The classic beginner move: ordering Rs 5,000 worth of gear before the first muay thai class. Red gloves, patterned shorts, sometimes a headguard. Half of it will never be used, the other half will be the wrong size. Here is the buying order that makes sense when you start Thai boxing in Mauritius — and rule number one is simple: buy nothing.
Rule one: nothing before your first class
At Team Boom, the club lends gloves to new members. For your first session you need shorts, a t-shirt and a water bottle. That is it. Come, try, see whether the sport takes. Plenty of people are hooked within the first hour; some are not. Either way, you will not have spent a rupee finding out. Once you decide to stay, buy in the order below, at the pace of your progress.
The buying order, first to last
- 1. Mouthguard. The first purchase, for hygiene and safety: it is the one piece of gear that cannot be borrowed. A boil-and-bite model is plenty to start with.
- 2. 4-metre hand wraps. They protect your wrists and knuckles under the gloves, and they keep the loaner gloves clean. Get 4 metres, not less — short wraps cover nothing.
- 3. Gloves. Your first real investment. 12 oz for adults: enough padding to protect your hands on the bag and, later, your partner. 8 to 10 oz for juniors, depending on size. Ask the coach before buying; you will get a straight answer.
- 4. Skipping rope. Every session starts with the rope. Owning one means you can work your cardio on non-training days.
- 5. Shin guards. Useful once partner drills pick up, essential the day you start sparring — which is not before your second month, since the first month is sparring-free.
- 6. Muay thai shorts. The only purely optional buy. Wide cut, free leg for kicking. It is also the moment you start looking like part of the club — but ordinary sports shorts do the same job.
Why this order
The logic is simple: first what touches your body and cannot be shared, then what protects your hands, then what protects other people, and last what looks good. The mouthguard and wraps cost a few hundred rupees and earn their keep from week two. Shin guards can wait a month. The shorts can wait six.
The other logic: never buy twice. Beginners choosing gloves alone almost always go too small — adult 8 oz gloves, handsome and useless for daily bag work. A well-chosen pair of 12 oz gloves will last you two or three years.
Spread the cost while you are at it. Mouthguard in week two, wraps in week three, gloves at the end of month one when you know you are staying. Nothing on this list needs to be bought in a single trip, and nothing on it is a big-ticket item. Muay thai remains one of the cheapest combat sports in Mauritius to equip yourself for — the expensive part is the sweat, and that is free.
What the club lends, what the club advises
Loaner gloves are for your first weeks, not your career. After a while, owning your own pair changes the comfort — and the smell. For everything else, ask before you buy: Team Boom's coaches have watched gear survive and fail for years, between the gym, the beach sessions and the training camp in Thailand. They know what lasts and what tears apart by the third session. One message to the club and you skip the classic gear mistakes of combat sports in Mauritius.
Want to see it all before spending anything? Book a first class in group B — Monday, Wednesday or Friday at 7:00 pm — on WhatsApp at +230 5981 9849. Shorts, t-shirt, water bottle. The club provides the rest.
Frequently asked questions
What gear do you need to buy before your first muay thai class?
Nothing. The club lends gloves to new members; all you need is shorts, a t-shirt and a water bottle. You only start buying once you have decided to stay.
In what order should you buy Thai boxing gear?
Mouthguard, 4-metre hand wraps, gloves, skipping rope, shin guards, then muay thai shorts. First what touches your body and cannot be shared, then what protects your hands, then what protects other people, and last what looks good.
What glove size should a beginner choose?
12 oz for adults — enough padding to protect your hands on the bag and, later, your partner. 8 to 10 oz for juniors, depending on size. Ask the coach before buying: beginners choosing alone almost always go too small.
When do you need shin guards?
Not before your second month. They become essential the day you start sparring, and the first month is sparring-free.