7 Best Gymnastics & Lifting Grips in 2024

The best gymnastics & lifting grips can be made of various materials, but preferably leather, as it’s more durable and stronger than most other materials. These hand grips for functional fitness should protect your palms completely, while also adding support to your wrist. 

This will allow you to perform all the different exercises and WOD movements that are necessary for a cross training program. Lastly, best fitness hand grips come with additionally stitching to prolong longevity of the grips.

Our team, which includes certified experts and professional athletes, has examined 11 gymnastics & lifting grips, and only 7 of them earned a spot on this list.

The grips were assessed based on 6 important criteria, and our team spent over 100 hours testing them. Alongside the thorough testing, we reviewed hundreds of online user opinions. Keep in mind that this list is constantly updated, so don’t hesitate to leave a comment and let us know your thoughts!

Top 7 Best Gymnastics & Lifting Grips Reviewed

1. WBCM Leather Hand Grips – Top Pick
2. Bear KompleX 2 and 3 Hole Carbon Hand Grips – Runner-Up
3. Cobra Grips PRO Weight Lifting Gloves – Best for Wrist Support
4. PicSil RX Grips – Premium Pick
5. WOD Nation Grips – Budget Pick
6. LYFT-RX Fingerless Carbon Fibre Hand Grips – Best Fingerless Design
7. AEOLOS Leather Gymnastics Hand Grips – Dual-Layer Design

Product	Total	Package	Design	Smell	Comfort	Reliability	Price/ Quality
WBCM	59.5	10	10	10	9.5	10	10
Bear Complex	58.5	10	10	9.5	9.5	9.5	10
Cobra Grips	56	9	9	9	10	10	9
Picsil	56	10	9	9	10	9	9
WOD Nation	55.5	9	9	9.5	9.5	9	9.5
LYFT RX	55	10	9	9	9	9	9
AELOS	51	9	8.5	8	8.5	8.5	8.5

The WBCM Leather Hand Grips are the best there are and, as a bonus, their price is super reasonable. They’re made of real leather and they are 1.8 mm thick, so you get a balance between durability and comfort.

Once you break them in, they are very comfortable to wear, but keep in mind that these are leather, so you’ll need to break them in. This is completely normal for leather accessories and, even though it’s not ideal at first, with time, they’ll mold to your hands and they’ll be surprisingly comfortable.

Not to mention how durable leather is – you won’t need to change these for quite a while because they won’t wear out as fast as some synthetic grips would. 

The design is 3-hole with an adjustable strap and a full-length velcro, so the fit is very customizable and it works for hand sizes ranging from S to XL, and you can choose between 6 vibrant colors.

They’re very versatile and you can use them for cross-training, weightlifting, gymnastics, or other exercises like pull-ups, snatches, and deadlifts. These grips are reliable and offer support and protection for your hands. 

Maintenance is another great thing about them and it’s very simple. All you need to do is to use a mild soap and water to remove sweat and dirt after you finish with your session. If you’re tempted to throw them in the washer – don’t because you’ll damage them. 

You won’t find much to complain about with these. They’re durable, customizable, really comfortable once broken in, and you have lots of colors to choose from.

First of all you have plenty of variety with the Bear KompleX hand grips as you can pick between different hole options, colour ways, and sizes. It is made out of carbon fiber, which is supposed to be thinner than leather. However, if you think that might mean more wear and tear for your hands, you would be mistaken as the carbon fiber is flexible and forms to your hand well.

The high quality material combats slippage well as it’s sticky even without the use of any chalk, which makes them the best pull up grips on the market. This way, you can do any exercise you wish to without the fear of tearing your skin. 

The carbon fibre material is also lightweight and breathable, so there is plenty of comfort built into the product. Along with an adjustable wrist strap that keeps the buckle from digging into your skin. 

In terms of design, the hand grips cover most of your hand from the base of your palm to the bottom of your fingers. The design is also sleek as the different material gives it a fresh look compared to other, more basic hand grip looks. However, some may find it awkward at first that one of the 3 holes covers your index finger, which isn’t typical. 

Another feature that makes these grips well worth the price is that it comes with quadruple stitching. An issue other hand grips run into is that the constant high volume of workouts can break down the equipment quickly. But the quadruple stitching is done to give the hand grips more longevity and make them more durable. So, the Bear KompleX hand grips will last you a long time. 

The grips also come with a nice packaging, which includes carabiners, so you can easily carry the gymnastic grips around. These are the best option for price and quality.

The Cobra Grips Pro is made of a combination of neoprene and leather. This is unique because the neoprene creates a more comfortable product that is both breathable and flexible. While the leather component makes the grips stronger and firmer in order to keep your skin healthy and minimize things like slippage and chaffing.

This is one reason these grips are more expensive than others. However, you are also getting better wrist protection with these grips compared to other ones. Also, unlike other grips, these shift the weight that you are using to the base of your hands, in order to maximize strength output and to keep your hand from getting hurt. 

These are designed with no holes in them, so when using them for pulling exercises, simply toss the flap over the bar and grip the bar normally. You will feel more at home when using this style if you aren’t used to finger hole grips. 

While the grips do come double stitched, they aren’t reinforced. So, there are some concerns that the stitching will wear out sooner than you’d like. But that also depends on how regularly you use them for and which exercises in particular.

You can reliably perform most of the exercises you wish to, especially barbell exercises, as the leather component of the grips will give you a firmer hold on a barbell compared to some other material.

Lastly, the packaging quality is rather poor, and has an odd smell to it. That’s something to keep in mind, as the price doesn’t match with the quality you’re receiving.

The PicSil RX Grips are made of a patented fabric that makes them the first synthetic leather grips available in the market. The carbon fibre used in the making of these grips makes the product lightweight and comfortable to wear, while protecting your skin and hands.

They also give you a better grip, so the weight or the bar doesn’t slip from your hands when reliably doing exercises like Pull-ups, Muscle ups, Chest to bar, Knees to Elbow, Toes to Bars, Deadlifts, or Kettlebell exercises. So, if you’re looking for pull up grips for gymnastics & lifting, you can’t go wrong with these. 

The wrist portion of the grips is made of high resistant velcro, to provide more comfort to your wrist so that nothing digs into your skin when you’re performing the listed exercises. However, velcro wears down quicker than a buckle, so that’s something to keep in mind.

The design of the grips comes in a 3 hole fashion, with each hole being 1.8 mm in thickness. That should be plenty for most people, but is something to measure before making a purchase order. The design also features several colour combinations. 

They also come with cool packaging, which includes a carrying bag, so you can carry your grips without them getting dirty. The bag is 100% fully biodegradable, as well.  

The grips are a little overpriced, but they come with a warranty of up to 6 months with a money back guarantee in case any of the stitching or other parts of the product wear down sooner than you’d like.

The WOD Nation Grips are made out of leather and nylon. Leather is used for the grip itself, which is a big plus because leather is the strongest and most durable material you can use for grips.

Plus, the type of leather they use is thinner than normal, so you almost get this glove-like feeling when you wear the grips. While the nylon part is used for the wrist strap, which adds to the comfort and feel of the strap, without giving up too much in quality. 

Leather grips are reliable for essentially many workouts and training regimes, especially ones that involve barbells. Leather material allows for a firmer and more complete grip on a barbell. 

The grips also come with a triple stitching for the wrist strap to prolong both the longevity and durability of the grips. But an area they do lack is in sizing options. They only have 3 sizes available. They also only offer 2 finger hole grips, which means there is less overall protection to the palms and skin compared to a 3 finger hole grip. 

However, perhaps due to the limited options and 2 finger hole grips, they are selling the grips at a lower price point compared to most of their competitors. They also have an aesthetically pleasing design to them, but it’s not too different from other grips. While the packaging is not eye-catching as it’s transparent and simple.

As the name suggests, The LYFT-RK Hand Grips come without any finger hole options, which can be a positive and a negative. Some lifters prefer to not use the finger holes even when they have the option and simply like to throw the flap over the bar and grip it the bar that way.

However, you can always do that even when you have the finger hole options. So, lacking one reduces your options. 

But despite that, the grips cover most of your palm and have a 2mm thickness that keeps your hands and skin protected when you reliably do all the various exercises and workouts.

But you do only have a single sheet of carbon fibre between your hand and the bar or barbell, so there could be concerns about blisters and calluses still. Especially after a few months of using the product. 

The wrist strap has both a velcro and steel buckle component to it and comes double stitched to add to the durability of the grips. The stitches are to the outside part of the grips, so you don’t feel them when you workout. That’s a bonus for comfort. 

One reason it is a fingerless design is to add to the transition between exercises. When you go from one workout to the next, all you have to do is fold the flap down and it will stay bent, or you can seamlessly rotate the grips around so the flap is on the back of your hand. This way you can continue with your supersets or WOD workouts wasting no time. 

The AEOLOS Hand Grips are great gymnastic grips made of premium leather, which ensure that the grips will be tough and durable enough to protect your hands and skin. What makes it even more unique is that it has a 2 layer leather system to add more safety. However, the extra thickness could interfere with properly gripping the bar or barbell. 

While the 3 finger hole hand grips cover most of your palm, plus the grips provide unique wrist stability as well. The wrist straps are ergonomically designed to reduce pressure and the chances of wrist strains while you go through with your workout program and switch between different types of exercises, including gymnastics, which makes them the best gymnastic grips. 

The grips also come with a few added benefits. One of them being a free carrying bag and the other being a 100% satisfied guarantee, which means you can either return them and get your money back or swap them for another pair if you don’t like the first one. 

The packaging is also a plus for the AEOLOS gymnastic grips as they come with their own carrying bag, so they don’t have to get tangled up with your other equipment. But despite that, they have an old stale odor to them.

What Are Gymnastics Grips?

Gymnastics grips are very useful, and one could even say essential, especially in gymnastics, weightlifting, and other activities based on strength training. They usually have a protective layer (made of leather, for example) that covers your palms and fingers, leaving the fingertips exposed for dexterity.

They act as a barrier between your skin and the equipment, like bars and rings. They reduce friction and prevent blisters and calluses, which often accompany exercises that need a lot of lifting and gripping.

The design is especially important in gymnastics, where athletes frequently perform very intense maneuvers on various apparatuses. Weightlifters use them, too, because they give a secure grip on barbells and dumbbells, and they improve stability. With a pair of grips on, there’s less risk of slippage during lifts. 

If you do activities that involve repetitive gripping and swinging motions, you need a pair of gymnastics grips. Take gymnasts for example – they rely on grips to maintain a firm grasp on uneven bars, parallel bars, and rings, so they’re able to do intricate routines precisely and with confidence.

Lifters use them to improve their performance in exercises like pull-ups, deadlifts, and cleans, where you can’t do anything without a strong grip because you need the lift to be both effective and safe.

With a strong grip, you’re at less risk of injury and your workouts are more effective, so if your grip isn’t naturally strong, don’t shy away from using accessories to help you out. 

But their uses go beyond weightlifting and gymnastics, and you’ll see a lot of people using them. Calisthenics, Gymnastics & Lifting, and functional fitness all benefit from the use of gymnastics rings.

What Are The Benefits Of Using Gymnastics & Lifting Grips?

✅ Improves Your Grip

When working out, it’s often the smaller muscle groups and weaknesses that interfere with maximizing your training. An example of this is your grip strength with pull ups or deadlifts. If you have a weaker grip, you will get tired sooner, the weight will shift and move during your set, and even your forearms will get exhausted quicker. 

But when you use equipment like pull up hand grips, they can aid with your grip through the material the gymnastic grips are made out of. So, you end up having a stronger and firmer grip, which won’t slip due to things like sweat or muscular fatigue. 

So, you end up getting more out of your training.

Our expert Tanya Shaiko noted:

"Boost your grip during heavy lifts or high-rep workouts with hand grips. Use them when fatigue sets in to maintain control and prevent calluses. A game-changer for any lifter!"

✅ Protect Your Skin

If you’ve worked out long enough, you’ll have experienced your fair share of calluses and blisters. Once you develop them, you can’t train the same way for a couple of days as you have to let your skin heal, otherwise you can further tear your skin. 

This is a common issue in functional fitness because of all the pull ups and kettlebell swings, and deadlifts associated with the sport. So, in order to prevent damaging your skin, fitness grips can add a layer of protection between your skin and the barbell, kettlebell, or pull-up bar.

✅ Protect Your Hands

Hand injuries are also an issue that you can face, especially when you’re trying to push your limits in pull-ups or deadlift type of exercises. The reason being, your hands and grip will be tired by that point, so the weight can end up placing pressure on different parts of your hand and even damaging it.

A workout grips can prevent this from happening because the grip keeps you from overusing your hand and forearm muscles and even helps guide the weight to the proper areas of your hand.

When Do You Need Gymnastics & Lifting Grips?

1. Beginners

If you’re new to gymnastics & lifting, it can be a good idea to start off with a gymnastics & lifting grip. The reason being, your body, particularly your hands, will not be used to the volume of swinging, pressing, and deadlifting exercises involved with gymnastics & lifting, so your skin has a high chance of getting damaged. So, it’s a good idea to have gymnastics & lifting bar grips.

While your grip might not be strong enough to perform each set and rep with the proper technique.

Our expert Jacek adviced:

"Hand grips can be useful for beginners starting their kettlebell journey. In the beginning before you improve/master your technique they can save you from more than a few hand injuries allowing you to keep training and gradually toughen your skin."

2. Recovering From An Injury

It goes without saying that if you’ve had a nasty encounter with blisters or have injured your hand or wrist in the past, it’s a good idea to use equipment such as fitness grips in order to avoid any further or future damage to your hands.

3. Specific Exercises 

What causes blisters and can harm your hands is swinging type of exercises, or exercises where grip strength matters. One obvious one is pull ups, either with a ring or bar, especially the kipping style that is popular in fitness. Majority of the kettlebell exercises will require some type of hand protection too because the handle of the kettlebell is often shifting and moving in your palm.

Our expert Sergii Putsov wanted to add:

"As an athlete, I use sometimes grips for my deadlifts and pull-ups to boost grip strength, but I definitely skip them for precision drills like snatches where muscle feel and technique are crucial."

Deadlifting is another exercise where grip strength is vital and if you lack it, your form will suffer, so it’s better to use something that aids your grip. Lastly, Olympic weightlifting style lifts, such as the snatch or clean and jerk, can also put pressure on your hand and skin, so using a gym grips then can be beneficial.

What To Look For In Gymnastics & Lifting Grips?

1. 2 Holes vs 3 Holes

Workout grips either come with 2 holes or 3 holes for your fingers. For picking between these two styles, it mainly has to do with preference. 2 hole grips cover less of your hand compared to 3 holes. However, some people prefer that as it may feel more natural to them. Especially if they are new to using gymnastics grips. 

2. Material 

Material is a key factor to consider. Leather offers durability, natural feel, and molds to your hand over time, so they become more and more comfortable as you wear them. Neoprene grips, on the other hand, are very flexible and they provide a decent amount of cushioning, which means there’s less risk of skin irritations during use.

The trouble with neoprene is, it’s not as durable as leather. You can also go for rubber grips, which are great in humid environments, or you can choose synthetic blends.

They combine different materials to offer a balance of durability, flexibility, and good grip. They often have reinforced stitching and antimicrobial properties, meaning you get better performance and more hygienic grips.

3. Wrist Support

Pull up bar grips also come with a wrist strap. Certain straps are longer and thicker than others, which might take some time getting used to if you don’t wear wrist straps already. So, it’s ‌a good idea to keep an eye out on the dimensions of the wrist strap before making the purchase.

4. Buckle vs Velcro

Another thing to consider is the wrist strap style. Many either come with a buckle option to strap the wrist or a velcro option. Both have their positive and negative as a buckle is more secure, but a velcro one can be more comfortable. However, velcro can wear out quicker than a buckle.

5. Shape/Design

Grips come in different shapes, like the narrow or wide designs, and each shape is meant for different needs and preferences. Narrow grips offer a more focused contact area, so you have more precise control and maneuverability.

They’re good for people who perform intricate movements or those that have smaller hands. Wide grips offer a broader contact area and distribute the pressure more evenly across the hand, which is great for weightlifters.

The choice depends on your training goals, the size of your hands, and the types of exercises you do. If you’re a beginner or if you’re more focused on skill development, narrow grips are the way to go. Those that are advanced or want maximum strength should opt for wider grips.

Gymnastics vs Lifting Grips

1. Price

Gymnastics grips tend to be more affordable compared to lifting grips, so if you’re looking for something a little bit more budget-friendly, those are your best bet. They will suit people looking for basic hand protection and they won’t break the bank.

Lifting grips are pricier because their construction is specialized and they’re usually more durable. 

2. Design

If you want a minimalist design, go with gymnastics grips. They will cover your palms and fingers and leave your fingertips exposed for dexterity, so they’re perfect if you want a good grip on equipment during gymnastics routines.

Lifting grips are designed with reinforced materials and ergonomic padding and offer superior hand and wrist support. They’re ideal for heavy compound lifts like deadlifts and squats. 

3. Durability

You’ll get decent hand protection out of gymnastics grips, but they’ll wear out quicker than lifting grips, especially if you do rigorous strength training. Lifting grips are more durable and the materials they’re made of are more robust because they need to withstand the demands of intense weightlifting sessions. 

4. Versatility

Lifting grips are a winner in this category. Gymnastics grips are made specifically for gymnastics routines and the coverage is minimal to maintain flexibility and precision during maneuvers.

Lifting grips, on the other hand, are versatile enough to work for a wide range of exercises, from deadlifts and squats to pull-downs and rows, because they’re designed ergonomically and their construction is very sturdy. 

5. Comfort

Gymnastics grips offer a snug fit and minimal padding to maintain tactile sensitivity and control during routines. Lifting grips are more about cushioning and wrist support to keep the discomfort and fatigue at bay during heavy lifting sessions.

How To Use Gymnastics and Lifting Grips?

Step 1: 

Buckling or strapping the gymnastic grips around your wrist. These aren’t necessarily wrist wraps, so you don’t want to go too tight. A general idea is to have the grips loose enough that you can still spin them around your wrist. 

Step 2: 

Whether or not to use the finger holes of the grips. This comes down to preference. The traditional way to use the gymnastic grips is to stick your fingers through the finger holes and curl your fingers to create a flap.

However, if the bar still bothers your calluses, you can raise the grips up on your fingers and lengthen the flap. But, some actually prefer to not use the finger grips and simply toss the flap over the bar and curl your fingers over the flap.

Step 3: 

Once you’re done performing your exercise, simply open your hand up and release the bar. After which, you can either take the grips off for the time being, or if you weren’t using the holes to begin with, you can simply let the flap hang.

FAQ

What Do You Use Gymnastics & Lifting Grips For?

Gymnastics and lifting grips are mainly used for protecting your hands and skin when performing high repetition pull up variations, deadlifts, muscle ups, using Olympic rings, and even for exercises that use kettlebells. These types of exercises rub your skin and can cause damage to it.

How Big Should My Gymnastics & Lifting Grips Be?

If you’re new to using grips, your initial reaction might be that the grips are too big for you because there is a lot of slack after you put them on. But that’s actually a good indicator that the grips are the correct size. Another good indicator that the grips are the correct size is if they cover up to the 3rd joint of your finger.

When Should I Replace My Gymnastics & Lifting Grips?

It really depends on how much you use them. If you’re regularly using the fitness grips, then every 6 months is a good idea because, by that point, either the stitching or the protective layer of the grip will wear down. But if you are using them say weekly rather than daily, you can probably go up to a year before needing a new pair.

How Do You Break In Gymnastics & Lifting Grips?

It will take a couple of sessions to break in your gymnastics & lifting grips. But if you want to speed up the process, you can spend some extra time simply grabbing a stationary barbell with the grips and rubbing the knurling of the bar back and forth, grinding your grips on it. It is also a good idea to do this after applying chalk on the grips.

Are Velcro Or Buckle Grips Better?

Velcro grips are ‌quicker to put on and take off, however, the velcro wears down faster than a buckle grip. While with a buckle grip, there are fewer chances of the buckle to spring up, but wearing a buckle grip can be uncomfortable for some.

How to Care for Gym Grips?

Wash them after every use, with mild soap and lukewarm water and then leave them to air dry away from direct sunlight. You might be tempted to machine wash them, but that will cause damage, so refrain from doing that. Once they’re dry, store them in a dry, cool, dark place until you need them.

Conclusion

The best gymnastic grips for gymnastics need to protect your palms and hands and can even add stability to your wrists. These grips are made of high quality material, while also having a strong stitching pattern. The fitness pull up grips and hand grips which meet these requirements the best are the WBCM Leather Hand Grips. 

What movement puts the most pressure on your hands? How has using fitness grips improved your workouts? What do you value most in a fitness grip before purchasing one?

Let’s discuss all of this and any other questions you might have in the comment section below!

References:

1. Bree-Anna Burick “6 Benefits of Grip Strength You Should Give a Damn About,” BarBend, https://barbend.com/benefits-of-grip-strength/ (accessed March 18th, 2024)
2. Jamie McKillop “How to Prevent Hand Blisters From the Gym,” Well+Good, https://www.wellandgood.com/what-to-do-when-your-workout-gives-you-blisters/ (accessed March 18th, 2024)
3. J.J. Knapik, K.L. Reynolds, K.L. Duplantis, B.H. Jones "Friction blisters: Pathophysiology, prevention and treatment," Sports Medicine 20, no. 3 (1995): 136-147. 
4. Kiara Anthony “What Causes Muscle Fatigue?” Healthline, https://www.healthline.com/health/muscle-fatigue (accessed March 18th, 2024)5.
5. Robert Hicks, Andrew Tracey “The Best Exercises to Improve Your Grip Strength,” Men’s Health, https://www.menshealth.com /uk/fitness/a34411145/grip-strength/ (accessed March 18th, 2024)
6. All photos are made by our Torokhtiy Media Team