Boxing Wraps: 9 Important Things You Should Know

If you’re thinking about hitting hard punches, boxing wraps is one of the most important accessories you’re going to need. I’ve researched this topic and these are the most common questions about boxing hand wraps:

1. Are Boxing Wraps Necessary?

As a general rule, boxing wraps are necessary to ensure maximum protection against any potential risk of injury. A pair of hand wraps under the boxing gloves protect your knuckles, provide support to your wrist, and minimize the damage on your hands, especially during hard-hitting.

Boxing wraps serve the purpose of a barrier between your hands and gloves and provide additional support to the wrist. Regardless of your ability and training level, wearing boxing gloves without wraps may cause twists and sprains in the bones.

You may notice many pro fighters practice with only boxing wraps to toughen up their fist but if you’re a relative beginner in the boxing world, I would strongly suggest you wrap your hands before wearing your gloves.

2. How Much Do Boxing Wraps Cost?

On average, good quality boxing hand wraps are available at a cost of around $20. Budget-friendly hand wraps start from $8 to $10 and can go up to $40 for expensive pair of wraps.

You need to understand, it’s not necessary that the more expensive the hand wraps, the more quality is there! When it comes to boxing wraps, there are lots of factors including Length, closer system, gauze quality, etc that affect its overall pricing.

So, there might be a case where you buy an expensive wrap and get a good length and velcro but it fails to provide a good cloth quality. That’s why it’s important to choose hand wraps according to your individual standards.

3. How Long Do Boxing Wraps Last?

On average, a pair of boxing hand wraps lasts for around 4 to 5 months with regular training. Depending on the frequency of your training and maintenance, you can easily extend their lifespan and able to get the full value out of them.

For maximum results, dry out your wraps properly after each workout and wash them at least twice a week (Preferably, after every three days).

You should keep disinfecting and rinsing them in between the washes so they remain bacteria-free. It’ll be better if you store them properly to avoid any kind of snags or nasty bad smells.

If your boxing wraps started to get faded in color and you start noticing a little bit of nasty smell, You should consider getting a new pair of boxing hand wraps.



4. Are Boxing Wraps Machine Washable?

Boxing wraps are machine washable and can be washed with a detergent using laundry bags. Do not use hot water as it may stretch the hand wraps.

Also, remember not to use a dryer as it can damage the wrapping cloth. Instead, you can simply hang them in the sunlight straight for 2-3 hours and you’re ready to go!

Just make sure to close the velcro at the end before putting them in the machine so that seal does not get weakened.

Many boxers usually wash their hand wraps after 2 to 3 training sessions and that’s why prefer to keep multiple pairs with them.

5. Do Boxing Hand Wraps Come in Pairs?

In boxing, fighters use both of their hands to throw punches, and thus boxing hand wraps are always sold in pairs. You’ll always get a two-unit of wraps, one for each hand unless you’re thinking about fighting with a single hand.

LOL! 🙂

6. What Length Boxing Wraps Should I Need?

As a general rule, boxing wraps should be 180 inches long. 120 inches of hand wraps are also commonly available and you can choose the length as per your personal preference.

Longer wraps are not only suitable for both small and large hands but also allow you to cover your wrist and knuckles twice. Although It provides an extra layer of protection and makes your grip heavier but you may face problems for your gloves to fit properly.

7. How Tight Boxing Hand Wraps Supposed to be?

Boxing Hand wraps are supposed to provide stability to your wrist and should make you feel comfortable, that’s why it’s important to wrap them properly.

There is no fixed rule around the tightness of the boxing wraps. You should understand your needs and decide how tight you want to go.

But remember: don’t go too hard on yourself. Wrapping them too tight may result in many issues in your fist whereas they can slip off your hands if are too loose.

All I can suggest is, Experiment with a pair of boxing wraps and you’ll get an idea of what works best for you.

8. How to Properly Wrap your Hand for Boxing?

  1. Stretch your hand and fingers straight
  2. Put your thumb in the end hole of wrap.
  3. First wrap your wrist and then your hand.
  4. Wrap your thumb and then fingers from inside of wrist towards the top of hand.
  5. Again wrap your hand diagonally and finish it on the wrist
  6. Close the velcro and repeat with other hand

Here’s the exact video tutorial to wrap boxing wraps:

9. What are Different Type of Boxing Hand Wraps?

Boxing hand wraps can be broadly classified into three main categories:

Traditional wraps: These wraps are available in a variety of colors and different lengths from 120 inch-180 inches. Traditional wraps are commonly used by all boxers because they are reusable and perfect for both beginners and pro-fighters. It helps to make your fist tight and also protects your hand from injury.

Tape wraps: To get the best possible support and protection professional boxers used this type of wraps during matches. These wraps need lots of effort for applying on hand and are used only one time. Once the fight is over tape is cut with scissors and it directly goes into the dustbin.

Quick wraps: You don’t need to spend extra time to wrap your hand with the gauze and tape. Quick wraps directly get into the hand but the only issue is its bulky nature which can make your gloves size bigger. Quick wrap is the best alternative if time-consuming wraps are not agreeable to you.

Final Thoughts

Just like any other accessories, boxing wraps are important in terms of your protection. Hand wraps will make you feel secure and thus provide you the confidence to punch the opponent with full power.

By having a well-articulated plan of maintenance, you won’t have any issues keeping your hand wraps in excellent condition.

Priya Dorge | Cargofighter

Priya Dorge

Priya Dorge is a passionate boxer and author, dedicated to sharing her expertise in the world of combat sports. With her deep knowledge and experience in empowering individuals in their journey has garnered a loyal following, making her a trusted resource in the martial arts community.