Hey friends, it’s Lizzie! Before I was a Hayabusa ambassador I was just someone buying gloves with my own money, and two of the pairs I bought were a basic pink Everlast set and the gray Venum Contender.
Heads up: I’m a Hayabusa ambassador and I earn a small commission if you use my code or shop through my links. No extra cost to you, and it doesn’t change what’s below.
I kept the Venums for about two years. The Everlasts did not last anywhere near that. Here’s the honest comparison.
The quick answer
Between those two specific pairs, the Venum Contender was the better glove, and it wasn’t especially close. It held its shape longer, the closure held my wrist better, and it still looked like a glove after months of use.
The Contender 1.5 runs about $44.99–$49.99, so it isn’t a wildly different price bracket — which is exactly why I’d point you there over an entry-level Everlast pair.
An important caveat about Everlast
I need to be straight about this, because it’s the bit most comparisons get lazy with. I owned the basic pink pair — the entry-level end of their range. Everlast also makes genuinely serious gloves; their Elite Pro and 1910 leather lines run from around $179 up past $299, and I have never trained in those.
So when I say the Venums beat my Everlasts, I mean my sub-$50 pink pair, not Everlast as a company. That’s a real distinction and I’d rather draw it than let you assume I’m dismissing the whole brand.
Where the Everlasts fell down
Everlast is the name everyone knows, and there’s a reason: they’re everywhere, they’re affordable, and for someone who just wants to try a class without spending real money, that accessibility genuinely matters.
Mine were fine at first. What I noticed over time was the padding going soft and the glove keeping the exact shape it came in — it never became my glove. It stayed a generic object I put my hand inside.
What the Venums did better
The Contenders felt more substantial from day one, and the wrist closure was the clearest difference in daily use. They also simply looked good, which sounds shallow until you’ve owned gloves you were quietly embarrassed to pull out of your bag.
They weren’t perfect. They didn’t last as long as I expected, and I replaced them sooner than I’d have liked. But two years of regular training out of a $45 glove is a fair deal, and I’d say the same today.
For context, here’s every pair I’ve actually trained in, cheapest first: a basic pink Everlast pair, one pair of Sanabul, the gray Venum Contender for a couple of years, and then Hayabusa, which I’ve been in ever since. The full story is in four glove brands in ten years.
So which should you buy?
Buy the Venum Contender if you’re reasonably sure you’re going to keep training and you want one pair to carry you through your first year or two.
Buy a basic Everlast pair if your budget is genuinely tight or you’re borrowing the gym’s gloves right now. Anything of your own beats the communal pair.
Skip both if you already know you’re committed. The thing nobody told me early on is that the most expensive way to buy gloves is to buy cheap ones repeatedly.
What changed when I moved up
Going from the Contenders to the Hayabusa T3 was night and day for me, and it came down to three things: the wrist support, the durability, and the way the T3 actually molded to my hand instead of holding its factory shape. That third one is the part I didn’t expect and wouldn’t give up now.
If you’re weighing that jump, I wrote it up in Hayabusa vs Venum vs Sanabul and is Hayabusa worth the money.
Size matters more than brand
Whatever you choose, a well-fitted cheap glove beats an expensive one you sized wrong. Gloves run snug before break-in and the fit changes once you’re wrapped. My sizing guide, and this one if you have smaller hands.
If you’re upgrading
My code LILO takes 10% off Hayabusa in the US, and it doesn’t stack with a site-wide sale — one code per order.
Shop Hayabusa with code LILO →
Outside the US? Use code LIZZIE on the Hayabusa Europe store, or shop my Australia storefront.
Wondering how both compare to what I train in now? Hayabusa vs Venum.
The two, side by side
| Venum Contender 1.5 | Everlast (entry level) | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | About $44.99–$49.99 | Typically under $50 in sporting-goods stores |
| What I owned | The gray pair, about two years | The basic pink pair |
| Held its shape | Yes, for most of that two years | Padding softened sooner than I wanted |
| Wrist hold | Held through a session | Loosened as the pair aged |
| Availability | Mostly online | Almost anywhere, same day |
| Best for | You think you’re staying | You need gloves this week, cheaply |
Everlast also makes far more serious gloves — their Elite Pro sits around $179.99 and the 1910 Pro line around $299.99. I have never trained in either, so nothing above applies to them.
What I’d check before buying either
Look at the closure first. A single strap that only just reaches around your wrist is the thing that stops holding once the material relaxes, and that’s where both of these eventually loosened for me.
Then check the return window, because sizing at this tier is inconsistent between brands. A glove that fits your bare hand can be tight once you’re wrapped, and wraps are not optional.
What to do with the pair you are replacing
If they are still usable, someone at your gym will take them — beginners turn up without gear constantly, and a working pair of gloves is a genuinely useful thing to hand someone. That is what happened to a pair of mine.
If the padding is gone, bin them rather than passing them on. Handing a beginner a flattened glove is not a favor, and they will not know the difference until their hands tell them.
What I would check before ordering either
Check the closure length, because that is where both of these eventually loosened for me. Check the return window. And try the fit wrapped rather than bare-handed, since wraps change the fit more than most people expect at this price tier.
The honest summary
Between these two, the Contender at around $45 is the better glove and the one I kept longest. The basic Everlast wins on one thing only: you can buy it locally today. If that matters more to you this week than longevity does, that is a legitimate reason to pick it — just know what you are trading.
Also worth reading: Hayabusa vs Everlast and the best boxing gloves under $100.
Your Questions, Answered
Is Venum better than Everlast? Comparing the pairs I owned — the Contender against a basic pink Everlast set — yes, clearly. Against Everlast’s premium leather lines I genuinely can’t say, because I’ve never used them.
How long did your Venums last? About two years of regular training before I moved on.
Is the Venum Contender good for beginners? It’s one of the easier first pairs to recommend at around $45, especially if you think the sport will stick.
Should I just buy Hayabusa instead? If you already know you’re committed, yes — buying twice is the expensive route. If you’re three classes in, no.
Is Venum better quality than Everlast? Comparing what I owned — the gray Contender against a basic pink Everlast pair — yes. The Contender held its structure longer and its closure stayed reliable further into its life. That does not extend to Everlast’s premium leather lines, which I have never trained in.
Which lasts longer? Mine went about two years in the Contenders. The Everlasts softened noticeably sooner, though how you store them matters as much as the brand — damp gloves break down faster regardless of what you paid.
Are Venum gloves good for beginners? Yes, and the Contender is one of the easier first pairs to recommend at around $45. You get real structure without committing premium money before you know the sport sticks.
Can I use either for sparring? Check with your gym first — most have their own requirements on glove weight and condition for partner work, and that rule matters more than which of these two you own.
Is it worth spending more than $50 on your first pair? Only if you already know you are staying. If you are three classes in, either of these does the job while you find out.
Some links above are affiliate links — I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you, and I only link gear I actually train in.
