WAG wristbands?

[Jortiz03]

I'm a level 9 gymnast and I recently began to rip on my wrists, and i think it may be from my cotton wristbands. I've heard that neoprene wristbands help with preventing wrist rips. I dont know if i should get them though so i'd like to hear your opinions on whether neoprene or cotton work better. And also if anyone knows any websites where i can find good quality neoprene wristbands, thank you (also i don't use tape on my wrists and i dont know if that'll make a difference) but thank you again!

 

[ShesAMonkey]

Interesting. I don't know the answer to this, as my daughter wears cotton ones. Occasionally she has wrist rips. I will be watching closely to see what others have to say about the neoprene wristbands.

 

[Deleted member 17723]

Neoprene seem to be hit or miss. I know a few girls who love them, some who hate. I think it's personal preference. Ten-O, US Glove and Gymsupply all have them.

 

[Clover]

My DD gets wrist rips only when her cotton wrist bands are getting hard (dirty or needs new ones). She doesn't like it when I "wash the luck out of them," but when she starts to rip I do it anyway.

Have you tried washing or replacing the cotton ones? My DD didn't care for the neoprene and they are much more expensive than the cotton.

 

[NutterButter]

My DD and two teammates tried neoprene wrist bands 9 months ago. One instantly knew she didn't like them and went back to cotton. DD and the the other like neoprene better and neither has had a rip since switching. I think it's a matter of personal preference so I would suggest trying them out.

 

[marie83]

The neoprene ones don't seem to have made it to this side of the pond - we are all about cotton here!
In my experience, it is important to keep them clean - a couple of our higher level girls have a couple of pairs - one to wear and one to wash after a week or so.
They also tape their wrists with electrical tape

 

[gasrgoose]

Most of our level 9 & 10 girls wrap their wrists with prewrap then put the wrist bands over the prewrap to prevent ripping. It seems pretty effective. Of course you are regularly buying prewrap which is another expense

 

[gymnastbeth]

Ditto on the making sure you are washing them regularly. I used to get wrist rips when my wristbands got hard/too chalky...I hated how it felt when they were freshly washed, though, (I swear it made them slippery!) so I understand not wanting to wash them more. I had teammates who used the neoprene ones, but when I tried them I felt like they were too thin, and my the wrist straps of my grips didn't have enough friction on them, so they kept rotating and sliding.

 

[ProudDad]

I hated how it felt when they were freshly washed, though, (I swear it made them slippery!) so I understand not wanting to wash them more.

Try not using any sort of fabric softener. Once they come out scrunch them around in your hands for a little bit and that should prevent the slippery feeling.

 

[kitkat]

This could have been my exact post. My dd's cut her when they are stinky, dirty, gross. She won't let me wash them - so now she replaces them. She says its all about the chalk. So next time we will put a new pair of bands in her grip bag so they get all chalky on their own. Hopefully that will help.

My DD gets wrist rips only when her cotton wrist bands are getting hard (dirty or needs new ones). She doesn't like it when I "wash the luck out of them," but when she starts to rip I do it anyway.

Have you tried washing or replacing the cotton ones? My DD didn't care for the neoprene and they are much more expensive than the cotton.

 

[gymnastbeth]

Try not using any sort of fabric softener. Once they come out scrunch them around in your hands for a little bit and that should prevent the slippery feeling.

My competitive gymnastics years are behind me, but I agree, this definitely helps! Fabric softener is a huge no no for wristbands. (Although as slippery as the cotton ones can be after washing, the neoprene ones always felt even more slippery.)

 

[my4buffaloes]

My dd just got the neoprene ones and really likes them. I have also heard that putting a balloon over the place where you tend to rip will prevent future rips.

 

[Moxiegrl83]

The last rip my daughter got on her wrist was so nasty it sent us to the pediatrician three times, then to a dermatologist. It somehow caused an eczema flare up which she hadn't had in years. There is a foam tape ( it looks like a bandaid) the girls buy, fold it over on itself, and put it over the rip. Then use tape and prewrap to hold it in place. The extra cushion seems to help.

I asked her coach about the neoprene wrist bands (GK sells then too), and she said they were too slippery and she probably wouldn't like them. I'm also under orders not to wash her wristbands. I just buy her new ones when they get too disgusting and crusty.

 

[LadyBugGymnast]

Yes. Always make sure you wash them. And keep an extra pair in your bag if needed just in case you grab them one day and they feel extra chalky and "crusty"

 

[ProudDad]

DD asked me to wash hers last night, specifically hand wash. This morning she said they were perfect. So here is the secret sauce (YMMV):

1. Rinse them and squeze them like a sponge multiple times until the water coming out is mostly clear
2. Fill sink half full of HOT water
3. Add some liquid laundry detergent
4. Add some Unstoppables (as much as you want to mask future funk)
5. Wring, twist, and swirl and otherwise manhandle those suckers until you feel like you should have bought them dinner first.
6. Let them soak for 30 mins
7. Drain
8. Repeat Step #1
9. Squeeze as much excess water out as possible
10. Let them Air dry
11. Scrunch them up a couple times so they aren't too stiff.
12. Present them to your gymmie (have a new backup pair in your back pocket just in case)

 

[sgymnast12]

I'm also a level 9, and I hate neoprene wrist bands. I've always stuck with cotton but hated cleaning them and got tons of rips, but I got these: http://www.ten-o.com/TENO-4-Wristbands,8227.html?b=d*235 I don't think they are too thick or thin, and are tightly woven so they don't get as crusty as others. It might be a coincidence, but I haven't gotten a wrist rip since.