Muay Thai Gear: Gloves, Shin Guards, Shorts, Thai Pads and Bags

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You can tell how long someone has trained Muay Thai by their gym bag. Week one: borrowed gloves that smell like everyone else’s. Month three: their own gloves, hand wraps drying on the radiator, a mouthguard in a case and a first pair of bright satin shorts. Year one: shin guards, a head guard, a skipping rope, maybe a pair of Thai pads for holding for a training partner, and a six-foot banana bag hanging in the garage. This page covers the Muay Thai gear you actually need, in the order you’ll need it, plus the recovery gear that helps you come back tomorrow.

Prices change often. The prices below are what we saw at Amazon in October 2026; check the current price before you buy. For the sport itself, see our Muay Thai hub.

Our top picks

Gloves by ounce

Glove weight is mostly padding: heavier gloves protect your hands and your partner more. A common rule of thumb from Hayabusa is about 12 oz for bags and 16 oz for sparring. Body weight matters too. Title Boxing’s chart is a good starting point:

Your weight	Training gloves
Kids up to about 100 lb	Youth gloves, 6-8 oz
Up to 90 lb	8-10 oz
91-135 lb	12-14 oz
136-150 lb	14-16 oz
Over 150 lb	16-18 oz

In competition you don’t bring your own: IFMA amateur events supply approved 10 oz gloves; pros fight in 4 oz MMA gloves in ONE, and 8 oz (up to welterweight) or 10 oz in WBC Muaythai title fights. For training, the Fairtex BGV1 is a tight-fit leather glove handmade in Thailand and a fixture in Muay Thai gyms; the Title Classic Pro Style 3.0 is a simple, affordable first pair in synthetic leather. One pair for everything? Choose a weight you can spar in.

Hand wraps

Wraps go under every pair of gloves, every time. Hand and wrist injuries are among the most frequent in punching sports, and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons names the “boxer’s fracture” after the classic way it happens: punching something hard with a closed fist. Title’s chart runs from wraps up to 120 inches for kids to 160-180 inches for large hands and 180 or more for extra-large ones. The Fairtex HW2 mixes cotton with elastic and comes in 120- and 180-inch lengths; the Everlast Elite 180″ is plain cotton blend and machine washable; semi-elastic “Mexican-style” wraps like the RDX 180-inch conform to the hand. In IFMA competition, wraps are up to 5 m long and 5 cm wide, with tape only as a single strap at the wrist.

Shin guards

Muay Thai is a shin-on-shin sport, so wear guards for every kicking drill with a partner and every time you check kicks. Look for padding from just below the knee over the instep, two straps that keep the guard from spinning, and a size that matches your leg. Slip-on guards like the Venum Kontact are light and cheap for drills and light sparring; strapped leather guards like the Fairtex SP5 or Hayabusa T3 Striking Shinguards give more padding for harder sparring. In IFMA competition, cloth shin and elbow guards are supplied. In a survey of 195 Muay Thai fighters, those who used more protective equipment were less likely to report a fight injury.

Mouthguards

Required at every amateur event and smart for any sparring or clinch work. In a UK survey of Muay Thai athletes, 14% had had a dental injury, most often a chipped or broken tooth. The American Dental Association describes three kinds: stock (cheapest, least fit), boil-and-bite like the Shock Doctor Gel Max, and custom guards from a dentist (best fit). Rinse it after use, keep it in a ventilated case away from heat, and replace it when it’s worn or damaged; kids need new ones more often. IFMA wants a form-fitted guard that isn’t red or pink.

Headgear and groin protection

Amateur competition requires a head guard, and most gyms ask for one in hard sparring. In lab tests on boxing headgear, approved designs roughly halved the rotational acceleration of a gloved punch. But the American Academy of Pediatrics notes there’s no evidence soft headgear prevents concussion, so headgear isn’t a reason to spar harder. Fit matters: Title’s chart runs from youth (up to 20¾ inches around) to XL (23 inches and up). Training models like the Title Classic Traditional 2.0 add cheek padding; IFMA’s competition guards have none and are supplied. IFMA requires every athlete to bring their own groin guard, men and women alike; for training, compression shorts with a cup like the Shock Doctor Bio-Flex work well. Women in senior divisions also wear chest protection.

Muay Thai shorts

The wide legs aren’t just style: they leave room to kick high and knee in the clinch. The Venum Classic is lightweight polyester, made in Thailand, with an elastic waistband and drawstring in XS to XXL; Fairtex makes traditional satin shorts for adults and youth shorts sized by age. In IFMA competition, shorts must show the word “Muaythai” on the front and are worn with a red or blue singlet.

Thai pads

Thai pads are the heart of Muay Thai training: a coach wears one on each forearm and catches kicks, knees, elbows and punches. Curved pads such as the Title Muay Thai Contoured Thai Pads (leather, sold as a pair, with a grip bar and forearm pad) or the lighter Fairtex KPLC5 make a realistic target. You need them if you coach, train with a partner or hold for a child at home; if you only take classes, the gym provides them.

Heavy bags and banana bags

Muay Thai fighters want a long bag: low enough to take kicks to the thigh and calf, tall enough for knees and elbows. The Fairtex HB6 banana bag is about 71 inches long and 14 inches wide in synthetic leather, handmade in Thailand, and sold filled or unfilled (filling it yourself saves on shipping but takes time). The Ringside Powerhide 100 lb Muay Thai bag (13 × 68 inches) comes with a chain and swivel and a bottom D-ring for anchoring. Hayabusa’s sizing guide suggests about 40-70 lb for beginners, 70-100 lb for intermediates and 100-150 lb or more for advanced hitters. A hanging bag needs a solid beam or stand rated for its weight.

Recovery gear

Kicking all evening leaves hips, calves and shins tight, and Muay Thai is trained barefoot: a study of fighters training barefoot in Thailand found calluses and tight calves in more than half of them. Many fighters use a TriggerPoint GRID 1.0 foam roller, a Hypervolt Go 3 massage gun for calves and shoulders, and soft OOFOS OOahh slides after training. These are comfort tools, not treatment: a shin that stays painful or swollen needs a doctor. More in our foam roller, massage gun and recovery shoe guides and our Muay Thai recovery page; for trackers, see our Muay Thai wearables page.

How to choose Muay Thai gear

• Buy in order: wraps and a mouthguard first, then gloves, then shin guards before partner work, then headgear before sparring.
• Ask your gym: some set a glove weight and require shin guards for sparring, and many lend pads.
• Fit beats brand: shin guards that spin and headgear that slips over your eyes do more harm than good.
• Don’t buy for a tournament without checking: IFMA supplies gloves, head guards and cloth guards, and gear must be approved.
• Keep it clean: air out gloves and shin guards after every session and wash wraps often.

For the rules behind the gear, see our Muay Thai rules page; for kids’ sizes, our youth page; for after-gym care, our combat sports recovery gear guide; and for kickboxing-specific kit, our kickboxing gear page.

Muay Thai gear FAQs

What size gloves do I need for Muay Thai?

It depends on your weight and use. Many adults spar in 16 oz and use 12-14 oz for bags and pads; Title’s chart suggests 16-18 oz for people over 150 lb. Ask your coach what the gym requires for sparring.

Can I use boxing gloves for Muay Thai?

Yes, for a beginner a good pair of boxing gloves in the right weight works fine. Muay Thai gyms often stock Thai-made gloves such as the Fairtex BGV1, and you may prefer them once you clinch and catch kicks a lot.

Do I need shin guards for a beginners’ class?

Not for bag or pad work alone, but yes as soon as you kick a partner or check kicks. Slip-on guards are a cheap start; move to strapped guards with instep padding for sparring.

What is a banana bag?

A long, narrow heavy bag, about 6 feet, built for Muay Thai: it takes low kicks, body kicks, knees and punches on one bag. The Fairtex HB6 is about 71 inches long and sold filled or unfilled.

Can I wear ankle supports in Muay Thai?

In training, many fighters do. In IFMA amateur competition, no ankle protection (cloth anklets or tape) is allowed; WBC Muaythai pro rules allow cloth ankle supports. Check the rules of your event.