WAG Grips Sizing Question

[Sk8ermaiden]

I think I know the answer to this but just don't like it.

My daughter got her first pair of grips a few months ago and she likes the brand/style. I need to order her a backup pair, because having only one with meet season approaching makes me nervous. The thing is though, that the measurements for her size are 5 3/4 - 6 1/8 and her hand measures at 6" exactly. I am 99.999% sure that if I order her another pair of the same size, she is going to outgrow them before ever using them.

Can I order her the next size up or will they be different enough to negate the benefit of having a backup pair? How hard and fast are the hand measurements? Does she need to move up sizes when her hand grows an eighth of an inch, or only when they become uncomfortable in some way?

Thanks.

 

[John]

I would ask what level she is and how intensely she swings bars. When my DD got dowel grips her first pair lasted a very long time. Once she hit level 7 her grips are lucky to last a year. I always follow the manufacture's suggested sizing, and I am always amazed by how much the old pair of grips has stretched. All this said she won't break in a second pair she hates the process. Let us know what you decide to do.

 

[3rd_time_around]

I don’t think we ever had a back-up pair, except for the old pair. Plus, she’d have to break them in for them to be useful, so she’d have to wear them at practice.

 

[Sk8ermaiden]

Her grips break in in like 30 minutes, so I could just have her wear them to open gyms and she'd be good. I am definitely buying her spares. The question is just which size.

I don't know how intensely she swings. She's hoping to be Platinum this year and maybe level 7 next year if she's lucky . Bars is about 40 minutes 3-4 times a week. I don't think she holds the bar really tight, she's always been kind of a light swinger. I'm thinking with what I've been reading about stretching grips, if she alternates wearing them, they might both grow with her.

Her bars coach is on here. I'm hoping she'll see this.

 

[Deleted member 14190]

Backup pair is mandatory on our team. The grip is likely leather , it will stretch . You cannot shrink them . So get the same size . She should be able to swing full routines in both pairs . Last year one of my level 10 tore her grip at regionals .

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Mine has a back up. I make her break them both in. Because I don't want her to become attached to one or give one more karma/luck then the other.

I wouldn't mess with sizing and order the correct size. Its not a shirt. Its a piece of equipment they rely on to perform difficult and dangerous skills safely.

In the scheme of what I am spending on gymnastics, an extra pair of grips is nothing.

New competition attire because of a growth spurt that kills me and I have to grit my teeth and order anyway.

 

[Carabistouille]

If you are sure you want to invest in a back-up pair, then get her her right size and have her use both, so that she does not have a pair she uses and a back-up pair, but two pair that she can use indifferently.
That way, both pairs will stretch the same way and she will be used to both.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

If you are sure you want to invest in a back-up pair, then get her her right size and have her use both, so that she does not have a pair she uses and a back-up pair, but two pair that she can use indifferently.
That way, both pairs will stretch the same way and she will be used to both.

Exactly what we do. That way there is no "lucky" it has to be"THIS" set drama.

 

[skschlag]

My son has his primaries, his back ups and one more pair waiting at home. It is necessary at the rate he goes through grips. When one pair is done, I go ahead and order the next pair.

Shoudl have him check his grips today..it has been a while....

 

[Sk8ermaiden]

Coaches said the same. Buy the same size, wear both in practice. Thanks all.

I'm not really worried at her level that she'll have a pair suddenly wear out or break - more that a pair will be left at home - most likely on a day it is super important to have them, like a meet. I'm good at having her get organized, and then double checking, but early morning practices or meets - neither of our brains are fully on yet. Spare pair will live in the truck.

 

[Sk8ermaiden]

I wouldn't mess with sizing and order the correct size. Its not a shirt. Its a piece of equipment they rely on to perform difficult and dangerous skills safely
....

New competition attire because of a growth spurt that kills me and I have to grit my teeth and order anyway.

My concern was that in just a few weeks, the current size could be too small. 1/8 of an inch is SUCH a small amount to grow. And then would that be dangerous? Less like ordering up a leotard size so there's room to grow - more like the sizer barely gets on and has to be peeled off and you don't compete for 5 months - do you order up? (Probably)

And because my brain only works sometimes, wearing them both in practice never occurred to me. I was going to have her break the spares in and then put them away.



Out of curiosity - how do they know when the grips they are currently in become too small?

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Out of curiosity - how do they know when the grips they are currently in become too small?

Our coaches check them periodically

Just from my experience with my kid. She got her grips the summer of 2016 and her tiger paws that spring. She was 10. She has grown about 9 inches. Shoe size 2-5. Hands not so much. Leo from CL to AM. Just recently measured for new tiger paw, really hasn’t changed much, bought the same size. She’ll be 14 this winter.

 

[mommyof1]

My daughter has outgrown two pairs of grips within the past year. She can definitely tell when they are outgrown—she doesn’t feel as secure on the bar. I make her verify with the coach that they are really too small before I will order the next size up, and then I make her check the new ones with the coach before swinging in them.

 

[John]

In the past when DD needed new grips it seems we are always one size larger. I noticed if you take the old grip and placed them on the new grips, one size larger, both the old grips are the same size. As others say grips stretch.

 

[Deleted member 14190]

Coaches said the same. Buy the same size, wear both in practice. Thanks all.

I'm not really worried at her level that she'll have a pair suddenly wear out or break - more that a pair will be left at home - most likely on a day it is super important to have them, like a meet. I'm good at having her get organized, and then double checking, but early morning practices or meets - neither of our brains are fully on yet. Spare pair will live in the truck.

One of my gymnast forgot her grips at state last week. So her mom had to drive an hour and 15 minutes in both directions to get her grips. She wasn’t able to warm up and compete with her team because her grips didn’t arrive in time. So she competed in the next group and won bars yay.

 

[skschlag]

One of my gymnast forgot her grips at state last week. So her mom had to drive an hour and 15 minutes in both directions to get her grips. She wasn’t able to warm up and compete with her team because her grips didn’t arrive in time. So she competed in the next group and won bars yay.

This is my perpetual nightmare! I make my son check his bag multiple times lol. It borders on obsessive! Of course, now that he drives himself to practice, the trick is remembering to bring them home from practice on the day before a meet!

 

[Deleted member 18037]

This is my perpetual nightmare! I make my son check his bag multiple times lol. It borders on obsessive! Of course, now that he drives himself to practice, the trick is remembering to bring them home from practice on the day before a meet!

Our kids dont leave anything at practice. So the grips live in her gym bag.

 

[skschlag]

Our kids dont leave anything at practice. So the grips live in her gym bag.

Our kids have lockers. It is very nice since he he has 2 pairs of high bar grips, 2 pairs of rings grips, pommel pants, ankle brace, 2 skidz (sometimes more), back up ankle brace, socks. the locker makes things so much easier for the most part

 

[Deleted member 18037]

One of my gymnast forgot her grips at state last week. So her mom had to drive an hour and 15 minutes in both directions to get her grips. She wasn’t able to warm up and compete with her team because her grips didn’t arrive in time. So she competed in the next group and won bars yay.

I’m not sure my kid would of done well. She’d be very stressed by how cranky she made me for forgetting her grips. Or though now that I’m thinking of it maybe she would of gotten a 9.9 to get me uncranky and not charge her for gas

 

[txgymfan]

One of my gymnast forgot her grips at state last week. So her mom had to drive an hour and 15 minutes in both directions to get her grips. She wasn’t able to warm up and compete with her team because her grips didn’t arrive in time. So she competed in the next group and won bars yay.

Depending on her level and especially if it wasn’t states, my kid may have learned a hard lesson that day, If I did drive and pick them up, it would be one time only.