Guide to Buying CrossFit Hand Grips..

CrossFit training is a rigorous and challenging workout. But, it can be hard on your hands – callouses and even “ripped” palms can be a side effect of too many pull-ups and bar exercises.

In addition, many of the CrossFit exercises benefit from a safe and secure grip. 
Normal workout gloves can help, but they do not offer the level of control that you gain from CrossFit hand grips.

Lets discuss why you need hand grips, what type of exercises they’re used for, and some features to help you get the right pair of grips for your needs.

We’ll finish by comparing some different CrossFit grips with some advantages and disadvantages of each.

Why Do You Need CrossFit Hand Grips? 

Gymnasts will immediately understand the vital benefit of hand grips. For the same reason, intense power lifters appreciate the need for a secure grip. CrossFit hand grips apply both principles.

Protection – This is the most common benefit associated with hand grips and weight lifting gloves collectively. Putting something between you and the item you’re grasping will protect your hands. This is especially true when lifting using bars and dumbbells with diamond cut designs in the bar for helping insure a secure grip. Building up unsightly calluses on your palms isn’t going to do anything for your strength or endurance. Hands grips allow you to build muscle without shredding your hands.
Safety – The second reason why you should use CrossFit hand grips every time you train is the most logical. Securing a safe grip on the bar, ring, or dumbbell will help prevent unnecessary injuries. Using CrossFit hand grips allows you to lift heavier weight with risk of losing control.

Technique – The third reason for why you need hand grips is often overlooked. However, it might be as important as the safety factor. When your grip is compromised, good form and technique can be altered as well. This adds a second element to the safety factor. Having a secure grip during any of the hundreds of challenging CrossFit exercises will help reduce the risk of injury. CrossFit hand grips are important for helping you train using good form and technique. Also consider this – CrossFit workouts tend to be really sweaty affairs. It is dangerous to hang from a pull-up bar with a sweaty grip – especially for the kipping movements. 

Don’t underestimate the additional safety that a good set of hand grips can give you. 

What Exercises Are CrossFit Hand Grips Used?

As we mentioned, those who have experience in gymnastics will understand the importance of hand grips. This knowledge also applies to what types of CrossFit exercises you may perform where hand grips are beneficial.

Based on the three reasons we gave you for why you need CrossFit hand grips, here are some exercise examples where you’ll use them.

  • Kipping pull-ups

  • Pull-ups / Chin-ups

  • Toes to Bar

  • Kettlebell swings (High repetition)

  • Olympic Rings

How about barbell lifts?
Grips artificially increase the amount of weight you can hold in your hands for lifts like the deadlift.
As such, it’s usually considered an artificial performance increase –and therefore frowned upon.
Having said that, if you are recovering from a palm rip or severe callous – and don’t want to detrain too much – you should consider using grips while your hands recover.

But once your hands are healed, return to barbell lifts without grips to keep working on your grip strength.

Hand grips also help when your palms are simply too sweaty to maintain a grip on a heavy dumbbell, kettlebell, or barbell.

As such, they can be a great help for heavy farmer’s walks.

What Features Are Important When Buying Hand Grips?

You will notice that CrossFit hand grips are designed with either 2-holes, 3-holes and Fingerless . This is the first feature to consider. The difference mainly involves different types of lifts and personal preference. You may want to try both to see which is more comfortable.

Material is another important feature. Many CrossFit enthusiasts swear by leather. There are others who feel the leather becomes brittle over time, reducing the firmness of the grip. Kangaroo leather is popular because it offers both grip security and durability.

How your CrossFit hand grips secure around wrist is an important feature as well. Larger straps may take time to get accustomed to, but they also offer an extra degree of wrist support. Wider straps stay tight better.

When looking for the best features for CrossFit hand grips, it is important to mention one thing you should avoid. Hand grips used for gymnastics often have a dowel. This dowel helps maintain a grip for gymnastics moves.

However, it limits the wrist and hand movement for many CrossFit exercises. In addition, the dowel is illegal in most CrossFit competitions. Make sure you’re buying hand grips designed for CrossFit training, not gymnastics. 

How Do CrossFit Grips Compare?

Here are several CrossFit hand grips that you may find suitable for your purposes. Each has a few pros and cons that we’ve mentioned. 

Picsil Azor 3 Hole Grips

The Picsil Azor 3 Hole Grips have a wider palm coverage, which work well for CrossFit training.

Pros

  • This design has an excellent grip surface (made with Patented Fabric) its breathable, washable, of maximum resistance, soft to the touch, very flexible and very light fabric only 1.8mm thick.

  • Easy to slip on and off for fast changes during competition.

  • This is one of the more comfortable CrossFit hand grips to wear for long workout sessions.

  • Made in Europe to high standards.

Cons

  • These need a small break in period from new to get the most out of them.

 

Bear KompleX Black Diamond 3 Hole Grips

If you’re looking for an excellent hand grip for gripping smooth pull up bars the diamond-cut synthetic material on the Bear Komplex 3-Hole Hand Grip is an excellent choice.

Pros

  • The diamond cut design offers one of most secure grips for CrossFit training exercises.

  • Bear Komplex 3-Hole Diamond Hand Grips offer excellent versatility so they’re perfect for competitions.

  • A full wrist strap allows you to tighten these hand grips down for excellent wrist support.

Cons

  • Some CrossFit competitors mention that the diamond cut design doesn’t allow the same palm sensation as smoother hand grips.

Reyllen Fingerless Venom X Grips

Venom X Fingerless Grips are perfect for a beginner as well as an elite athlete

Pros

  • The Fingerless design helps offset taking your fingers in and out during the WOD.

  • Venom X Fingerless Grips offer a false grip guard to make those ring MU easier on your hands and skin.

  • Made from a durable synthetic material

  • Material doesn't really get affected by sweat

Cons

  • Grips slip slightly when using them on a smooth bar compared to a rough bar

Bear KompleX Carbon Fingerless Grips

Bear KompleX Carbon Fingerless Speed Grips offer the palm protection needed for your toughest workouts.

Pros

  • The Bear Komplex Fingerless Carbon Fiber Hand Grips are the CrossFit competitor’s choice for heavy events that use chalked bars.

  • This is a sturdy design that provides outstanding wrist stability.

  • The carbon fiber materials improves the durability of these hand grips.

Cons

  • Carbon fiber hand grips do not allow quite as much slide for exercises that benefit from spinning the bar in the palm of your hand.

  • The Carbon fiber material won’t stretch with use – so be sure to get the right size before you chalk these up, in case you need to return them.

 

Reyllen BumbleBee series 2, 3 Hole Grips

Reyllen Bumblebee series 2 are a great solution for an all round grips due to its softness, durability and comfort.

Pros

  • Made from the same durable synthetic material as the Fingerless Venom X

  • Material doesn't really get affected by sweat

  • Great palm coverage

Cons

  • Grips slip slightly when using them on a smooth bar compared to a rough bar.

 

 

Summary

Each of these CrossFit hand grips will allow you to grip a variety of bars more securely.
They are also designed to protect your hands from the excessive wear-and-tear of intense training.

Use our guide to help you select which pair or pairs of hand grips will help you raise your CrossFit training to the ultimate level.

        Back to All Posts