Ripped hands.
Anyone who has done CrossFit for a considerable amount of time has the scars and stories of bloodied palms. It’s almost like a rite of passage for some. “Oh, you ripped your hands on those pull-ups? Now you’re a real CrossFitter!”
Basic hand care and proper hand protection can prevent you from losing days of training, so investing in worthwhile CrossFit grips is a solid idea. In fact, I think grips are one of the best CrossFit equipment pieces you can own. That’s why I dove into researching the best CrossFit grips and compiled the list below.
Why You Should Trust Us
I have been doing CrossFit for years, and we have two other people on the Garage Gym Reviews team—Kate Meier and Amanda Capritto—who are both avid CrossFitters, as well as certified CrossFit L1 Trainers.
We researched around 25 gymnastic grips and legitimately tested almost a dozen of them over the course of 35 workouts. We performed kipping pull-ups and other rig work to check out each grip’s ease of use when transitioning between the bar and other movements. Also, we reached out to companies to talk to them about how they made their grips.
Best CrossFit Grips
- Best CrossFit Grips Overall – Velites Hand Grips All-Terrain
- Best Budget CrossFit Grips – Rogue V2 Gymnastic Grips
- Best Fingerless CrossFit Grips – Element 26 IsoComp Gymnastic Hand Grips
- Best Durable Hand Grips – Bear Komplex 3 Hole Hand Grips – Carbon Fiber
- Best CrossFit Grips for More Reps – Picsil Azor Grips
- Best Single-Use Grips – WOD-N-DONE
Current Top Deals
- Element 26 IsoComp Gymnastic Hand Grips – Free U.S. shipping on orders over $50
Best CrossFit Grips Overall: Velites Hand Grips All-Terrain
Good for: People looking for a tacky, durable, and ergonomic pair of grips
The Velites All-Terrain hand grips are ergonomically designed for comfort and versatility, performing well in CrossFit and weightlifting workouts alike. You can use these hand grips with or without chalk, and they are machine-washable for easy care.
If you’re looking for grips that offer full-hand coverage while maintaining a strong, controlled feeling across multiple bar types, Velites All-Terrain hand grips are a standout choice. These grips are ergonomically designed and feature wide wrist wraps for additional stability. According to our tester, the Velites All-Terrain grips can be used with or without lifting chalk (and are easy to wash, too), earning a 4.8 overall score and our pick as the best CrossFit grips on the market.
For workout performance, we rated these grips at 4.5 out of 5. “These stick to the bar really well,” our tester said, “And as someone who has flown off the bar doing toes-to-bar movements, that’s what I always consider first.” While they did initially feel stiff, our tester reports that the grips break in more with each workout, ultimately leading to a better feel over time.
Durability is another standout category for the Velites All-Terrain grips, which we scored a perfect 5 out of 5. Our expert tester put them through multiple heavy pull-ups and toes-to-bar sessions, and she was impressed with the construction. “I’ve put these through the wringer,” she said. “They have top-tier construction, and I expect them to have serious longevity.”
Another perfect 5-out-of-5 rating for the All-Terrain grips arrived in our adjustability and ergonomics category. Our tester says they have excellent coverage, and the wrist wrap provides some much-appreciated stability. She also liked the subtle diagram that shows exactly where your thumb should go. “The little hand diagram came in clutch when I was trying to strap them back on in the middle of a workout while completely exhausted,” she said.
Our primary callout for the The Velites All-Terrain hand grips is the price: They aren’t necessarily cheap, with a retail price of $69.99. Our tester also warns that they can be pretty stiff through the first few uses. “They’re a bit pricey and take a few sessions to break in,” she said, “But if you want your hands fully protected and demand maximum stability on the bar, you can’t beat these.”
Best Budget CrossFit Grips: Rogue V2 Gymnastics Grips
Good for: The budget-conscious shopper who needs hand protection
Rogue’s Gymnastics Grips are the proven accessory for protecting your hands during high-rep pull-ups, kettlebell swings, toes-to-bar, and dozens of other palm punishing movements.
If you want a decent pair of gymnastic grips that are less expensive yet still deliver worthwhile control, the Rogue V2 Gymnastic Grips will more than get the job done. I’m a fan of budget-friendly equipment when the product doesn’t sacrifice too much for the price. I’d say these grips fall into that category.
Before we set out to test the best gymnastic grips available, these are the only grips I had ever really used. I started with a short pair and then realized after watching videos of Rich Froning and Annie Thorisdottir that a majority of the top CrossFit Games athletes use extra-long gripsm so they can put a fold over the bar. Once you use a longer pair of gymnastic grips, it’s hard to go back to a shorter pair.
The Rogue V2 Grips feature a 2.5-inch wide piece of leather that has suede texture on both sides for hand comfort, as well as extra grip on the pull-up bar. In our testing, the Rogue V2 Grips proved to be a durable pair of gymnastic grips; however, after a while (and lots of chalk), the grips did begin to get slippery.
The way the grips fasten to your wrist is through a Velcro strap that keeps them in place. That said, it’s also very uncomfortable on the wrist and can dig in rather easily. The plastic buckle also tends to dig into the skin and is on the same side of both grips.
What this means is that Rogue is not making grips that correspond to your hand, but rather the same design that causes the buckle to sit on different sides of the wrist due to them being the same. Although this is probably great for Rogue in regards to cost, it’s a less-than-ideal design and should be addressed.
Best Fingerless CrossFit Grips: Element 26 IsoComp Gymnastic Hand Grips
Good for: Anyone who prefers a fingerless grip design
The Element 26 IsoComp Gymnastic Hand Grips are made with heavy-duty materials, such as kevlar on the palm side, for increased grip on pull-up bars, gymnastic rings, and more.
Best Durable Hand Grips: Bear Komplex Carbon Fiber Gymnastics Grips
Good for: People looking for a durable pair of gymnastics grips
This unique, patented Carbon Comp design from Bear KompleX offers athletes a 3-Hole Hand Grip specifically suited to slick and powder-coated bars and handles.
If you’re on social media, you’ve likely seen many CrossFit Games athletes repping the Bear Komplex Carbons. Sure, Bear Komplex sponsors a lot of athletes, but many of them use them because they also like them. The Bear Komplex Carbon Fiber Grips are a clear front-runner when it comes to durable gymnastic grips that you’ll be able to use for a long time. We like the three-hole finger design (though there is also a two-finger option) and highly recommend them over the two-hole style.
However, the best part about the Bear Komplex Grips is the carbon fiber that is both lightweight and sticky. These are the first and only gymnastic grips we’ve seen using this material, and although we were skeptical at first, the carbon fiber sticks to the pull-up bar better than any material we’ve used. The Bear Komplex Carbon Fiber Grips are also well-built and will last longer than many of the cheaper options on the market.
We used the Carbon Grips quite a bit, and they showed very little wear at the end of testing. That said, the downside to the carbon fiber material is its versatility. Although we enjoyed them during all bar work, when it came to rings or off-the-bar exercises, they fell short in comparison to leather.
One improvement we’d like to see with the Carbon Grips is making the finger holes more of a rectangular shape. The circular cutouts dug into our fingers until they begin to stretch out during the break-in period.
Although we didn’t like the cutout holes, we did like the wrist strap. Most of the cheaper gymnastic grips are very uncomfortable around the wrist. However, the Bear Komplex Grips wrap the carbon fiber material around the wrist, which keeps the Velcro from digging in.
The aggressive angled design of the grips kept the material on our calluses, however, rather than the holes corresponding to the pinky, ring and middle fingers. For reference, they are meant to be on the index, middle, and ring fingers. We’ve experienced very little wear under our index finger over the years and were a bit confused as to why they were designed in this way. You can adjust, but it is a bit awkward.
Best CrossFit Grips for More Reps: Picsil Azor Grips
Good for: Lifters who want a secure grip that works well with chalk
Picsil Azor Grips are lightweight grips designed for CrossFit, gymnastics, and Olympic weightlifting. They’re designed to work well with lifting chalk, and can easily be washed with your regular laundry loads.
Best Single-Use Grips: WOD N DONE
Good for: People who just want to try grips or don’t use them too often
A single-use grip that’s perfect for beginners, or those who don’t use grips often.
Other CrossFit Grips We Tried and Researched
JAW Pullup Grips: Although JAW Pullup Grips are a popular option, there’s a reason you see very few CrossFit Games Athletes use them—that’s because they simply don’t perform as well as more traditional-style gymnastic grips. The JAW Pullup Grips are comfortable; in fact, they’re one of the most comfortable pairs of grips we tested. Due to their use of stretchy clots, however, they don’t wrap around the bar like we like to see grips used. The JAW Grips did not require any break-in time, as advertised ,and they can help keep your hands from ripping if that’s a large concern. The JAW Grips were also comfortable during barbell work due to their short and stretchy nature. For these reasons, we like the JAW Grips to avoid ripping, but prefer the traditional style for most bar and ring work.
Natural Grips: Natural Grips have been a popular option since their appearance on Shark Tank. Although the Natural Grips provide an incredible grip on the pull-up bar and rings, they rip very quickly. While we got by with a couple of sessions using the Natural Grips, they didn’t last nearly as long as they were stated to last, and they’re pretty expensive for how quickly you’ll have to replace them. If you don’t mind spending a ton of money on grips, then the Natural Grips are a decent option. Otherwise, simply make your own out of tape.
HumanX Palm Grips: This design will protect your hands, but isn’t as effective as the more traditional style of gymnastic grips. The wrist is somewhat comfortable, but the big leather pad simply doesn’t work very well.
RooGrips: We didn’t get a chance to test these ones out. However, based on their design and price, we have a good feeling that they aren’t to the level of our other picks, though we can’t say for certain without using them. They feature a thin piece of kangaroo leather, but for what they are, they seem to be overpriced at $50.
Victory Grips Stealth Grips: The Stealth Victory Grips take all of the things we really liked about the leather versions and instead uses a very lightweight microfiber material. The Stealths are an awesome pair of gymnastic grips and give an almost barehanded type of feel. We preferred the leather grips in use, but have talked to many who prefer these. You can’t go wrong with either.
How We Picked and Tested
To compile our list of the best gymnastic grips, we researched all of the major manufacturers within the industry, as well as reached out to industry experts and various forums. In addition, we went to Garage Gym Reviews HQ to rank and test all of the gymnastic grips we’ve used over the years. After researching around 25 different gymnastic grips that were worth your time and money, we narrowed it down to our top picks—all, of which, we acquired from companies to test out in-house.
There is an overwhelmingly large amount of gymnastic grips available for purchase today. Due to the growth of CrossFit training as well as gymnastics training for adults, the amount of people using gymnastic grips is likely more today than it ever has been. Accordingly, we had to have a plan when trying to decipher which grips were worth their weight. Here are some of the categories we examined during our testing trials:
Price
In our search for gymnastic grips, we found options at varying price points, although it seems that anything above $50 really isn’t worth your time (as are most of the grips below $20). When it comes to grips, like with other training equipment such as Olympic barbells or squat racks, you typically get what you pay for.
One thing we found with all gymnastic grips was that the lifespan and effectiveness of the grips are increased through the use of sweatbands underneath the grips during use. We highly suggest that no matter what gymnastic grips you purchase, you also get a pair of terry cloth sweatbands to absorb sweat and go under the gymnastic grips.
The gymnastic grips we picked to test could all be considered worth purchasing. Even the ones that didn’t make our list have various features that we found to be excellent.
Durability and Construction
We evaluated the overall construction, materials used, durability, warranty, and pricepoint of the best CrossFit grips.
During testing, we performed many different movements in and out of CrossFit workouts, including high-rep kipping pull-ups on various pull-up bars, kipping muscle-ups on wooden and plastic rings, strict muscle-ups using a false grip, kipping toes-to-bar, and more.
In addition to traditional gymnastic-type movements found in CrossFit, we also performed exercises featured in metcons such as handstand push-ups, burpees, and dumbbell snatches.
Finally, we asked the opinion of others on which grips they preferred.
Benefits of CrossFit Grips
While CrossFit recently may have popularized the use of gymnastics grips, the truth is that they have been around for decades. Competitive male and female gymnasts use dowel grips all the time in training and in competitions. This protects a gymnast’s hands against blisters as they flip and turn around bars.
We all want to move like Simone Biles, right? So, if she is using gymnastics hand grips, you might also want to consider it if you are doing cross-training that involves bar work.
Injury Prevention
By and large, we wear grips to keep our hands from suffering an injury. Simply hanging from a gymnastics bar or rings can give you calluses, but spinning around them when performing kipping movements and muscle-ups can actually cause the skin to tear. Grips shield your hands against that friction. Be warned, though: You can still tear, even when wearing grips. However, they do minimize those odds.
Better Grip Strength
If you have ever used a slippery pull-up bar, you know how frustrating it is to hang on for a few more reps. Many high-quality gymnastics grips are constructed to actually give you a better hold on the bar. Maybe the grip provides some stickiness that your hands and chalk can’t create.
In some cases, grips help with how long you can hold onto a bar by helping to prevent grip fatigue. The strap around your wrist that holds the grip in place should take some of the pressure off your hand muscles, thus (conceivably) lengthening the amount of time you can hang onto a bar.
Cleanliness
Lastly, some people feel a little safer with a grip between their hands and a pull-up bar or set of rings where other people, possibly strangers, have been sweating or possibly ripping or bleeding. A grip is by no means intended to be a guardian against germs and shouldn’t replace sanitizing and hand washing. However, if it gives you a little bit of comfort, then rock on.
What To Look For in CrossFit Grips
There are a few key components of grips you should consider when looking at gymnastics equipment grips:
Construction and Finger Holes
Although the gymnastic grips we recommend aren’t the absolute most expensive available, they need to be constructed well to provide a reliable experience over the product’s suggested lifetime. The quality of materials and workmanship of the company plays a large part not only in the performance of the grips, but also in how long they will last.
One of the key things to look at is how many finger holes there are. We recommend you go with a three-finger pair of grips as opposed to grips with two finger holes. Three-finger gymnastic grips protect the areas of the hand in which calluses are most likely to form and, therefore, rip. After using the three-finger design, you’ll have a hard time going back to the older style.
Materials
Although we found that we preferred durable leather, there were other materials that worked great with varying abilities to withstand high-volume workouts. Victory Grips Stealth Grips, for example, use synthetic microfiber that’s ultra-light and thin. Others, like Bear Komplex, employ carbon fiber as a go-to textile. Genuine leather tends to be extremely comfortable but has its drawbacks, like how to keep it clean. There are products that use silicone and other materials, but we prefer the materials in the products above.
Durability
Gymnastic grips are not designed to last a long time; in fact, a majority of the experts we consulted recommended that people who use them often to replace their grips at a minimum of once a year, and most people would be best off replacing them every six months. So, while we wouldn’t say there are many heavy-duty grips, there are grips that can last that long.
There are many “disposable” gymnastic grips available, as well, and although they are effective during use, their lifespan is much too short and we don’t see a reason to produce so much waste for a product that is inferior to our top picks (if you’re going to use grips long-term).
Warranty
Although gymnastic grips have a short lifespan, they should at least live up to six months’ worth of use. If they don’t, the company should have procedures in place to rectify the situation.
Price
The price of the gymnastic grips should be in alignment with the quality and features offered in the gymnastic grips. Value is important, but in seeking the absolute best gymnastic grips for CrossFit, it was of less importance than our other specifications. We found that the ones we liked best fell between $20 to $50 for the pair.
Best Crossfit Grips FAQs
What are the best gymnastics grips?
In our opinion, the Velites All-Terrain Hand Grips are the way to go. These hand grips are durable, ergonomic, and able to be used with or without chalk. They perform exceptionally well in home workouts and CrossFit workouts alike.
What grips do CrossFit athletes use?
CrossFit athletes are a little all over the place when it comes to their preference for grips. In 2018, CrossFit announced a three-year deal with Bear Komplex to be the official grip of the Games, and athletes like Mat Fraser, Tia Clair-Toomey, and Samuel Kwant have worn them. Katrin Davidsdottir has worn the Rogue V2 grips that made our list, as well.
It doesn’t surprise us that these top athletes are using the grips we found to be among the best.
Are two- or three-hole grips better?
As with anything else, there is generally personal preference here. However, we prefer the three-hole leather hand grips because they tend to better protect your hand where it is most likely to rip.
How big should my CrossFit grips be?
Your CrossFit grips should fit like a glove—not too tight that they cut off circulation or make your hands hurt, but not so loose that they’re falling off your hands.
