MMA Gear Buyer’s Guide V2 by John Walker
Whether you’re just getting started in the sport of Mixed Martial Arts or you’ve been around awhile, purchasing new MMA Gear can seem like an overwhelming task. I’m writing this article to tell you that it doesn’t have to be. Follow my directions and you will have a pleasurable experience when shopping for new Fight Gear online.
Having trained for many years, I’m going to start off with the two most important pieces of MMA Gear known to man. By this I am talking about getting yourself a Mouth guard and Groin Cup. If you train at a real fight gym you’ll find that it won’t be long before you (accidentally or not) take a knee to the face on the ground and/or a miss-aimed low kick to the groin… which is why I cannot stress enough how important both a quality mouthpiece and cup are. They will save you from unnecessary pain and dentist bills.
Next I’d like to talk about shorts. A decade ago finding a quality pair of MMA Shorts was much more difficult than it is today. In fact, slim pickings would be an understatement if I ever heard one. All there was to choose from was Bad Boy, Tapout, and a few other small brands of questionable quality. In recent years however as the sport has gained in popularity so has the amount of options for those of us who train. Now, there are literally dozens of high quality brands when it comes to fight shorts. I suggest you take a browse through the MMA Shorts section on MMA Overload and see what is available in your size. As long as you’re surfing a popular online store such as theirs, you’ll be sure to find only quality brands.
After finding a pair of shorts you like, you’ll want to move on to gloves. Speak with your trainer to find out what weight and glove type they recommend (Boxing, Grappling, Muay Thai, etc) for the style of training that you’ll be participating in. Brand-wise for Sparring and Fight Gloves I always recommend either Fairtex or Hayabusa. Spending a little extra will go long way when it comes to gloves. Think about the quality of leather and stitching required. A good pair of gloves can last you for years while a sub-par pair may start to rip and fall apart much sooner.
After you’ve been training for awhile and have moved on to a tougher training regimen a.k.a. sparring and live go’s – you’ll need to start thinking about other equipment such as shin guards, head gear, and possibly your own thai pads as well. This comes with time and I will cover it in another article.
Finally, you’re going to need some sort of Gear Bag to carry your brand new (or gently used) MMA training and fight gear in. Don’t fret… More and more MMA brands are making bags and backpacks these days, but you certainly don’t have to go with a Mixed Martial Arts brand. There are plenty of huge brands like Adidas or Nike that make great martial arts gear bags.
When you’re purchasing your new gear, be sure to pick up a shirt of your favorite fighter’s as well. Many fans and practitioners do not realize this but often times fighters get a cut of the revenue made from their t-shirt sales – so be sure to support your favorites.
In conclusion, shopping for MMA Gear can be intimidating but does not need to be so. Be sure to stick with the popular brands and popular MMA stores and you will do great. As always, I suggest MMA Overload due to their wide selection and customer service. Have fun and don’t break a leg… tap!
