Most players change their overgrip at least twice every month; if playing competitive tennis it should be changed more frequently.
Replacement grips often feature leather outer layers for color and tactility, and polyurethane inner layers for cushioning and shock absorption.
First, remove your old grip by unrolling it, then use Goo Gone to clear away any residue left behind.
Customization
Grip size plays an essential role in any tennis racket and should be tailored specifically to you and your playing style. A good grip size will affect how the racket feels and how effective your play is, as well as any injury risks. The most efficient way of making sure that your tennis racket meets all of your needs is customizing it; one method to achieve this is changing its grip size.
Switching out the grip on a tennis racket is quick and affordable, thanks to an abundance of replacement grips available both at specialty stores and online. Simply take off the old grip, clean any tape or adhesive residue from the handle, install the replacement grip by pressing on its base without creating air bubbles, ensuring proper security; be mindful that any designs or patterns on its grip line up with those found on its handle etchings/dots.
Grip thickness plays an essential part in ensuring the comfort of a racket. In general, lighter grips tend to be thinner. If too thin however, the surface becomes slippery and uncomfortable – thicker grips could provide the solution to this problem.
There are various types of grips available, each offering their own set of advantages and disadvantages. Of particular note are eastern, western, and semi-western grips – these offer great control and power but vary slightly in terms of shape. Finding one that feels good in your hand while still offering enough control is the key element here; so keep that in mind as you search.
There is also an assortment of grip accessories that can make the grip even more comfortable and secure, including rosin bags that you can pat onto your hands or towels containing sticky, tacky substances that you can rub directly on the grips. Although adding weight may cause some additional shock absorption when hitting, using these grip accessories could make hitting more comfortable due to absorption from its frame.
Materials
One of the easiest and most straightforward ways to customize your racket is by altering its grip size. Doing this can quickly increase comfort and enhance control on court; adding overgrips may also change texture or help prevent blistering; increasing or decreasing grip size may affect how it feels in your hands and how much power can be generated by increasing or decreasing it.
To change an overgrip on a racket, first remove the existing overgrip by finding and untying its hold using tape – usually found near the base of the grip or grip’s base. Once the old overgrip has been removed, peel away any electrical tape securing your new replacement grip to the top of the racket handle and begin wrapping it onto it. As you progress up the racket handle, overlap each wrap by approximately 1/8 to 1/4 inch wide. As you pull tighter to ensure an ideal fit and avoid wrinkles. Once completed, use tape you set aside to firmly wrap it around the top handle to secure its place.
If you want to add weight to your racket, a heat shrink sleeve is an easy and consistent way to increase grip size while maintaining the shape of your grip. Each full-grip size heat sleeve adds 17 grams – this could translate to three headlight balance points and higher swing weight levels!
Add lead to your racket handle for an easy and safe upgrade. Any professional racquet technician can add this feature for a nominal fee; however, if you prefer doing this yourself at home it’s important to follow proper safety precautions.
Weight
Grip and weight are integral parts of how your racquet feels, so in addition to comfort you need the right weight for your style of play. In general, heavier rackets feel more secure when making contact with the ball and are less likely to flutter or skid after impact. As your skill improves you may require stronger and heavier rackets as you require stronger and heavier ones to compete effectively.
There are various methods available to you for adding weight to your racquet grip. Some methods may be more permanent than others, but all work to increase the static weight of the grip and ultimately how the racquet feels in your hand.
One of the easiest and most practical solutions is using a lightweight grip wrap. These can be found at most tennis shops for between $10-20. To install it, simply peel back any tape holding the end of your current grip to the butt cap of your racquet before pulling it off entirely and peeling back about one foot of tape from one end of your handle starting where its bevel meets shaft – this is where you will start wrapping your new grip.
One alternative method of adding weight to your grip is with plastic heat shrink sleeve. Available in half sizes (1/16 of an inch) and full sizes (1/8 of an inch), these sleeves can be added directly onto existing grips to increase size – though more permanent than using grip wraps, it can still be completed on your own at home with some trial and error.
Lead strips offer another effective method for adding weight to your racket by permanently attaching them to its grip or frame. While this approach might require some permanent modifications to your racquet’s frame or grip wraps, lead strips still work great at rebalancing head and shaft weight for optimal play.
Design
Though seemingly minor, the design of your racket grip can greatly impact both comfort and control on the court. Some ways to customize it include altering its size or adding overgrips; to further customize your setup it may also help to consult a professional or experienced player first before making modifications that might cause potential issues with balance or grip size.
Adjusting your grip begins by changing its size. To find this information on a racket head or on its bottom cap, look at its specs section or use this trick: Grab the handle with your dominant hand and move your index finger so it lines up with its top-right bevel (as if giving someone a handshake); if your pointer finger wraps all the way around the grip then a larger grip may be required.
Overgrips are thin fabric strips that cover existing grips to add extra traction and absorb sweat during a match, providing extra gripping power while simultaneously giving more stable hold of the racket at key moments during gameplay. Overgrips are ideal for tennis players who sweat often or when trying to win crucial points during matches.
There are various kinds of overgrips on the market, including tacky or all-round versions. Tacky overgrips provide more security with your racket grip while all-round overgrips provide less sticky yet still effective traction and moisture absorption properties.
Finally, another way to increase grip stability is by adding weight to either the handle or head of your racket. Weighting the handle will give more power on contact while adding more swingweight will provide extra power during swings.
String type and tension can have an enormous effect on your comfort and control; so experiment with different options until you find what suits your game best. If unsure, consult a tennis professional for advice.