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Well I am convinced that I want Shevlin gear. Its custom boxing gear and its very old school (Im only 15 and I want to try an "older" model)

1.) Gloves - How are the gloves? are they durable? comfortable? I plan on getting a white pair with my last name on the top printed in black, Im not sure if I should go for velcro or lace-up

2.) Headgear - anyone try out there headgear? is it solid? does it fit well? you can also customize this too

3.) Protective cup - are there no foul protectors top of the line?

Thanks guys.

oh and I hope The god of gear mr pork chop visits my thread

Pork Chop

God of gear? Thanks, but Kshaft or Don Flamenco really deserve that title.

I've ordered 2 pairs of Shevlin gloves. At the moment, their supplier for rubber (probably some sort of soft/open cell neoprene) was behind on a shipment. They're expecting to get the rubber in by the end of this month. I should have my gloves in hand by (or before) the first week of June. So expect a full review from me then.

The ordering process was a breeze. Mona was very patient with me and answered all of my questions. I provided darn near every possible measurement of my hands/fists and had a laundry list of customizations I wanted on the gloves. I followed someone else's advice on here and was very specific about everything. She was positive about being able to do the vast majority of my customizations. The price was nice too, at around 90 a pair, about 2/3rds the cost of replacing the 2 pairs of Grants that were ruined recently (my favorite big market boxing glove).

Flores gloves are considered by many the absolute Ferrari of gloves. They look like works of art. The only way to get them these days is getting a pre-made (non-custom) pair from Bill Beaulieu aka Billboxing when he puts them on sale at ebay. The maker of Flores gloves, Dan Mosby isn't making the gloves custom anymore - I had heard that he's had health problems. He used to ask for a trace of your hand and make you gloves that fit better than any of the big name stuff out today and they lasted a long time.

Anyway, I mention Flores & Billboxing because I left him a comment on ebay and he was kind enough to reply.
On the topic of shevlin, he wrote:

"I'm well aware of the Shevlin brand and the Shevlin family. The father, Al, made that label and together with wife or daughter made some beautiful items. Now, am not sure of whom in the family is doing the work, but I'm sure it's quality stuff. I found the gloves to be small and tight fitting initially, but once broken in, were ideal. Larry Holmes used Shevlin in his training. They made great cups and headgear too."

My impression of "old school" style gloves is that they have a pre-broken-in feel- or are designed to break in easy. The old style of gloves were all about a good fit & solid craftsmanship to hold up to daily use. New gloves are all about space-age foams & mass production.

The big reason I've bought so many gloves is because the vast majority of gloves I've tried are uncomfortable, with surprisingly few gloves even becoming remotely comfortable after long break-in periods.

I started out bare knuckle first with martial arts stuff; even hitting the bags and sparring (no hard head shots), so I'm sensitive to a glove messing with my punching form. I'm also not all that obsessed with knuckle protection - I've had bad gloves bruise my knuckles due to the awkward striking surface, but I'm not in a rush to go get Winnings to keep my hands dainty.

I have very high hopes for the Shevlins.

Before you order, you may want to sit down and seriously think about exactly what you want from an ideal pair of gloves in terms of looks, performance, and fit. Like I said before, by the end of May they should be back up and running.

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anyword on them mr pork chop

Pork Chop

I got them this past week and I been trying to use them.
They're totally made to break in and mold to your fist.
I started using the velcros coz they're easier to get on, I should have them broken in with another week of use.
The thumbs aren't how I thought they'd be, a little uncomfortable, but they really do shape to your hands so they get more comfortable with every use.
The lace-ups really are a work of art.
I asked for padding on the palm side of the cuff, Flores style, and even without them being shaped they're some of the nicest gloves I've ever tried on.

I've never tried Flores or winnings, so i can't speak to those, I can only compare these to Reyes, Grants, and the other gloves I've reviewed.

I put these higher than Reyes and at least on par with Grant, and that's saying a lot.
When it comes to these vs Grant, I definitely prefer these, but a lot of that may boil down to preference.
Here's how they stack up:
Price - Shevlins are cheaper by around 50 bucks
Leather - Shevlins are soft like an expensive desk chair, Grant leather feels a bit hard & almost has a lacquered feel. Both seem to be high quality. I personally prefer Shevlin type leather even to Reyes goatskin.
Construction - Aside from the trim around the lace holes, which Shevlin does in a way that may not be the most elegant; I put the construction higher than Grant. No loose stitches. I plan on hanging these gloves up in my house when I'm done with my boxing days, if that tells you anything.
Padding - Shevlins are soft where Grants are hard. The ribbed cuff is nice and plush, with another layer of padding underneath. The fill on the gloves is very soft rubber, but i think as the leather shapes more & with more heavybag use the fill will shape a bit differently. Grant fill ships very hard and loosens up with use, these come very soft and shape to your fist with use - I've already started to notice it on the velcro gloves.
Fit - These are an old school fit. Grant has more of a Mexican style fit - pretty large pocket, has a pre-broken in feel, easy to open and close. These are very snug and very well padded on the inside. The only gloves I have experience with that I can compare them to are a pair of Sugar Ray Leonard Franklins I had when I was 6 and those vinyl, 14oz, elastic enclosure, slip on old school Everlast kids gloves without the attached thumbs; very clunky comparison at best. Old school gloves really have a unique fit and they shape more to your hands with every use.
Wrist support This was a concern for some. I understand where they are coming from. The customizations I had made to my lace up gloves put them right up there with Grants (but a shorter cuff). The velcros have good support if I do a good job of squeezing the cuff closed when i latch the velcro, it's not bad though and when they're broken in enough to use wraps it'll be a non-issue.

I'll do a more formal review later, but I was trying to give you the best picture I could.
The pictures I've seen of Shevlin really don't do them justice.
I really love these gloves already & moreso with each use.
They make the nicest sounds on the bags & pads that you ever heard....

JackG

Pork do you have any idea why they are so cheap ? For Handmade gloves these seem so very cheap and it might be worth it for the conversion rate .

Pork Chop

They're a small, family-run business and not obligated to shell out millions in ad revenue or other sources of high overhead.
That keeps costs low. I think you'd be shocked at how little it actually costs to produce even high-end gloves for companies like Everlast.

JackG

Lets just hope there shipping costs are reasonable

Pork Chop

Just tell Mona that Pork Chop sent you. Hopefully she can work something out with you. They use FedEx.

JackG

Cheers mate Just gotta get that money together now

Don Flamenco

Hey Pork, you ever get a chance to snap up a pick of your gloves? I know you got a young one and all, but a pic would be sweet!