Black Leather MMA Gloves, Open thumb, Open palm, Half Fingers

Description

These black leather MMA gloves are built for the kind of training where you need your hands protected but your fingers free. The open thumb and open palm design is deliberate — it’s what lets you shoot for takedowns, work clinch positions, tie up wrists, and transition between striking and grappling without stopping to swap gloves.

If you train MMA, BJJ with striking, or any mixed discipline where you’re switching between punching and grabbing in the same round, these make a lot of sense. They’re not designed for heavy bag work as a primary use, and they’re not boxing gloves — but for partner drilling, light sparring, and pad work where grip matters, they do the job well.

Why the open design matters

Most closed-finger gloves force a compromise. You either get good hand protection or good grip — rarely both. The open palm on these gloves means you can feel what you’re grabbing. The open thumb means your grappling mechanics aren’t fighting against the glove. Finger loops keep the glove positioned correctly on your hand without cutting off circulation or slipping during hard movement.

The Velcro wrist strap wraps around the back and gives you a secure fit you can tighten or loosen yourself. No one to help you tape up — just pull the strap, done. It also means the gloves stay put when you’re drilling wrist escapes or rolling with someone who’s trying to strip your grip.

Construction and materials

The shell is genuine leather, which is worth paying attention to. Leather gloves break in differently to synthetic — they’re stiffer initially, but they soften and mould to your hand shape with use. The leather also holds up better over time with regular training than most PU alternatives at this price point.

Padding sits over the knuckles and back of the hand where you need it most. It absorbs impact from strikes without adding so much bulk that your grip becomes clumsy. This is a practical balance — enough protection for controlled sparring and pad work, not a substitute for heavy boxing gloves in hard sparring.

What these gloves are good for

• MMA sparring at light to moderate intensity
• BJJ drilling with striking components
• Grappling drills where you want hand protection
• Pad work and bag work (light to moderate)
• Taekwondo and karate contact training
• General mixed martial arts conditioning

They suit almost any martial art that combines striking and grappling. If your training involves transitions — punch, shoot, clinch, ground — these gloves travel with you through all of it.

What these gloves are NOT ideal for

Be honest with yourself about how you train. These aren’t appropriate for heavy sparring with hard punching — for that, you want boxing gloves with more padding. They also won’t replace grappling gloves for pure BJJ competition prep where there’s no striking at all. And if your partner has headgear with a steel cage, you’ll both want more padding on the gloves.

Getting the right size

Sizing is based on the width across your punching knuckles — not your palm width or glove length. Here’s how to measure:

1. Lay the back of your hand flat on a ruler
2. Measure across all four knuckles from the outside of your index finger to the outside of your little finger
3. This measurement in centimetres is your glove size

• Medium: 7.5 cm – 8.5 cm
• Large: 9 cm – 9.5 cm

The leather will soften and stretch slightly with wear, so if you’re between sizes, go with your measured size rather than sizing up. A glove that’s too loose moves around on your hand and can be more dangerous, not less.

If you have unusually wide or narrow hands for your height, err toward your measured knuckle width rather than guessing based on clothing size.

Care and maintenance

Leather gloves last longer with a little attention. After training, air them out completely — don’t leave them stuffed in your bag. Moisture is what breaks down leather and causes the padding to deteriorate faster than normal use would.

Wipe the inside and outside down with a slightly damp cloth after heavy sessions. A light leather conditioner every few months keeps the shell supple and prevents cracking, especially in the areas that flex most (knuckles, wrist strap). Don’t machine wash — the water destroys the leather and the padding.

Specifications

• SKU: PS506
• Material: Genuine leather
• Colour: Black
• Design: Open thumb, open palm, half-finger
• Closure: Velcro wrist strap
• Padding: Dense foam over knuckles and back of hand
• Sizes: Medium (7.5–8.5 cm), Large (9–9.5 cm)
• Weight: 0.4 kg
• Price: AUD $46.00 (all sizes)

Features at a glance

• Genuine leather construction — moulds to your hand over time
• Open thumb for natural grappling mechanics
• Open palm with finger loops for maximum grip
• Dense knuckle and back-of-hand padding
• Velcro wrist strap — adjustable, no assistance needed
• Suited to MMA, BJJ, Taekwondo, Karate, and mixed training
• Available in Medium and Large

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use these for heavy sparring?

Not as a primary choice for heavy sessions. These are designed for light to moderate sparring, pad work, and grappling drills. For hard sparring with full-power punching, you need boxing gloves with more padding — at least 12–16 oz depending on your weight. These gloves are best for technical rounds and mixed drilling, not all-out sparring.

Will these work for pure BJJ training with no striking?

They’ll work fine for drilling, but if you’re doing no-gi rolling without any striking at all, you probably don’t need gloves. These make the most sense when your training mixes striking and grappling. For pure grappling, they add unnecessary bulk to your hands.

How does the leather compare to synthetic gloves at a similar price?

Leather is generally more durable over time and moulds to your hand shape in a way synthetic doesn’t. The trade-off is the break-in period — leather gloves are stiffer initially. After 10–15 sessions they’ll feel noticeably more comfortable. Synthetic gloves feel good out of the box but can crack and deteriorate faster with heavy use.

I’m between sizes. Should I size up?

No — measure your knuckles and go with that measurement. A glove that’s too large moves on your hand during impact, which reduces protection and can create shear forces on your wrist. The leather will stretch slightly with wear, so your measured size will feel more fitted after a few sessions.

Do these come with hand wraps?

No, hand wraps are sold separately. For light drilling these gloves can be worn without wraps, but if you’re doing any significant bag work or contact sparring, wrapping your hands first gives you wrist support and protects the small bones. We stock cotton and elastic hand wraps separately.

Are these gloves suitable for women?

The sizing is based on knuckle measurement, not gender, so they’ll fit any hand that falls in the Medium (7.5–8.5 cm) or Large (9–9.5 cm) range. Many women find Medium fits well. Measure across your knuckles as described above — if your measurement falls below 7.5 cm, these gloves won’t fit securely and you’d be better with a glove that comes in Small.