Guide · Start Here
Kickboxing Equipment for Home: What You Add to a Boxing Kit
Kickboxing at home is a boxing kit plus four things: shin guards, a bag long enough to kick, something strong enough to hold it, and — optionally — gloves with a more open palm. Here is each one, how to size it, and whether a gloves-and-shin-guards set is worth buying.
Written by Mike M. · Owner, Iron Mako Media
Published
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Part of the Start Here hub.
What kickboxing adds
| Item | Boxing kit | Kickboxing addition | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gloves | 14–16 oz training glove | Same, or a Thai-style glove | Open palm for catching kicks in class; not needed for bag work |
| Wraps | 180 in elastic | Same | Nothing changes |
| Shin guards | None | Required | Bag kicks bruise unconditioned shins; sparring needs them |
| Bag | 70 lb, 40–48 in | 80–100 lb, 55 in | A thigh-height target; kicks need mass |
| Mount | Joist mount | 200 lb joist mount, bolted stand, or 250 lb+ freestanding base | Kicks load sideways |
| Space | 6 ft circle | 8 ft circle | A full roundhouse |
| Protection for sparring | Mouthguard, headgear | Plus shin guards | Gym rules |
Shin guards
The one purchase kickboxing cannot skip. Shin-and-instep guards cover the shin bone and the top of the foot, strap behind the calf, and usually have an elastic under the heel. Size by shin length — measure from just below the knee to the ankle bone and use the brand's chart; between sizes, go smaller for support. For month-one bag kicks a pair takes the bruising out of learning; for any sparring they are mandatory. The Venum Elite Standup is the standard pair; the Sanabul Essential is the budget pair with an extra-small size. Neither is presented as preventing injury beyond what the maker states — they pad the shin and instep.
The bag and what holds it
A boxing bag ends around your hips; a kicking bag needs a target at thigh height, which means 55 in or so. Kicks also load the mount sideways in a way punches do not: a basic beam hanger walks, a light stand tips. The answers are a 200 lb-rated joist mount, a floor-bolted post, or a freestanding bag with 250 lb or more in the base — the Wavemaster XXL is built for exactly this. The stands roundup and freestanding roundup cover both routes.
Gloves
At home, alone, your 14–16 oz boxing gloves are fine for kickboxing — you are not catching kicks from a bag. A Thai-style glove (Fairtex BGV1) has a more open palm and a shorter wrist for clinch and catching, which matters in a class. The kickboxing gloves roundup explains when to buy one.
Gloves-and-shin-guards sets
Sets exist, mostly from RDX and Sanabul, and the same rule as boxing starter kits applies: buy one only if both items are the same models sold separately in the sizes you need. Shin guards and gloves are sized by different body parts; a set that comes in one size is a set that fits one of them. We rank the pieces separately for that reason.
Kids
Kids' kickboxing at home is bag kicks on a kid-height freestanding bag with kids' shin guards and 4–8 oz gloves, supervised. Sparring is a class question. Boxing gear for kids has the base kit.
Picks
The kickboxing additions
Two shin guards (premium and budget), the reference Thai-style glove, and the freestanding bag built to take kicks.
Key specs
- Sizes
- M · L · XL
- Coverage
- Shin + instep, anatomical
- Closure
- 2 wide straps + foot elastics
Scores · editorial, out of 10
- Shin & instep coverage
- 9
- Strap security & fit
- 9
- Padding for a first pair
- 8
- Materials & durability
- 8
- Value
- 7
Pick 01 · Shin guards
Venum Elite Standup Shin Guards
Venum
The standard kickboxing shin guard: Skintex leather over high-density foam with extra padding on the shin and instep, two wide hook-and-loop straps and under-foot elastics — sized M to XL.
Best for
A first pair of shin guards for kickboxing or Muay Thai pad work and light sparring
Pros
- High-density foam with additional padding on the shinbone and instep, per Venum
- Two large hook-and-loop straps plus elastic bands under the foot and heel keep it from rotating on a kick
- 100% Skintex synthetic leather — wipes clean; handmade in Thailand
Cons
- No small size listed on the product page
- Venum sizes by shin length (below the knee to the ankle) — measure before ordering
Specs from Venum — Elite Standup Shin Guards (features, sizes).
Key specs
- Sizes
- XS · S/M · L/XL
- Padding
- Durasoft impact foam
- Closure
- Double hook-and-loop straps
Scores · editorial, out of 10
- Shin & instep coverage
- 7
- Strap security & fit
- 8
- Padding for a first pair
- 7
- Materials & durability
- 7
- Value
- 9
Pick 02 · Shin guards
Sanabul Essential Hook & Loop Shin Guards
Sanabul
The value pair with a small size: engineered leather, Durasoft foam, double straps and triple stitching, in XS through L/XL — the pick for a smaller adult or a teen.
Best for
A budget first pair, especially in the extra-small size the premium pairs skip
Pros
- Extra-small through L/XL — the only pair here that fits a smaller frame
- Triple-stitched throughout, per Sanabul; engineered-leather shell
- Double hook-and-loop strap fasteners and a contoured fit
Cons
- Sanabul's page doesn't detail instep coverage — check the size guide and photos for the foot section
- Thinner build than the Venum Elite; fine for pad work, less so for hard sparring
Specs from Sanabul — Essential Hook & Loop Shin Guards (features, sizes).
Key specs
- Weights
- 8 · 10 · 12 · 14 · 16 oz
- Closure
- Hook-and-loop, short wrist
- Padding
- Three-layer foam, genuine leather
Scores · editorial, out of 10
- Wrist support
- 6
- Knuckle padding
- 8
- Fit & closure for beginners
- 8
- Materials & durability
- 9
- Value for a first pair
- 7
Pick 03 · Kickboxing gear
Fairtex BGV1 Universal Gloves
Fairtex
The Muay Thai reference glove: genuine leather, three-layer foam, a tight-fit hand compartment and a short cuff that lets you check kicks.
Best for
Kickboxing and Muay Thai beginners who want one glove for bag, pads and clinch drills
Pros
- Genuine leather at a price that is fair for leather
- Short cuff and open-hand feel suit kickboxing (catching kicks, clinching) better than a long boxing cuff
- Handmade in Thailand; five weights
Cons
- That same short cuff means less wrist support than a boxing-style glove
- Tight-fit compartment runs snug — hand wraps make it snugger
Specs from Fairtex — Universal Gloves BGV1 (specs).
Key specs
- Height
- 69 in total · 52 × 18 in bag
- Base
- 28 in, up to 270 lb filled
- Shell
- 18 oz vinyl over high-density foam
Scores · editorial, out of 10
- Base stability when filled
- 9
- Footprint
- 6
- Rebound & feel
- 9
- Height adjustability
- 3
- Value
- 7
Pick 04 · Freestanding bags
Century XXL Wavemaster
Century
The freestanding bag that behaves most like a hanging one: 52 in of 18 in-wide striking surface on a 28 in base that holds up to 270 lb.
Best for
A no-drill setup that still takes full-power punches and kicks
Pros
- Over twice the striking area of the original Wavemaster — you can hit it anywhere
- 270 lb base weight is why it walks less than the small freestanding bags
- Rolls on its grooved base for storage
Cons
- Fixed height — no adjustment
- You need a 28 in circle of floor plus room to move around it
Specs from Century — XXL Wavemaster (specs).
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What equipment do you need for kickboxing at home?
A boxing kit (wraps, gloves, bag, mount) plus shin guards, a longer bag or a heavy-based freestanding bag, and a stronger mount. Thai-style gloves are optional at home.
Do I need shin guards to kick a heavy bag?
For month one, yes — unconditioned shins bruise. For sparring, always. Experienced kickers often go without on the bag; beginners should not.
Can I use boxing gloves for kickboxing?
At home on a bag, yes. A Thai-style glove's open palm matters when you catch kicks in class.
How do I size shin guards?
Measure from just below the knee to the ankle bone and use the brand's chart. Between sizes, go smaller for support.
Are kickboxing glove and shin guard sets worth it?
Only if both items are the same models sold separately in your sizes. One-size sets fit one of the two.
Next in your kit
Best kickboxing gloves →Keep reading
Related guides
- Boxing vs kickboxing at home →
Which to start with.
- Best kickboxing gloves →
When Thai-style gloves matter.
- Best freestanding punching bag →
The XXL takes kicks.
- Hand wraps for kickboxing and MMA →
The wrap doesn't change.
- Boxing equipment for beginners →
The base kit this adds to.
Sources
- —Venum — Elite Standup Shin Guards (features, sizes) · venum.com
- —Sanabul — Essential Hook & Loop Shin Guards (features, sizes) · sanabulsports.com
- —Fairtex — Universal Gloves BGV1 (specs) · fairtex.com
- —Century — XXL Wavemaster (specs) · centurymartialarts.com