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We control the racquet with a surprisingly small contact surface area, so make every bit count by choosing the best tennis grip for your game.
All good players hold the racquet gently, especially when hitting the ball hard. The ‘grip of death’ is a sure fire way to reduce power, spin and control, and will often get you an unwanted trip to your doctor for wrist sprain or tennis elbow. A decent grip is an essential part of the playing equation – ignore it at your peril!
So what should you know about this most basic of accessories before flirting with your credit card?
Change is Good
Replacement grips are disposable items – a puppy may be for life, but a grip certainly isn’t. As soon as it starts to break down and loose its surface texture, its time for change. A bad grip can effectively neuter an expensive racquet, so beware false tennis economies. Talking economics, buy multi-packs! You’re much more likely to change a grip when you have a bunch of them in your bag, and they work out cheaper… sometimes much cheaper. Durability is a double edged sword: obviously a durable grip lasts longer, but you’ll also spend more time playing with a grip that’s on its way out, but not quite worth replacing just yet…
Dry or Tacky?
This is about as controversial as the topic of grips gets. Some people love a really tacky grip, others appreciate a grip that stays dry. If you suffer from sweaty hands, or play in hot and humid conditions, then conventional wisdom is that you should use a dry grip, preferably one that’s able to absorb lots of moisture. That said, there are plenty of sweaty players who swear by extremely tacky grips as a way of countering the sweat – definitely one to experiment with. If you play in cold conditions, try a tacky grip. Note that some dry feel grips are designed to get tacky when they start absorbing sweat.
Replacement Grip or Overgrip?
The language used to describe grips can sometimes be more about fluffy marketing hype than precise descriptions, but basically you can divide grips into two types: thin overgrips used to provide a new gripping surface and thicker replacement grips used to replace the original grip that came with the racquet. Overgrips are non-adhesive (a small amount of tape is used to secure the ends) whereas replacement grips have a continuous adhesive strip. It’s usual to leave the original grip on the racquet indefinitely and just use overgrips to keep the gripping surface fresh.
Thickness
Replacement grips are thicker, overgrips are thinner. An overgrip will increase the racquet grip by about half a size (US), a replacement grip by slightly more. Beware of adding too many grips to increase size – the more you add, the less obvious the contours of the racquet become. This can make it harder to find the correct position for your hands as you change grips to play different shots. As the handle becomes more rounded, the racquet will also have an increased tendency to rotate in your hand if you hit an off center shot.
To make a significant increase in grip size, the best method is to use a heat shrink sleeve – this will preserve the contours of the racquet handle while increasing the diameter by one size. Click here for more info on racquet grip sizes.
Length
Most grips on the market are perfectly long enough for an average racquet, but a long handled racquet with a large diameter grip may require an XL grip. Also consider an XL grip if you double wrap the butt cap to build it up for enhanced control. Lots of pros do this – check out this video to learn more.
Colours
White grips show the dirt, so if you don’t change them regularly, people will question your personal hygiene. Dull colours can be a sign of indecision or, worse, a tedious game style. A really garish colour can make your racquet much easier to find, as well as less tempting to steal. Match your grip with your clothing, and people may assume you’re not really here for the tennis. Its a fashion minefield out there, and you’re never going to win!
A Final Note
Don’t forget that overgrips can be used for Pickleball, Badminton, Squash, Paddle, Platform and even Hockey. If you want to build up the butt-cap (some manufacturers have very little contour), then experiment with a length of old grip, held in place with a few wraps of electrical tape. Then apply your fresh overgrip on top… as explained in this video.
Now you’ve graduated from grip-school, check out some of these great options:
Tourna Original Dry is the classic dry overgrip. You’ll see them used all over the place, from tour pros and college players to your local club. Sweat makes the grip tacky, so they’re popular in hot and humid conditions. Note these examples are XL length. Prices are better for bulk buys.
Tourna Mega Tac is an excellent example of an extremely tacky overgrip. Good durability, but not very absorbent. Great for cooler weather and players who grip the racquet gently. Good value, especially when you buy a pack of ten.
Wilson Pro Overgrip is comfortable, long lasting and used by Roger Federer. The ‘Feel’ version has perforations to help counter sweat. Both versions are very thin, so will have minimal effect on grip size.
Yonex Super Grap Overgrip is a popular choice, featuring comfort, a slight tack and good absorbancy. Yonex produce several variations, including Super Grap Soft, which is slightly thicker with more cushioning, and Dry Grap for sweaty hands.
Gamma Supreme is a popular tacky overgrip which is also absorbent. The grips are slightly longer, which is great for long handles and double-wrapping butt-caps. As always, the best prices come when buying in bulk.
Volkl V Dry is an ultra dry-feel, moisture absorbent overgrip. Great for hot, humid weather, but note that these are not tacky. A slightly more durable alternative to Tourna Original Dry. Not the longest of grips.