Top King Thai Pads
muaythaiguy | July 18th, 2010 - 6:47 am
I started off my latest trip in Thailand with a couple days in Bangkok (as I usually do) and like always, I stopped by the shops outside Lumpinee stadium to pick up my training gear for the trip. At the time, I picked up a pair of the Top King “Empower” Gloves and I also saw a sick looking pair of Thai pads, but I figured I’d pick them up later on since the gyms I would have been training at have plenty of Thai pads on hand.
So, I bought the gloves and passed on the pads, until the end of my trip of course. Six months later it was time to fly back to Canada so I timed it so I had a full day of shopping in Bangkok before I went to the airport. I knew exactly what I wanted and the Top King Thai Pads were at the top of my list. So, I hopped in a taxi and went to the shop. It was mid afternoon on a Wednesday but to my surprise, all the shops were closed. Apparently the shops only open randomly (usually when there’s fights at the stadium) and they’re closed otherwise. Unfortunately, I ended up coming home empty handed.
Luckily, now (about 13 months later), I’m managing a Muay Thai gym in Bangkok, Thailand and we’ve equipped the facility with all sorts of Top King gear. We have the trainers using these pads to train the students and the feedback as been pretty good. At first, neither myself of the trainers liked them. Now, about a month has passed and since the pads have been worked in a bit, they’re awesome. They provide a lot of protection for the holder since they’re very thick and they give you that nice “crack” sound when you kick them. I can recommend these pads for sure. Below you’ll find a video of myself working with my trainer (who is using the Top King Thai pads) and also, I’ve included a few photos of the pads as well.
Related Products
One Response to “Top King Thai Pads”
Leave a Reply
I have owned a pair of the Top King ‘Ultimate’ Thai pads for the past 4 month.
The look great and top king have loads of different colour schemes to choose from.
The pads are well put together are of a quality you can feel through and through with riveted handles and double stiched seams.
The Ultimate version of these thai pads have an extra ridge of padding down the center between the handle and straps to offer addtional protection for the pad holder which shows Top King have really been thinking about things with their new line of items.
The pads are of an oval type design shape which makes them a breeze to switch between holding for power round kicks to boxing drills to knees to elbows, however, the ultimate pads are quite thick and can be quite cumbersome whilst holding for clinch work, but, i am still breaking mine in after 4 months of ownership! but i would expect that once they have ’softened up’ even clinch drills will be a ballet of seamless manouvers.
When it comes to striking you’ll appreciate the speed at which your pad holder can swing these about and if you like your conditioning hardcore then your infor for a treat, however, if on the other hand your shins are pampered and buttery soft then i’d avoid eye contact with the guy brandishing a new pair of these when everyone is partnering up at the start of a session.
To say a new pair of Top King Thai pads are hard is an understatment but anyone who’s serious about their Muay Thai will love them because as we all know the pain of conditioning is but a trail of comitment on the road to glory!
In short the pads are light with a good ergonmoic design, well made and durable, although hard at first after some intense work will soften up and provide good protection for pad holder and striker alike.
Well done Top King, keep it up..