Looking for advice for MMA sparring gloves

[dnittler]

I posted not too long ago on here looking for training advice. I was honored to recieve input from the "Trifecta of Defense" (R.P., M.J. and M.B.).

Thanks to theirs and other helpful members here I was able to make an educated decision and an now a new member in a small local MMA club. [edit to clarify: MMA seems to be the best option out of my limited training options locally - not an endorsement of MMA as a training doctrine]

I'm not intent on competing, I just want to train (2x week) and learn a new skill to be able to defend myself.

We do light and heavy sparring (striking and kicking) as well as some light striking while grappling. The school supplies the shin guards.

I have a pair of Everlast bag gloves that work just fine for the stand-up sparring sessions and bag work, but I have to take them off when we grapple, which limits me to light knee and elbow strikes on the ground.

One student who actively competes in a local circuit (and does quite well) has a pair of lace up gloves (Gladiator?) that are much bigger than the fingerless knuckle pads I commonly see. The lead instructor wears a very similar pair. They allow for pretty agressive sparring, and also permit the fighter to use his hands to effectively grapple. (This is kind of the direction I think I want to go)

Many of the student wear the fingerless kuckle pad gloves, and it doesn't seem to pose much of a problem, but they don't offer much wrist support and seem to limit how hard one can go when sparring.

If it matters the mind-set and philosophy of the instructors is that we learn to grapple so we can get back up and fight. We are learning various submission holds, but it is not the center of the training doctrine. So striking and kicking is what we work on the mostest and the hardest.

If I go with the open fingered knuckle pads it will be very similar to wearing nothing at all, and if I ever should be called upon to use my new skill in defense of my own or anothers life the difference between the knuckle pad and nothing would be minimal. BUT, the risk of a wrist or finger injury in training goes up since this style does not offer as much support. Also the risk of scratching my own eye with my own fingernail while sparring is a consideration.

With the larger padded version, there is a bigger tranistion between gloves and no gloves, but the wrist support is better and less risk of an eye scratch. Plus they still seem to allow for good grappling. Like I said, I am leaning this direction, but I am open to other opinions and rationale.  

Any advise would be welcomed on a particular brand as well as style. Cost really isn't an object, but within reason of course. I want to buy once and cry once.