Deciding On a New Replacement or Overgrip
If you’ve bought a new tennis racket or worn out the grip on your old one or just don’t like the feel of the grip you have, you may need to replace the grip or put a new overgrip on. Which one? That depends….
First, Get a (Tennis) Grip
If you’ve just bought or are considering buying a new racket, test out the grip. Hold it, using the type of grip that is most comfortable to you. Swing it around. Is it comfortable? Too small? Too Thick? Maybe too much cushion? Too thin? Possibly too slick? Too sticky? That shouldn’t be the final determination for purchasing the racket, although I wouldn’t purchase one that the grip already is too thick.
Initial Racket Grip Decisions
First, do you like the grip, feel, texture, stability, etc. of the one currently on the racket? Is it in good shape? Then do nothing! You’re in great shape!
If you need a replacement grip, do not use an overgrip as a replacement grip. They do not provide the same functions and should be considered separate tennis items.
Replacement grips are thicker than overgrips, generally made of thicknesses ranging between .9 and 2.5 mm. They are designed to take a significant amount of vibration from the racket before it is transferred to your hand. While they can generally suffice for most tennis players, the options expand when overgrips are included.
An overgrip is made thinner than replacement grips, usually made of thicknesses ranging between .5 and 1.2 mm. They are designed to aid in the balance between comfort and grip every tennis player must embrace. They are not necessarily designed, to the extent the replacement grips are, to specifically reduce the vibrations of the racket, and shouldn’t be considered as a replacement grip under any circumstances.
A Different Tennis Grip For Everyone
Whether you need a replacement grip or an overgrip for your tennis racket, the styles, material, and other factors mostly remain the same. They come smooth, perforated, ribbed, and treaded. They can come dry or tacky. Thicker or thinner.
Dry Vs Tacky
Whether you choose a smooth, perforated, ribbed, or treaded grip, they all can come either dry or tacky. The basic choice between the two comes down to the dry grip is meant to absorb your sweat while the tacky grip is meant to repel it.
The dry grip is for you if your hand sweats a lot. Be prepared, however, to replace this grip more often, as the absorbed sweat wears the grip at a much faster rate. It’s versatility and effectiveness is proven, however, and very well may be worth the uptick in cost.
The tacky grip repels sweat, thereby allowing your grip to last longer. They are made with a tacky type of material, allowing for a better grip on your racket.
Smooth
The smooth grip is the most basic, and generally common, type of replacement or overgrip available. There are no holes, ridges, bumps, treads, or anything else but what the name suggests: smooth. This is the kindest grip on your hands, leaving blisters more of an afterthought.
Perforated
The perforated grip has tons of miniature holes that allow the sweat to be pulled away from the hand. It is a nice feature commonly found on both replacement and overgrips.
Ribbed
This tennis grip is great for keeping a strong hold on your racket. It’s high peaks and low valleys allow for even the most slippery of grip holders have a chance to hang on to their rackets with this one.
Treaded
Like a tire in a rain storm moves water away, this grip is designed to move the sweat away from your hand. Compelling picture, isn’t it? This grip is great for holding on, but can leave your hand worn out as well. Any racket with tread or ribs can tear into your hand a bit, especially if you are not used to it. The effectiveness of the grip is real, however, and that balance is where the sweet spot really lies.
A Great Mixture of Tennis Grip Choices
While the treads, ribs, and textures you can find in many grips help give an assist when it comes to hanging on to your racket, the long term health of the hand and ability to play tennis right now (no blisters allows this to happen, just sayin’) has to be taken into consideration. This brings me to my choice, a smooth grip with a perforated, dry overgrip. This provides a great balance of comfort and grip, longevity and hand preservation. The choice is yours, and if it gets any one of us out there on the court, all the better!
