Headgear is the piece of sparring kit people have the most questions about. Here is a straight answer on what it does, what it does not do, and how to pick a size.
What headgear actually protects
Headgear reduces cuts, bruising, and the damage from clashes of heads and elbows. It protects your ears, cheekbones and eyebrows, which are the parts that end up needing stitches.
It does not prevent concussion. No headgear does. A padded shell slows the impact against your skull but your brain still moves inside it. Wear headgear to keep your face intact and to train more often, not to make hard sparring safe. If you get rocked, stop the round.
Open face or full face
- Open face. Leaves the cheeks clear. Better peripheral vision, cooler, and closer to what you will wear in competition under most rulesets.
- Full protection. Adds a cheek guard that wraps around the sides of the face. More cover for regular hard sparring, at the cost of a little side vision. This is what most people training Muay Thai and MMA end up in.
What we stock
Venum full protection headgear, $25, in black, white, white and gold, and red. Sizes S to XL. Skintex leather shell with a specific face design that keeps your field of vision open.
Venum Pro full protection headgear, $30, in black. Same idea with more padding, for people sparring several times a week.
Getting the size right
Headgear sizes follow head circumference, not hat size or your clothing size. Run a tape measure around your head just above the eyebrows and around the widest part at the back.
A good fit is snug with the chin strap done up, and does not shift when you shake your head hard. If it rotates and the eye opening moves off your eyes, it is too big, and in sparring that is worse than no headgear because you cannot see the shot coming.
If you are between sizes, message us on Instagram at @fitfight.coo with your measurement and we will tell you which to order, or come and try them at the store in Hazmieh.
Wearing it
- Hair up or flat. A bun under the back of the headgear pushes it forward over your eyes.
- Do the chin strap up properly every round. Loose straps are why headgear spins.
- Headgear goes on after your mouthguard, not before.
Looking after it
Wipe the inside down after every session and let it air dry out of your bag. Sweat is what rots the foam and the lining. Replace it when the padding stops springing back or the shell splits.
The rest of the kit
Headgear is one part of sparring safely. A mouthguard and shin guards matter at least as much, and a groin guard for Muay Thai and MMA.
Browse headgear or the full range of protective gear. Cash on delivery anywhere in Lebanon, delivered in 1 to 5 days, or try sizes at the store in Hazmieh, near Center Mar Elias.