Having the right training gear can make or break your workout because you’re only as strong as your weakest link.
In my “How to Reduce Knee Pain Naturally” article I explain how knee sleeves help warm and stabilize my knees so that I can focus on heavy squats, leg presses and lunges. I like to rely on a select few items that help me really focus on what’s most important…putting in the work! One of these special items is in the hand grip category that I use for chest, shoulder and arm day: Gripads.
I’ve been using Gripads for 5 years now and have had otherworldly workouts with them. However they’re not without their flaws.
Design:
Gripads are made of a soft 100% Neoprene material in a circular shape that covers the entire palm and about 1/2 to 3/4 the length of your fingers (depending on your finger length). They have 3 loops; one each for your index, middle and ring fingers which allow them to stay on your hands. The palm side facing up has a rubber pad for additional grip. They have a sleek appearance and are not bulky which is a big plus and one of the main reasons I decided to replace my gloves with these. They come in a variety of different colors and occasionally have limited edition versions. I usually go with a solid standard color such as blue or black that won’t be too distracting. They don’t usually pick-up sweaty odors which is nice but monthly I’ll rinse them with water and air dry.
Pros:
- Super comfortable! Seriously slip them on your hands and you will know what I mean. Like plush slippers for your hands!
- Great grip on all gym bars, d-bells, pull-up & dip bars or even moving everyday items like furniture
- Not Bulky: easily transportable, very light (won’t notice you’re wearing them)
- Prevents calluses and sore palms from deeply knurled bars
- Fits all hands sizes really well. I’m 5’8″ish with normal sized hands and my 6’4″ friend with huge hands tried them on and he said they fit well
Cons:
- Grip wears down rather fast usually within 3 months. I find the rubber tears away after using on heavily knurled bars. Below rubber is some randomly designed Neoprene material that doesn’t grip well in fact is only slightly better than sweaty hands. Should probably have an upgraded version with leather.
- Can easily be lost if you’re not careful as they have no Velcro to attach them together after your session and only one would be a nuisance.
- Rather pricey for how long they last. Usually runs me about $14.99 and are probably only worth $9.99
Although the lifespan of the Gripads are relatively short lived, I have to say that the value they provide me in my workouts for the 3 months or so has been worth it for the past 5 years. I recommend them if you’re looking for hand grips that fits all hand sizes well, are super comfortable for long periods of time, gives an insanely intense grip on the bar (while they last), don’t reek of sweat and are rather stylish and are easily portable. Although they have a few different versions such as the Gripad Rx and Gripad Elite which are better than the Gripad classic that I reviewed in this article, they are mainly constructed for cross-fitters or those who need a more dynamic grip, and the durability is still rather poor from the other reviews I’ve researched. You can check them out currently on their site at gripads.com. I do hope Gripad takes into account the short lifespan and considers a future upgrade to this standard edition with leather on the palm insole for the same superior comfort and grip with much more durability.