Issue 013

May 2006

Evolution Fightwear are widely considered one of the most respected brands in the UK. Sponsor to many top fighters, Evolution produced their first gloves last year after a long delay, claiming they wanted to perfect the design before releasing it to the public. Since then, the Evolution gloves have become the official brand used by CageWarriors FC. 

The gloves arrived in a tight package, and upon initial inspection they seemed well constructed and solid- although maybe too solid. Made of high quality leather, the gloves had been flattened by transit, but when I picked them up they felt as strong as a couple of pieces of plyboard- there was literally no give in them whatsoever. Slipping them on to my hand was an effort. The gloves (sized medium) were a very snug fit, but they felt stiff and unwieldy. Before I could actually take these gloves to training, I had to sit there and ‘work’ the leather so that it loosened up. 

The construction of the gloves is of very high quality and the little details have been considered with care. The stitching is precise, the open palm (the version I reviewed- Evolution also produce a closed palm with thumb grip) was just the right size and the padding was dense and covered the fist evenly. If anything though, the padding was too dense, as I’ll explain later. The wrist wrap will go around the forearm at least twice and has three large and very strong pieces of Velcro securing it down. 

Striking

I have to say this now, and in my opinion, these gloves should come with an official disclaimer. These are NOT a good choice as a training glove for striking. The padding is rock solid and feels like a leather-bound knuckle duster. If you were to punch a training partner in the face with these gloves on, even with a moderate amount of force, chances are he’d end up cut or with a black eye. They aren’t particularly friendly. For bag and pad work, I’d say that the padding doesn’t allow enough shock absorption to protect the fist, and these should be avoided in favour of bag mitts or even boxing gloves. 

Grappling

The Evolution gloves really come into their own in the grappling range. I tested them thoroughly over a few wrestling sessions and they performed extremely well. The open palm allows your hand the dexterity required for submissions, and the slim padding means you don’t find them getting snagged. The glove itself is a tight fit and doesn’t move around on the back of the hand, and the ultra-strong wrist wrap will stay secure for as long as you need even without taping. The gloves would be perfect for a ground and pounder.  

Overall

As far as MMA gloves go, the Evolution are probably one of the best on the market, easily on a par with the highly popular Fairtex, and rivalling the UFC-backed Ouano glove in terms of build-quality. I’ll be honest and say that my initial impressions were not good. I found the gloves uncomfortable and awkward, although they loosened up over a few sessions. Still, sitting at home massaging a pair of gloves before you can use them isn’t exactly convenient. Just don’t expect to get the most out of these gloves in the first session- like a fine wine, they need to be allowed to mature. 

Obviously designed as a competition glove, the Evolution score highly in that area, but on a consumer level they fall short as everyday training gloves. You will soon find yourself short of training partners if you give them a dig with these on, so bear that in mind when purchasing these gloves.