The 7 Best Grips for CrossFit in 2021
There are many aspects to CrossFit that make it the best and worst thing there is.
This is evident in everything from training to equipment. We've seen it with CrossFit shoes in particular. The fact is that CrossFit equipment needs to be versatile.
The potholder is another perfect example. If you want to keep your hands in good condition, these grips are essential. You're going to have to work a lot with your hands and you need to be able to protect them before they tear!
Today we're going to explain what you should look for in a grip, and what the best CrossFit grips are made of!

What to expect from Crossfit grips?
The purpose of a glove is, first and foremost, to keep the skin on your hands in good condition. We all know the cases of torn calluses and how much they can disrupt a workout - you can't do anything with an open palm or a hard workout.
Durability and protection come first, but they also need to be lightweight enough to handle weightlifting movements, barbells, and anything else you might come into contact with. That's why CrossFit has its own brands - gymnastics grips aren't built to handle the variety of movements required.
In addition, they must provide your wrists with enough freedom to move through the full range of motion, be well made, cost-effective, and implement all other features very efficiently. Design is well known, so any innovation must be truly positive and reliable.
1. Bear KompleX

With a 2 and 3 hole option, the Bear KompleX grips are well on their way! Construction is a key part of why we love these grips - they are sturdy and flexible, made from soft yet durable leather.
The leather design is perfect because it balances the resilience you need with the "grip" and function you need. They're not too "sticky" on the bar (which can cause tears and difficulty moving), but they don't slip or give you more grip, while still protecting your hands.
The design specifically targets strength and durability, while avoiding any hindrance to wrist mobility. This means you'll have full wrist motion for weightlifting, strength training, barbells, wall balls, or whatever else is in your WOD.
Stitch quality is an overlooked but essential part of a good grip. Bear KompleX grips feature a triple-stress stitch design, so you won't lose them in the middle of a workout due to weak stitches.
The main complaints from customers are discomfort at first. The problem here is simply that leather requires breaking in and you will have an adaptation process to using them if these are your first leather grips. To get around this, try soaking the grips in warm water, working them in, and then trying to wear them during your workouts.
For
- Durable leather handles
- Well secured stress points
- A great long term choice
Against
- Leather requires serious breaking in
- May be uncomfortable for first few uses
2. ProFitness Leather CrossTraining Grips

ProFitness grips are designed using suede leather for a softer product and more ergonomic design.
They adhere to the skin without binding, and do not require as much breaking in as a leather product. They are also available in 2 and 3 hole versions.
This design is likely to provide a slightly less durable grip than full leather, but that's the flip side of a more flexible design. They're still a great build quality, and you'll find that the breathability of this product is great for keeping your hands drier, reducing blisters and tears.
Even if the product suffers significant damage, it comes with a lifetime warranty. This means that even if they break down after a few years, you are entitled to another pair free of charge. This is a great guarantee, as you will never need to buy another pair - a sense of reliability and assurance that comes in handy with this type of product.
Negative reviews for this product are very rare and usually come from people who bought the wrong size. Make sure to check with the size guide and get accurate measurements based on your hand measurements or, better yet, other trainees' measurements! You need to know what size to buy or the functionality will suffer!
For
Durable leather handles
Flexible yet strong and textured
Well secured stress points
Lifetime warranty!
Against
- Occasional fit issues - check your size!
3. JerkFit WODies Full Palm

The first thing that strikes us about these grips is the addition of a connected handle and wrist support. This may sound like a great idea, but it's definitely going to be problematic for any weightlifting movement, and anything that requires an extended wrist position - like a wall ball.
These grips are great for movements like ring jumps and pull-ups, where the wrist position is relatively fixed. However, they lack the versatility we talked about at the beginning of this article: they aren't well-suited to the varying needs of CrossFit trainees.
There are also some concerns about the build quality. While the stretchy neoprene material may be soft and lightweight, it is unlikely to offer the same quality as a suede or leather product. With a woven fabric, there is an increased risk of tears and damage to the hand protection.
With 20% of critical comments, mainly focusing on the build quality and general lack of handling. This is obviously a problem, as that is the main purpose of the product!
For
Against
- Wrist support hinders movement
- Studies suggest this makes the situation worse
- Handle susceptible to tearing or deterioration
4. Aeolos Leather Gymnastic
The Aeolos grips are a leather-based product, although the actual design appears to be topped with felt or a similar soft, flexible material. This choice seems unusual, and we're not sure how Aeolos is trying to sell them as a 100% leather product with this type of design.
Either it is covered with another material or the leather is poor quality from the start.
Like the JerkFit grips, the Aeolos grips offer a useless and counterproductive wristband. The problems are the same as those encountered with the previous product: it hinders wrist movement, which is essential for various parts of CrossFit training - from weightlifting to jumping rope.
Overall, the main problems with this type of connected product are simple:
- The wrist support and handle are connected, which means you cannot move them independently
- The wrist support does not support the wrist - especially considering size issues
- If you're wondering why this is going to be a problem, think of it like exercising with a watch strapped, tight, to your wrist. This is the kind of feeling you'll experience when you're faced with this type of grip/support during a weightlifting or jump rope exercise. It's uncomfortable, hurtful, and definitely not helpful.
If you can only use it for a few types of exercises, you will have to take it off/put it back on during a workout. Those are valuable seconds added to your time, and any serious CrossFitter will know that this can be the difference between success and failure. That is reason enough to look elsewhere for a better alternative on the market!
For
Cheap
Against
- Wrist support does more harm than good
- Difficult to use
- Will slow you down
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5. WOD Fitters Textured
This is another leather product, although the texture and design are more durable. They are reminiscent of old school gymnastics handles, which give us a lot of resilience and stability.
Textured leather is great for improving the quality of the grips, while soft leather is a great balance between strength and flexibility. This makes it a good compromise for anyone looking for a durable grip that doesn't require too much breaking in or adjustment. This product will be perfect right out of the box.
The only issue that consistently occurs with the WODfitters product is the fraying of the strap itself. While the quality of the leather is excellent, the strap tends to be made of a low-quality synthetic weave, which makes it easy to tear and fray.
If this happens, the anchor point of the entire product is not sufficient; an effective anchor point is needed, otherwise the handle will be of no use.
These straps become even more concerning when you notice the ligature marks they leave on the wrists.
This is a bit harsh for a product that is specifically designed to support the wrist and prevent damage to the wrists/hands. If you use them regularly, you are putting your wrist tendons at risk and will feel like you have been held hostage for a month.
At most, we'd say they're useful for beginners, but you'll have to be very careful with the strap loop. It's a travesty, because everything else about this product is great!
For
- Durable leather handles
- A pleasant texture for better grip on the bar
- A beautiful long-lasting leather construction
Against
- The strap has so many manufacturing issues that the product is almost useless after a few uses.
6. WOD Nation
These grips are a middle of the road. They offer a soft leather grip with a very durable nylon strap. After the issues we had with the WODFitters strap, the size and build quality of this strap is reassuring!
The leather itself is soft, coarse and flexible. This may raise some concerns about the longevity of the product - as it is likely to lose its surface mass over time - but it does mean a good balance between texture, durability and flexibility. Overall, the product is off to a good start, although it doesn't promise a lifetime of use!
The problem is that over 20% of the reviews are negative. The first problem, which comes up again and again, is that the finger holes are way too big.
This problem is because they don't really protect the base of the fingers from damage, calluses and tears. The tears continue with the grips on, making them virtually useless.
While the strap is well constructed and sturdy, Velcro fastening is generally ineffective for weightlifting and other movements, and is uncomfortable for the wrists during the movement. Added to this are a few other practical and build quality issues:
- Color often shifts from handle to hand
- The grip is likely to bunch up and tear the palms of your hands (which is what you are trying to avoid)
- There is no return policy for some territories and customer service is unreliable at best.
- The build quality is poor, the size/thickness of the leather grip is unreliable and can cause hand issues
- Stretching the leather part of the handle
- The straps are often too smooth and render the handles unusable as they slide on the wrist (or, when tightened further, cut into the wrist)
For
- Nothing to note
Against
- The bracelet is more of a problem than an advantage
- The build quality is awful
- Inconsistent size/thickness/construction
- Does not protect hands - actually increases gripping and tearing problems
- More than one in five customers complain about this product!
7. Pheral Fit
Pheral Fit takes us back to the leather grip. It is a two-hole grip that protects the areas of the palm most susceptible to damage and calluses.
The rough, coarse leather on the palm provides excellent grip and protects you from the risk of knotting your hands during your next WOD.
The balance between smooth and rough leather means you'll have a good grip on the bar but won't be stuck to your handles - this means plenty of freedom of movement in the hand.
The breathability of the palm leather also means that sweaty, slippery hands are not a problem.
The main issue we found with these grips was a general quality issue. They didn't respond well to high volume gym work (the very purpose they exist for) and the sizing themselves tends to be inaccurate according to the manufacturer's sizing guide.
This is a problem for athletes with large or small hands, while the middle seems to have very few problems.
The build quality makes them difficult for some athletes to use, as the leather is easily stretched or deformed.
Unlike the issues with other leather grips, these are too soft and prone to bunching up in the hand - an easy way to further damage the hands. Overall, they are struggling with a quality issue!
For
- Breathable
- A double-edged design for durability and flexibility
Against
- Unreliable sizing guide
- Not suitable for gymnastics or high volume weightlifting
- Serious build quality issues
Final thoughts
If we were pushed to make a decision on the best product we reviewed today, we would lean towards the ProFitness Grips. It comes down to two simple facts: negative reviews tend to be the result of customer error, rather than a construction or design flaw, and they offer a lifetime warranty.
The value of a lifetime warranty on this product cannot be overstated. There is no way to get better value for your money than a lifetime warranty. This type of kit will eventually break and the ability to get another pair when that happens is absolutely incredible. This is exclusive to ProFitness and is the best warranty you can get.
Our runners up are the Bear KompleX grips - again, they provide a simple and durable product. The leather can be hard to break in, but that's both a sign of durability and an occupational hazard with this type of product! If it wasn't tough, it wouldn't do its job!
This type of product is going to be useful for protecting your hands, but it doesn't require much more than that. It's a simple set of needs, and features that try to complicate that process are historically more trouble than they deserve.
That's why we were clear from the start: the product doesn't have to be fancy - any new feature has to be well integrated to justify its existence!
Simplicity is the best way to build this type of grip - focus on the essentials. It's a lesson that every good athlete knows, and it's clear that ProFitness knows it too, because their product is our top pick!