Onx X-Factor (12oz Velcro)

“The Tesla of Boxing Gloves”

High Tech Design in a Classy Package

Intro

When I read what Onx was all about, I was super stoked. There are a lot of quality glove makers out there. Some put a lot of time and effort into designs and details. I’ve honestly seen little in terms of real innovation and pushing new technology. Rival does it a bit with their wrist lock system and 3DO material, and Hayabusa with their stiff materials and dual-lock wrist, and I’ve seen one or two others use an over-padding like that but some of those are more gimmicky than anything. Enter Onx. Apparently designed primarily by Trevor Wittman, a boxing and MMA coach, to offer superior hand and wrist protection while maintaining the proper fist and thumb position.

They really look like nothing else that’s out there and have a bunch of different innovations in the design. I can’t help but draw comparisons to some of the other legendary technology out there, because it beats most of them all in one glove. It’s dual closure is firmer than the Hayabusa T3 and yet the hand compartment better. I don’t know what they use for the padding but they seem to have cracked the Winning formula. They aren’t big and bulky with a lot of padding to mimic Winning… I mean these actually feel like the padding could be the same on the inside. I’m surprised how hard I can throw in these 12oz gloves and feel as protected as much bigger pairs from others. And you truly don’t need to wear wraps with them.

Not that there aren’t some gripes. This could be the function of having bought 12oz gloves when admittedly I should be in something bigger. I like having lighter gloves for lighter work and don’t need a ton of larger 16oz gloves in my roster. 14oz I’ve found to be my sweet spot so long as I’m not sparring with them. Unfortunately Onx is only selling 12oz, 16oz, and 18oz at the time of writing. I did email the company to ask if the 12oz would suit my purpose. They said the hand compartment wasn’t too different, and that as long as I didn’t order them personalized, I could return the 12oz if it didn’t fit. I’ll get into more detail below, but I think bottom line is I would order a pair of 14oz in a heartbeat if they ever make them.

The Wrist 10/10

As you can see there is a dual closure system. Not completely unlike the Hayabusa T3 dual closure in terms of hassle, but I would say much more “solid”. You might be able to see, each strap actually travels diagonally through the glove (even around the back) to pull the entire thing nice and tight to the hand, not just a fat strap that goes around the forearm.

And wow. Talk about solid. The Onx web site says these provide “the desired support of the wrist, carpal and metacarpal bones in the hand, and supports your grip and hand position.” Honestly I can’t argue with any of that. It truly is a wrap-less glove, as in you don’t need a hand wrap at all. Which is good, because I wouldn’t be able to fit one in there anyway.

Hand Comfort & Ease of Use 7/10

Hand comfort is excellent…. once you get them on your hands. That itself is a bit of trouble though. Again I should have gone with a larger pair but this isn’t my only set of 12oz gloves and none of the others are tight like this. But it feels almost like I’m dislocating my thumb every time to get my hand in there. Points are docked here for ‘ease of use’ only.

Some have called the thumb “tight”, but that’s not how I would describe it. The thumb is perfectly positioned once you get it on, and feels very protected around the thumb joint. It’s just that there is no “give” at the thumb entrance. Imagine sliding your hand into a pipe that has a hole cut out for the thumb. Until you get your thumb out, it’s quite the tight squeeze, and almost painful getting on. Once on, it feels good.

The finger box also feels really good. Gives something to grip on and makes for a very comfortable fist.

The padding and liner? Top notch. I know it’s a tired comparison, but seriously these are the only other gloves I would say with padding that feels identical to Winning gloves. That is, protective without the bulk.

Closeup of the synthetic leather. Definitely not your run of the mill Polyurethane or Vinyl. This is very close-up with enhanced sharpness and contrast. It’s actually very soft and has some “give” to it. Real leather might be nice, but wouldn’t … — Closeup of the synthetic leather. Definitely not your run of the mill Polyurethane or Vinyl. This is very close-up with enhanced sharpness and contrast. It’s actually very soft and has some “give” to it. Real leather might be nice, but wouldn’t be as high tech, and I would imagine would affect the weight of the glove.

Punching & Protection 10/10

Here is where these little 12oz gloves shine. Seriously. These easily feel more protective than several 14oz and 16oz pairs. The wrist, the hand, the thumb. Like if Tony Stark designed superlight but protective gloves, these would be it. I can wail on a heavy bag in these and hardly feel it. Feels like sleek armor on your hands. As soft on the inside as Winning gloves are.

Other Features and “Intangibles” 8/10

Design is very cool. Lightweight. Like nothing you’ve ever tried before. I love the embroidered logos. Onx delivers on all of its promises. Feels like they will last and what other boxing gloves come with a guarantee? Strapping system isn’t a gimmick. Padding is the real deal. I’m talking like super impressive padding.

Is the slight hassle of the dual wrist closure worth not having to roll/wear/wash hand wraps? Yes probably.

Is it worth the difficulty I have in stuffing my hand and thumb in? Eeeh, I’m not so sure there. It’s probably be the size I picked but I didn’t want to return them for another pair of 16oz gloves when the purpose of these for me was going to be more for speed work and lighter training when I didn’t feel like putting wraps on. (And if they eventually make a 14oz pair… call me)

For now these have defaulted to being my wife’s pair. She started training with me in the garage and I let her try out a few different gloves. She has no idea which gloves had a better reputation or higher price, and found these to be the most comfortable and protective out of the pretty vast selection I gave her.