Cleto Reyes Headgear Review (2019)

James DavisSeptember 12, 2020

0 6 minutes read

If you’re planning on incorporating sparring into your training regime, there’s no doubt that you’re going to need a decent set of headgear.

Out of all the different types of boxing equipment out there, headgear is potentially the most important, as it will protect your face and cushion the damage from any blow taken to the head.

Throughout our Cleto Reyes Headgear review, we’re going to be taking a look at two different models – the Cleto Reyes headgear with cheek protection, and the traditional Cleto Reyes headgear with a face bar.

Lets’ get to it.

Cleto Reyes Headgear Comparison

Headgear	Features	Check price
Cleto Reyes Headgear With Cheek Protection	Genuine leather material Anatomical fit Chin strap & lace crown adjustment Unobstructed vision	See Price
Cleto Reyes Traditional Headgear With Nylon Face Bar	Genuine leather material Anatomical fit Chin strap & lace crown adjustment Latex Padding Pointed face bar for extra protection	See Price

Who are Cleto Reyes?

Cleto Reyes is a Mexican manufacturer of high quality boxing equipment, with their gloves often being used in high profile, world championship fights. Founded in the mid 1900’s, Cleto Reyes have almost 80 years of experience in producing top of the line boxing gear. Renowned across the world of their superior quality and attention to detail, you’ll struggle to find better equipment any where else.

All of this does come at a cost though, with Cleto Reyes gear being some of the most expensive on the market. That being said, Cleto Reyes equipment is known to last a long time thanks to their use of genuine leather material and top notch craftsmanship.

Unfortunately, at the time of writing this review, Cleto Reyes currently only make headgear for boxing, however we've got a full list of some of the best MMA headgear you can check out for some solid other options.

Why Choose Cleto Reyes?

Made using of genuine leather material, as opposed to synthetic leather which is known to be less durable.
Years of experience in producing high quality boxing equipment, with their gloves being used often in world championship fights.
They offer an array of products such as gloves, headgear, heavy bags and hand wraps.
Their products last an incredibly long time and are ideal for anyone training on a regular basis and in need of equipment that can endure hours on end of use and abuse.
When looking for protective gear, this is potentially the one area you don’t want to try and cut costs. In order to provide yourself with the best possible protection, reputable brands such as Cleto Reyes are the way to go.
The vast majority of their products, including their headgear, are meticulously hand crafted in Mexico, with incredibly attention to detail.

Cleto Reyes Headgear Review (With Cheek Protection)

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The first piece of Cleto Reyes headgear we’re going to be reviewing is their cheek protection headgear. As the name suggests, this headgear is designed to offer additional cheek protection, as well as protection to the forehead, back and side of the head.

Genuine Cow Hide Leather & Latex Foam Padding

As with the vast majority of Cleto Reyes equipment, their headgear is manufactured using genuine cow hide leather. The use a cow hide exterior ensures that the headgear is able to hold up under intense use without starting to crack or tear.

If you’ve ever used synthetic leather products, you’ve probably noticed that after a while, the ‘leather’ will start to show signs of wear and eventually crack. Fortunately, you won’t have this problem with the Cleto Reyes headgear, which will be protecting you effectively for the foreseeable future (should you choose it of course).

Alongside the durable exterior, Cleto Reyes have implemented latex foam padding throughout the headgear that’ll protect your head and face from blows and help to dissipate the trauma felt on your brain.

Unhindered Field of Vision

One of the main reasons people don’t like to wear headgear when training is that it can easily effect your field of view. Being able to have a clear view of your training partner is incredibly important, as obviously, you need to know when a strike is coming your way. Some of the cheaper headgear that I’ve tried is awful for this, making it hard to see your opponent, especially if they’re throwing a punch from an awkward angle.

The good news is you won’t be having this issue with the Cleto Reyes headgear, as its’ unobstructive design provides great visibility, allowing you to have a clear view of your sparring partner.

Designed for the Perfect Fit

This kind of ties in with my last point, as ill fitting headgear can often slide round your face and obscure your vision. This is a surefire way to be on the receiving end of a few cheeky strikes from your sparring partner.

That’s why it’s important to a company like Cleto Reyes that their headgear is designed for the perfect fit. In order to do this, they’ve implemented both a chin strap and the ability to tighten the headgear from the top via the lace crown area.

Similarly, the shape of the headgear is anatomically designed to fit closely to the shape of a persons’ head, which is then further reinforced using the headgears chin straps.

Multiple Color Options

While many people will opt for the classic red look, Cleto Reyes offer a variety of different color options such as black, yellow, red, blue and white. Of course, this won’t have any effect on the quality of the head gear, but it’s nice to have the option to match your headgear with your shorts and gloves if you wish.

Price

You really can’t put a price on safety, so even though the Cleto Reyes headgear does cost a pretty penny, the protection it has to offer paired with its’ durability makes it a fantastic option and well worth the money.

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Cleto Reyes Headgear Review (With Face Bar)

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Up next we’ve got the Cleto Reyes headgear with a nylon face bar. It’s really a matter of personal preference as to which kind of hear gear you should wear, however a lot of guys I know, myself included, prefer not having a face bar as it feels much more comfortable.

Great Fitting Headgear

Similarly to the previous headgear we just discussed, the Cleto Reyes traditional headgear is designed with a three point anatomical fit. This ensures that the headgear stays in its’ place, which is further aided by a chin strap, hook and loop back closure system and an adjustable lace crown.

All of this allows for a tight fitting piece of headgear that won’t slide or spin round you face and obstruct your vision.

Nylon Face Bar for Added Protection

The nylon bar provides full coverage and protection to both your head and face. The bar is designed to prevent your sparring partners glove from landing clean on your face, in turn reducing the trauma felt on your face and also preventing you from sustaining any cuts.

This style of headgear is particularly ideal for anyone who may need to look professional at work, however don't want to sacrifice the intensity of their sparring.

High Quality Craftsmanship

Of course, the traditional Cleto Reyes headgear features the same, high quality craftsmanship that’s become associated with the brand, with the headgear itself being hand made under Cleto Reyes’ strict quality control policy with genuine leather material.

Available in an Insane Number of Colors

The Cleto Reyes traditional headgear comes in a whopping 11 different color variations, allowing you to match your headgear to the rest of your equipment.

Price

In terms of price, the Cleto Reyes traditional headgear isn’t cheap, but considering you’re getting genuine leather materials and a top quality product, it’s well worth the slightly higher price tag. Plus, you know with a brand like Cleto Reyes that the headgear is going to last a very long time, so you're definitely getting a good bang for your buck.

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Alternate Option

If the Cleto Reyes headgear is slightly out of your budget, you could perhaps consider looking at Ringside headgear. Ringside are a well known brand in the boxing world, however a lot of their headgear is made using synthetic leather, making them much more affordable.

Although not as durable as genuine leather, I've found Ringisde gear to be fairly well built and really good value for money.

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