Hand wraps are an essential piece of equipment for most fighting sports as they provide significant benefits for relatively little cost. If you’re just getting started in the world of boxing, then this guide will show you how to use boxing hand wraps to protect your hands and train safely.
Why Do You Need Boxing Hand Wraps?
Boxing hand wraps protect the small bones and joints in your hands and wrists. Boxing wraps, being essential, keep everything aligned and supported, especially during impact. Even with good gloves, your hands can take severe damage if they’re not wrapped correctly in boxing hand wraps.
Without wraps, you’re at greater risk for sprains, fractures, and wrist injuries – even during light training. If you are gloving up, you should be wrapped up; they are that essential.
Types of Boxing Hand Wraps
There are a couple of different types of hand wraps. The best one for you depends on your training goals and convenience preferences when using boxing hand wraps.
1. Traditional Fabric Wraps
These are long strips of fabric (usually 120–180 inches) that you wrap manually around your hands, knuckles, and wrists.
A tip we found is that you can’t really go wrong with red, blue, or black boxing wraps (although there are some cool colours; purple wraps did catch our eye).
Here are some of the key takeaway points regarding traditional hand wraps:
- They offer the best support and protection.
- They take some time to learn to wrap properly and time to put on.
- They are relatively easy to wash and reuse.
- Most importantly, they are the most common. If it isn’t broken, why fix it?
Most serious boxers and trainers recommend this type. They provide the best wrist support and can fit all fist and glove sizes. They do, however, take a while to learn and put on.
2. Quick Wraps (Glove-Style)
These are glove-shaped wraps with padding over the knuckles and a wrist strap. You just slide them on like gloves and tighten. They are:
- Super fast to put on, making them popular in fitness boxing.
- Not as customisable or snug as traditional wraps.
- Suitable for beginners or fitness classes.
Fast wraps usually lack significant wrist reinforcement that traditional wraps can provide; however, they fit really well and provide excellent protection for most situations and are super quick to put on.
How to Wrap Your Hands for Boxing
Here’s a simple way to wrap using traditional 180” fabric wraps, a crucial skill for anyone who uses boxing hand wraps:
- Start with the thumb loop and anchor the wrap around your wrist.
- Go up around the knuckles 3 times.
- Cross over the back of the hand and wrap between each finger.
- Wrap around the thumb for support.
- Finish with a few more turns around the wrist and secure with Velcro.
Listing how to wrap hands can be pretty confusing; click here for a video guide on how to wrap them.
Recommended Hand Wraps for Beginners
Here are a few popular hand wraps on Amazon that are beginner-friendly, affordable, and reliable enough to use in Boxing:
- EVO Fitness Boxing Wraps – Traditional 180″ Mexican-style wraps
- Fortress Pro T1 Fastwraps – Quick glove-style wraps (Premium)
- RDX Gel Fastwraps – Cheaper wraps, better for fitness training
Make sure to choose wraps that are at least 120 inches long for full support in regular boxing wraps. Investing in good boxing gear matters; don’t get ones that are too short.
How to Care for Hand Wraps
Hand wraps soak up a lot of sweat – and trust us, they can get gross fast if you don’t care for them.
Here’s how to keep those boxing hand wraps clean and fresh:
- Wash them in a mesh laundry bag to prevent tangling.
- Air-dry them – never use a dryer (it ruins the Velcro).
- Use a light spray of antibacterial fabric spray if needed.
Aim to wash wraps after every 1–2 training sessions. At maximum, it would be best to clean after every 5 uses; otherwise, the smell can become too difficult to remove.
Conclusion
Whether you’re training casually or aiming to spar, boxing hand wraps are a must-have piece of gear. They protect your hands, improve your glove fit, and help you train safely. Whether you prefer quick wraps or traditional fabric, the key is to use them consistently and care for them properly.
Got questions about wraps or wrapping technique? Drop a comment below or check out our Boxing Gloves Sizing Guide for more gear advice.
