Engage is a high-quality combat sports brand that is known for their exclusive designs and premium fight gear. I’ve used Engage gear multiple times in the past and I’ve always been impressed by the high quality and unique designs that Engage has to offer; Which is why when I first heard about their new affordable option, E-Series, I was really excited to test it out and see if it lived up to the high expectations Engage usually offers.
Before we talk about their new affordable fight gear line, I want to first talk about what makes Engage different from other brands. Engage is a very special brand because they’re always creating new designs and patterns, which is somewhat of a rarity in the fight game. Usually, brands will find one design and pump out thousands of the same product over and over. Although there is absolutely nothing wrong with this, and it may be most profitable for certain fight brands, it doesn’t really improve combat sports as a whole. As fighters we want to be constantly improving, why shouldn’t we expect the very same from the fight gear brands we love and support?
Although their designs are unique and the quality is second to none, the main reason why Engage first caught my eye was when I saw the UFC’s Middleweight Champion Israel “The Last Stylebender” Adesanya using Engage gear to train for his fights. Seeing a fighter that I looked up to, wearing a brand I’ve never heard of, sparked my interest and helped me discover the unique combat sports brand from Australia.
The way Engage operates is different, they’re constantly improving and changing the way fighters view fight gear. It’s rare when you find a combat sports brand that cares more about passion than they do profit. Engage is known for their unique designs and luxury fight gear that is now worn by thousands of fighters worldwide. However, today we won’t be talking about their luxury designs, we’ll be talking about their brand new concept: E-Series.
What is E-Series?
I’m constantly training with Engage gear, so I was more than thrilled when I found out about E-Series. The Engage E-Series is a brand new line of fight gear that primarily focuses on high-quality gear at an affordable price. Although the E-Series wasn’t technically designed just for beginners in mind, I couldn’t help but see the benefits for beginners wanting affordable fight gear. Having premium fight gear at an affordable cost will bring even more people in the realm of combat sports, and having a trustworthy brand such as Engage creating a more affordable fight gear line is great for the sport as a whole.
Thinking back to when I was first training Muay Thai many years ago, there weren’t many choices when it came to affordable fight gear. There were only a few cheap big-box brands at the time, you had to search far and wide to get a proper pair of gloves at an affordable price.
Every beginner always wants the best deal when it comes to fight gear, however, you shouldn’t sacrifice safety and quality for a low-price. The reason Engage developed the E-series was to eliminate this problem and offer high-quality gear at a low-price for beginners.
The Engage E-Series is something that all beginners want for their fight gear, a high-quality brand at a low price. However, I wanted to test the new E-Series first hand to see if it really matched the hype. I’ve used multiple pairs of Engage boxing gloves and shin guards so I knew it was going to be easy for me to see if the new affordable E-Series actually matched the quality of the higher priced “designer-series” that Engage typically offers.
Over the past few months I’ve been training with the Engage E-Series Boxing Gloves, MMA Grappling Gloves, and Shin Guards. I believe after training countless hours in the gym, which includes heavy bag training, mitt training, and even sparring, I can give an honest review of the brand new Engage E-Series. Down below I breakdown all of the strengths and weaknesses the new affordable E-Series has to offer.
Engage E-Series Boxing Gloves
The Engage E-Series boxing gloves were designed with the beginner in mind. Everything from the high-density padding to the enhanced wrist support makes this glove great for someone who is looking to get into Boxing, Muay Thai, or MMA. There are many things to love about this glove, from the overall aesthetic to the nitty-gritty design details. It definitely passes the eye test, but how will it perform?
At first touch I was impressed with how well put together these gloves feel, you can tell that they’re made with high-quality materials. It’s mostly constructed with a premium synthetic leather blend which is paired with a foam-injected mold for durability. Of course aesthetically they look great, you can tell Engage really takes pride with the design of their fight gear.
Engage offers two different colors for their E-Series Boxing Gloves, black on black with orange accents and white/black with red accents. They also offer a variety of sizes to choose from, depending on the type of training you’ll be doing. I usually wear 12-ounce gloves when heavy bag training or mitt training (I only use 16 ounces when sparring), so I grabbed a pair of the 12-ounce gloves.
The thing I love most about these gloves is that they feel like pillows on your hands, they’re lightweight yet still give off a feeling of durability. They are moisture-wicking and have a palm-vent that helps the breathability of your gloves, which is important after a long training session. The Engage E-Series boxing gloves don’t feel like a “beginner glove” because of the superior craftsmanship and design. It doesn’t surprise me that professional fighters such as Israel Adesanya use these gloves.
The only weakness I’ve seen with these gloves is that the velcro strap can sometimes be quite sticky at first, although after a few uses this problem goes away. These gloves are really well built and it’s apparent from the moment you see them in person. I highly recommend these gloves for beginners, and I would even go to say they are the best boxing gloves available for their price range.
Click here to purchase the Engage E-Series Boxing Gloves
Engage E-Series MMA Gloves
The Engage E-Series MMA Gloves are a special type of MMA glove that allows both grappling and striking situations. The purpose of this glove was so that you can transition between grappling and striking sessions seamlessly. They offer the same freedom and movement of competition MMA gloves while offering even more padding for striking situations.
The Engage E-Series MMA Gloves are offered in two different colors, black on black with orange accents or white/black with red accents. They are attractive looking gloves that come in a variety of sizes. They are 7-ounce MMA Grappling Gloves, which are a little heavier than traditional MMA competition gloves.
Although I typically use competition gloves when I train, these gloves have been an amazing improvement because they are much more protective, which is perfect for sparring. These gloves offer much more padding and shock absorption than the competition. The Engage E-Series Grappling Gloves offer superior protection at an affordable price.
In all honesty, these gloves are much more enjoyable to train in compared to traditional competition gloves. They don’t really have too many weaknesses compared to competition MMA gloves and because of the extra padding, they feel almost as protective and durable as normal boxing gloves. I highly recommend these gloves if you’re someone who does MMA competitively and you want extra protection during training that involves striking and grappling situations.
Click here to purchase the Engage E-Series MMA Grappling Gloves
Engage E-Series Shin Guards
I’m always most critical on shin guards because I know just how important it is to have a comfortable and durable pair of shin guards while training and sparring. I’m also always a bit skeptical when it comes to affordable pairs of shin guards because the materials used to make shin guards are usually the most expensive. Nonetheless, I was very excited to try out the new E-Series shin guards that Engage has to offer.
First thoughts of mine were that these were a great looking pair of shin guards. Engage offers their E-Series shin guards in two colors, black with orange accents and white/black with red accents. They also offer a variety of sizes depending on your leg length. I have longer legs than most people so I usually size up when it comes to shin guards, although this pair fit true to size.
There usually isn’t much of a “break-in” period for shin guards, so you can almost always tell right away if they comfortably fit your shins/feet. I really liked the way these felt around my feet and shins, it felt natural and non-restricting. They were lightweight so that I could move around freely, while also feeling durable and protective of my shins and feet.
After using these shin guards for the past few months, I’m amazed at how affordable they are for the quality provided. Engage really hit a home run with these shin guards, especially when you compare them to other shin guards in the same price range. The Engage E-Series shin guards are affordable shin guards for any fighter, no matter your skill level.
Click here to purchase the Engage E-Series Shin Guards
Can “Cheap” Fight Gear Last a Long Time?
This is a great question and it really all depends on many factors including brand reputation, materials used, and treatment of your fight gear. Fight gear is not all made equal, however, proper treatment of your fight gear can give it a much longer lifetime. If you don’t treat your fight gear well, no matter how high-quality it is, it won’t last very long. Which is why it’s important to have a proper gear cleaning routine.
Brand reputation is another important factor that you can’t look past. It’s especially important for safety since you don’t want a super cheap pair of boxing gloves from a no-name brand because it can be dangerous for your hands and wrists. Some low-tier brands make fight gear that is good at first but soon deteriorates and then becomes unsafe to use. This is why it’s important to buy quality gear from respected brands such as Engage because they are reliable and long-lasting.
It’s also important to read reviews online and get honest opinions from people at your local gym. I have been training for almost 10 years in total and Engage is one of the more reputable fight gear brands that I have trained with. It’s usually better to spend a little extra to get a more reputable brand offering than the cheaper option. I always trust passion over profit, and that’s exactly what Engage stands for.