WAG Grips - very confused

[IreneKa]

I know this topic had been discussed a lot, and I looked through all the threads I could find, but only getting more confused about which ones to get. LOL
DD's coach recommended English Bulldog, but I see others here recommending Ginasta, US Glove, Hot Shot, etc.
DD is a beginner Level 4, she won't be working on giants any time soon, she needs them mostly for kips. She is 9, but pretty tall for her age, and her hand is not small, size 1 I was told. Which ones do you think would work best for her? Not just the brand, but also buckle, double buckle, velcro? Anything else I need to consider?
Thanks!

 

[raenndrops]

Honestly, every gymnast is different. In our gym, the girls who actually wear grips love velcro - easily adjustable.
Some gymnasts think velcro need adjusted more often, so they like double buckle or single buckle (but mostly double). The "problem" our girls have with buckles is that some of their wrists are "in between" holes... so they either have to wear them too tight or too loose.
I have heard that Ginnasta are easy to break in. Other ones are harder to break in and therefore take longer.
My OG has tried a few different grips and hated them all - currently, she has 501 Blues Velcro Pre-Dowel grips. She was hoping having grips that were the same length as dowel grips, but without the dowel to get in the way would be easier for her to use... She can do all of her skills in them, but just doesn't like anything between her hands and the bar.
Sorry I wasn't much help. Good luck.

 

[gymmomtoo]

Honestly, if the coach has a recommendation, I'd go with that for now. If she doesn't like them, she can try something different.

 

[ladybird]

My dd just got new grips yesterday. We went for the US Glove Millenium with velcro. The leather is wider and it has neoprene in the the wrist area. She started out with US Glove hot shots with velcro, then switched to same grips with the double buckle. Now we are back to velcro because it's so much easier for her to maneuver. I am going to have her go to open gym tonight to get them broken in. She is a size 0, went up a size from last year.

Choosing the right grips is a confusing process. Some of our girls wear ten-0 grips and seem to like them.

 

[gymmutti]

I would go with the coach's recommendation for her first pair. If I remember correctly, she tried them on at the gym and the size you have is for that brand of grips (different brands have different sizes). Make sure you get wristbands too. My DD prefers the longer wristbands with hers.

 

[IreneKa]

I would go with the coach's recommendation for her first pair. If I remember correctly, she tried them on at the gym and the size you have is for that brand of grips (different brands have different sizes). Make sure you get wristbands too. My DD prefers the longer wristbands with hers.

Yes, she tried other girls' grips to figure out the size. I'm not sure if that was the brand she tried. Probably.
But the coach didn't say anything about buckles or velcro, and I didn't know to ask, because I had no idea there were different kinds until I started looking online last night. lol

He did mention getting wristbands. Are they needed for buckles only, or for velcro too?

 

[happychaos]

Like many, DD has Ginnasta and found them reasonably easy to get used too. Your coach my not be familiar with some of the new styles of grips or the companies making them. From what I understand, the Ginnasta is made with thinner leather and a narrower palm. I know US glove is similar. Judging from my DD's experience, I would highly recommend going with this style of grip.

If you are able, why don't you order the pair the coach recommends, and at least one other pair from a different company. Have DD try them both on to compare. If she ends up liking a brand other than what the coach recommended, she could take them in and show them to him, and see if they would be okay. As long as the grips are not chalked or swung in they should be able to be returned.

Also, we found the Ginnastas to run a touch small, so if your DD is close to the next size, I would size up. Oh- and I think Velcro for the first pair, buckle after that.

 

[Ali'sMom]

Yes, she tried other girls' grips to figure out the size. I'm not sure if that was the brand she tried. Probably.
But the coach didn't say anything about buckles or velcro, and I didn't know to ask, because I had no idea there were different kinds until I started looking online last night. lol

He did mention getting wristbands. Are they needed for buckles only, or for velcro too?

I believe your DD and mine are on teh same track

We were told specific brand and model to get. I'm sure if I wanted to, we could have bought others, but for the first pair, I'm doing what they say
DD was able to try someone's at the gym, who just got them so still in "new" shape, so we know which size to get.
We were told US Glove Hot Shots with velcro, and not to bother with the leather cuff.
They said they like them for beginners.
AND wristbands, the longer ones.

They said we don't need a grip brush or anything like that.
But of course, DD believes she NEEDS a GK grip bag....

and so it begins...

 

[SignHere]

Bulldog kipper narrow grips are narrower in the palm and very easy for my daughter to get used to and break in. She breaks them in over about 30 min . If your coach is rec. Bulldogs, and you know the size, order Velcro , narrow palm Bulldogs.

DD has used them for 2 seasons and after a full season of Level 7 and her second pair of narrow palm grips, had informed me she was ready for a grip that had more coverage on the palm. (Lol!)

we just ordered the bulldog regular width grips with neoprene inserts at her direction. I find it incredibly amusing to hear a 10 year old be so decisive about her equipment, but she looked at the website and said, "This, this, and this. Thanks Mommy."

Then skipped off to play!

 

[aerials]

My daughter uses Ten.O grips, the Gecko velcro kind. Most of our gym uses Ten.O. I am assuming she is to get dowel grips?

 

[IreneKa]

I believe your DD and mine are on teh same track

We were told specific brand and model to get. I'm sure if I wanted to, we could have bought others, but for the first pair, I'm doing what they say

When the coach first told me DD needed grips, my first question was what brand. He said any brand, it doesn't matter, we just need to figure out her size. Then last night she was able to try other girls' grips, and that's when he mentioned english bulldog. So, now that I think about it, @gymmutti is probably right, he mentioned this brand because that was what DD tried on, so he wanted to make sure the size is right.
But then I was reading all the posts here on CB, how some girls hated all different kinds of grips, and then loved Ginnasta, or whatever other brand. Knowing my DD, if she is not comfortable, she is going to spend half the practice readjusting her grips. lol

 

[IreneKa]

Bulldog kipper narrow grips are narrower in the palm and very easy for my daughter to get used to and break in. She breaks them in over about 30 min . If your coach is rec. Bulldogs, and you know the size, order Velcro , narrow palm Bulldogs.

Thanks! That's exactly what I was looking at. Just wasn't sure how long they would last, since it says they are for beginners.

 

[IreneKa]

My daughter uses Ten.O grips, the Gecko velcro kind. Most of our gym uses Ten.O. I am assuming she is to get dowel grips?

what's a dowel grips?

 

[Ali'sMom]

what's a dowel grips?

And here I thought I was the only one who didn't know that! (until I was TOLD by DD...)

The leather palm isn't just flat leather, it's got a little "bar" across it up by the finger holes.

But please don't ask me why! LOL!

And since someone else here probably knows - the ones we ordered show a rubber band... what's that for?

 

[IreneKa]

And here I thought I was the only one who didn't know that! (until I was TOLD by DD...)

The leather palm isn't just flat leather, it's got a little "bar" across it up by the finger holes.

But please don't ask me why! LOL!

And since someone else here probably knows - the ones we ordered show a rubber band... what's that for?

Yeah, I saw some of them have rubber band, and was wondering what it is for.

 

[ladybird]

Yeah, I saw some of them have rubber band, and was wondering what it is for.

I believe it is to wrap around their middle finger. There's only one girl in our gym that uses it. We always just cut it out of there.

I think the dowels become important later when they are working upper level skills like giants.

 

[kitkat]

I would go with your coaches recommendation.
New grips are fairly tough to break in for a first timer. I break them in for my daughter.
I did by the Ginnasta grips last time and while they were broken in immediately she found it tough to keep the chalk on it. She had to chalk every time rather then every 3 times.
My daughter does not like the velcro but some do.
My dd has the two buckle.
My dd is 11 and weighs 60 lbs and wears double 00. We found that the measuring they provide measures big....I am thinking this next set of grips may go to a 0.
Good luck.

 

[2gymnastand1soccerplayer]

I accidentally hit the reply and I'm not sure if I can delete my last post. But I was trying to say both my dds use reisport Velcro grips. They find them really good once there broken in, and didn't find it took a long time for them to get broken in, maybe 3 week for them to be completely broken in

 

[Clover]

My thoughts based on my DD -
- Go with the brand your coach recommends as he knows your DD. We started that way, but (like many others) are now very loyal to Ginnasta (LOVE them)
- Start with Velcro as they are easiest to get on and off. Once she is used to grips she may end up wanting to switch to double buckles bc they don't have to be adjusted as often as Velcro
- You need to find out if coach wants her to use Dowels. At our gym Lv4 and up use Dowel grips, but some gyms start later (I suspect that is what he wants as I don't think a lot of gymmies use palm grips).
- Cut off the rubberband
- Get some long, fluffy wrist bands and wash them regularly!!!!! They will protect against wrist rips.

Hope that helps!

 

[Ali'sMom]

My thoughts based on my DD -
easiest to get on and off. Once she is used to grips she may end up wanting to switch to double buckles bc they don't have to be adjusted as often as Velcro
- Cut off the rubberband
- Get some long, fluffy wrist bands and wash them regularly!!!!! They will protect against wrist rips.

Hope that helps!

I know it was IreneKa who asked, but I thank you for your information too!

I will cut off that rubberband when DDs come in. We do have wrist bands, and have ordered a 2nd pair, and of course, there's a 3rd pair she wants (OMG Mom!! they say LEVEL 4!!!!). So if they need to be washed, I guess I'm not crazy for her to have a few pairs.

Also - I read somewhere (who knows where, as I've been trying to learn so much about rips and grips), that moisturized hands help avoid rips? (I thought with grips she wouldn't get rips anymore... what do I know?). Is this true? Does it help to keep her hands moisturized?