How We Select Products
We don’t review everything on the market — we focus on gear that matters. Our selection process includes:
- Bestseller analysis — We track what’s actually selling across major retailers
- Reader requests — If you ask us to review something, it goes on the list
- Expert recommendations — Our network of coaches and fighters flags gear worth testing
- New releases — Major brands drop new lines, we put them through their paces
Our Testing Process
Every product we review gets tested in real training conditions. No unboxing videos passed off as reviews. Here’s what testing looks like:
- Multiple testers — Different body types, skill levels, and fighting styles
- Real training sessions — Sparring, bag work, pad work, drilling — actual use
- Extended use — We test over weeks, not hours. Durability matters.
- Comparative testing — We test alongside competitors in the same price range
Our Scoring System
Every product receives an overall score out of 10, broken down into four sub-categories:
- Quality (/10) — Materials, construction, stitching, overall build
- Value (/10) — Performance relative to price point
- Protection (/10) — How well it does its primary job (impact absorption, support, coverage)
- Durability (/10) — How it holds up over extended training
The overall score is not a simple average — we weight categories based on the product type. Protection matters more for headgear than for hand wraps, for example.
How We Stay Independent
We earn commissions from qualifying purchases through our affiliate links. This doesn’t affect our rankings or reviews.
- No pay-for-play — Brands cannot buy higher rankings
- No sponsored reviews — Every review is our honest assessment
- Editorial independence — Our testing team has final say on all ratings
- Full disclosure — We clearly mark affiliate links
How We Update
Gear changes. Prices shift. New models drop. We keep our content current:
- Regular re-testing — We revisit top picks to confirm they still deserve the spot
- Price monitoring — We update pricing and flag deals
- Reader feedback — Your experiences help us refine our recommendations
- Model updates — When brands release new versions, we test and update accordingly