When choosing gymnastics grips for CrossFit or functional training, you’re balancing grip security, comfort, durability—and lately, even chalk use.
It can be a minefield deciding and ultimately to boils down to preference, we have put together a guide of some of the more popular options, pros and cons of each and a summary at the end.
There are two kinds – fingerless or finger-holed (Holes for fingers) these can then also be divided into chalk (They need to be chalked for better grip) or chalkless (no chalk but the bar has to be completely chalk free which can be a hazard).
Finger-Holed Grips
Pros:
1.) Secure and “locked-in” feel
2.) Less likely to slip on high-skill moves
3.) Great for rings and bar muscle-ups, Toes 2 bar
Cons:
1.) Slower transitions (flipping them off/on)
2.) Can dig into fingers or feel restrictive
3.) Sizing needs to be exact
Fingerless Grips
Pros:
1.) Fast transitions (great for mixed WODs i.e. Rig work and bar work)
2.) More surface coverage = more contact/friction
3.) More comfortable for some athletes
Cons:
1.) Can shift without proper technique
2.) Less “anchored” feel during dynamic movements
3.) Can be a bit bulky and thus feel less secured
Brand Comparison
There are so many different brands out there and have different styles and price points, it will really boil down to what you like best, we suggest asking fellow friends and members if you could try theirs before investing.
Velites – Strong wrist support, grippy, durable Slightly bulky, more high end
Frog Grips – Super grippy without chalk, minimalist Less palm padding, limited style, higher risk of slipping on our rig, higher on the price
PicSil – Great value, many choices, break-in time as they can be quite stiff initially
Reylenn – Premium build, lightweight, Less known, limited availability, unless on special higher on price.
Mammal Strength – Good overall performance, good pricing point and value
When buying make sure you check what surfaces are recommended – some state that they can only be used on powder coated bars – our bars are not powder coated but most grips will work on our bars.