Whether you’re a bodybuilder, powerlifter, or general fitness enthusiast, grip will become a limiting factor at some point. This becomes more of a pain the more advanced you get. Doing a set of lat pulldowns should primarily be working your lats, not your forearms. Same with deadlifts and virtually any pulling exercise.
I picked these up about three months back from when I’m writing this. My other straps finally broke, which wasn’t that bad since I spent $10 or so and they lasted a solid year or two. After seeing some high level powerlifters and bodybuilders give them high praise, I decided I’d give them a shot. I was not disappointed. From ease of use to being able to withstand heavy deadlifts, they have yet to fail.
What Are Versa Gripps Pro?
Versa Gripps Pro are lifting straps, but better in every way. Calling them lifting straps might even be a bit of a misnomer. They are a piece of equipment that wrap around your wrist using Velcro and cover your palm with a strap that’s made of leather. There’s additional padding inside the leather strap as well. The strap is non-slip, so when you wrap it around a barbell or machine grip, it isn’t going anywhere after that. Besides providing excellent grip support, it also protects your hands from callouses (if that’s a concern).
Usability: 10/10
It’s hard to overrate these grips. Unlike normal straps, you don’t have to wrap it around the bar several times. They’re great for a quick setup. They’re super comfortable, especially compared to your normal wrist straps. My last few pairs of straps would routinely dig into my wrists, eventually tearing the skin after a few sets. Versa Gripps Pro haven’t had any of these issues, likely due to the thick pads that go around the wrist.
Distinctive Features
As mentioned earlier, the major features here are:
- Foam Pad protecting the wrists
- Special non-slip leather strap
- Padding inside the strap to prevent callouses + reduce impact on the hands
- Velcro to keep them tight around your wrists (as opposed to fabric getting tighter and continuously constricting the wrist)
- Special non-slip getting a second mention because they seriously won’t let up. It’s phenomenal
FAQs
- Do they come in different sizes?
Yep! They have a fairly wide selection.
- Will these work with heavy deadlifts?
So far so good! I’ve been deadlifting in the mid-400’s with them and have had zero issues so far. They’ve worked great for rowing machines, pullups, and virtually every other pulling movement. UPDATE: If you are extra sweaty like me, you will need chalk at a certain point.
- The product description mentions bench pressing with these…
Yeah, I don’t know who is using these for bench. I think the idea is that you could use these instead of wearing gloves to the gym. Go for it if that’s your thing I guess.
Pros and Cons
- Pro’s
- Super reliable
- Comfortable
- Extremely durable
- Made in the USA
- Con’s
- Definitely on the expensive side
- Right/Left not labeled, so you might look funny for the first couple minutes trying to figure out which one goes where
- You can’t blame your grip for weak lifts anymore
Alternatives
These are admittedly super expensive. A pair of Harbinger Padded Cotton Lifting Straps (affiliate link) is a solid budget pair. These run you about $10, and they’ll certainly get the job done. I used versions of these for years with great success, but having them snap mid set is not a fun time. You also go through them pretty quickly, making the $10 add up over time, which means Versa Gripps will likely be a better choice in the long run.
Conclusion
I love my Versa Gripps Pro. After multiple months of using them, I doubt I will ever go back to normal straps. These have made training my back infinitely easier, especially when it comes to doing things like bent over rows, pendlay rows, DB rows… literally every single kind of row is better. My lats are getting targeted phenomenally, and my forearms aren’t the limiting factor during my pull sessions.
If you’re interested, check out the Versa Gripps PRO here or click on the picture below.
Disclaimer: These are affiliate links. However, I wouldn’t recommend them unless I thought they were genuinely worth using. It’s also very clear I use them consistently if you watch the content I put out on Instagram @Coach_Kvidt.