This is a review of the Otomix Sparring Karate Gloves.
Hundreds or perhaps thousands of hours of martial arts experience has taught me to be vigorous when reviewing fighting gear. The reason for this is that I have, in far too many instances, experienced just how badly one can get hurt due to low-quality protective gear. Also, switching the apparel every couple of months is just as annoying as it is expensive. This is why I have set out to honestly review combat clothing and equipment so that I can give you a comprehensive and unbiased review of them.
I found the Otomix Sparring Karate Gloves to be a great budget option, but not of the quality one might expect for advanced sparring. They are, however, one of the best options available on the market for people who are only taking their baby steps in martial arts, or who just need a quick substitute. They are comfortable and are also fun to use.
In this review, I will discuss the features, pros, and cons of the Otomix Sparring Karate Gloves, and why I believe they are one of the best budget or beginner gloves for karate.
Keep reading if you want to know more!
Otomix Sparring Karate Gloves Overview
The Otomix Sparring Karate Gloves are basic sparring gloves for karate and other martial arts that require gloves and free hand-movement at the same time. It is a foam glove, which is then dipped into vinyl for the coating and can be purchased in red or black colors.
These gloves are an amazing pair in their category, and by that, we mean price category. Of course, the more you pay for a product, the better the quality, however, it doesn’t always mean that a low price equals low quality.
Although these gloves are definitely in the budget or the beginner category, they have surprisingly good quality. Putting together my experience with the product and the many positive reviews on Amazon, I can easily see why it is one of the top-rated budget gloves.
Seeing as it is a single-piece foam that is then dipped into vinyl, the structural integrity of it will remain intact for longer periods of time in a karate setting, which makes it optimal for anyone in need of a pair of durable, but still budget-friendly combat gloves.
Budget-Friendly
I have mentioned this about a dozen times until now, but it being one of the main features of this glove, it is essential to draw extra attention to it. The Otomix Sparring Karate Gloves are a pair of great, budget-friendly mitts, which makes it attractive to people who aren’t sure about how seriously they want to take the martial art that they are practicing.
Being sold at a lot cheaper price than most gloves on the market, the Otomix gloves are good for a bunch of uses, like opening your own dojo. If you are looking for the best budget gloves money can buy in order to quickly stock up on a heap of gloves your students will be able to use in the beginning, they are probably your best choice.
Also, if you happen to have a main glove of choice which is more expensive, this pair can “jump in” to help in case your main one gets damaged, and you need some time to repair it or get a new one. Being on the lower end of the expensiveness scale makes this pair a real steal.
Contoured to Fit
The Otomix Sparring Karate Gloves are made of one piece of foam, and that one piece is shaped in a way that it follows the natural outline of the hand, wrist, and then arm. I highly appreciate this feature, seeing as many cheaper gloves tend to be either too large at some part of the hand or too tight, and both of these are uncomfortable, and can even be dangerous.
A philosophy in almost all martial arts has to do with the way the practitioner looks at the weapon they are using. One should view a weapon as an extension of their arm, not as an object that is being held. The same goes for gloves. If you constantly feel like you have a cumbersome and uncomfortable piece of foam on your hand, the gloves aren’t for you or they are not made properly.
Being contoured to fit the arm properly, the Otomix Sparring Karate Gloves provide maximum comfort for the practitioner’s hands, wrists, and forearms. Not only does this feel much more comfortable, but it is also much less dangerous since a bad fit can cause the wrist to break or the forearm to be injured.
Extra Padding Across the Knuckles
One of the most important features of any pair of gloves is the padding and the protection of the hands. After all, that is almost their sole purpose.
This is why the Otomix Sparring Karate Gloves come with extra padding at the knuckle area, providing both more protection for the striker’s hands and also for the face or body of the person receiving the strike.
The first reason this is great is obvious: no broken or injured bones. That, on its own, is already great. However, another benefit is the ability to train a lot harder and more vigorously, since the extra padding eliminates the fear of injury, thus resulting in a more motivated and powerful training session.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| amazing price | lower-quality |
| great value for the money | cheaper aesthetic |
| strong structural integrity | not approved internationally |
| great shape |
Our Verdict
To conclude, I will summarize my opinion on the Otomix Sparring Karate Gloves. They are a great pair of sparring gloves, especially for karate, and they also come at a friendly price which makes them even more attractive.
They will not be the pair you will take to your tournaments or even the one you will carry with you after a couple of months of training perhaps, but even until then, they are going to be your best friend in the karate dojo.
