In this article I’m going to run down the best squash grips on the market, based on my years of experience playing squash and talking to other squash players about their favorite equipment.
Here are the topics covered on this page:
- The overall best squash grips
- The difference between a replacement grip and an overgrip
- The best replacement grips
- The best overgrips
- How to regrip a squash racket
- Frequently-asked questions
Overall best squash grips
The best squash grip overall is the Karakal PU Super Grip. This is the most popular choice for pros and amateur players alike due to its combination of tackiness, thickness, comfort, and absorbency. It comes in a variety of colors so you can match the cosmetics of your racket.
If you prefer overgrips, my favorite choice is the Solinco Heaven Grip for its extra absorbency, durability, and muted color scheme that matches most rackets. See below if you want to understand more about the differences between replacement grips and overgrips.
Replacement grip
Karakal PU (most popular)
Sponsored Links ↓
Buy (Australia): ebay.com.au
Buy (Canada): racquet-science.com
Buy (France): amazon.fr
Buy (Germany): amazon.de | dlsports.de
Buy (UK): amazon.co.uk
Buy (US): amazon.com | squashgalaxy.com | squashgear.com
Overgrip
Solinco Heaven (my favorite)
What’s the difference between a replacement grip and an overgrip?
Squash rackets come from the factory pre-installed with a grip. This is usually referred to as the factory grip.
Over time the factory grip may get dirty or lose its tackiness and you find yourself wanting to replace it. This is where a replacement grip comes in.
A replacement grip simply replaces the factory grip. Or, if you already replaced the factory grip, then you’re replacing the replacement grip, and you can keep replacing them to infinity.
At the end of the day, these are all a “base” grip that sits in between the raw carbon frame and your hand.
A squash overgrip is a little different. It’s thinner, and meant to go on top of the base grip. Most squash players don’t use an overgrip, but personally, I’m an overgrip guy.
I mainly use overgrips for sweat absorption. When my hands sweat heavily, that makes it difficult to grip the raket. I find that overgrips do a much better job of handling sweat than base grips.
Related to the first point: overgrips are quicker to change out. If my racket handle gets sweaty during a match, it’s pretty easy to change the overgrip in between games. Replacement grips are a little harder to change because they have an adhesive that keeps them glued to the bare handle, so you have to take a little more care doing the job.
Another reason people use overgrips is to add thickness to the handle. Some people like a really thick grip and will actually put a replacement grip on top of the factory grip, but this is bigger than most people want. An overgrip on the other hand is just a little additional thickness.
Best replacement grips for squash
You can use any brand of grip to replace the factory grip.
Usually, squash racket manufacturers — and especially the larger brands — sell their own line of grips. If you like the factory grip, you can always buy an exact replacement grip from the same brand.
But of course, experienced players may start to develop their own preferences and want to switch to a different brand. We’ll cover some of those below.
As I mentioned earlier, I’m an overgrip guy. That means my experience with replacement grips is somewhat limited — I never even touch the base grip! So in listing the best replacement grips below, I’m going off what I see other players using, what I’ve heard from players over the years of writing this blog, plus some others I’ve tried.
Karakal PU Super Grip
Karakal is the big dog in the grip game. They have been used for years by pros and amateurs all around the world.
Karakal grips are so well-ingrained that people actually have favorite colors, and not just for cosmetic reasons. I’ve heard several people over the years swear that the lighter-colored grips (yellow and white) are the best in terms of tackiness.
Sponsored Links ↓
Buy (Australia): ebay.com.au
Buy (Canada): racquet-science.com
Buy (France): amazon.fr
Buy (Germany): amazon.de | dlsports.de
Buy (UK): amazon.co.uk
Buy (US): amazon.com | squashgalaxy.com | squashgear.com
Eye Grip
The other grip I want to mention here is from Eye. I’ve heard from a few different people that swear by the Eye grips for a combination of comfort, softness, and durability. The white ones seem to be a favorite.
Other Brands
I’m planning to test out some more replacement grips soon and will update this page as I have more to say. But for now, here are some links to all the brands of replacement grips I’ve posted on Squash Source so far:
Ashaway | Black Knight | Decathlon | Dunlop | Eye | Gamma | Harrow | Head | Karakal | Mantis | Prince | Salming | Tecnifibre | Wilson
Best overgrips for squash
Solinco Heaven
My number one pick in the overgrip department is Solinco Heaven. This grip is very absorbent, and I never have trouble keeping my grip on the racket, even in the hottest conditions.
I’ve found this to be the most durable overgrip. As with any grip, it’ll wear out eventually, but one of these usually will last me for weeks.
I also really like the cosmetics of this grip. The gray and black color scheme goes well with most squash rackets on the market.
Tourna Grip
Tourna Grip had been my favorite overgrip for twenty plus years before I stumbled onto Solinco Heaven, and I still have a soft spot in my heart for Tourna.
Tourna Grip’s strength is its absorbency. It’s equal to the Solinco, in my opinion.
Tourna Grip is not as good on the durability front. After a week or two, it starts to fray a little, which makes it less grippy. I once had a pack of Tourna Grips that started fraying after just one game. Granted it had been sitting in my closet for over a year and it only happened to me once, but it was still a bit odd.
As for the cosmetics, well, Tourna Grip is just iconic, with that light blue color, and then the bit of red tape to finish it off. The light blue doesn’t necessarily go with every racket, but on the other hand you could argue that it’s the racket that doesn’t go well with the Tourna Grip.
Yonex Super Grap
This is another good all-around choice. I think it was the first overgrip I tried after Tourna Grip. The absorbency of this grip was really nice, and it’s black, which goes with lots of rackets.
Image via controlthet.com
Sponsored Links ↓
Buy (Canada): controlthet.com | racquet-science.com
Buy (France): amazon.fr
Buy (Germany): amazon.de
Buy (UK): amazon.co.uk
Buy (US): amazon.com
Wilson Perforated
Here’s one more overgrip option. I tried this once and though it performed well.
How to regrip a squash racket
Here’s a video I did that doubles as a review of Tourna Grip plus a tutorial on how to regrip a squash racket. (This was recorded before I found Solinco grip.)
Soon I’ll record a new video that’s just for the regripping but this ought to do for now.
If you can’t watch a video right now, the basic premise is this:
- Remove the old grip (if desired)
- Start applying the new grip from the very butt end of the racket
- Often the new grip will have a tapered end — this is what you start with at the butt end
- Wrap the grip tightly in the beginning so it hugs the end of the squash handle that bulges out
- After that just wrap slowly and consistently, with a little bit of overlap, up to the throat of the racket
- Use the bit of tape that comes with the grip to finish it off
Pro tip: get a roll of electrical tape for your bag. This is thicker, more secure, and more satisfying than the thin little piece of tape that usually comes with grips.
Frequently-asked questions
How often should you regrip a squash racket?
You should regrip a racket whenever you feel the old grip is not performing for you, for whatever reason. Simple as that. It could be because the old grip is no longer as grippy or as absorbent as it once was. It could be because the old grip is dirty and you want a fresh, clean look.
At the end of the day, your grip is a very personal matter. For fun, do you want to see the grip Ramy Ashour used to win the World Championships? Sure you do. Here it is:
Now myself, I could never play with that grip. What a mess! But it worked for Ramy, and I’m posting that photo just to emphasize that grips are all about your own feel. After all, the grip is your only point of contact with the racket. Do whatever makes you comfortable.
Can you use a badminton or tennis grip for squash?
Yes, you absolutely can use badminton or tennis grips for squash. In fact many of the products listed above are marketed primarily to other sports but work great for squash rackets.
What about gloves or antiperspirant lotions for squash?
In racquetball, you often see people wearing gloves when they play, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen this in squash. I’m not sure why it’s like that, but I don’t see any reason you couldn’t try using a glove.
There are also a number of antiperspirant lotions you can apply to your hand to reduce sweating. My friend CJ uses Dry Grip and I’ve tried it once and found it helpful.
Will says
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Does anybody know what grips stay tacky the longest? I need a grip that lasts long in cold weather.
Wafa says
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Hi Pierre,
Like almost everyone in the post, I have super sweaty hands (yes, racquets fly out after a long rally). I came across a little discovery today. I decided to use a racquet that has been in storage since 2007. The grip (as you can imagine was dry). Rubbing the grip produced tiny powder-like shavings. The effect of these shavings was similar to having talcum powder/ baby powder. Surprisingly, it was the best grip I ever used, however, this is clearly not sustainable as the grip is wearing off bit by bit.
So my questions are:
– Using talcum powder on grips? is that something common? Any practical feedback on whether it actually works or plays out?
– Are there grips that have a similar effect / feel?
Thanks,
Pierre says
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I never tried talcum powder! My friend CJ uses Dry Grip antiperspirant lotion, which I just realized I never added to the post above but will do now
Jan says
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@Pierre’s post from August 2nd,
yes that’s the overgrip I am referring to.
I like to call the grips by their acronyms since I find their names little meaningful.
According to Eric the G08 SOFT75 is his second best overgrip for sweaty hands, outperformed only by the G16 POWER GRAB, which is supposed to be made of the same base material as G08 but has an added bulge stitched to the bottom part of the tape.
I have not yet tested the G16 though since I hold my racket a little further up the handle and am not sure the G16 would offer me any benefits and also because I am afraid the bulge could give me blisters.
I think the most complete list of all the RKEP grips can be found at the bottom of this auction here:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/140397885894
Since the information can be a little overwhelming I found the following post at BadmintonCentral which complies with my observations:
http://www.badmintoncentral.com/forums/index.php?threads/rkep-grip.81662/page-49#post-2097016
Dry hands?
G01 SUPER SOFT (replacement grip), G05 ULTIMATE (replacement grip), G10 WET TAPE (overgrip) or G11 WET TAPE [G10 with holes] (overgrip)
Moderately dry/sweaty hands?
G06 POWER MASTER (replacement grip) or G09 ELITE [most popular RKEP grip according to Eric] (overgrip)
Very sweaty hands?
G08 SOFT75 (overgrip), G15 TOWEL GRIP (replacement grip) or G16 POWER GRAB (overgrip)
Not yet categorized?
G03 KING [probably categories dry to moderately dry hands] (replacement grip)
G04R CONTACT-RIB [probably categories moderately dry to sweaty hands] (replacement grip)
I tried the G15 TOWEL GRIP and have to admit I didn’t like it both because it was fuzzing a lot and also because I didn’t feel I had proper control over my racket, this is probably more suited for badminton rackets with thinner handles.
Finally, you don’t need to go through ebay, but can contact Eric directly at rkepracket@gmail.com
His English isn’t the best but he is very friendly and replies quickly, also you can order single pieces of what you like.
Don’t forget to tell him what colors you are looking for, else he will send you a colorful mixture of everything he has.
Before shipping he will send you a picture of all the items selected just to make sure he picked everything correctly.
Craig Rider AU says
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G’day,
I’ve been dealing with Eric since about 2009.
I’ve brought everything from Squash Rackets, Strings, Grommets, Grips and Balls.
My personal favourite racket of his is this SB03 Lighting (name changes every couple years) and is basically a Black Knight C2C Heat frame. It’s the best value racket I’ve used in 40+ years of playing Squash (other than the earlier days when I was covered by sponsorships).
Another RKEP racket to look at is the SP99 Wind (based on the ProSupex VBO Tour which I’m told is pretty close to a Eye VLite ),
Eric’s always prompt and friendly.
Niklas says
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Here are some thoughts on grips. I have gone from replacement grips to overgrips. Overgrips are faster to change, cheaper, just as good tack and usually you can use both sides. These points mean that you can change it more often than replacement grips for the same money. I only buy thin overgrips so they will not effect the grip size much.
Karakal PU Supergrip. I used to grip my rackets with this, but honestly I don’t get the huge love people have for it. In my experience it initially has great tack, but it loses this great tackiness after the first matches and becomes just average quite fast.
Technifibre Absolut Squash replacement grip. Good initial tackiness and feel but looses its best feel and tackiness quite fast. Okay for sweaty hands, but not great. I would call it overall an “okay” product but not the best out there. Seems to work for El Shorbagy.
Tourna Grip overgrip. The initial tackiness is good, not great. Has a dry “sandpaper-like” feel and great durability. The best grip for sweaty hands, where the tackiness actually increases with a little moisture and does not get slippery from sweat. As a bonus you can use both sides of the grip like Wilson and Yonex. One of the best overgrips on the market.
Rab Reflex Dry Overgrip. Tries to emulate the Tourna grip but succeeds poorly. Low initial tackiness which gets just a little better with sweat/moisture. I cannot recommend this product.
Wilson Pro overgrip. One of the best overgrips. Has a silky smooth feel, which is difficult to explain, with good tack. The smooth feel of this grip is probably its best trait. Okay for sweaty hands but not as good as Tourna. Average durability but you can use both sides, so a 3-pack actually becomes a 6-pack. Highly recommended
Yonex Super Grap overgrip. Quite similar to Wilson pro, but not as smooth feeling and maybe not as good for sweaty hands. Maybe looses its tackiness slightly faster than wilson, but overall a good overgrip. Average durability but you can use both sides.
Head Xtreme soft. Great initial tackiness. Has a nice rubbery feel and the neon yellow looks cool. Tackiness outlasts the Yonex and Wilson and has good durability. Slightly thicker than Yonex and Wilson. If you have sweaty hands it initially feels like it has good adsorbtion, but depending how much you sweat it will suddenly become very slippery. Only one-sided so you can’t use it twice, but overall a good tacky grip but not for those who sweat alot from their hands.
Salming Extreme Sticky replacement grip and overgrip. Both the replacement- and overgrip feel quite similar except for the thickness. Very good tackiness and has a rubbery feel like the Head. Nice feel and looks cool and with average durability. Not the best choice for sweaty hands. Overall good products.
These are just how i myself feel about these grips, and others might have different opinions. I’ve tried and tested a bunch of other grips aswell but i’ll get to them another time.
Play on buddies!
Jan says
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Hey Niklas, have you tried RKEP (Racket Expert) grips from ebay (“squash_mart”)?
I have very sweaty palms and am using the G08 overgrip at the moment because it’s both cheaper and offers me more control than Yonex AC102 “Super Grap”.
I would love to learn how you rank it compared to Tourna Grip.
Niklas says
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Hi Jan. Never heard or seen one of those before. Seems like a Taiwanese company? The shipping overseas to Europe doubles the price, so I think I will pass on them for now. Personally I’m more and more convinced that the Wilson Pro Comfort White is the best overgrip for me, not sure though how they work with very sweaty palms.
Jan says
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Hi Niklas,
correct, they are Taiwanese.
If I understood Eric’s (vendor/owner) posts over at BadmintonCentral correctly, RKEP seems to have access to some of the production facilities of both Karakal and Yonex and have created independent yet very similiar products to those of other well known brands.
Very similiar to the practice of some of the racket companies e.g. Harrow, Eye and Xamsa.
I agree, international shipping costs are a hurdle for those who only want to test a few of the grip tapes.
My friends and I ordered a mixture of 12 grips (both some replacement as well as some over grips) and a pair of their sports socks (hightly recommended) and paid 22 € including shipping to Germany, which we thought was a very competitive price.
My friends and I have very different preferences, those with dry hands prefer thick and tacky replacement grips and I on the other hand am looking for as thin yet absorbent/dry a grip as possible to cope with the slipperiness of my sweaty palms, which, besides the cheap prices, was a reason we were looking for a vendor who offered a broad range of different styles.
So far we especially like the thick, tacky G01 replacement and the thin, dry G08 over grip.
If you and Pierre would be interested in some of the RKEP grips it would be my pleasure to add the styles the two of you are interested in to my next order and send it to you for test purposes.
Just let me know.
Pierre says
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Thanks that’s very nice of you. I might even order a few for myself. Are you talking about this one?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/24-x-RKEP-G08-SOFT75-racquet-racket-0-7mm-over-grip-for-SWEATY-HAND-SOFT-feel-/130527535831?hash=item1e640c22d7:g:DzMAAOxyfVtSMAO~
Tor Schjølberg says
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Tackythistackythat. Curious about some leather replacement grips. Experiene anyone?
Pierre says
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I added a page for leather squash grips…
Ole John Aandal says
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I have tried, but not for long. To heavy(maybe 20 grams, so changes racket specks totally, but will work if having superlite headhavy(harrow 140 strung, balance 38) ending up with headlight heavy racket 160/34.
Kimono grip is the lightest http://kimonyusa.com/TechniLeather.html. I have tried this also, but leather grip is not so forgiving/dampened so I find it to hard on the hand, returned to regular karakal pu.
Tor, I have both leather grips(Fairway and Kimony) here in Norway if you still want to try/buy.
Ole
Jason Savel says
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Use a good quality wristband and the RAB Zenith white or yellow grip. Beats Karakal grips handsdown!
Alex says
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Sorry. That say this for karakal:
‘OVERVIEW: High levels of tackiness, sweat absorption, comfort and with incredible durability, the PU Supergrip sets the standard that all other grips aspire to. The grip is available in different colours, which all appear to have slightly different properties (green seems less tacky after extended use for example), but we found the yellow grip to be a standard-setter across the board’
Alex says
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Hi Pierre. As you’ve probably guessed by now, I am an Eye rackets fan. I think you should include other grips such as Eye X tacky grip. You can find reviews and information about other grips as well on the squashxtra app. The latest issue talks about grips. For example it says this about the Eye grip :
‘OVERVIEW: Super soft and extremely comfortable in hand, the X.Tacky offers a high level of sweat absorption and maintains its properties even after prolonged usage and heavy sweat exposure. The tackiness level is incredibly high, leading to a secure and comfortable feel, however this does mean that on-the-fly grip changes can feel clumsy and awkward especially when starting out and tackiness is at its highest’
Whilst for karakal it says this:
‘OVERVIEW: Super soft and extremely comfortable in hand, the X.Tacky offers a high level of sweat absorption and maintains its properties even after prolonged usage and heavy sweat exposure. The tackiness level is incredibly high, leading to a secure and comfortable feel, however this does mean that on-the-fly grip changes can feel clumsy and awkward especially when starting out and tackiness is at its highest’
I recommend that app for any squash fans
Rod Foster says
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the squashxtra app says the same exact thing for the eye grip and karakal grip?
or just a copy/paste error?
Carlos Porras says
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I have used both and I am a Eye Rackets fan too, but I have to say that Karakal are better than Eye grips. The duration is quite longer in Karakal, the feeling is similar, but I prefer thiker grips. So personally I prefer Karakal grips. And you can costumize your racket with the different colours of the grips!!
Carlos Porras says
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I like to add that Eye grips are better than I expected, is a soft, thick and dry grip. I a good starting point for this brand, if they improve some little aspects, they will have a grip at the same level of their unbelievable rackets.
Carlos Porras says
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“Is a good starting point…” The keyboard failed… Sorry
Alex says
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I only prefer eye grips because I hunk that karakal grips are too tacky and thin. It slightly irritates my hand, making it hot actually. The Eye grip is soft and not as tacky which is why I like it
Alex Seldin says
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Any experience with Kimony grips, specifically the ridged badminton grip?
http://kimonyusa.com/BadmintonSpiral.html
Seems like it might be a good option for the sweaty-handed.
David McKinley says
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Hi Pierre,
I have extreme grip problems due to very, very sweaty hands. Do you have any grip recommendations or advice? I have tried just about any and every grip that has been recommended to me. The grip either becomes immediately too slippery due to sweat (happens with most PU/tacky grips) or I saturate the grip entirely (happens with most non-PU ‘absorbent’ grips). I have to resort to Tacky-Towel but this is far from ideal as I sacrifice being able to move up and down the grip and changing my grip positions ever so slightly. If anyone has any advice, that would be greatly appreciated.
David
Pierre Bastien says
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Hi David, I have moderately sweaty hands and the only grip I’ve ever felt entirely comfortable with is Tourna Grip. I guess you have probably tried that though.
My friend CJ uses a product called Dry Grip
Let’s see if anyone else comments with other ideas.
Jaspe says
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I have also use Zateq x tac grip and this is spitze. is even cheaper than Karakal. I buy here in Deutschland:
http://www.dlsports.de/squash/squash-grips/zateq/index.html
Pierre Bastien says
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Thanks – I’ve added a page for Zateq grips
Johan Söderberg says
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Hello, I also think the best grip was Karakal PU Supergrip. But now I´m sure I have the best grip ever made, Zateq X-tac, see http://www.squashgearpro.com/da/squash-grip/1188-zateq-x-tac-replacement-grip-black-1-stk.html
So soft and tacky. And durability are topclass!
//Johan
Pierre Bastien says
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Thanks Johan, I never heard of that one before.
Jason says
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I find the Wilson overgrips to be best, Tournagrip is definitely the best if you’re hands sweat a lot, but I hate the way it feels, and I hate the fact that there’s no glue at the beginning and its not cut at an angle, plus they give you so little that I barely ever have enough to finish up my grip.
Bård Årnes says
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Have you tried the Eye grips? I find them quite consistently good, as I don’t like the tacky nature of the Karakal grips.
Not a fan of the Wilson grips. Bland, textureless to me.
Pierre Bastien says
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Thanks Bård, I haven’t tried Eye grips. I actually have an Eye racket on hand but I put a Tourna Grip over it. Will take that off and see how it plays. It’s been sitting under the Tourna Grip for several months so it may not be “fresh” but we’ll see.
Rod Foster 🛡️ says
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Just thought i should put my 2 cents in
i’ve gone through a ton of grips and over grips myself….
i tend to stick w/ original racket grip then apply an over grip as well…like most here
i’ve used tourna grip and wilson and feel w/ 100% certainty that the Wilson grip is just frickin awesome…it’s tackier, lasts longer, and is a bit easier to apply.
I use Amazon Prime for most of my Squash stuff and the over grip as well:
http://www.amazon.com/Wilson-Pro-Overgrip-Optic-Pink/dp/B0013JBV3M/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1446481875&sr=8-12&keywords=wilson+over+grips
check that out and read their reviews as well….one member even compares the wilson the tourna grip
all the best and happy squashing!
rod
Lucas Nicolau says
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I bought 2 harrow rackets and they send me 2 harrow grips.
In my opinion the harrow grips are really good, soft and tacky. It was a really good surprise, I would definitely give preference to harrow grips.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t find harrow grips to buy and the only one that sells in my city are the karakal ones, not bat.
Pierre Bastien says
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Thanks all. I’ve added a page for Ashaway grips. I will keep an eye out for the Wilson grips and the Gamma head protection tape.
Rod Foster 🛡️ says
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I’m w/ Pierre i tend to only do overgrips as well
i’ve tried a lot and really love the Wilson overgrip and comes in a ton of colors and really feel the wilson should be listed here as they’re a wonderful affordable overgrip.
currently i’m using tourna grip and like that as well …so, between those two i got it covered.
i’ve tried karakal as far as a replacement grip and really love them…very tacky and seem to not be affected too badly by sweat
that said i had just purchased a six pack and using those…and then putting the tourna grip over it…really like the feel of that combo.
Brock in HK says
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In my book, the only grip to use is the Karakal PU in yellow. All the other colors have different performance characteristics, especially the green, which tends to slip around for some reason. I would love to use green, as it’s a cool color to have on your squash racquet, but the yellow grips perform best and most consistently, and you can get them by the box.
My racquet gripping technique is to start with the raw racquet handle, and then use wraps of head protection tape (the clear stuff by Gamma – usually for tennis, but good for squash too) and overwraps to get to the desired base thickness. The top layer before putting on the final grip should be a layer of the head protection tape, which provides a smooth surface for the grip to adhere to, while also allowing for a clean removal of the top grip when it becomes worn.
bygagabog says
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Almost all Ukraine players using Karakal grip its #1 grip in our country and its really good grip.
But now i found for my self new grip its – Ashaway , not popular in our country, nobody sell, but i want to say that i like more then karakal. So who like to try i will advice to buy next time.
But i cannout undesrtand why offical website of Ashaway not provide this producst? can see only strings