Table of Contents
Tennis grip tape is of course what connects your body to your weapon of choice, your chosen tennis racquet. Choose the right grip tape, and you’ll experience benefits such as sweat absorption, a more comfortable feel, and less blisters emerging on your hands.
Choose the wrong one and you’ll experience discomfort, painful blisters on your hands, and you’ll need to change grips regularly due to natural perspiration. I believe that the list below is filled with the right grips, so feel free to browse the right ones for you!
#1: Tourna Tac Overgrip
You may notice a recurring theme for my suggested grip tape, which is the fact that all five recommendations are overgrips rather than replacement grips. This is because overgrips are typically much tackier, and they tend to absorb the sweat from your palm much better. I've listed the Tourna Tac overgrip as number one because there is no other grip on the market that does what this grip can do.
This grip is not to be confused with the original tourna grip, which is made out of carpet like material. The brand has now left this carpet material behind, and replaced it in the form of the Tourna Tac overgrip.
If you’re a bit unsure about this grip, as many of you could well be, please find a full review here. Here you will find full reviews from players who have used this grip, and just what exactly separates it from the rest.
Key Features
Specification
Pros
Cons
#2: Head Prime Pro Overgrip
These overgrips while they are very good, do come at quite a cost. A 12-pack is going to cost you more than £20, but then again, you must ask yourself if you are willing to make this investment for the comfort that this grip offers. The Head Prime Pro overgrip also gives quite a tacky feel, and I do believe that these grips are some of the more durable overgrips out there.
These grips are really quite soft on your hands, therefore you are not as likely to develop blisters after hours of play. They are also the grip of choice for Alexander Zverev, one of the top ATP players right now.
Key Features
Specification
Pros
Cons
#3: Wilson Pro Overgrip
This is the go-to overgrip for many players on both the WTA and ATP Tour. While I don't personally use these grips, I know that they are immensely popular with many players, and with good reason. They are probably the most comfortable of all the overgrips out there, which is the major reason that so many players choose this grip.
The only reason that I use the Tourna Tac overgrip as opposed to the Wilson Pro overgrip is purely because I prefer a hugely tacky feel on my grips. That doesn't mean that the Wilson Pro overgrip is not tacky, and it is solely down to personal preference what level of tackiness you enjoy.
Key Features
Specification
Pros
Cons
#4: Babolat Pro Tacky
Besides the Tourna Tac overgrip, the Babolat Pro Tacky ranks right up there with some of my favourite grips. I actually used to play with these overgrips when I was a junior, and I have to say that the comfort and quality that they offered rarely let me down. For the quality that you get they aren't actually that expensive either, which is always a plus.
As with all other overgrips, they do need to be replaced fairly frequently, but this is just a price that we all must pay to get the best comfort. I don't find these grips quite as sweat absorbent as others, but for the first few hours of play they really are fantastic.
Key Features
Specification
Pros
Cons
#5: Head Xtreme Soft
Head has delivered another great overgrip here, this time in the form of the Head Xtreme Soft. While the clue is given in the name, it's important to know that this grip has been designed with comfort as the primary objective. It's definitely not as harsh as other grips, which means that you should have reduced occurences of blisters developing.
Out of all of the overgrips that have made the list in this category, these grips are the cheapest by far. You can quite literally pick them up at your local sports store for less than £5, leaving you with more spare change for court time and practice.
Key Features
Specification
Pros
Cons
Conclusion
I am a player who prefers an extremely tacky feel, as my hands tend to perspire heavily when playing, and I feel that a tackier material gives me a greater connection between my grip and the ball. That’s just my personal preference, and yours will inevitably be different to mine. Please take the time to digest the benefits of each of my suggested grips, and choose the right one for your own preferences.