Why Use a Tennis Overgrip? All You Need To Know In 2022

You went to your local tennis store when you decided you wanted to start playing tennis and bought the gear you needed.

Tennis racquets and tennis balls are included in the package and possibly a tennis bag.

Having all the tools and equipment, you need for your first time on the court will give you a memorable experience.

Is there anything that you may have forgotten? The overgrips, of course!

For most novice tennis players, the grip of their racquet is taken for granted.

Hence, they believe that the base grip cannot be replaced and that the player should play with the grip until it is completely worn out.

In actuality, the grips that come with racquets from the factory can be replaced, and additional grips can be used to make the racquet more comfortable. In what sense are overgrips useful?

An overgrip is a thin and simple yet effective addition to your racquet that wraps around the handle and is available separately.

To preserve the original grip under the new grip, it is best to wrap a new racquet with a new grip immediately after purchase.

Here are some of the reasons why use a tennis overgrip on your racquet:

What Is Overgrip?

What Is Overgrip?
Source:medium.com

A tennis overgrip is a cushioned wrap that you apply separately to the grip of your tennis racket to provide a more comfortable grip on the racket.

Overgrips are disposable and designed to be replaced once they have been worn out and need to be replaced.

Depending on your preference, various overgrips can provide cushioning, stickiness, and sweat absorption to suit your needs.

Why Use a Tennis Overgrip?

A common reason tennis players use overgrip is that the original grip on the racquet is very thin and consists of rigid material.

Why Use a Tennis Overgrip?
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Over time, the actual grip will wear out rapidly and become very expensive to replace.

The original grip can be preserved with an overgrip, which is much more cost-effective than replacing the grip completely.

Affordable

Overgrip is an exception to the rule of high prices in a game usually characterized by them.

Overgrips are generally more cost-effective than other grips, so the budget shouldn’t be too big of an issue for most people.

With an average price of only $1-3 per grip, it is worth the time and money to keep the grip underneath intact when purchasing these grip replacements.

Better for Sweat Absorption

Better for Sweat Absorption for tennis
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In most cases, the default grips provided by the factory aren’t very good at absorbing sweat.

Overgrip grips, on the other hand, are generally much better at doing so.

During play, you may notice that your hands are sweating quite a bit, and an overgrip will be a solution to that problem.

Ensures the Longevity of Your Grip

By using this grip, you will be able to increase the lifespan of your grip.

During a tennis match, you will not be able to touch the grip itself as your hand will be far from it. Consequently, you can expect it to last as long as you want.

Personalize Your Grip Size

If you have found that your handle is a little too thin for your liking, it may be worthwhile to use an overgrip so that you can hold it more comfortably.

With the assistance of this product, it is possible to adapt the grip thickness according to your preferences.

As a guideline, if you want to layer your grip with up to three overgrips, you can do so if you feel like you need more cushion or thicker grips.

Personalize Your Grip Size
Source:sports.com

Even if you are a beginner, you will need to use overgrip, even if you are a pro player.  Furthermore, a cushioned overgrip feels more comfortable in your hands.

As I mentioned previously, the issue with the stock grips is that they wear out pretty quickly, and then, before you know it, the entire performance of the racquet has been reduced.

To solve this problem, it is necessary to use an overgrip. The grip can be enhanced by doing this, and at the same time, it ensures that it will last significantly longer than most other grips.

How To Apply Overgrip

After you have decided to buy a tennis overgrip, you will have to learn how to use it properly once you have purchased it.

You will find that the process is pretty straightforward as soon as you have done it a couple of times.

Firstly, you should thoroughly wipe down the original grip with a damp cloth before proceeding with the next step.

Keeping the original grip clean and dry will be easier for the overgrip to be applied. This will also allow the grip to preserve better.

You should remove the thin piece of electrical tape from the package as soon as you open it up.

During the wrapping process, this will be used to seal the ends into place and finish off the process. During the wrapping process, remove the plastic covering the sticky side of the tape.

Make sure that the sticky side of the grip of the racquet is placed at the bottom of the grip. When you grasp the handle with your hand, the side of the handle with the cushion should face outwards; that is where your hand will be.

Whenever you hold a tennis racquet upside down, with the head of the grip facing upwards, it is easiest to grasp the racquet.

The tapered end is one of the most common types of grips. A tapered end should be wrapped from the butt of the grip down to the tapered end.

You should always overlap the material continuously as you wrap downwards from left to right toward the neck of the racquet so that there is no gap showing through the original grip.

There should be an overlap of about one-sixth of an inch between each row. To know where to cut off the excess material with a pair of scissors once you have reached the top of the grip, you’ll need to mark the top of the grip with a pen.

Lastly, you will need to seal the end of the grip where it meets the neck of the racquet with a thin piece of electrical tape.

Final Thoughts

I hope that if you have not considered or have just ignored the idea of overgrip on your tennis racquet before, you will consider investing a few bucks in enhancing its overall feel.

It is the best thing you can do for your racquet, and what’s more, it is the best thing you can do for your game, and it is simple and easy to do. By now, you should have an idea of what overgrip is and what kinds of varieties are available.

It would be best if you remembered that you would be able to keep the original factory grip of your racket, and thanks to the overgrip, you will be able to use your racket for a more extended period.

The following information should be used in good faith so that the next time you play tennis, you can improve your tennis racquet and your overall tennis game!    

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