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Hey friends, it’s Lizzie! Most of what I write about Hayabusa is gloves, but one of the pieces I use every time I do boxing is on my feet. I wear the Hayabusa Talon Boxing Shoes in black, size 4, and I’ve had them for at least a year. I wear them for American-style boxing and boxing fitness. This is the honest, first-hand version: what I like, what I can and can’t speak to, and how sizing works.
âš¡ Short on time? The Talon is a boxing shoe, and I wear mine in black, size 4, for boxing training. They are comfortable, they keep me balanced, and they help me stay quick on my feet and set them for power. Shop Hayabusa → Code LILO takes 10% off full-price gear, one code per order.
What I actually wear
- The shoe: Hayabusa Talon Boxing Shoes, black.
- My size: 4.
- How long: at least a year.
- What I wear them for: American-style boxing and boxing fitness.
- What I don’t wear them for: kickboxing. At my gym we train barefoot, and I wouldn’t change that.
That last point is the one people ask about, so I’ll say it plainly. Boxing and kickboxing are different rooms for me. Kickboxing is barefoot on the mat. Boxing is shoes. The shoes are for boxing and only boxing.
What I like about them
I’ll keep this to what I can honestly tell you, which is how they feel in a boxing session.
- They’re very comfortable. This is the first thing I’d say, and I’ve had mine for at least a year.
- They keep me balanced. Boxing is a lot of small weight shifts, and I feel steady in them.
- They help me stay quick on my feet. Footwork is the whole game in boxing, and I want my feet to move when I tell them to.
- I can set my feet for power. They help me plant my feet when I want to throw with power.
That is the full list, and I’d rather give you four true things than ten padded ones. Where my knowledge ends is in the next section.
What I can and can’t speak to
I wear the Talon for boxing training and nothing else. So I can tell you how they feel for American-style boxing and boxing fitness. I can’t tell you how they hold up for running, lifting, or any other sport, because I don’t use them that way. I’m also a petite woman, so my experience is the experience of a small foot in a size 4.
I also won’t tell you how many rounds they’ve lasted or compare them to other boxing shoes I haven’t worn. My experience is this one shoe, for a year or more, and that is the whole sample.
What Hayabusa says about the Talon
These next points come from Hayabusa’s own product description, not from my testing. I’m including them so you can see what the shoe is built to do:
- A custom boxing outsole made for pivots and traction.
- A breathable mesh panel on the outside for ventilation.
- A shock-absorbing drop-in midsole for cushioning.
- A mid-height structure with ankle support.
- Microfiber leather and mesh, with a flexible rubber outsole.
What I feel when I wear mine, the balance and the quick pivots, lines up with what that outsole is described as doing. But I’d call that a match with the description, not a lab result.
Sizing: read this before you order
Hayabusa lists the Talon in one set of sizes. I understand it to be men’s sizing, and I wear a 4. I’m not a shoe-fitting expert, so please do two things before you buy: check Hayabusa’s size chart against a pair of shoes you already wear, and read the sizing notes on the product page.
If you’ve read my guides on gloves, you’ll recognize the theme: sizing is where a good product goes wrong. The same care applies to shoes.
Why shoes for boxing and bare feet for kickboxing
This is my own setup, not a rule. For boxing, I want grip and a stable base for footwork, and for me that means a boxing shoe. For kickboxing, my gym trains barefoot, and I’ve done it that way for ten years. Different sports, different feet. If you do both, you’ll probably end up like me with one pair of boxing shoes and a lot of bare-foot rounds.
If you’re new to either, start with my kickboxing for beginners guide and my comparison of boxing vs kickboxing, which will tell you which of the two you’re actually signing up for. And before you spend on shoes, make sure your beginner equipment is covered, because gloves and wraps come first.
What I look for in any boxing shoe
These are the things I pay attention to, from my own use. Take what helps.
- Comfort from the first session. If they hurt on day one, I wouldn’t wait for them to break in.
- A planted feel. I want to feel anchored when I set my feet.
- Light enough to move. Heavy shoes make footwork feel like work.
- Breathable. Boxing fitness gets warm, and I’d rather my feet not be a sauna.
- A fit that matches my foot. This is why sizing matters.
The Talon checks those boxes for me, which is why I keep reaching for it.
Where the Talon fits in my Hayabusa kit
Most of my Hayabusa is gloves and clothes, and I’ve written about them: the women’s fight shorts and hoodie, my hand wraps, and my gym bag. If you box regularly, shoes are worth thinking about as part of the kit. Because Hayabusa gear works as one order, it’s easy to add shoes to a cart you’re already building.
🥾 Shop the Talon and the rest of my kit
Use my code at checkout, one code per order. Hayabusa runs footwear offers from time to time, so check their store, and if a bigger sitewide sale is running, take the sale and skip my code.
Your Questions, Answered
Do you wear shoes for boxing? Yes. For American-style boxing and boxing fitness I wear Hayabusa Talon Boxing Shoes in black. For kickboxing at my gym I train barefoot.
What size do you wear in the Hayabusa Talon? I wear a size 4. I understand Hayabusa lists the shoes in one set of sizes, which I believe is men’s sizing, so check their size chart before you order.
How long have you had your Talon boxing shoes? At least a year, and I’m still wearing the same pair for boxing training.
What do you like about the Hayabusa Talon? They are very comfortable, they keep me balanced, they help me stay quick on my feet, and I can set my feet for power.
Do you wear the Talon for kickboxing? No. I only wear them for boxing training. Kickboxing at my gym is barefoot.
