[retro inspired]

what's going on sherdoggers. a lot of these products have been reviewed, but what the hell, i'm doing another one anyway. in this review i'll be covering:

MMA Cage Style Gloves from Combatsports.com

Windy Hook & Loop Training Gloves from Combatsports.com

Clinch Gear Primo II Pewter * Limited Edition Shorts

Forty Thieves Clothing Board Shorts

Triumph United Iceberg Shorts

Nike Pro Max Rashguard

Nike Pro Compression Shorts










mixed feelings about these gloves.

padding = 10/10 i've used some generic gloves from a company by my way for a while and they sucked ass. gave these a shot and the padding was more than adequate, and during training sessions with my hands taped up/wrapped i didnt feel any residual shock from hard striking.

construction = 7/10 there was some flaws in the stitching, but the gloves look to be of full grain leather which means no annoying tears. however, some of the stitching came apart after i used them just twice, neither time for hard striking. the last picture above shows the small tear. it's tiny, but getting bigger each time i use them. the velcro closure system also felt a bit awkward when i was training, and the way they were constructed seemed to leave me susceptible to tweaking my wrist if im throwing.

sizing = 8/10 i ordered a regular because i have fairly small hands, and i have an extremely tough time putting these on with wraps that were 120". they're easier with athletic tape and feel better, but still felt a bit small to be a regular instead of a small. the completely open thumb helped a bit once i put them on though.

overall = 7/10 i was disappointed with the construction the most, as when im punching the padding curves my hand in an unnatural way, make my strikes land awkwardly. i adjusted after a bit but it was still a pain. still, the padding was solid and the leather construction was a plus.

[retro inspired]

these windy training gloves are TOP notch. from what people have told me, there's two different manufacturers, and this pair was from combat sports.

padding = 10/10 i hit the heavy bags 3-4 days a week, for about an hour at a time. these have held up extremely well with no issues whatsoever.

construction = 10/10 the stitching holds up against all the abuse i put it through from sparring and the bag work, and the velcro is super sticky. it's actually a bit tough getting them back off again, but that's a good thing. the velcro is anything but flimsy. you can see the grain of the leather once you break the gloves in, and the thumbs are stitched to the fist area to prevent any thumb injuries.

sizing = 10/10 i have small hands, but over the span of about a week or so of breaking the gloves in, they formed to fit my hands perfectly.

overall = 10/10 these are the best gloves i've ever used. granted, i used shitty no name gloves and some everlasts, but you can really tell these are durable and made to last.

[retro inspired]

these clinchgears are part of a limited edition series from hendo's company.

sizing = 9/10 it's been said dan henderson HATES drawstrings, and since clinch gears havent come with the bunched waistbands, i purchased these. im in the middle of dropping some weight, so i'm about a 34 natural waist. i got a 34 in these, and they fit a tad looser than the other two shorts i have. they fall just above my hips, but with the velcro enclosure system i can tighten them a bit, although the front starts to bunch a little near the top flap. the legs are plenty roomy and i have tons of room to maneuver. i used these for heavy grappling about 2-3 times, and they felt great, albeit a little loose due to the sizing issue. but that's my fault for not getting unjiggly enough i guess.

comfort = 10/10 the flex panels on the outer hips are GREAT. the crotch panel also differs from some of the other companies as shown from the pics above. only a small area in the center is devoted to a stretch material, whereas a few other brands have a full panel running down the entire inseam with a stretch panel. there's no noticeable difference between the two, as the outer panels make up for any issues. the material used to construct the shorts are the best i've felt. about the same amount of stretchiness as the other shorts, but much softer. personally, im not a fan of split seams, so the fact that there's none on these shorts is a plus, although they were the shortest of the three shorts to make up for no split seams. the over the top velcro system works great as well.

construction = 9/10 as stated before, there's no drawstring, which is a plus or minus for some. one of the things these shorts is lacking otherwise is no triple seam stitching on the inseam. that was a bit of a disappointment, but at this point i cannot tell any weaknesses in the overall construction due to this fact. there is also no mouthguard stash pocket which kind of sucked but definitely not a deal breaker. the stitching is precise overall, and there's triple seam stitching on the outer flex panels. the velcro holds up very well, even though i've had them less than a week. also, the logo on the side panels are not screenprinted, which is good and should hold up to more than a few washings.

overall = 9/10 these are the best shorts i own, and once i can fit a 32, sizing will no longer be an issue. i dont know if these new limited edition shorts are looser than the original primos, but they seem to fit a bit looser than a natural 34, although that is hardly noticeable and i dont really have to worry my shorts getting pulled off while rolling.

[retro inspired]

40 thieves willis board shorts

sizing = 10/10 i asked binh in advance about sizing, as i was a natural 35 when i first started training, and am now down to a 34. he said 34's would fit fine for both sizes, and he was right. they are a tad bit loose now, but the drawstring works great to prevent the shorts from moving around.

comfort = 8/10 the fabric used for the shorts is pliable, but not as much as the triumphs or the clinch gears. i could barely tell the difference, but i had to speak on it. the shorts are also not as soft as the clinch gears. the roomy thigh and good length split seams make these shorts very comfortable otherwise. the inseam stretch panels work great as well.

construction = 9/10 there is triple stitching pretty much anywhere you could think of that would need it. no loose stitching anywhere, and they held up well after 2 months of heavy training. the only complaints i would have would be that the fabric bunches around the forty thieves embroidery after a few washes, due to shrinking. but this does not affect it's performance at all. another issue would be that the inner mouth guard pocket is WAY too small to actually hold one.

overall = 8/10 i love these shorts, but they're not as soft or as stretchy as the clinchgears. however, they have the more areas that are triple stitched, which should help durability. they are great for training or just lounging at the beach.

[retro inspired]

triumph united iceberg shorts

sizing = 10/10 these shorts fit true to size, and the drawstring helps for those who are slimming down.

comfort = 8/10 no stretch panels take away a bit in terms of the comfort, but it still performs the way i like it. they are the second shortest in terms of length, with about a 3.5" split seam. i noticed that they "caught" a few times when my legs were in odd angles, but nothing that was a dealbreaker. they are still great shorts, but a stretch panel would have helped in my opinion. some of the less flexible guys at my gym had no problems with these shorts, but as i am a bit more flexible than the majority there, i noticed an issue with comfort. the over the top enclosure for velcro is also a favorite of mine and helps to prevent the velcro from skin irritation for those of you that roll without a rashguard.

construction = 8/10 i love the triple stitching on the inseam and outer areas, and the velcro is tough as nails. the logos and lettering hold up very well, no bunching issues here. some of the stitching came loose on the triumph logo, but that was my dumbass fault because the velcro caught on the logo and pried some threads. again i have an issue with no stretch panels but these shorts are great. the mouth guard pocket is also big enough to fit my custom guard in which is a plus.

overall = 8/10 i love these shorts, and will buy triumphs next line of shorts without a doubt if they come with stretch panels. the split seams are just long enough not to turn the shorts into something that melvin manhoeff would wear to a fight.

final verdict = clinch gears are the most comfortable shorts i have worn. once i get to a natural 32, another pair would be purchased without hesitation, unless an adjustable wasitband version comes out that is similar to sprawls without the huge side splits. the only thing that doesnt make them a perfect 10 is the lack of leeway in terms of waist sizing. a lot of people out there are "in betweeners" where a size up would be a little too loose, and a size down would feel too constricting. triumphs and 40 thieves are also great shorts, with only minor annoyances, and that's only because i'm a nitpicking bastard. i'd recommend all of these brands to anyone who wants to train. i havent given the industry standard sprawl a try yet, but i will once their vflex closed seam shorts restock.

[retro inspired]

one of nike's rashguard variations, called the "nike pro max" on sale at niketown.com now.

sizing = 10/10 i'm 5'10", 195 lbs and these fit me perfect. i ordered a size large, and the neck doesnt choke me nor is length a problem. they're long enough to tuck into shorts, or just to wear regularly without the user having to worry about riding up.

comfort = 10/10 the material is thin, but the fact that they wick away sweat during summer training sessions make these ideal for warm weather, indoors or outdoors. even the black version didnt heat up as much as i thought they would in the sun. i can stretch all different directions without feeling constricted in any way.

construction = 10/10 the side panels are made of a mesh material, making these very breathable. there is reinforced stitching on the outside and inside of the rashguard, so i dont have to worry about tears or splitting anywhere. nike dri-fit material holds up well to abuse for not being mma specific rashguards. at first i thought them being so thin would make them flimsy, but this is not the case. i put these rashguards through hell and they still look brand new, and after 10+ washes, they still wick away sweat with no problem.

overall = 10/10 i've had underarmour rashguards, mizuno rashguards, and have tried local brand rashguards and these are the best. underarmour tended to be a bit too short on me, the mizunos were great but not very breathable, and the local brand was crap. some people may like thick mma-only rashguards, but these hold up just as well. unfortunately they are not treated with anti-microbial protection, but thus far that's the only thing i'd add to these rashguards.





nike pro compression shorts

sizing = 10/10 they fit me great, not too tight, or too loose. my height and weight were previously stated and a size large fit me fine.

comfort = 10/10 i cant even tell i'm wearing compression shorts when im rolling, and that's a good thing for me. the waistband doesnt have an inner label either, which i imagine would cause irritation if one were present. nike gets plus points for that. the length is about a 6 inch inseam, so they are visible when i'm working guard, but i dont imagine anyone would have an issue with that.

construction = 10/10 reinforced stitching FTW. the back of the shorts have a different panel stitched in, which helps with freedom of movement without feeling that the shorts are going to tear or "tighten up" as it were. these worked better than the underarmour, shock doctor, or russell athletic shorts i have tried.

overall = 10/10 the best compression shorts i've owned to date. some people think that compression shorts dont help with training, but trust me, i've felt the difference. especially when getting thrown around by some of the greco guys at my gym.

well, that's the review. any questions or comments are more than welcome. also look for a custom mouth guard comparison coming soon, as i've ordered from fightdentist.com and am currently awaiting jeff to send me a custom guard from him as well.

How about the Nike Compression gear? I use a short sleeve Nike compression shirt for a rashguard at the moment and its held up ok, was curious what you thought of their shorts and if you´ve tried a long sleeve shirt yet.


- BJ

[retro inspired]

bj-

i have a mock neck compression gear shirt, and it holds up just as well. the shorts are the last item i've reviewed. for the price, it really cant be beat. i know that's weird to hear coming from a company like nike, but the compression shirts are like 30-35 compared to 50 bucks for some of the mma brands, and the shorts are 25 or cheaper, which is also pretty good pricewise.

[crossdx]

Great review thread, man. Very nicely done.

Those black Windys look sweet.

[stu3ufc]

your windy gloves and clinch gear shorts look really cool