There are Tacky, Dry, Slip Resistant, Absorbent, Perforated, and etc.. types of grips. Tennis Grips are often thought of in 2(3) ways. The grip in which a person holds the racquet. (Western, Semi-Western, and Continental) and the type of grip someone puts over the original grip that came with the racquet when you bought it. We are going to discuss that later in this article and figure out which Tennis Over Grip is right for you.
The Reason why I put 2(3) types is because there is the original grip the racquet comes with; and the overgrip or overwrap. Sometimes that grip is made out of a Synthetic Material, but sometime it is made out of leather for more of an Old School Feel to it. “An overgrip (also known as an overwrap) is a soft, padded, clothlike tape wrapped around the grip of a racquet, and are commonly used in the sport of tennis, badminton, squash, and pickleball.” – Wiki
What are the different Types of Tennis Grips? (Overgrips)
Tacky Tennis Grips:
Tacky grips generally add comfort and a level of stickiness when you first grab the racquet. These are the most common grips as they are the most comfortable to play. You will see Feder, Nadal, and Djokovic all playing with a Tacky Grip. However each Tacky Grip can change in its level of Thickness and the water/sweat absorption. Grips can range from .5mm to .75mm. A thinner grips gives your better feel around the racquet while a thicker grip is a little more comfortable and absorbs a little better.
Dry Tennis Grips:
These dry grips are great for players who sweat a lot and who live in hot or humid climates. While these dry are not the most comfortable grips, some players simply can’t play with anything else due to perspiration. There is not much worse than a slippery racquet on a too hot to function anyways kind of day!
Perforated Tennis Grips:
There are not mainstream grips yet but I like the idea of these grips. They have a nice mix of Tacky, but also allow your hand some air to breathe. It’s like a comfy mesh material that helps get airflow to the sweat and absorb sweat. They are however not either the most comfy or most slip resistant, but do tackle both issues.
Use Tacky If: We recommend the tacky grip if you are a casual player that plays for fun and not very often. We also recommend if you are a doubles expert that A. doens’t sweat as much as a singles player… or B. Looking for a nice feel to the racquet as Tacky grips are generally the most comfy.
Use Dry If: You can’t keep that dang racquet in your hand. Although tacky grips can do well with sweat, dry grips are the most sweat resistant. Or if you like a drier feel the racquet. If you are a sweater or play in the most humid of environments, you should try out a Dry Grip.
Use Perforated If: If you play a decent amount, sweat a decent amount, and still want some comfort and feel to your grip.
As we know tennis grips come in a variety materials geared for each players desires. But remember the level of the thickness or thinness of a grip will affect the grips overall performance and durability as well. Also it is a fun to play around with the color of the grip. Most grips come in colors starting from White ranging to Black, Blue, Yellow, Purple, Pink… Any color you can dream of. Sometimes you can even customize your grip to put a logo or a design on the grip. They often take away from quality when you add to much to the racquet, but some tennis have the mind set, “you gotta look good to play good.” (And we agree!)