WAG How long do grips last?

[rsm]

DD has one pair of grips which we got at the beginning of summer. She keeps them in the gym, so I don't see them and I don't know what condition they are in... which is fine by me. They have 30 minute rotations on bars every practice (5 days a week).

So, how long would they typically last... just a ballpark of course. A few months? A year? I'm just wondering if I should be getting her a back up pair now since she starts meets in a few weeks, and should she alternate with both to break the new one in? Or just use one till it's done? And how do you know when it's "done"? And she's a new level 4 if that helps.

 

[JBS]

Ask her coach...we don't do back up grips at our gym. I put them all in US Glove double buckle...when they need new grips I give them to them and charge the parents account. US Glove grips are soft and break in within 10 minutes.

We have something in our team handbook about "personal training equipment & supplies". It states that the coaches will not ask the parents to purchase grips...tape...etc. They will give it to the gymnasts and charge the parents account.

As far as time...1 year is long enough for me. I change them out after that regardless...we have kids that flip grips every 3 months though also. Depends on weight...ability...etc.

 

[gymgal]

It really depends on a lot of factors: brand, child's hand growth, weight, skills working on, whether they spray water on the grips. it seems like the higher the level, the shorter they last due to the increase in use, heavier weight, more stress on the gross from the harder skills. Dd outgrew her first pair of grips before they wore out -about 2yrs. They actually looked like they were still in great shape. She had them during the equivalent of levels 5-6. However, she never sprays water on them. She has had her second pair for a little over a year (L7-8) and they are still in great shape, but she is outgrowing them again.

 

[gymgal]

Ask her coach...we don't do back up grips at our gym. I put them all in US Glove double buckle...when they need new grips I give them to them and charge the parents account. US Glove grips are soft and break in within 10 minutes.

We have something in our team handbook about "personal training equipment & supplies". It states that the coaches will not ask the parents to purchase grips...tape...etc. They will give it to the gymnasts and charge the parents account.

As far as time...1 year is long enough for me. I change them out after that regardless...we have kids that flip grips every 3 months though also. Depends on weight...ability...etc.

I like this policy. Sure makes it easier on the parents, though in my case, it would be a lot more expensive.

 

[JBS]

I like this policy. Sure makes it easier on the parents, though in my case, it would be a lot more expensive.

It is way easier. We really don't have anyone that gets charged much...$45 for grips here and there...$4 for wristbands...$50 for Tiger Paws when they start Yurchenkos. The most expensive kids are the one that require tape for an extended time.

 

[MaryA]

I like this policy. Sure makes it easier on the parents, though in my case, it would be a lot more expensive.

I like that policy too. The way it seems to work at our gym is, optionals coach says she wants them to have a backup pair. DD tells me. I ask HC/GO if I can buy them through the gym. She says yes, she has them on order and will let me know when they come in. Weeks go by. I see another girl buying new grips from gym. I email HC and ask if grips are in. I get no reply. Eventually I get fed up and order new grips myself. DD complains and says she does not like them because they're not the same as the ones HC gets.

 

[JBS]

^^^^^^^^Hahahaha!...that's awesome! That's the way we used to roll...that's why we switched. I have 30+ pair of grips at the gym in stock all the time.

I take one of every size to every meet. I gave a brand new pair to a brand new L7 at her first meet 2 years ago when she forgot them. US Glove grips break in so quick she did a full set with giants the first time she touched the bar.

Never seen a mom so happy to buy grips.

 

[profmom]

Haha, I bet two moms I know would GLADLY have shelled out any amount of money at the first meet last year when their boys both forgot their grips! Let's just say it was not the prettiest rings or high bar rotation of the year.

 

[rsm]

Ask her coach...we don't do back up grips at our gym. I put them all in US Glove double buckle...when they need new grips I give them to them and charge the parents account. US Glove grips are soft and break in within 10 minutes.

We have something in our team handbook about "personal training equipment & supplies". It states that the coaches will not ask the parents to purchase grips...tape...etc. They will give it to the gymnasts and charge the parents account.

As far as time...1 year is long enough for me. I change them out after that regardless...we have kids that flip grips every 3 months though also. Depends on weight...ability...etc.

I wish that's how they did it. We buy our own, and even measured the girls ourselves, which made for some interesting conversations... they just recommended the brand. I will ask the coach though if she recommends a back up. I'm not looking to spend more if she's going to grow out of them soon anyway.

 

[rsm]

It really depends on a lot of factors: brand, child's hand growth, weight, skills working on, whether they spray water on the grips. it seems like the higher the level, the shorter they last due to the increase in use, heavier weight, more stress on the gross from the harder skills. Dd outgrew her first pair of grips before they wore out -about 2yrs. They actually looked like they were still in great shape. She had them during the equivalent of levels 5-6. However, she never sprays water on them. She has had her second pair for a little over a year (L7-8) and they are still in great shape, but she is outgrowing them again.

Thanks! She just started using them, and is about 50 lbs, and only does the level 4 routines and tap swings. So hopefully she'll get a long time out of them. They never spray water on them either. I was asking because one of the college level parents mentioned that her DD gets a new one every two months maybe, and I had no idea how long they could last.

 

[gymmomtoo]

I think college or optional level skills might wear them out a bit faster. But my daughter (L10) lasts a year or more with hers--we do have a back up pair though. I'd ask your daughter's coach and see what he/she says.

 

[Empowered]

My daughter's current gym and the one we moved away from both work like JBS's. Coach sizes, orders, helps break them in and my monthly bill that already nearly gives me a stroke is randomly higher.

Same seems to go for tape, pre-wrap, team leotards, t-shirts... Stuff magically appears, my bank account is magically smaller and I live in blissful ignorance. It's been so long since I've seen my daughter do gymnastics, yesterday I asked... "You can still do a handstand right?" She was not amused.

 

[gymgal]

Thanks! She just started using them, and is about 50 lbs, and only does the level 4 routines and tap swings. So hopefully she'll get a long time out of them. They never spray water on them either. I was asking because one of the college level parents mentioned that her DD gets a new one every two months maybe, and I had no idea how long they could last.

given this, I personally think getting a back up pair would be a waste of money. She will likely outgrow the pair before she can use the back up. If she doesn't use water, then the grips stay like new for a long time, particularly at the lower levels. After a year's use, then I would think about getting a back up, just in case, and more so if she is close to going up to next size. When she gets to the higher levels, then it is worth the extra cost for piece of mind. And of course once she stops growing sizing doesn't matter and it's worth a back up because she will eventually use them as long as she stays in gym.

 

[GymBee97]

my DD's gym when she was a L4 and L5 didn't let the kids use grips. Some at L5 were allowed to get grips if they thought they might move up to L6 that season. My DD's got hers at L5 and they lasted until she started L7. Now at L8 - 9 with the higher level bar skills her grips last about 18 mos. I usually get a new one when they hit 12 mos so she has time to break in the new grips before the old ones fall apart. Usually the coach will tell us when she needs things like this. I think she may need new tiger paws this season. Her old ones just reek!!

 

[MaryA]

I had to order the 2nd to largest size for DD (12) so I'm hoping she won't outgrow them anytime soon (I measured her multiple times, checking it to the chart. I couldn't believe she needed such a big size! But then, she has big feet too.) Plus the ones she has are 2 years old, so having a back-up pair didn't sound like a bad idea.

 

[AlexsGymmyMom]

My DD has a back up pair but they have never seen the light of day! They are Ginnasta brand so they break in very quickly. She has been using her current pair for a little over a year and anytime I ask her about her grips she rolls her eyes and says "they're fine mom". Oh the teenager attitude!!

 

[MaryA]

The pair I ordered are Ginnasta brand too!

 

[emilykatherine]

I guess I'm an expensive kid I tape both ankles every practice. My grips last me about 2 years or so my first pair never broke the Velcro just wore off so I got buckle.

 

[kitkat]

Last year - one week before provincial championship one of her grips rip ever so slightly. Prior to this I kept saying I really need to get her a second pair but it just wasn't the right time to break in a pair and then they ripped. I was so angry at myself.
Now she has two pairs. Her grips lasted about 2 years. She has reisport two buckle. I was able to break her new ones in myself just working them a lot. I had bought her a pair of ginnasta grips which were fantastic - no break in period at all but she said the chalk didn't stay on them very well.
I will always have two pairs for her moving forward.

 

[mpkbt]

The Reisport elite pro tec grips last forever! My dd (level 10) has had hers for more than 3 years. She always has a back up pair already broken in. She is in college now and they ordered her a new pair just in case. At this rate, she will be done with the sport before she ever needs the back up!