For as long as I've been interested in strength training, I've always tossed a pair of lifting straps into my gym bag, and when I got back into barbell training in November 2016, it was no exception. However, I'd misplaced my usual padded Harbinger straps and, for the first few months of my return to the gym, didn't bother with them. It was after a session of rows, though, when my grip was fried way before my back muscles were tired, that I took heed and bought some new straps. And for the first time in my strength-training life, I bought leather straps. My Grizzlies are now, without exaggeration, my second most valued fitness-related possession, behind my Adidas squat shoes.
These are powerlifting-style straps, rather than the speed straps used in Olympic lifting. As such, you fit the straps to your wrists and wrap the long end around the bar. There are tutorials online, but the concise version is this: the end with the loop faces the pinky finger of the side you wear it on, and the long end runs along the outside of your hand, such that it's wrapped into your hand as you loop the strap around the bar. Because I'm sometimes an utter moron, I've labeled mine "L" and "R" with a pen so I know which strap (I keep mine looped, so they're always ready to go) is for which hand.
Because they're leather, as opposed to nylon or cotton, they grab better into the knurling on the bar, which helps the straps to stay in place as you lift. I consider these straps indispensable for moves like high pulls, deadlifts, shrugs, and rows where the muscles you're training are often stronger than your grip. The straps are no excuse for not having a strong grip, mind you, and they're a training aid much like your spotter, your belt, or the safety bars on your squat rack. They're just there to help you, not to take the place of a too-weak grip, or even an already-strong one.
W. Ellison –
So you lift, do you? Yeah, you need these.
For as long as I’ve been interested in strength training, I’ve always tossed a pair of lifting straps into my gym bag, and when I got back into barbell training in November 2016, it was no exception. However, I’d misplaced my usual padded Harbinger straps and, for the first few months of my return to the gym, didn’t bother with them. It was after a session of rows, though, when my grip was fried way before my back muscles were tired, that I took heed and bought some new straps. And for the first time in my strength-training life, I bought leather straps. My Grizzlies are now, without exaggeration, my second most valued fitness-related possession, behind my Adidas squat shoes.These are powerlifting-style straps, rather than the speed straps used in Olympic lifting. As such, you fit the straps to your wrists and wrap the long end around the bar. There are tutorials online, but the concise version is this: the end with the loop faces the pinky finger of the side you wear it on, and the long end runs along the outside of your hand, such that it’s wrapped into your hand as you loop the strap around the bar. Because I’m sometimes an utter moron, I’ve labeled mine “L” and “R” with a pen so I know which strap (I keep mine looped, so they’re always ready to go) is for which hand.Because they’re leather, as opposed to nylon or cotton, they grab better into the knurling on the bar, which helps the straps to stay in place as you lift. I consider these straps indispensable for moves like high pulls, deadlifts, shrugs, and rows where the muscles you’re training are often stronger than your grip. The straps are no excuse for not having a strong grip, mind you, and they’re a training aid much like your spotter, your belt, or the safety bars on your squat rack. They’re just there to help you, not to take the place of a too-weak grip, or even an already-strong one.
M –
Great lifting straps
I’ve used these straps for every pull workout. They’ve been holding up great. I like that they’re lightweight and take up very little space in my bag. I like the leather straps, because they don’t smell after sweating a lot.After 2 years of training 6 days per week, these are still holding up. Fantastic value. I’ve hand washed them a few times. If these break, I will definitely be buying a replacement pair!
Cheshire Cat –
Good lifting straps.
Love them. Great straps.
Zero Signal –
Good, inexpensive set of lifting straps
I’ve begun cycling rack pulls (partial, heavy deadlifts that start mid-shin instead of from the ground) into my training. Because the range of motion is shorter, you can pull heavier weights than with a regular deadlift. Whatever I can pull for a max single as a deadlift, I can usually pull for at least 3-4 reps off the rack pins, sometimes more.The trouble is that my grip strength gives out first, so I end up exhausting my hands but undertraining my back. My bar also has an aggressive knurl, and the weight causes it to really chew up my hands. I can pull deadlifts without much of a problem but a top set/back off set of rack pulls gets very painful.I’ve rarely used lifting straps before. I always used either a mixed grip or hook grip to pull heavy, but that wasn’t cutting it any more. I decided to buy an inexpensive set of straps to try out and see how I would like them. I didn’t want to spend a lot of money on something that I might not like.Most straps are designed to loop around the wrist, which I don’t like. I prefer the strap to go across the back of the hand. This moves the pressure away from the joint and places it across the back of the hand, which can take a lot more force. I bought these straps because it looked like they would lend themselves to being placed across the back of my hands better than a lot of the nylon straps.And they do– mostly. As I wrap them around the bar, they have a tendency to shift downward toward my wrist and loosening up. This means I end up repositioning them a few times before I’m happy with where they are, which is not a big deal but gets annoying after a while. The straps are somewhat narrower than the ones I’ve used in the past, which I think is part of the problem. But this is a minor annoyance and I’m hoping it will work itself out once I get accustomed to using them.Why leather instead of nylon? Well, I use lifting chalk, and I think that over time the chalk dust will grind itself into the pores of the leather. The straps hold well right now, but I think they’ll hold even better with some chalk in them, and I think they’ll hold up better to the knurl on my bar than nylon.Do they work? In a word, yes. I did some heavy rack pulls a few days ago with them and, once I fumbled the straps into place and cinched them down tight, I was able to pull with ZERO grip issues at all. I was able to concentrate on locking out the pull instead of worrying about what was going on with my hands. My grip took less of a beating and didn’t limit my pulls at all.I knocked off a star because they seem more finicky to keep in position across the back of my hand than some other straps I’ve used, and because they’re a little difficult to get into position. This may get better as they wear in. I’ll update my review after they get some miles on them and I get more accustomed to using them. If you want lifting straps and don’t mind a non-synthetic material, you really can’t go wrong with these.
Luba M. –
Good quality product
This is true leather suede. It does exactly what I wanted to do and I’m very happy with them.
Daniel Horton –
They hold grip on the bar.
I love these. The leather is really comfortable to the hand. Also the leather holds a very good grip to bar or rubber on machines. They have really good durability and I have had them for like 3 months now. They fit quite well around the wrist and is comfortable.
Alesia –
Great straps
Best straps you will every but. You will lose one, but you will never wear one out like the cloth straps
Amazon Customer –
Not as big as others….
If you have small hands, these may be just perfect for you. As for myself, these straps are a little too small (big hands). These straps are only 1.5″ wide, whereas most are 2″. I wish they were the full 2″ width, and also that they were about an inch or two longer. Quality and workmanship appear to be good.
Amazoness カタスマー –
柔らかい、食い込んでも痛くないようなリストストラップを探しており、購入するに至りました。革だけれど初めから柔らかく、ひょっとしたら使い込む前のゴールドジムのリストストラップより柔らかいです。柔らかく故に伸びやすく、デッド200kg超えたあたりから少し心配になりました。ですが、食い込むこともあまりなく、少しザラザラな表面のため、滑りにくく、手とも良く馴染む感じがしました。デッドのみならず、取り回しが良いのでサイドレイズなどのダンベルの補助にも良かったです。まとめると、初めからとても柔らかく、凄く快適なリストストラップです。個人的には黒もあれば嬉しかったですが。とても良い買い物でした。
Andrea Wright –
Do your hands tire out when lifting weights before your muscles do? Here’s your solution! Don’t even bother with the other fabric ones, the leather these are made with provides the best grip hands down. They don’t shift during your lift and they keep my hands soft and protected. I keep buying these as I’ve had a few pairs stolen in the gym!
Luis Guillermo Cordova –
Tengo ya 5 meses usándolo para levantar más de 400lb en peso muerto, estoy muy conforme con mi compra, la relación calidad precio y lo cómodos que son. Son fácil ensuciar por el color de la correa pero creo que son una muy buena compra.
William –
Great quality but the width of the straps are more narrow than usual. Takes some getting used to.
Wflz1 –
Good