Whether looking to put a new spin on your training regimen or wanting to emulate one of your favorite sports movies, boxing is a great fitness discipline to take up. As such, having the right gear for rolling with the punches is a must, and that starts with the right pair of boxing gloves. Sure, there’s premium mitts abound when you get into the category, but from our corner, few are able to match the craftsmanship and performance of Byakko’s flagship profile and the Hayabusa T3 silhouette.
Both of these heavy-hitting boxing gloves can be excellent options for movie and seasoned athletes alike, but in the spirit of the discipline, we decided to pit these profiles against one another to determine which was truly the champion. Across multiple training sessions filled with bag work and other drills, we sought to determine which mitt musters up the gusto to take your regimen to a new level of competitiveness.
Byakko vs. Hayabusa T3: What We Think
When comparing these two impressive boxing gloves, it’s no one-sided bout. Each profile has a slew of pro’s and cons sewn into each stitch, but at the end of the day, I prefer the Byakko silhouette for its premium craftsmanship and its nearly unbeatable price point. While you’re handcuffed to the singular blue colorway, and the brand is rather new to the gym, I still think the value to performance ratio is too hard to ignore.
This isn’t to say, though, that Hayabusa doesn’t make a damn fine boxing glove. I love the convenient microfiber thumb, and the Dual-X wrist cuff does a fine job of creating that secure lockdown. Yet still, I feel these mitts may be a little overkill for some. For athletes more advanced in their regimens, I’d suggest the T3s in a heartbeat, but the premium quality and loftier price tag isn’t necessary from the jump in my opinion.
To learn more about our testing methodology and how we evaluate products, head here.
Both boxing gloves offer similar high-quality materials, albeit at differing price points
If there’s one component that’s not lacking across the Byakko and Hayabusa silhouettes, it’s quality, durable craftsmanship. Both boxing gloves offer up some of the most impressive exteriors I’ve seen in the category, and each takes its own approach to delivering such service to its athletes. Hayabusa, for example, employs its near-indestructible Vylar exterior, which proved to hold its own across bag work and sparring sessions alike. Additionally, I felt this material showed no signs of deterioration, meaning these gloves should be able to withstand plenty of training sessions before going down for the count.
Byakko’s boxing gloves employ a timeless cowhide leather as its exterior of choice, and the handcrafted makeup of these mitts is something to behold. The leather quickly adapts to your hand without altering the safety and comfort across your fist, and the material’s longevity has been proven in countless instances both outside and inside the ring. I also appreciate this quality leather makeup as it makes your punches more comfortable for your opponent, too. There’s less chance of an irritating abrasion thanks to the more supple leather mitt.
The major differentiator between these two gloves, though, is the price you need to pay for such quality. Hayabusa T3s are nearly triple the price of Byakkos, and when you’re just starting out in the discipline, do you really want to spend errant dollars as you (literally) learn the ropes?
The Hayabusa T3s allow for easier sweat management
One of the most unique features of the Hayabusa T3 profile is the inclusion of a microfiber thumb. While it might seem like a quirky little accessory for a boxing glove, it actually serves a great purpose by granting you the ability to wipe sweat from your brow and face without the need of a gym towel or outside helping hand. Having the ability to quickly mop up any vision-altering moisture mid-session was a true blessing during training, and I feel I was able to stay in the zone more because of this feature. With the Byakkos, on the other hand, I had to fight through the moisture until my drills and routines were through, followed by the awkward grasp of a towel through my mitts (dexterity isn’t the best in a pair of boxing gloves).
I wouldn’t expect all boxing gloves to come equipped with this technology, and feel the lack of a microfiber thumb doesn’t take away from the performance and quality of the Byakko mitts. You can still keep your eyes and face dry with a towel, but the added convenience presented with the Hayabusa setup is too difficult to ignore when comparing the two silhouettes.
Both Byakko and Hayabusa offer premium wrist support
In testing and training, I also found these boxing gloves to have worthwhile wrist cuffs in terms of comfort and support, but I feel the quality is better suited for different styles and needs. Speaking in reference to the Byakko boxing gloves, these mitts showcase a traditional single-band cuff that wraps securely for a locked in feel. The cuff itself is a bit longer, which gives a sense of firmness higher up the forearm. With that said, though, I could see this being a potential issue for smaller athletes. Additionally, there’s less padding across this portion of the boxing glove, so I would reserve these Byakkos strictly for boxing rather than other combat disciplines where you need to block strikes with your forearms.
The Hayabusa T3s use the brand’s signature Dual-X wrist cuff, which creates an interlocking sense of stabilization for a more rigid alignment during workouts. While adjusting and securing these two straps is a more involved process pre-training, I found the lockdown to be quite supportive yet still comfortable for extended sessions. Additionally, the outer padding extends entirely down the wrist cuff, which creates a more structured fist profile and opens the doors for more training styles like Muay Thai. The shorter cuff length also lends itself to more versatility, although I feel there are other gloves more suited for these specialized routines and fighting styles.
If color variety is your game, consider Hayabusa (for the time being)
Given Byakko’s infancy as a brand, I don’t feel this comparison is worth holding over the gloves too heavily. With that said, though, I would like to see a little more variety in terms of colors when it comes to the Byakko profile. At the time of this review, the mitts are only available in a black and blue hue. The design is nice and crisp, don’t get me wrong, but not every athlete may enjoy hitting the heavy bag with this aesthetic.
The same is not apparent in the Hayabusa T3 lineup, though. There’s practically a pair for every taste, which gives more athletes the opportunity to match their kit to their personality. There’s even an entire Neon stable of T3s that truly bring a jolt of color and vibrancy to each combination and knockout blow.
Naturally, I suspect Byakko will add other colorways to its lineup as the brand continues to earn its (rightful) spot amongst other quality boxing gloves. In the immediate, however, it can be difficult to recommend the mitts if you’re not a fan of blue and black.
Byakko vs. Hayabusa T3: Alternatives
As stated before, there are a ton of worthwhile boxing gloves to choose from, with many coming from some of boxing’s most reputable brands. If you’re looking for a worthwhile set of mitts for daily training, the Elite Evos from Venum could be a worthwhile option. Be mindful, though, that these mitts feature a smaller thumb opening that may be a hindrance for larger-handed athletes.
If you’re just looking for a suitable boxing glove for bag work, Everlast’s Elite Training Gloves can be perfect for the task. I appreciate the mesh palm and easy-to-clench bar within these mitts, but feel their versatility is limited to just heavy bag training. Both the Byakko and Hayabusa T3 silhouettes are a little more suited for sparring and other boxing-oriented workouts, in my opinion.
