, it’s really hard to go wrong with these.
>> Click here to shop BGVL3 at Amazon Now <<
Twins Special BGVLA2 Air Flow
You can think of these as the “BGVL3 plus” with the inclusion of a mesh panel on the palm. The mesh helps to improve ventilation for cooler wear. This helps to reduce hand perspiration, minimize moisture in the gloves and prevent odour-causing bacteria from accumulating.
I highly recommend these as do many of my gym mates.
>> Click here to shop BGVLA2 Air Flow at Amazon Now <<
Twins Fancy Gloves FBGV (FBGVL)
Twins Boxing Gloves Fancy FBGVL3-54 Green Sparring Training Gloves Muaythai MMA K1 (10 oz)
- Boxing Gloves with Velcro wrist strap for full security, ideal for quick wear and take off.
- New creative designed from Twins Special with finest quality leather and padding,ideal for training purpose
- Made of 100% genuine cowskin leather
Twins Boxing Gloves Fancy FBGVL3-54 Green Sparring Training Gloves Muaythai MMA K1 (10 oz)
- Boxing Gloves with Velcro wrist strap for full security, ideal for quick wear and take off.
- New creative designed from Twins Special with finest quality leather and padding,ideal for training purpose
- Made of 100% genuine cowskin leather
Again, the same construct, the same padding, and the same leather.
The Fancy collection is the flagship BGVL3 model decorated with fancy designs such as dragons, camouflage, tribal-inspired prints and many others.
So if you are looking for something a little less bland than a solid-colored design, there might be something here for you.
>> Click here to shop FBGV Fancy Gloves at Amazon Now <<
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