Any MMA fan is likely familiar with RevGear. The MMA equipment company is an active sponsor for fighters, and you’ve likely seen their logo inside the cage on a number of occasions. I’ve used RevGear in the past, and had a great experience with them. Now, they have a new line out. What can you expect from this new series? Let’s take a look.
The latest from RevGear is their “Samurai Series”, a new line of equipment that features Samurai-inspired designs. You can check out the series here. To be totally honest, I’m not much of a design guy, so this didn’t particularly sway my view one way or the other, though I will point out that the very first day I wore something from this line, I got three different compliments in the gym. So well done on that end RevGear. Anyway, I tried out some new Samurai boxing gloves, headgear, and shorts. Here’s how they did:
We’ll start with the best of the bunch – these gloves are really good. I got the 16 oz. gloves, and I am totally happy with them. Padding is in the right places, focusing on protecting the knuckles and not providing extra and unwelcome bulk on places like the palm. That padding distributes the force of the punch well – I always feel like my hands are adequately protected. They give a snug fit, but are easy to get on and off. The strapping is a large band of velcro, which has held up perfectly through numerous training sessions, and is yet to fade in any way. They could perhaps be a bit tighter in the wrist, but that’s my only complaint. The big plus for me is the lining inside. I find that the first thing to go in my gloves is that interior lining around the fingers which often rips away, putting my fingers in direct contact with the padding material. That has not been a problem for these gloves, which is most appreciated. They breath well, which means they have remained relatively fresh smelling after some time, and bodes well for the longevity. The price tag on these is a bit high, but you’re getting good quality. If you are just starting off, you don’t need $100 gloves to get started, but when you are ready to start getting some better gear, these are definitely a keeper. They immediately became my go-to glove in training, and I they have not let me down. Definite thumbs up here.
These are your standard MMA shorts with the Samurai imagery added. I got a Large of the ones with the black design. These are a tough one to review in some ways. One of the selling points RevGear mentions is their light weight, and they are correct – these things are very light. The fabric is light and easy and never gets in my way. Honestly, they’re the kind of shorts that you never even think about when wearing them, which is pretty much exactly what you want. What gives me pause is that light weight. When I first got them and tried them on, I had the feeling they would rip pretty quickly, as they just don’t feel so durable. But I’ve been wearing them for over a month now. I’ve thrown kicks and knees, grappled, shot for takedowns, and through it all, they have not shown any of that wear that I feared. So perhaps RevGear has indeed found the right fabric mix to allow for comfort, light weight, and ease of movement while still maintaining durability. Not bad. They’re held closed by a velcro band and simple drawstring, which is the one area that could use some improvement, as the velcro doesn’t quite perfectly line up and will sometimes bunch up in a weird way. At $70, these are expensive shorts, but if you’re looking for light weight, comfortable shorts, these are a good choice for sure.
After good experiences with the gloves and shorts, I was excited to try out the headgear, particularly because I have often struggled to find a really good headgear for my Muay Thai training. Sadly, this isn’t it. From the moment I took the Happuri out of the box, I knew it wouldn’t work. It offers no protection at all for the chin, and barely any for the nose. The material is very light, and the design doesn’t offer anything to keep the cheek protection pads in place. So one good stiff jab will go basically completely unprotected. For me, if a headgear can’t offer protection for the jab or the uppercut, it’s no good. Trying it on was also difficult as it sat very high and awkwardly on my head. I was using the XL, but still, I have a big head, so I figured maybe it was just me. I had one of my training partners give it a whirl, and the results were the same – no protection, awkward fit. A big selling point here is the great peripheral vision it offers, and that’s true, but it comes at a huge price of not actually protecting you. Sorry RevGear, but this one is a bust.
So that’s a definite recommendation on the Kote Gloves and the Haidate Shorts, but avoid the Happuri Headgear. Overall then, a thumbs up on the RevGear Samurai Series. And hey, all things being equal, that design is indeed pretty cool.
Do you make MMA gear and want it to be reviewed? If so, contact me. And Bloody Elbow fans – what other types of gear do you want to see reviewed?
Disclaimer: RevGear provided these items at no charge for review purposes. This did not impact my opinion or review.
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