Parents Grips question/ mini rant

[MILgymFAM]

My DD went into gym this afternoon bare handed, and walked out tonight with grips in her hand. At no point had grips been discussed, and girls at the gym don't typically get them for xcel bronze (or even silver). HC told DD that the cost (no idea how much) would just be added to our account. Is this typically how this happens? Any idea how much I should expect the bill to be- they are US Glove size 3 leather with Velcro strap... There is also some wristbands. Are there any other out-of-the blue equipment costs that pop up in lower level gymnastics? I was just taken off guard, I guess- DD was overjoyed. She wasn't expecting them for quite some time and said now she feels like a real gymnast.

 

[Deleted member 14190]

If the coach thinks that it is time for grips, then it's okay. Our kids go into the office and get tape, grips etc... they just put it on the bill. I doubt they are going to mark them up, as you can see the prices online etc..

 

[raenndrops]

I would expect them to charge you about $40, depending on which "Style" they are. Anything ove $50 and you are being ripped off since they are available online for less

 

[MILgymFAM]

Thanks! I guess from reading on here I expected that parents usually purchase them themselves, after the coach tells them to, of course.

 

[raenndrops]

Thanks! I guess from reading on here I expected that parents usually purchase them themselves, after the coach tells them to, of course.

It depends of the gym. Some gyms keep them on hand for when they are needed. That way, they guarantee the gymnast gets the grips the gym prefers (at least for the first pair).

 

[2G1B]

Are they dowel grips or just the leather palm grips? How old is she? If she us older/larger I have seen some if the girls get them at lower levels at our gym; but with that exception I haven't seen girls below level 4 or maybe Xcel silver use grips. But I have had friends who their younger daughters got just the leather, no dowel grips, if they had bad rips.

 

[bookworm]

We just bought 2 pairs of those grips...I think they were $36 a pair

 

[CanAmGymMum]

If your gym thinks it's time for grips, your daughter needs to get grips. However, I think it should be common courtesy to let you know before adding a charge to your account. From this perspective, I understand why you would be upset.

 

[MILgymFAM]

Are they dowel grips or just the leather palm grips? How old is she? If she us older/larger I have seen some if the girls get them at lower levels at our gym; but with that exception I haven't seen girls below level 4 or maybe Xcel silver use grips. But I have had friends who their younger daughters got just the leather, no dowel grips, if they had bad rips.

She is almost 13. Half her level is 12+ so she isn't an outlier. She has gotten rips since she stepped foot in the gym, but we just learned how to treat them and didn't worry about it. These do have the dowels in them.

 

[gracyomalley]

Grips are more for solid grip on bar than rip prevention - and at that age many kids "need" them at lower levels - depending upon gym practice. Older son got ring and high bar grips at Level 5 - he was 11. Younger son is L6 now and still no grips....he's 9 and skinny. At DD gym the younger/smaller ones usually got grips once they had solid straight arm kips - either old5/new4 or old6/new5....bigger girls maybe earlier - but still after the kip in general...

Coach tells up when they are needed at both gyms....measures kid, orders what they want the kid to wear, and bills us....Only dowel grips used , kids can make tape grips earlier if they rip too easily...

 

[2G1B]

yeah, I think that most girls who are older than 11 at our gym seem to wear them no matter what level.

 

[MILgymFAM]

yeah, I think that most girls who are older than 11 at our gym seem to wear them no matter what level.

That seems to be the consensus. She was already twelve when she started gymnastics, and we were told it would be a few levels before she needed them, so I was just caught off guard. I am over it now, lol.

 

[JMACAZ]

Very exciting for her! I can see how it would kind of seem out of the blue for you though. My DD will get grips when she has a consistent kip. Her BFF just got her grips at practice on Mon. Her Mom got them from the shop at the gym. My DD is the smallest on the team and has the littlest hands so I will probably order the Gymnasta ones I read about on here. She is "close" to her kip so......Congrats to your DD on the gym milestone

 

[Deleted member D3987]

I would expect them to charge you about $40, depending on which "Style" they are. Anything ove $50 and you are being ripped off since they are available online for less

hold on...some of us have grips made custom for our use. they cost more and are NOT on line. just making everyone aware.

 

[raenndrops]

hold on...some of us have grips made custom for our use. they cost more and are NOT on line. just making everyone aware.

Custom grips would be a different story. But if not custom, then they shouldn't mark them up too much - especially since (in this case) the parent was not even given an option - daughter got the grips and the acct will be billed.

 

[LIGYMMOM]

hold on...some of us have grips made custom for our use. they cost more and are NOT on line. just making everyone aware.

Dd's gym ordered her US Glove dowel grips and charged me $52. I found the same ones online for $37. Am I getting ripped off?

 

[MILgymFAM]

They charged me $44. Not too much of a markup at all.

 

[2G1B]

Dd's gym ordered her US Glove dowel grips and charged me $52. I found the same ones online for $37. Am I getting ripped off?

I don't know about US Glove; but I know a lot of them charge a good chunk for shipping. My DD wears English Bulldogs and I want to say that shipping was $7. So that would take those up to $44. Personally I would be annoyed with the gym then marking them up rather than giving me the option of just ordering them myself. Also, our gym is doing a bulk order now for the boys and they are getting a discount. so... I would personally expect the gym to be able to give me a BETTER price than what I could find online since they can order bulk and even if they aren't saving on the price per pair, they will save on the shipping. I just don't think that this should be somewhere that the gym is making money off of the parents.

 

[raenndrops]

Dd's gym ordered her US Glove dowel grips and charged me $52. I found the same ones online for $37. Am I getting ripped off?

Did you factor in Tax and shipping? If they were shipped quickly (USPS Priority Flat Rate or Express ... or Fed Ex or UPS), then you actually got a good deal.
Also there are different "versions" of US Glove dowel grips and they can cost different amounts.

In the case of OP, it appears that they already had them on hand (she didn't mention her daughter being measured for them ahead of time)... In that case, they could be buying in bulk and saving some on shipping charges.

 

[MILgymFAM]

They do buy them in bulk- HC just pulled her into the office at the beginning of bar rotation and had her try two sizes on. DD said they keep a bunch of them in there. I guess it's a bigger deal than I would have thought. We were at the gym for my younger DDs rec class tonight and HC announced to the other parents that DD got her grips last night... Everyone was congratulating her and I was just scratching my head. Ha ha.