The Tiger's Claw (TC 2000), Red, Small

I bought my first pair of red Tiger Claw 2000 gloves about ten years ago at a used sporting good store. They were close to being worn out, but I liked the design and how they felt. After an extended absence, I returned to karate in July of 2002. I busted out my old gear and used it for a few months.

However, at my first tournament I almost got disqualified for wearing foam boots that were too small. So I donated my pads to the dojo and bought a brand new set of black vinyl Tiger Claw 2000 gloves and Tiger Claw 2000 Action Kick boots. I'm still sparring with them today as a black belt.

I prefer the Tiger Claw 2000 vinyl material over the shiny foam. The vinyl just looks and feels better to me. In addition, many foam gloves use a rigid tab or strap to constrict your fingers and force your hand into a fist, making it difficult to do open-hand techniques. Plus they are slippery, especially when wet with sweat. Finally, they have an annoying tendency to wrinkle and crack at the stress points.

However, the best part about the Tiger Claw 2000s is that they are flexible and conform to the shape of your hand (there's a pad running across the palm that helps you make a good fist). This frees up your fingers so that you can easily do open-hand, grappling, and jujitsu techniques. The hook-and-loop velcro closure is solid, although sometimes one side of the wrist flap will ride up a bit. The padding is good enough so that you can do a crisp backfist with light contact on someone's headgear. And your knuckles are still adequately covered for straight-punch techniques.

Overall, the Tiger Claw 2000 gloves (and Tiger Claw 2000 Action Kick boots) are an excellent, inexpensive choice for dojo and tournament sparring where contact is held to a minimum. They've held up well for over four years, and I'm quite happy with them. Recommended.