Everlast Elite (Pro Style) Boxing Gloves Introduction:
“Everlast Elite Training Glove“. Whether you like it or not, this glove name resonates with most novice and pro-boxers. Despite Everlast’s strong marketing efforts to hype up this glove model, we will do our best to provide an objective review.
From comfort, padding, and stitching quality to support and suitability, we’ll dissect every aspect to help you make an informed decision on whether the Everlast Elite Training Glove is the right fit for your boxing journey.
**I am not sponsored by Everlast and am not affiliated with the brand in any way.**
For those of you first visiting our site, below our introduction, you will see a radar plot of all the prominent reviews for this glove model. Although our team has decades of experience in reviewing boxing gloves, a second opinion never hurts!
Score Review
Padding (50/100)
The Everlast Elite Pro Style Training gloves are simply not cut for protecting the hands of a serious boxer; the glove offers a thin layer of closed-cell foam (closed-cell foam is a variety of spray foam that is denser and more resistant to moisture). The problem with this foam is two-fold. The first critical issue is that the foam is not layered for adequate protection. From wearing the glove for the first time you will feel that the padding is too thin. Secondly, despite the fact that the padding is moisture-resistant, there are many cases found in reviews where the padding/stuffing starts to fall out of the glove. If you are using these gloves on a heavy bag, you will probably notice bruising in the knuckle area, as the foam is simply too thin for most bagwork. The same applies to sparring, since the padding leans towards being denser you will hurt yourself and your sparring partner given the lack of layering and thin foam. Lastly, the glove offers a medium-sized grip bar, which is very soft and collapses easily. There’s a lot of slack in the material around the grip bar, a tell-tale sign the Everlast Elite Pro Style gloves might not be very durable or supportive over time.
Glove Fit (75/100)
These gloves are sized for medium to large size hands. Another consideration is the composition of the thumb compartment, which might feel slightly looser compared to other elite Everlast gloves. The glove’s weight is definitely way more distributed towards the cuff than in the hand area of the glove, providing more space for the hand compartment.
Inner-Lining Comfort (50/100)
The Everlast Elite Training Gloves fall very short when it comes to inner lining. Let’s start with the mesh palm lining. First, the synthetic lining is known to conduct heat because of the excess use of synthetics in mesh materials (most mesh gloves claiming to be “breathable” are simply employing marketing gimmicks). Therefore, wearing these for extensive training sessions is equivalent to wearing plastic bags on your hand—definitely not something I would recommend. Secondly, there are many instances where the lining on the back of the hand rips due to poor stitching after only a month or two of wear. The result of these rips is foam displacement, which leads to foam degradation. From my experience, after I first noticed rips in the inner lining, I shortly encountered pieces of foam flying out of the glove after almost any contact—an awful overall experience. Another common flaw in this glove, based on reviews, is rips around the thumb area, perhaps attributable both to poor thumb placement and stitching quality.
Exterior Material (60/100)
The Everlast Elite Training Glove is crafted from synthetic leather, a choice that is nearly always far worse choice than genuine full-grain or top-grain leather. The glove features synthetic leather with microfiber construction, contributing to its overall durability and performance. While it’s not genuine leather, this material choice offers a balance between longevity and cost-effectiveness given it’s $55 price.
The synthetic leather of this version feels notably smoother and less rough compared to its predecessors, enhancing overall comfort, but the exterior is still way below what I would consider decent leather material.
Stitching Quality (50/100)
The stitching quality of the Everlast Elite Training Glove raises some concerns, particularly in the context of sparring. These gloves feature single stitching, which is often an indicator of reduced durability. Furthermore, the placement and construction of seams and stitching are noteworthy. Unfortunately, they are poorly positioned and designed in a way that can potentially pose risks to sparring partners.
The stitching traverses over critical areas, including the punch surface and knuckle area, perhaps intended for, while possibly intended for structural support, ultimately this stitching choice results in a rough and potentially abrasive surface, which can lead to discomfort or even injury during sparring sessions. Due to these stitching-related issues, it is advisable to consider these gloves primarily for non-sparring activities, such as heavy bag work or mitt training, to ensure the safety and comfort of both the wearer and their training partners.
Wrist Support (68/100)
The Everlast Elite Training Glove introduces an unconventional approach to wrist support with its hook & loop design. Unlike traditional Velcro gloves that secure over the top of the glove, these gloves feature a bottom strap. However, despite the unique approach, some concerns arise regarding the effectiveness of the wrist support.
The glove’s bottom velcro strap may not provide the expected level of tightness even with the ‘EverShield reinforced wrist’ technology. Sure, the bottom strap is easy to put on, but you pay the cost of minimal wrist security, which is required for more serious boxing training sessions. Additionally, the Velcro strap is relatively short, which may contribute to a less stable feel. Over time, the Velcro’s stretching tendency can weaken its grip and affect the glove’s overall durability, especially in the area where the strap attaches. This can lead to concerns about the long-term effectiveness of the wrist support. Individuals who prioritize robust wrist support may need to consider alternative options for their training needs. However, for the price of $55, the EverShield reinforced wrist feature offers average protection for light use.
Sparring Suitability (94/100)
The Everlast Elite Training Gloves may not be the ideal choice for sparring sessions due to their thin, dense padding (this is a lower-quality puncher’s glove). These gloves are notably hard-padded, making them less suitable for sparring. Moreover, the “one-piece design” and thin foam padding, are definitely less preferred to quality composed, multi-layer padding that is more forgiving and is typically preferred to minimize the risk of injury to both you and your sparring partner.
Even though these gloves soften up after wear, this doesn’t significantly alter their suitability for sparring, as they remain on the harder side (your knuckles can almost be felt upon punch contact). Additionally, some users have reported roughness around the thumb area, which can pose discomfort during sparring sessions. Therefore, if sparring is a significant part of your training routine, you may want to explore alternative glove options that prioritize safety and comfort for both you and your training partners.
Heavy-Bag Suitability (40/100)
The Everlast Elite Pro Style Training Glove is unsuitable when it comes to heavybag workouts. These gloves have a thin, dense foam layer, which can almost guarantee an imminent injury. Moreover, the lack of wrist support can lead to additional injuries as the glove is not protective enough in that area.
Everlast Elite (Pro Style) Training Glove Overview
The Everlast Elite Training Glove is unsuitable when it comes to heavy bag workouts. These gloves have a thin, dense foam layer, which can almost guarantee an imminent injury. Moreover, the lack of wrist support can lead to additional injuries as the glove is not protective enough in that area.
