It'd probably take some conscious effort at first, perhaps a little more so with hooks. I also noticed in Dempsey's book that he emphasized the three knuckle landing with all of the various punches. It might help to take off your gloves and see how your punches would land for a better idea.

I haven't used the gel-wrap before, so I can't really comment on it. As for gloves, they do come in sizes that accommodate larger hands. It'd be worth checking out. As for feel, I had a good experience with Ringside gloves, larger Reyes are nice too, although pricey. Everlast wasn't too bad after becoming well worn.

It's just too bad that there's such a limited selection at sporting goods stores. The best way is probably to order them from catalogs or online, and if you don't like it send it back and try another pair.