While we usually think of gloves, shin guards, mouthpiece as the most important protective gear for MMA, hand wraps are equally as important.
Good hand wraps should be one of the first things in your gear bag. Wraps will help protect your hands and wrists, whether you’re sparring or hitting the bag, and prevent awkward and uncomfortable injuries to the fragile joints in your hands.
If MMA hand wraps aren’t part of your kit, they should be. Read on to learn more about the significance of this gear and get some buying tips on the best hand wraps for MMA available now.
What Are Hand Wraps?
Hand wraps are a crucial type of protective wear for boxers and MMA (mixed martial arts) fighters. As suggested by the name, they are long pieces of durable cloth that are wrapped around the hands, generally intended to provide support and protection for the following body parts:
- Wrists
- Knuckles
- Fingers
Using MMA hand wraps also helps defend against the force of impact, reducing the chances of injury during competition or training.
Why Do MMA Fighters Use Hand Wraps?
As mentioned above, hand wraps are one of the most important pieces of protective gear you can have as a boxer or MMA fighter. Admittedly, you don’t always need to wear hand wraps. However, neglecting to wear them when it’s most necessary can make you vulnerable to injury, as they offer the following protections and advantages:
- Protection of wrist and hand bones and ligaments
- Support for improving combat form, positioning, and blocking
- Improvement of punching technique
Further, researchers have also found that wearing hand wraps helped to reduce the force per punch for both professional and inexperienced fighters. While this may sound like a bad thing, it can be a lifesaver in the long run to reduce your chances of injury during long training sessions.
To make the most of these advantages, you need to be sure that your hand wraps are made of the highest quality material and will last through as many drills and competitions as possible. See the list below featuring the best hand wraps available today to enhance your MMA experience.
Top 7 Hand Wraps for MMA
Venum Boxing Hand Wraps
Made with elastic cotton to provide the ultimate comfort and strength simultaneously, Venum’s hand wraps are some of the best hand wraps for MMA fighters.
The Velcro closure is perfect for ensuring a long-lasting, secure hold on your hands and wrist, so you can execute your hits without worrying about whether your wraps will slip off. They also feature thumb straps to provide added security.
Venum is one of the industry’s leading manufacturers of excellent, widely acclaimed MMA protective gear. So you can rest assured that these wraps will safeguard your hands and wrists throughout numerous fights and drills.
Benefits of the Venum Boxing Hand Wraps:
- Elastic cotton supports a snug fit
- Velcro hook-and-loop closure keeps them in place
- Thumb strap for added security
Sanabul Elastic Professional 180″ Hand Wraps
Sanabul is world-renowned for their combat gear, as they consistently test their products on professional fighters, former fighters and coaches (such as Michael Bisping, Sean O’Malley and John Danaher) to guarantee the highest possible performance levels.
These wraps measure 180″ long, so they are multipurpose and can be used for boxing, martial arts, and many other combat sports. The polyester is breathable and quick-drying, keeping your hands clean and bacteria-free.
Additionally, these Sanabul hand wraps are semi-elastic yet retain maximum durability throughout their long lifespan to keep you at the top of your game at all times.
Benefits of the Sanabul Hand Wraps:
- 180″ long to provide the highest level of freedom and versatility for wrapping
- Polyester supports great airflow and is quick-drying
- Semi-elastic, yet reliably maintain their shape
RDX Boxing Hand Wraps / Inner Gloves for Punching
The RDX inner glove offers a unique approach to the concept of hand wraps, as they (implied by the self-explanatory name) are designed not as a typical elastic band, but a lightweight glove.
These compact gloves are composed of Shell-Shock padding, which absorbs the impact of incoming blows. The padding’s compression evenly distributes the force of your hits throughout your hands, reducing the likelihood of injury.
To further enhance your comfort, these inner gloves are made with a cotton band for securing them to your wrist, and feature thermal regulation technology to minimize sweat and prevent overheating.
Benefits of the RDX Boxing Hand Wraps:
- Woven carbon fiber increases durability
- Thermal regulation technology minimizes sweat and enhances comfort
- Very lightweight and easy to wear
Hayabusa Marvel Hero Elite Mexican Style Hand Wraps
Hayabusa designed these hand wraps with inspiration derived from Mexican fighters. Instead of making them with 100% cotton, they opted for breathable, elastic cotton instead, allowing for much more extensive stretching and better conforming to the wearer’s hand and movements.
These wraps are optimally designed for a wide variety of applications, from training with a heavy bag or one-on-one sparring. It has an extra-wide hook-and-loop closure for added security, so you can be confident that your wraps will always stay in place.
For a bit of fun customization, you can choose one of nine Marvel heroes you want to be featured on your hand wraps.
Benefits of the Hayabusa Mexican-Style Hand Wraps:
- Easy maintenance (washer and dryer safe)
- Extra-wide hook-and-loop closure adds further security
- Elastic cotton conforms to the hand much better than 100% cotton
Meister Adult 180″ Semi-Elastic Hand Wraps for MMA & Boxing
These 180″ multipurpose Meister hand wraps are the perfect solution for fighters looking for added comfort and security during training and competitive ring fighting. They’re composed of high-quality cotton and spandex, allowing for maximum softness and conformity while also providing the most stretch possible.
The oversized hook-and-loop strap, along with the thumb loop, all provide you with the ultimate security, so you’ll hardly have to readjust throughout your training.
With these Meister wraps, you can maintain the highest comfort level as you fight and spar, as they don’t add too much bulk underneath your gloves.
Benefits of the Meister Semi-Elastic Hand Wraps:
- Full length, 180″ so you can wrap however you need according to your combat and style
- Oversized hook-and-loop with thumb loop is perfect for maximum security
- Combination of cotton and spandex provides the most possible stretch and comfort
Jayefo Pair Boxing MMA Hand Wraps
Jayefo prioritized every possible aspect of fighting they could when developing these high-quality MMA hand wraps. Not only will you be extremely comfortable when wearing these wraps, but Jayefo promises improved punching strength and grip, too.
Thanks to the cotton material, you’ll enjoy enhanced protection for your hands and wrists during training and fighting, in addition to maximum airflow. This is essential to prevent swelling and discomfort.
With the hook-and-loop Velcro closure, you’ll never have to second-guess how snug your wraps are (and you won’t need help to put them on, either – perfect for solo training sessions).
Benefits of the Jayefo Hand Wraps:
- Cotton material offers maximum breathability and comfort
- 180″ for greatest possible freedom in wrapping styles
- Hook-and-loop closure is reliable throughout the entire fight or drills and can be secured on your own
Twins Special Muay Thai / Boxing Hand Wraps
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Numerous people have attested to the quality and reliability of the Twins Special MMA hand wraps. They’re made with 100% cotton, providing modest flexibility and maximum softness to keep you comfortable and safe with every strike you land.
These measure over 196″ in length, allowing for the highest level of versatility for however you prefer to wear your hand wrap.
To ensure that your wraps stay nice and snug around your hands and wrists, the Twins Special hand wraps feature a thumb hole for ease of use.
Benefits of the Twins Special Hand Wraps:
- Extremely long length (196+”) increases versatility and personalization options
- 100% cotton for maximum comfort
- Thumb hole helps improve security of the wrap
How to Wrap Your Hands for MMA
There are a few different ways you can wrap your hands – not everyone does it the same.
Your method of wrapping hands may differ for boxing, Muay Thai or MMA as well. Different disciplines require different protection. You also need different ranges of motion.
The main thing for MMA is that you want to feel comfortable grappling, compared to striking-only sports. This is up for personal preference though.
Here’s a video showing two different ways you can wrap your hands – one preferred by a Muay Thai fighter, one by pro MMA fighter Arnaud Lepont.
Summary
MMA hand wraps are one of the most commonly overlooked, yet crucial pieces of protective gear for fighters. To enhance your safety and comfort while fighting, choose from this list of high-quality hand wraps today.
