Microfibre boxing headgear
- Save 25 %
- €59,00
- Regular price
€79,00
The essentials: Esprit Boxe headgear with a black and gold microfibre shell, PU lined, filled with high density foam. Open face with cheek protectors and a reinforced chin guard, vented panels at the ears, and a triple hook-and-loop closure at the rear for a hold that does not move. Reinforced stitching. 3 sizes: S, M, L. €59, free standard delivery.
Headgear is no use if it turns. That is the first thing to look at, before the material and before the price: by the third round of a sparring session, a badly held headguard slides, the opening shifts in front of your eyes, and the protection disappears at the moment it counts. This model answers with a triple rear hook-and-loop closure, spreading the tension over three points instead of one and letting you adjust the fit to the millimetre mid-session, without taking the headguard off.
What it covers, and what it leaves open
This is open face headgear with cheek protectors, the most common format in boxing sparring. In practice:
- Covered: forehead, crown, temples, ears, cheeks, jaw and chin, the last with reinforced padding.
- Open: the nose and the central field of vision. That is deliberate. The opening is what lets you read your partner's footwork and shoulders, and therefore slip rather than absorb.
If you have already broken your nose, or if you are preparing for a bout while taking heavy shots, you need a face bar rather than this model: see the range comparison below.
Microfibre or leather: what actually changes
Microfibre is a technical choice, with properties of its own. It is lighter, does not soak up sweat, cleans with a damp cloth and asks for no feeding or conditioning. It does not harden as it dries, which is the classic failing of leather dried badly after an intense session.
Real leather, for its part, takes on a patina, follows the shape of the skull over time and holds up longer under daily club use. It does ask for regular care in exchange. For someone training two to four times a week who wants no upkeep at all, microfibre is the rational choice; the leather models in the range are listed in the comparison below.
Choosing your size
Headgear should be fitted, not loose. Too big and it rotates on impact and blocks your view; too small and it presses on the temples and gives you a headache within two rounds.
- Measure your head circumference with a tape, passing around 2 cm / 0.8 in above the eyebrows and across the widest point at the back of the skull.
- Read the measurement against the usual market references below, given as a guide.
- Between two sizes, take the smaller one. The triple hook-and-loop takes up slack downwards, never upwards.
| Size | Head circumference, market reference | Typical profile |
|---|---|---|
| S | 53 to 55 cm / 21 to 21.7 in | Teenagers, slimmer heads, many women boxers |
| M | 55 to 58 cm / 21.7 to 22.8 in | The most requested adult size |
| L | 58 to 61 cm / 22.8 to 24 in | Larger build, fuller skull |
These ranges are the general market references, common to most makers. If your measurement falls right on the border between two sizes, write to us before ordering: we check against stock.
Fitting and hold
Put the headguard on with the hook-and-loop open, set the forehead band just above the eyebrows first, then tighten the rear from the bottom upwards. The test is simple: shake your head firmly left to right, then up and down. If the opening stays lined up with your eyes, the fit is right. If the headguard goes to one side, tighten one notch.
Wear it for ten minutes before the first session, gloves on, to check that it presses neither the temples nor the ears. New headgear is slightly tighter than a broken-in one, since the foam settles after a few uses.
Technical specifications
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | Open face boxing headgear, cheeks and chin guard |
| Outer shell | Microfibre |
| Lining | PU |
| Padding | High density foam, reinforced at the chin |
| Areas covered | Forehead, crown, temples, ears, cheeks, jaw, chin |
| Ventilation | Perforated panels at the ears |
| Closure | Triple rear hook-and-loop, adjustable mid-session |
| Finish | Reinforced stitching, gold Esprit Boxe marking |
| Colourway | Black and gold |
| Sizes | S, M, L |
| Price | €59, free standard delivery |
Worth knowing: boxing headgear sharply reduces cuts, bruising and blows to the ears, but it does not remove the risk of concussion. No headgear does, at any price: protection comes first from a solid guard, a decent sparring partner and stopping immediately at the first symptom. This model also leaves the nose open: for nasal protection, choose the face bar model.
You may also like
- Open face leather headgear — real leather with a suede lining, if you want the widest sight lines and a shell that moulds to the head.
- Full face leather headgear — reinforced ears and triple density foam, if you want to take volume in sparring.
- Headgear with a face bar — the nasal axis closed by a padded bar, for a fight camp or a return after a fracture.
Completing your protection
- The whole range: boxing headgear.
- Essential alongside headgear in sparring: mouthguards.
- Hand protection: boxing gloves and hand wraps.
- Slip work without a partner: double end bags.
- Kickboxing and muay thai: shin guards.
Frequently asked questions
How do you measure your boxing headgear size?
Run a tape around the skull, around 2 cm / 0.8 in above the eyebrows and across the widest point at the back of the head. The usual market references are S from 53 to 55 cm / 21 to 21.7 in, M from 55 to 58 cm / 21.7 to 22.8 in and L from 58 to 61 cm / 22.8 to 24 in. If your measurement falls between two sizes, take the smaller: the triple hook-and-loop lets you loosen, never make up for headgear that is too big.
Is headgear compulsory in boxing?
It is required as soon as shots are exchanged with a partner, so at every sparring session in a club, and the rules impose it in most amateur competition. It is not needed for bag work, pad work or shadow boxing. In men's olympic boxing it was dropped from competition from the 2016 Games, but every athlete concerned still wears it in training.
Does boxing headgear protect against concussion?
No, and no headgear does. It sharply reduces surface injuries — brow cuts, bruising, blows to the ears and cheeks — but concussion comes from the brain accelerating inside the skull, which outer padding cannot cancel. Headgear complements a solid guard and controlled sparring, it does not replace them.
Microfibre or real leather: which should I choose?
Microfibre is lighter, does not absorb sweat and asks for no care: a damp cloth is enough, and it does not harden as it dries. Real leather takes on a patina, follows the shape of the skull over time and handles daily club use better, but it needs regular care. For two to four sessions a week with no upkeep, microfibre covers it comfortably.
Does this headgear protect the nose?
No. It is open face headgear: it covers the cheeks, jaw and chin, but leaves the nose and the central field of vision clear, which is what lets you read shots. For nasal protection you need a face bar model, available in the same range.
Is it suitable for muay thai, kickboxing or MMA?
Yes for sparring in boxing, savate, kickboxing and muay thai, where the cheek protector format is the standard. For MMA and grappling, open face headgear can catch during grips and ground work: practitioners there move to plainer models or go without.
Black and gold, triple hook-and-loop
An Esprit Boxe selection, with free standard delivery to France, Belgium and Switzerland.
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