Short answer. For a first boxing class you need almost nothing: shorts, a T-shirt, flat trainers and water, and many clubs lend gloves. If you carry on, buy in this order: 180-inch hand wraps, gloves (12–14oz for bag and pads, 16oz if you will spar), then a boil-and-bite gum shield, which England Boxing makes mandatory for all boxers in bouts. A kit bag and a skipping rope come next; buy a head guard or groin guard only when your club asks.
What you need for your first class
Very little. Wear shorts or joggers, a T-shirt and flat, comfortable trainers, and bring water and a towel. Many clubs lend gloves for a trial session, so ask when you book. Wraps are the one thing worth owning from day one: they are cheap and personal, and the club's gloves will be shared.
What to buy, in order
| Step | Item | What to get | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hand wraps | 180-inch wraps with a thumb loop and velcro; a second pair so one can dry | After the first session |
| 2 | Gloves | 12–14oz for bag and pads; 16oz if you will spar | When you know you are staying |
| 3 | Gum shield | Boil-and-bite, with a case | Before your first sparring |
| 4 | Kit bag | A duffel with a separate pocket for wet wraps and shoes | Whenever the carrier bag gives up |
| 5 | Skipping rope | A basic adjustable rope; a weighted one later | For warm-ups and home rounds |
| 6 | Head guard, groin guard | Only the model and size your club asks for | When the club says so |
1. Hand wraps
Blitz says wraps protect the knuckles, wrists, palms and thumbs and stabilise the hand, and the glove then goes over them. Most adults buy 180-inch wraps; 120-inch wraps suit small hands, children and snug gloves (see the hand wraps guide, and how to wrap your hands for the wrap itself, step by step). Blitz, a UK store and one of our partner stores, sells its own wraps in 120 and 180 inch, in a 60% nylon and 40% cotton blend with a thumb loop and a velcro closure (Blitz). Revgear, a US partner store, sells 180-inch elastic wraps and Mexican-style gauze wraps.
If you plan to compete one day, note the rule: England Boxing allows wraps no shorter than 2.5 m and no longer than 4.5 m, 5.7 cm wide, made of a stretchy cotton material with a velcro closure. A 180-inch wrap is 4.57 m, a touch over that limit, so check your wraps before a bout.
2. Gloves
Weight is padding, and it follows what you do. Everlast's chart gives 12–14oz for bag and mitt work at 68–80 kg and 16oz for sparring; lighter people can go a step down. One pair has to do everything at first, so buy for the heaviest job: 16oz if you will spar, 12–14oz if you will only hit bags and pads. The boxing glove size guide has the full chart, and children should start with the kids' sizes.
Blitz's Training Boxing Gloves come in 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16oz and are listed for pad work, bag work, sparring and club training, with Nama Hide leather and a velcro strap. Blitz says its gloves are made for club training, not competition. Its Omega is pitched at beginners, with a mesh lining. Revgear's all-rounder and Pinnacle gloves are the US options.
3. Gum shield
England Boxing makes a gum shield mandatory for all boxers in bouts, and most clubs ask for one in sparring. A boil-and-bite guard is the normal starting point: you soften it in boiling water, bite in and let it set. Blitz's double-layer guard covers upper and lower teeth, is made of latex-free EVA, is marked UKCA and CE approved and comes with a case (Blitz). A custom guard from a dentist is the other route; most beginners start with a moulded one.
4. Kit bag
Wet wraps and gloves smell fast, so a bag with a separate ventilated pocket helps. Blitz's Training Duffel Bag is 51 × 28 × 25 cm with a ventilated side compartment that can also hold damp kit, a front pocket and two mesh bottle pockets (Blitz). Gloves go in the main compartment; hang them open to dry at home.
5. Skipping rope
Skipping is a common boxing warm-up and a cheap way to train rhythm and conditioning. Blitz's Club Skipping Rope is a basic adjustable rope with a 305 cm (10 ft) PVC-coated steel cable, 12 cm handles and rotating bearings, weighing 106 g (Blitz). When you want heavier ropes for conditioning rounds, Crossrope's Get Fit Bundle holds light and weighted ropes in one box; both are covered in the jump rope guide.
6. Only if your club asks: head guard and groin guard
Many clubs lend head guards for sparring or ask you to buy your own, so wait to hear. In England Boxing bouts, everyone except senior men must wear a head guard; the sparring headgear guide covers the open-face, cheek and full-face options and how to size them. Groin protection is mandatory for male boxers in competition and optional for women. Both are fit-and-size items: use the maker's chart, and see the groin guard guide for types and Blitz's hip-size table.
Later: training at home
When you train several times a week, a bag lets you practise between classes. Blitz sells a 1.8 m freestanding bag with a base you fill with sand or water to about 117 kg (Blitz), for homes where nothing can be hung; see the heavy bag guide and the beginner heavy bag workout. Training partners can use focus mitts. If you listen to music or a round timer while you train, open-ear headphones such as the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 let you keep hearing the room; the Soundcore AeroFit 2 is a cheaper open-ear option and the Sport X20 a budget sealed earbud with ear hooks (see the earbuds guide).
On Amazon (US)
Search by the weight and size you worked out above, and compare the listing with the brand's own page.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Boxing or Muay Thai?
The kit overlaps a lot. If you will kick as well, the Muay Thai starter kit adds shin guards and shorts, and boxing vs Muay Thai gloves explains when one pair can do both.
Buying in the UK
Blitz, a UK store and one of our partner stores, sells its own version of most of this list.
Buying in the US
Revgear, a US store and one of our partner stores, sells its own version of most of this list.
FAQ
What do I need for my first boxing class?
Shorts or joggers, a T-shirt, flat trainers, water and a towel. Many clubs lend gloves for a trial session, so ask when you book. Hand wraps are the first thing to buy if you carry on.
What should I buy first for boxing?
Hand wraps, then gloves, then a gum shield before your first sparring. A bag and a skipping rope come after. Buy a head guard or groin guard only when the club asks for one.
What size boxing gloves should a beginner buy?
12 to 14oz if you will only use bags and pads, and 16oz if you will spar. Everlast's chart gives 12–14oz for bag work and 16oz for sparring at 68–80 kg, and Blitz's training chart puts 74–82 kg at 16oz. Use the chart of the glove you buy.
Do I need a gum shield for boxing?
England Boxing's rules make a gum shield mandatory for all boxers in bouts, and most clubs ask for one in sparring. A boil-and-bite guard is the usual starting point.
Do I need a groin guard for boxing?
England Boxing makes groin protection mandatory for male boxers in competition and optional for women. For classes and sparring, follow your club's rule.
How long should boxing hand wraps be?
Most adults use 180 inches (4.57 m). For bouts, England Boxing allows wraps of 2.5 to 4.5 m, 5.7 cm wide, in a stretchy cotton material with a velcro closure, so a 180-inch wrap is slightly over the limit.
How can I practise combinations between classes?
Use a heavy bag or shadow-box. FightNome (iPhone and Android) calls each strike out loud on the beat of the music and runs the rounds, so you can drill combinations on the bag with the phone in your pocket.
Sources
- Blitz, Hand Wraps (60% nylon, 40% cotton; 120 and 180 inch)
- Blitz, Training Boxing Gloves (8–16oz and size chart)
- Blitz, Double Layer Mouth Guard
- Blitz, Training Duffel Bag
- Blitz, Club Skipping Rope
- Blitz, Freestanding Nemesis Bag
- Everlast, How to choose your boxing glove sizing
- England Boxing, Technical and Competition Rules 2026 (8.1 dress, 8.4 groin protection, 8.6 bandages/wraps, 8.7 gum shields)
- Crossrope, Get Fit Bundle
- GloveWatch guides linked above (hand wraps, glove size, kids' gloves, headgear, heavy bags, jump ropes, earbuds)
More buying guides
- Muay Thai starter kitWhat to buy first, in order, and what can wait.
- Best Muay Thai gloves 2026Five leather Thai gloves by use, plus Fairtex and Yokkao size charts.
- Boxing vs Muay Thai glovesPalm, padding and cuff differences, one-glove options, and which to buy.
- Boxing glove size guide12 vs 14 vs 16oz: size charts by weight and use, and UK picks.
- Kids' boxing glovesWhat size gloves for children and juniors, 4oz to 10oz, and UK picks.
- Sparring headgear guideOpen-face vs cheek vs full face, a head-size check, and UK picks.
- Best Muay Thai shin guardsThai-style vs adjustable vs sleeve, size charts and a shin-length size check.
- Best heavy bag for homeHanging vs freestanding, how heavy, and how to set it up.
- Heavy bag workout for beginnersA 20-minute round-by-round plan, what you need, and UK picks.
- Muay Thai at home aloneA 35-minute solo round plan, with or without a bag, and what you need.
- Jump rope workout for boxingThe basic bounce, the boxer skip in five steps, a 15-minute round plan.
- Best Thai padsCurved vs straight, leather vs synthetic, and Fairtex's pad sizes.
- Focus mitts vs Thai padsWhich pads to buy for boxing, kickboxing or Muay Thai, and UK picks.
- Hand wraps guide180 vs 120 inches, a length check, elastic vs cotton, and how tight to wrap.
- How to wrap your handsThe standard wrap step by step, a Muay Thai version, how tight, and washing.
- Groin guard guideCup types, the competition rules, Blitz's size table, and UK and US picks.