The best grip strengthener is one that allows you to effectively train your grip strength – meaning the resistance is appropriate for you, the handle is ergonomic and comfortable, and of course it doesn’t break the bank. Hand grippers are available in a wide variety of styles, resistances, and price points. This guide to the best grip strengtheners and hand grippers will help you wade through the BS products out there and find the right product for you in the least amount of time.
Best Grip Strengtheners Review Table
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Best Grip Strengthener Individual Reviews
There are three main styles when it comes to grip strengtheners. There’s the double handle style, the individual finger style, and a new silicone or rubber ring style. In the end they all work your grip similarly, but if you have any imbalances then the individual finger style or rubber ring is better suited to you. Also I would recommend the individual finger style to anyone using these grip trainers to combat repetitive strain and working on the computer as it works the hand and strengthens more evenly rather than focusing on pure grip strength.
Grip strengtheners often come in different levels of resistance, and one other option is to purchase an adjustable grip strengthener.
Captains of Crush Gripper Review [usr 5]
Captains of Crush hand grippers are in my opinion the best grip strengthener out there right now. They come in 11 different strengths for everyone, they’re the most heavy duty set, and they come in very heavy resistances all the way up to 365lbs. They may not be the most flashy but these things will last a lifetime and never break, need new parts, or lose resistance.
- Best grip strengthener in 2067
- Available in 60, 80, 100, 120, 140, 167.5, 195, 237.5, 280, 322.5, 365
- Simple, effective, durable, basic design grip trainers
- These have passed the test of time and see use by bodybuilders, powerlifters, musicians, and those suffering from repetitive strain/arthritis
- Made in the USA
- Click here to check them out on Amazon
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Norse Adjustable Hand Gripper Exercise Kit Review [usr 4]
When it comes to adjustable grip trainers, the Norse kit has it all. This is one of my top recommendation for those looking to use a grip trainer to recover from repetitive strain, hand and wrist weakness, and manage arthritis/carpel tunnel. The fact that this thing is adjustable from 22-88lbs of force is amazing because you only need one device to improve your strength and perform a variety of different exercises. It also comes with two therapy squeeze balls that work in tandem with the grip trainer to improve your hand strength, manage repetitive strain injuries by strengthening your hands and and fingers, and improving your overall hand health.
- Best adjustable hand gripper
- Ergonomic design that’s comfortable to train on
- Comes with two squeeze therapy balls
- Adjustable from 22-88lbs to give you a wide training range
- Only con is that the adjustable design is more prone to wear and breaking sooner than a more basic design gripper
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GripMaster Hand Exerciser Review [usr 4.5]
The GripMaster products are the best when it comes to the developing the entire hands and fingers individually. For those suffering from tendonitis, arthritis, carpel tunnel, and other wrist/hand/arm injuries – you’ll see the most benefit out of this type of grip trainer. Entire hand grippers like the Captains of Crush trainers are more suited to general grip training for lifting and sports, but this specific trainer targets each finger individually focusing on weak points. It’s also ideal for musicians and those wanting to strengthen the pinch grip.
- Best grip trainer for those with wrist/hand injuries
- Best grip trainer for musicians
- Available in 1.5, 3, 5, 7, and 9 lbs per finger weight (this is per finger not the entire thing! it’s harder to push with an individual finger)
- Overall this is a high quality grip trainer with a simple design that will work each finger extensively
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Heavy Grips Review [usr 3.5]
The Heavy Grips product line is essentially the same as the Captains of Crush except a budget option. They’re also great because you can get them in bulk packages of several different resistances for a great price. This allows you to continue training your grip as you get stronger with a variety of weights to use in your training. The Heavy Grips grip trainers are the best budget grip strengthener I’ve found so far.
- Basic, durable, good looking construction
- Available up to 350 lbs resistance
- Best budget grip strengtheners
- Not as good quality as the Captains of Crush
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ProSource Hand Grips Review [usr 3.5]
Another essentially budget Captains of Crush option is the ProSource grippers. These come individually which is a nice alternative to the Heavy Grips sets that are only available as packages. If you want a cheap yet effective grip trainer in a range up to 350lbs then the ProSource may be the best option over the Captains of Crush or Heavy Grips.
- Cheap, basic grip strength trainers
- Available in 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, and 350lb options
- Individually sold high resistance grip trainers
- Budget grip trainers sold individually
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GD Grip Ultra Adjustable Gripper Review [usr 4]
The GD Grip Ultra is a step up from the previously listed adjustable gripper. For the athlete/musician wanting to only have one grip trainer or the person suffering from wrist issues ready for more resistance – this gripper is perfect. With a hefty, and wide range offering 44-154 lbs of resistance it’s hard to go wrong with this adjustable model. It looks solid, it feels solid, and it’s easy to adjust. There’s not much more you can ask for except more weight when you’re ready for it!
- Best grip strengthener that’s adjustable and heavy duty
- Resistance from 44-154lbs
- Super durable steel parts
- Save space with this heavy duty and high resistance hand gripper
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Iron Crush Grip Strengthener Rings Review [usr 3.5]
I’ve included these on this list as they are are a possible option but I think the other options are better. They perform very similarly to the standard gripper trainer that you squeeze together – but my problem is that the movement is tough to replicate every time, and the rings will lose their tightness over time. However, the ARE super cheap to keep around the house/desk so if you’re interested in trying them out go for it. One benefit is that you can use these differently around your fingers so crushing, pinching, or putting all of your fingers inside the ring and extending them for an extension grip workout.
- Super cheap grip training tool
- Available in a wide variety of resistances
- Similar to regular hand grippers
- Tough to replicate for repetitions as your grip may slip/change
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How to Pick the Best Grip Strengthener for You
With a bit of background information, and presentation on the products we’re ready to decide which product is right for us. Here’s my simple breakdown to follow to help you find the best grip training tool for your needs:
- Strength training athletes like powerlifters, olympic lifters, or crossfitters can benefit greatly from improving their crush grip. The Captains of Crush are available in the highest resistance of all the grippers on this list and you don’t need the individual fingers to work on your crush grip. Go with a basic gripper or the heavy duty adjustable GD Grip if you want to save some space.
- For musicians, the finger movement and strength is important so I always recommend the individual finger trainers by GripMaster.
- For those suffering from carpel tunnel, arthritis, repetitive strain injuries, or other issues I think the adjustable options are the best. The silicone rings can work but I think they don’t focus on repetition enough to be worth while. With a good gripper you’ll be holding it the same way every time and working on your grip, crush, pinch, and arm strength to alleviate and prevent further issues. Go with the light weight adjustable set and work your way up to the heavy duty adjustable set.
How to Use Your Grip Strengthener
Using your grip strengthener or hand gripper is pretty intuitive, but here are a few tips to get you started.
For athletes, training your grip is important for your specific sport for handling a stick, a racket, lifting a barbell, or climbing. You should dedicate time each and every week to working on your grip. I recommend minimum once per week, when you have a few days to rest afterwards. Maybe after a tough session or game, do a bit of extra grip work so that your performance doesn’t suffer afterwards. Use a resistance that you can comfortably perform 8-12 reps with – do this 4-5 times. Alternatively, reduce the amount of reps and try maxing out for 6 reps, 4 reps, 2 reps, and even 1 rep. Also as you lower the amount of reps you can perform, try squeezing and holding the weight for as long as possible. Do this with light resistance, and also heavy resistance. These exercises are building your hand and grip strength, and also your grip endurance.
For musicians and those battling hand/wrist injuries or issues I recommend using the individual finger grips as mentioned. If you have hand/finger/wrist injuries it’s likely you have a lot of imbalances or weakness in the area. Start very light and try doing just a few squeezes as a time. Eventually and gradually work your way up to a routine as described above. You should be doing a routine that consists of repetitions, and holds – aka regularly squeezing the tool 8-12 times, or squeezing and holding the tool for a set amount of time. Increase the resistance as you can and increase the time you hold the squeeze for. This is why I always recommend the adjustable trainers for these options as you can work your way up.
Best grip strengthener and hand gripper conclusion
Overall, grip training is very important and often overlooked. It’s essential for athletes to perform their best especially when holding onto something via tackling, barbells, rackuets, or sticks are concerned. Strengthening your hands also improves your control, reaction time, endurance, and more. You’ll be able to train harder and play harder. Getting the best grip strengthener is important so you can have a tool that enables you to train and develop your grip without breaking the bank. The Captains of Crush grips are basic and hard to go wrong with. They’re individual so the only downside is if you want a bunch of different weights you’ll have several grips. This is where the adjustable option is appealing.
For those working on the computer all day, using an individual finger strengthener can do wonders for the longevity of your career and health of your hands and arms. Work your fingers, hands, and forearms regularly to diminish fatigue, reduce risk of injury, and cure existing repetitive strain or other injuries.
Musicians can expect to increase the finger speed, finger control, finger strength, and also playing endurance after using grip trainers.
I would recommend training grip to anyone since it’s so simple to do with such inexpensive devices. Do it sitting at your desk, do it on the train, do it at home before bed, do it on the toilet even – you can literally train grip anywhere with the best grip strengtheners and hand grippers today.
Training your grip in combination with using lifting aids like straps or lifting chalk will skyrocket your lifts if you’re a powerlifter, olympic lifter, or CrossFitter. They should never be used without proper grip training or else they’re just a crutch!
Happy gripping!
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