As you start playing more tennis, one part of your racquet that you will have to think about is your grip. Nearly all tennis racquets come with a base grip, or an under grip that gives a certain degree of comfort. If you start playing more seriously, however, the basic grip will wear down cuasing slippage and discomfort. What are you supposed to do in this case? A lot of players will invest in overgrip or replacement grips. Learn all the terminology around grips, when you should replace an overgrip, how to do it, and more.
What is Overgrip?
What is an overgrip? Simply put, this is the grip that goes over the under grip. With most tennis racquets, the under grip is going to be purple or white. So, what is the purpose of this overgrip? Well, one purpose is to mitigate sweat and wear. As you sweat it can become harder to hold onto the racquet. Especially in rigorous conditions. An overgrip that is replaced relatively regularly (once a month roughly) ensures you are still able to have the best grip possible.
What else does the overgrip function for? Well, even though tennis racquets are extremely durable, the grip isn’t always. It’s like tires on a car. The more you drive, the more you wear them down. A car can still run on tires with worn tread, but eventually they will need to be replaced due to wear and tear. Think of the grip in the same relationship to the racquet.
What is a Replacement Grip?
The replacement grip is what was mentioned in the intro paragraph as the under grip. Most racquets already come with this grip, and contrary to the name, you most likely do not want to replace this grip regularly. This grip is in direct contact with the racquet so that you don’t destroy your hands and fingers when you play.
Overgrip vs. Replacement Grip Difference
So, what’s the purpose of both of these grips? The replacement grip is like the hardware or the more industrial grip that should last longer and not be replaced as frequently. It’s more durable and has more cushion, but it’s more expensive. On the racquet, the replacement grip sits right on top of the handle, so it’s directly touching the racquet, whereas the overgrip is wrapped on top of the replacement grip.
Why is that? The overgrip is more easily changed and it functions for sweat absorption, and depending on how you wrap it, it can give you a longer grip on the racquet. It’s cheaper than a replacement grip generally. On the fun side of things, overgrips give you some choice over your racquet, as they come in different colors and textures. So, if you’re a player who gets really sweaty hands, you can look at overgrips specifically designed for sweat mitigation. Or, if you’re a player who wants to brand themselves with their racquet and get a fun pop of color, you can buy an overgrip that fits you!
Best Time to Change Overgrip
As mentioned, the replacement grip sticks on the racquet for a significantly longer time because your hands won’t be touching the replacement grip when you play. Once you buy a racquet or get your own, the first thing you should do is wrap it with an overgrip on top of this replacement grip so that is what your hands and fingers are touching when you play. How do you know when to change an overgrip?
The general rule is once a month, but this depends on many factors. Are you super sweaty? Is your grip starting to peel at the bottom or top of the racquet? Do you feel your hands slipping at all? Does something just feel wrong? If you find yourself concerned with your answer to any of those questions, that overrides the once-a-month rule. The most important thing is that your overgrip is comfortable and you feel confident with your racquet. Sometimes, to get a fresh start, players will change their overgrip during a match. Even if this is purely psychological, it can help you feel more confident in your game.
How to Change Overgrip?
Even though wrapping an overgrip might look easy, it can be slightly more tricky than you think. If you have an experienced tennis friend or coach, ask them for help first. You can also check out YouTube for step-by-step visual tutorials. Here, we’ll go through the steps on how to put on an overgrip. If you already have one on the racquet, be sure to take off the adhesive at the top and fully remove the existing overgrip before starting this process.
- Get the overgrip out of its packaging and remove the top layer of plastic. Hold onto the adhesive tape (usually the brand of the overgrip). If you’re a righty or lefty, the direction that you start will differ!
- With the adhesive side of the overgrip, at the bottom of the handle on top of the replacement grip, start wrapping with the same thickness so that each layer of grip overlaps ⅙-⅕ an inch. Make sure you aren’t wrapping it loosely!
- As you wrap up the racquet, go slightly above the replacement grip as your stopping point. There, you might want to use tape to trim the angle of the grip and get rid of any extra adhesive. Once you cut it, then you can use the adhesive tape to put the grip in place.
If you mess up, don’t fret. Usually, you can rewrap with the overgrip a few times before putting it into place, and it will still be just as sticky.
Best Time to Change Replacement
Changing the replacement grip is harder because this is what sets the stage for the positioning for your overgrip. When changing the replacement grip, you want to be extra careful! Roughly, the replacement grip can be changed once a year or when you feel that it isn’t working well. However, you should not be regularly changing the replacement grip unless there is some sort of concern.
How to Change Replacement Grip?
Changing the replacement grip is not super complicated but it should still only be done in specific situations. To change the replacement grip, first remove the existing grip on the racquet so that you can just see the handle.
- First put the grip band (typically black and rubber) on the handle and slide it all the way up to the throat of the racquet to use after you finish wrapping the new replacement grip.
- With the replacement grip, you will want to measure and peel about a foot of grip off of the plastic to use. Separate the grip from the plastic and hold onto it.
- With the smaller part of the grip, start at the bottom of the handle and begin wrapping the overgrip so that the layers overlap by ⅙ of an inch. Depending on if you’re a righty or lefty, you will want to wrap it a certain direction in the way that aligns with how you would grip the racquet with your dominant hand.
- Make sure you wrap it firmly.
- You can cut extra tape at the top using regular scissors. Then use adhesive tape that comes with the grip to put it in place. Put the thick grip band on top of this to keep it in place.
With the overgrip and replacement grip, think of the car analogy used earlier. Consider the overgrip change to be adjusting the air on the tires whereas changing the replacement grip is like getting completely new tires. Only change the replacement grip in certain situations.
As a tennis player, change your overgrip regularly ensuring you have the best feel on the racquet. Especially if you play often, sweat a lot, or notice that it isn’t working. Follow the steps in this article for success so that you can play your best!
