Why Gloves Peels and Crack: Leather Hydrolysis Resistance Testing

Hydrolysis is one of the most common ways fight gear fails. Over time, moisture from sweat and humid gym air breaks down the polyurethane coating on synthetic leather, causing it to crack, peel, and flake, often long before the gear itself is worn out. If you have ever seen an old glove shedding its surface, that is hydrolysis at work.

In this video, we run hydrolysis resistance testing on the different types of leather used across our products. The test exposes fabric samples to accelerated heat and humidity conditions, compressing years of gym exposure into a controlled lab timeline. Materials that survive come out with their surface intact; weaker coatings begin to degrade and peel.

This is exactly why we are selective about the leathers we use across FightBro gear. A material that looks and feels great on day one means nothing if it starts flaking after one season of training. Watch the full test above to see how our materials hold up.