YOKKAO in Singapore: Where to Buy the Muay Thai Gear

YOKKAO is a Thai Muay Thai equipment brand, and in Singapore its authorised store is inside Pineapple MMA at 139 Cecil Street, #14-01 YSY Building, two minutes from Telok Ayer MRT. You can handle the gloves, try the sizing and buy on the spot. YOKKAO lists the store on its own authorised stores page, alongside its Thailand locations.

If you have been looking at YOKKAO gloves online and wondering whether the sizing runs true or how the leather feels, this is the practical answer: there is a physical store in the CBD where you can put your hands in a pair before you spend anything.

What YOKKAO Is

YOKKAO is a Muay Thai brand out of Thailand that makes gloves, shin guards, shorts, bags and apparel, and it also promotes one of the better known Muay Thai fight series. The gear is aimed at people who train properly rather than at the general fitness market, which shows in the construction and in the price.

In practical terms the brand sits in the upper-middle of the market. It is not the cheapest way to get a pair of gloves and it does not pretend to be. What you are paying for is padding that holds its shape after a year of pad work, stitching that survives daily use, and sizing built around Muay Thai rather than adapted from boxing.

The Authorised Store at 139 Cecil Street

The store sits inside the gym, so it is not a separate shopfront on the street. You walk into Pineapple MMA on the fourteenth floor and the range is there against the wall, next to the training floor where the same gear is in daily use.

That last part is the useful bit. Eighteen YOKKAO bags hang in the gym and the coaching staff hold pads in the brand's gloves every day, so if you want to know whether a glove holds up after six months of hard pad work, the people who can tell you are standing there. It is a different proposition from ordering a size and hoping.

The store is open during staffed gym hours, currently weekdays 6.30am to 10pm and weekends 9am to 4pm. You do not need to be a member and you do not need to book. If you want to check something specific is in stock before making the trip, message ahead on WhatsApp.

There is no online store. If you want YOKKAO gear from us, it is an in-person purchase at Cecil Street.

What to Buy First

Gear needs are staged, and the staging is fairly predictable. Buying in the right order means every piece you own is in use from the day you get it.

Your first class: gloves and wraps are provided

Nothing is needed for a first class. Gloves and wraps are included free with the $38 trial at Pineapple, and rental is available per session for regular classes. Most people buy their own gloves within the first few weeks, once they know which class times suit them, and the store is a few steps from the training floor, so it is worth trying a few pairs on while you are in the gym anyway. Shorts are the one exception worth buying early. They are inexpensive, they make kicking easier from the first session, and there is nothing to work out about the fit beyond trying a pair on.

Your first purchase: gloves and wraps

Gloves are the first real purchase and the one that changes how training feels, because a pair fitted to your own hand is nothing like a rental. Hand wraps go with them. Wraps are inexpensive, so buy two or three pairs. You will want a dry set, and a single pair used daily becomes unpleasant fast.

Around month three: shin guards

Once you start doing partner drills and light technical work with kicks, shin guards become necessary. They are the second real purchase, and fit matters more here than it does on gloves. A guard that slides down mid-round is worse than no guard.

Before sparring: mouthguard and the rest

A mouthguard is non-negotiable before any sparring, and is the one item to buy new rather than borrow. Groin protection is standard. Our sparring class page sets out exactly what is required before you can take part.

Glove Weights, Explained Once

Glove weight is measured in ounces and it confuses almost everybody at the start. The number describes the padding, not the size of the glove opening.

• 12oz: bag and pad work for lighter trainers, generally under about 70kg. Quick and responsive, not enough padding for sparring

• 14oz: the general-purpose option for most adults. If you are buying one pair to do everything with, this is usually it

• 16oz: the standard for sparring at most gyms, and what heavier trainers use for pads too. More padding protects your partner as much as your hands

If you plan to spar within the year, most people end up owning a 14oz pair for bags and pads and a 16oz pair for sparring. Start with one pair and add the second when sparring is actually on the horizon.

Sizing runs differently between brands, which is the whole argument for trying gloves on. A 14oz in one brand can feel noticeably tighter across the knuckles than a 14oz in another, and wraps add bulk that an unwrapped fitting will not show you. Bring your wraps, or use a pair in store.

How to Not Buy the Wrong Thing

Four checks cover most of the mistakes we see.

• Try them wrapped. Always. An unwrapped fitting tells you very little about how the glove will feel in class

• Close your fist fully. If the glove fights you when you make a fist, the padding is too stiff or the fit is wrong for your hand

• Check the wrist. The wrist closure is what protects you on a bad angle. It should feel supportive, not loose.

• Match the glove to what you actually do. If you have never sparred and are not close to it, you do not need sparring gloves yet

If you are still working out what to bring to your first session, our guide to what to wear and bring to your first Muay Thai class covers the basics, including what is provided.

Making Gear Last

Gloves fail from moisture, not from impact. The single thing that extends their life is getting them dry between sessions.

• Take them out of the bag the moment you get home. A closed gym bag in Singapore's humidity is the worst place gloves can be

• Open them up and let air get inside. Glove dogs or a rolled cloth work; direct sun and hair dryers do not, because heat cracks the material

• Wipe the lining after training. Thirty seconds with a cloth removes most of what causes the smell

• Wash wraps after every session. They are cheap and washable, which is exactly why you own several pairs

Shorts, and Why Everybody Ends Up in a Pair

Muay Thai shorts are cut short and wide for a reason. The knee needs to come up fast and the hem cannot catch on the way, so the first time you kick in a proper pair the difference is immediate. Running shorts and long fitted gym shorts pull at the top of the kick, which beginners often mistake for their own lack of flexibility. They also look the part, and that is not a small thing. The satin, the piping and the prints are most of the reason people take a photo after class, and a pair you actually like is a pair you want to train in.

Two things are worth knowing before you buy a pair. Thai sizing generally runs smaller than European or American sizing, so the size you wear elsewhere is often one step down from the size you need here. And the waistband matters far more than the print. A wide elastic waist that stays comfortable through an hour of knees and kicks is worth more than a design you liked in a photograph. Try a pair on and throw a few kicks before deciding.

Shorts are also the easiest thing in the gym to own. They cost a fraction of a pair of gloves, they are yours rather than shared, and they last for years of washing. Almost nobody stops at one pair.

When to Buy Your Own

The $38 trial includes gloves and wraps at no extra cost, and gear can be rented per session for regular classes, so nothing is needed on day one.

Once you are training three or four times a week, which most people reach inside their first month, your own gloves win on every count. A pair chosen properly is more comfortable, more hygienic, and across a year cheaper than renting every session. Renting bridges the gap in the meantime, and it is worth trying pairs on early so you already know what you want when you get there.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I buy YOKKAO gear in Singapore?

YOKKAO's authorised Singapore store is inside Pineapple MMA at 139 Cecil Street, #14-01

YSY Building, Singapore 069539, about two minutes from Telok Ayer MRT. The store is listed on YOKKAO's own authorised stores page. You can try gear on before buying, and you do not need to be a gym member to visit.

Do I need to be a member to use the shop?

No. The store is open to the public during staffed gym hours, currently weekdays 6.30am to 10pm and weekends 9am to 4pm. There is no booking and no membership requirement. If you want to check stock before travelling, message ahead on WhatsApp.

What size Muay Thai gloves should I buy?

Most adults are best served by 14oz for general training, moving to 16oz for sparring. Lighter trainers under roughly 70kg often prefer 12oz for bag and pad work. Always try gloves on with your hand wraps already on, since wraps change the fit considerably.

Do I need my own gear for a first class?

No. Gloves and hand wraps are provided free with the $38 trial class at Pineapple MMA, so there is nothing to buy beforehand. For regular classes you can rent gear per session, and most people buy their first pair within the first few weeks, once they know which classes they are attending.

Is YOKKAO worth the money?

It sits in the upper-middle of the market rather than at the budget end. Entry-level gear will get you through the occasional session. Once you are training three or four times a week and doing regular pad work, better gloves hold their padding and shape for far longer, which usually makes them cheaper per year of use than replacing budget pairs.

Come and Try Some On

The YOKKAO store is inside Pineapple MMA at 139 Cecil Street, #14-01 YSY Building, two minutes from Telok Ayer MRT and under ten from Tanjong Pagar and Raffles Place. Open during staffed gym hours, weekdays 6.30am to 10pm and weekends 9am to 4pm, no appointment needed.

If you want to try the gear the way it is meant to be used, book a trial class for $38 including GST. Gloves and wraps are provided, so you can train a full hour in the brand before choosing your own pair. You can see the full class list on the classes page and rates on the pricing page.