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In order to play tennis, you must grab hold of your racket. For comfort and cushioning purposes, every tennis racket comes with a grip. It’s standard.
Product Title Our Ranking Best For Buy Top
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Top Wilson Pro Overgrip 1 Overall Check Current Price
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Top Tourna Grip Original 2 Sweat Absorption Check Current Price
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Top Yonex Super Grap Overgrip 3 Sweat Absorption Check Current Price
Most players don’t think about the grip of their racket until it doesn’t feel so great. Whether it feels rough or the racket is slipping out of your hand, at some point or another, fixing it becomes a priority.
You’ve got three options with regard to your grip:
- Do nothing. Keep the original grip and play with it.
- Cover the original grip with an overgrip.
- Upgrade the original to a different grip – a replacement grip.
Let’s dive into what overgrips are and what constitutes the best tennis overgrips available.
What is a Tennis Overgrip?
An overgrip is applied on top of the original grip and it’s disposable. It’s designed to add to your current grip in a number of ways.
One primary purpose of overgrips is to make your tennis racquet handle tacky, more sweat absorbent, or more cushioned and comfortable. They can also be used to tweak the actual grip size of your tennis racquet.
For instance, if you have a 4 ¼ grip size but feel more comfortable with a 4 3/8 grip size, using grip tape (another name for overgrip) can help you to build up the base grip.
If you’re interested in the benefits of overgrips and replacement grips, check this out (URL). If you’ve determined that an overgrip is what you need, read ahead for our reviews of the best tennis overgrips available. I’ll also fill you in on some commentary on some that aren’t my top picks.
Our Reviews Of The Best Tennis Overgrips
Best Overall
Fantastic balance between a tacky grip and an absorbent grip.
You don’t have to pick one over the other.
With this Wilson Pro Overgrip you get the best of both worlds.
This is my go-to overgrip during cooler temperatures – the spring and fall seasons.
Sweaty Hands VALUE Option
Well-known for being the ultimate grip choice for tennis players with sweaty hands.
The folks at Tourna have designed something that takes your sweat and makes it work for you. It has excellent moisture absorption. It takes the idea of a tacky overgrip to a new level.
This is my go-to overgrip during hot and humid weather conditions.
I prefer it to the Tourna Grip Super Tac as that one just seems too tacky to me. Personal preference, but that’s my take on it.
If you like a LOT of tacky feel to a grip, the super tac might be for you. If you need a good amount of tackiness, the original Tourna Grip will fit the bill
Also, even with my sweat situation, the original works for me.
Best for Sweaty Hands
The Yonex Super Grap is a fantastic grip if you’ve got very sweaty hands.
If sweat is your primary reason for getting an overgrip, go with the Yonex Super Grap Overgrip.
It’s similar to the Wilson Pro, but not quite the same caliber of product for more than just sweaty hands.
If you’re waffling between the two and want cushioning along with sweat absorption, I’d go with the Wilson Pro.
Best for Comfort
I’ve been partial to Gamma products for a number of years. Back in high school when working at my local tennis center, one of the pros was sponsored by Gamma.
He got new string and grips and racquets and I got to test all of it out. These days I have to pay for Gamma gear myself – and I gladly do.
This Gamma Supreme Overgrip is super comfortable. It does lack some absorbency, but there are many ways other than a grip to keep your hands dry.
If you’re looking for a way to add comfort to your grip, this one will do the trick.
Middle of the Road
This grip is a jack of all trades, but master of none.
In this instance, that’s not a bad thing. It isn’t the most sweat wicking. It isn’t the thickest. The Head Prime Tour isn’t the thinnest either.
It’s a middle of the road overgrip that appeals to many. It has a tacky feel to it, but not so much that it’s overwhelming.
It provides enough cushion that you know it’s there, but not so much that your hand feels a sense of “ahh” when you grab the racquet.
It isn’t my favorite option, but it appeals to many.
Best Thin Overgrip
This grip is designed to be super thin and smooth.
For me, I’m not a fan, but that’s because I don’t like thin overgrips. I want an overgrip to help me customize the feel of my racket handle – for it to make an impact.
I see no reason to use an overgrip if I can’t tell that it’s there. I want an overgrip to provide additional comfort, control or tackiness.
But like so many other things when playing tennis, it’s about personal preference.
This Babolat VS Original might be perfect for you if you’re wanting some protection for your original grip, but don’t want to be overwhelmed with a tacky feel or increase your grip size.
Tennis Overgrip FAQs
How to Choose Tennis Overgrips
Tennis players choose overgrips based on what they need it to do.
If you’d like a little boost of size to your original grip size, consider getting an overgrip that’s on the thick side. The Yonex Dry Grap fits the bill here and it’ll also help manage sweaty hands.
If you are very sweaty and need a grip that’s both sweat absorbent and super tacky, the Tourna Grip Super Tac might be perfect for you.
When just a thin layer of grip is needed to either smooth out the original or make it last a little longer, the Head Prime Tour is worth considering.
Will an Overgrip Change How I Handle the Racquet?
An overgrip can change how you handle a tennis racquet if you don’t use the correct type of overgrip for you.
Using the incorrect type of grip may cause you to grip the racquet excessively which can lead to hand cramps, undue stress or even injury.
You must have control of the racquet, but a death grip isn’t necessary. Whether a grip is too tacky or not tacky enough for YOU is all that matters.
How Often Do I Need to Replace My Tennis RAcket Overgrip?
When an overgrip starts to fray, it’s time to replace it. After you’ve used them for a while, you’ll be able to sense when it’s about time for a new one.
Generally, a good rule of thumb for changing an overgrip is every 4-8 hours of play.
For more context, grips and overgrips need to be replaced based on how often you play. If you play once a year, you won’t need to replace your grip or overgrip very often because it hasn’t had much use.
Some professional tennis players replace grips multiple times within a match.
How Do You Apply a Tennis Overgrip?
We’ve covered this in a post all about how to regrip a racket. Check it out!
Should I Use a Tennis Overgrip?
I’m a fan of overgrips, so my response to this question is yes, you should use an overgrip. They can add a level of comfort to your racquet that you can’t achieve with the original grip.
In addition to comfort, an overgrip allows you to customize your racquet feel without spending a ton of money to do so.
How Do I Keep My Tennis Grip Dry?
You can keep your tennis grip dry in many ways. One is to buy one that’s very sweat absorbent.
Another way is to wear a sweat band, towel off regularly, or use a headband. Check out this post on how to minimize sweaty hands…
Choosing the Best Tennis Overgrip for You
It might take time to find an overgrip that suits you best. You may find that your situation is similar to mine in that you use different overgrips based on the time of year as that correlates to different weather conditions.
My two favorite overgrips in this list are the Wilson Pro Overgrip and the Tourna Overgrip.
Figuring out if you need a tacky overgrip, a dry feel, more cushioning, or a bigger grip size will lead you to the type of overgrip you need.
Try a few out. See what works best for you. If you’re still not sure of the benefits of overgrips, check this out.
There are many options available that you shouldn’t have to settle for something that doesn’t work for your circumstances.