Starting boxing in Australia doesn't require a lot of gear — but the gear you start with matters. This guide breaks down exactly what a beginner needs, what order to buy it in, what it should cost, and what to avoid buying too early.
The Minimum Starter Kit
For your first 3–6 months of boxing training, you need two items:
1. Hand Wraps
Buy these first. Hand wraps are non-negotiable from your very first training session and cost around $30 for two pairs. They protect the small bones in your hand and the connective tissue around your wrist from the cumulative impact of hundreds of thousands of punches over your training lifetime.
What to buy: 4.5 metre cotton wraps. The Killa Elite Pro Hand Wraps are $29.95 and machine washable. Buy two pairs so you always have one clean pair available.
2. Boxing Training Gloves
Your second purchase — buy before your second or third class. Loan gloves from the gym are a fine way to trial your first session, but once you're committed to training regularly, your own gloves are important for hygiene, performance, and fit.
What to buy: Full-grain leather training gloves in 12oz or 14oz depending on your bodyweight (12oz under 75kg, 14oz over 75kg). The leather is important — budget synthetic gloves will fail within 6–12 months of regular training. Leather gloves last 2–4 years.
Options from Killa Boxing:
Beginner starter kit total: ~$230
The Next Additions (3–6 Months In)
Once you're training consistently and sparring becomes an option, two more items become necessary:
3. Sparring Gloves (16oz)
Dedicated sparring gloves — heavier and more padded than training gloves — protect your training partner as well as yourself. Never use your training gloves for sparring.
Options: Killa Elite Sparring Gloves White/Gold 16oz or Black/Red 16oz.
4. Head Guard
Required for sparring. Start with the Closed Guard Head Guard for maximum protection, or move to the Open Face Head Guard as your defensive movement develops.
What NOT to Buy First
- Heavy bag: Train at a gym for at least 3–6 months before investing in a home bag. Most beginners who buy bags early don't have the technique to use them productively.
- Sparring gloves before you're sparring: You don't need 16oz gloves until your coach tells you you're ready to spar. Start with 12oz or 14oz training gloves.
- Competition equipment: Focus mitts, body shields, and punch vests are for coaches and advanced training partners — not for beginners training alone or in class.
- Budget synthetic gloves: False economy. They'll fail within a year and you'll be buying again.
Total Cost Estimate by Stage
- Stage 1 (first session): Hand wraps — ~$30
- Stage 2 (first month): Training gloves — $169–$199
- Stage 1+2 total: ~$230
- Stage 3 (3–6 months): Sparring gloves + head guard — $330–$380
- Cumulative total at 6 months: ~$560–$610
Shop the Full Starter Kit
All of the above is available at killaboxing.com.au. Free shipping on orders over $150. 30-day money back guarantee. Most Sydney metro orders arrive in 1–2 business days.
We also have a Boxing Starter Kit collection with recommended beginner products in one place.
Not sure what to start with? Read our complete equipment guide or glove size guide for more detail. And if you're in Sydney, come train with us — first class free at Killa Boxing Marrickville.