The Different Types Of Boxing Hand Wraps | Full Breakdown

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Different Styles Of Boxing Hand Wraps
  • Traditional Hand Wraps
  • Elasticated Mexican Style
  • Inner Glove Design
  • Tape/Gauze Hand Wraps
  • Quick Or Fast Wraps
• How To Properly Wrap Hands
• In Conclusion

Introduction

And no matter what they may be using, the purpose of wrapping your hands is to make them stronger and better able to take impact.

So when it comes to wrapping your hands for boxing, MMA, Muay Thai or any other striking sport. You will need to know the different types of hand wraps on the market and what is best for you.

There are several different types of hand wraps that are designed to cover all aspects of training or fighting. From traditional and elasticated Mexican style, along with modern inner gloves as well as the more professional tape and gauze.

So I will lay out all the information you require so you know which of the products is best suited for you. And it all pretty much comes down to your level and what you will be doing.

From beginner to the hobbyist, an amateur fighter to full-on professional. There are all manner of levels and all kinds of hand wraps for boxing that are specific to your needs.

So here is a quick overview of hand wraps including the average prices you might pay. Now, these prices may vary depending on the manufacturer and currency. But overall they give you a good idea of what you can expect to pay.

Different Styles Of Boxing Hand Wraps

So the following is a breakdown of all the different styles you will find on the market today. From the more traditional to the newest product that makes your life easier, outside the ring that is.

Boxing Hand Wrap Styles	Average Price
Traditional Hand Wraps	$5 – $11
Quick Wraps	$6 – $30
Cotton Inners	$10 – $17
Mexican Style	$7 – $14
Inner Gloves	$6 – $30
Tape / Gauze Wraps	$14 – $20 (multi-pack)

But this is all you will need so that you can make an informed decision on what best suits you. Where to find them and the best method for how to put them on your hands.

Traditional Hand Wraps

First on our list are traditional hand wraps. These are the ones most of us will be familiar with as they are the most commonly used. These offer great versatility and come in a range of lengths to best fit you.

As you may be a person with large or small hands or you may need some added support around the wrist area. So these hand wraps are perfect for the beginner and the more experienced fighter.

Coming in a wide range of colours, the material is quite rigid with very little elasticity. A hoop at one end allows you to anchor the wrap on your thumb and then begin to loop it around your wrist, hand and fingers.

• Length: 120 inches – 200 inches

Elasticated Mexican Style

Mexican-style wraps look pretty much the same as traditional ones. The main difference is that they use a combination of spandex and semi-elastic cotton offering some extra elasticity.

This added give-in material allows for a tighter wrap, offering great support with a little more flexibility. And an additional benefit to using the Mexican style is that they don’t come loose as traditional wraps can.

So it may be best for you just to go straight for this style. Rather than spend money on the others only to move on to Mexicans afterwards.

• Average length 180 inches – 200 inches

Inner Glove Design

So the inner glove style of wrap is a pretty new phenomenon. They were essentially designed so that people could easily slip them on and not have to go through the actual hand-wrapping process.

But a downside to this is that they don’t really offer the support that the traditional or Mexican style does. Think of them as the wraps you would use if you were doing a boxercise workout.

And while some people will still use these for their training. I would recommend staying away and going for the more regular old-school types listed above.

Tape/Gauze Hand Wraps

So when you watch some amateur or professional boxing. You will notice that they don’t use the long hand wraps you see in the gym. This is because, during a boxing match, a fighter needs the best possible support.

And applying gauze wraps is usually done by a professional. Require quite a long time to put on and are only good for one use. The tape and gauze allow for a tailored fit to the boxer’s hand that offers them the best protection and a harder punch.

Once the fight is over, these wraps have to be cut off using a pair of scissors. Ending up in a dustbin somewhere soon after.

Quick Or Fast Wraps

Quick or fast wraps offer an alternative to tape and gauze. Used in the gym by some professional boxers, quick wraps try to mimic the more traditional tape and gauze. But without the tedious and time-consuming job of putting them on.

But one of the main issues with using this particular style is that they are quite bulky. So as a result once you use them in your quality boxing gloves, the gloves will stretch. You will most likely not be able to use the more traditional standard styles again with those gloves.

So if you are going to use them, just be aware that you will have to continue using them or buy another pair of gloves. And as they say on that quiz show, the decision is yours.

How To Properly Wrap Hands

Here is a short tutorial on the best method on how to wrap your hands for boxing and this is a critical aspect of using hand wraps. Because while you may have the very best ones on the market! If you don’t actually put them on correctly, you will lose at least a portion of their benefit.

So follow along as you get led through how best to do the wrapping. If you need to pause or rewind, just copy as he does in the video and you will have the best method down to a T. Giving you the very best protection you can achieve.

In Conclusion

So as you can see there is a range of different options available for you to choose from. Now, the rule of thumb I would give is that if you are starting out, it’s probably best to go for Mexican hand wraps.

It may take a little bit of getting used to as people do usually wrap them too tight and then have to redo them. But once you get over that small hurdle, they do offer the best all-around support at the best price.

Stay away from the inner glove as they don’t offer very good support, especially around the wrist. And it’s only when you punch something hard that you realise you made a mistake.

So I hope this has helped you in making your decision. Just go with what feels right for you (not the inner glove), whether traditional or other. You won’t be using any gauze unless entering a serious boxing or MMA fight. And if you get that far, you probably won’t have needed to read this breakdown. So the very best of luck.