Best Tennis Overgrips [Reviewed & Playtested for 2021]

The overgrip is the staple tennis accessory for tennis players across the globe, and virtually everyone who regularly plays the sport will go through several of them yearly.

Players use them for various reasons, such as making the grip size thicker, increasing comfort, absorbing more moisture, or creating a more tacky feel to stop the racket from slipping from the hand.

In some cases, you might put an overgrip on to keep the original grip in better condition to prevent having to replace it.

But which overgrips are the best? Are some better than others? Or, like tennis balls, are they all coming from the same factory anyway? Let’s take a look.

What’s the Difference Between an Overgrip and a Replacement Grip?

The names are self-explanatory; a replacement grip is designed to replace the base grip on your tennis racket.

For example, if you’ve bought a new Babolat Pure Drive but don’t like the preinstalled Syntec grip, you can swap it with a replacement like a Head Hydrosorb Pro. 

An overgrip is a thinner piece of tape-like material designed to sit on top of the base grip to absorb moisture, increase grip thickness or boost the grippy-ness for the hand.

Do you need to use both? Not at all, many players will play with the base grip on the racket, and they will swap this out regularly when it wears out.

It’s worth noting that replacement grips are often adhesive-backed and can be a bit more awkward to remove and install than an overgrip designed to be replaced regularly.

Some players like Dan Evans only use an overgrip with no base grip underneath, this is rare as it creates quite a defined bezel on the handle, which most players will find uncomfortable, but he likes that feeling in the hand.

I don’t particularly like the look or feel of the worn base grip, so I’ve always put on an overgrip as I like the feel and the visual of a fresh white grip nicely fitted on the handle.

How Often Should You Change Overgrip?

Richard Gasquet changes his overgrip multiple times throughout a match, often using more than one per set. But do you need to mimic him?

Not really, but it’s a personal choice; if you’re a player who sweats via your palms profusely, then you might not have any other options but to change grips frequently, including mid-match.

I don’t sweat much on the palms, and I wear a sweatband to stop it from running down from the forearm, so I tend to keep an overgrip on for the same duration as I keep the strings in. 

Sometimes I’ll keep it on longer if it’s still looking fresh and there’s still a tacky enough feel to it, or I’ll change it more regularly if I’ve played on a dirty court, clay, or a wet day as they get discoloured quickly. 

You can see what state they can get to below:

Are There Different Types of Overgrip?

Overgrips fit into two categories – tacky or absorbent/dry.

The names are self-explanatory, with tacky overgrips offering more of a sticky feeling in the hand. And the dry overgrips are designed to absorb sweat and keep your hands dry.

The Overgrip I Use Most Often (Update 2022)

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In early 2022 as part of reviewing more overgrips to add to this post, I stumbled across the Toalson Asterista overgrip for the first time, and since then, it’s become my go-to overgrip.

The Asterista is one of the best all-around grips I’ve tried, it is slightly thicker than other overgrips at 0.7mm and longer, but it feels fantastic. Excellent tack, good absorption, and is very long-lasting.

Key Features

My Top Five Overgrips For 2022

Over the years, I’ve tested all types of overgrip, even once as a kid wrapping a racket handle in electrical wiring tape as a test. While it looked pretty nice when complete, I wouldn’t recommend it as at the first sign of moisture; it was like holding a bar of soap. 😁

Based on my testing, below are my top five overgrips that I recommend for all players. 

Four of them are tacky overgrips which are my preferred style, and I’ve also included my favourite dry overgrip.

My Overgrip Testing

I tested several overgrips, and you can read the full reviews below. Most overgrips were used for a minimum of three 90-minute hitting sessions.

Some I took off earlier as I’d destroyed them; others I like were kept on longer.

You can read the full reviews below.

The Limitation of My Overgrip Reviews

I am not a player who sweats a lot from the hands, so I prefer tacky grips. I also wear a sweatband to limit any runoff from my forearm.

That means I can’t test the ‘dry’ overgrips to their full potential or say whether they will suit you if you sweat profusely via your hands. I can only tell if they struggle with limited moisture absorption.

I also tend to play better with a tacky grip as I can manipulate the racket easier in my hands; I find the dry overgrips slightly abrasive, so that bias factors into my reviews.

Wilson Pro Overgrip

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The Wilson Pro Overgrips is one of Wilson’s best-selling products and has been used by several pro players, including Roger Federer and Serena Williams have used it throughout their careers.

Key Features

I’ve been using the Wilson Pro Overgrip for over ten years, and it’s consistently one of my go-to products.

I have only tried other overgrips on the market because the Wilson were out of stock.

At 0.55m thick, it offers decent comfort without adding much bulk to your grip size. There’s no debossed logo like some others, either, so it’s a consistent texture throughout.

The Wilson Pro Overgrip has excellent durability, a good tack level, and is easy to fit.

With some overgrips, it can be tricky not to get pleating when fitting it, but the Wilson’s always seem to go on without having to pull it tight and rewrap constantly.

Pros

Cons

Verdict: The best choice overgrip for most players.

Yonex Super Grap Overgrip

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The Yonex Super Grap overgrip has been sold enough to wrap around the world six times and is used by Denis Shapovalov, Frances Tiafoe, Stan Wawrinka and Nick Kyrgios.

Key Features

This was the first time I’ve used a Yonex overgrip in a long time, and I was instantly a fan of the Super Grap.

It is one of the thickest grips at 0.6mm, so it has an excellent cushion level and feels great in hand.

The pack I bought was the black grips, and they have a slightly less tacky feel than the white ones (probably the dye reduces this). So if you want even more tack, get the white ones.

Based on my playtests, the Super Grap slots easily in the top three, and I will be using this grip alongside the Wilson and Toalson overgrips from now on.

You get plenty of tack, it lasts a long time, no discernible wear or chafing leaves residue on the hands, and the comfort level is high.

Pros

Cons

Verdict: One of my favourite overgrips.

Volkl V-Dry Overgrip

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Volkl’s V-Dry overgrip is an ultra moisture-absorbent, making it perfect for those who play in humid climates or sweat a lot via their hands.

Key Features

I used the Volkl V-Dry over three hitting sessions, and it’s probably my favourite amongst the ‘dry’ grips out there.

It lasts longer than a Tournagrip, is available in several colours and is significantly better than the Luxilon Elite Dry.

The negatives would be that I found the grip hard to fit snugly to the racket, thanks to the cloth-like texture.

That means it keeps getting slack when wrapping and generally has a loose feel on the handle. It also looks quite loose when fitted, which I don’t like.

As you can see from the pictures, the V Dry Overgrip has the logo printed onto the grip, which some players don’t like.

I tested this during summer, and the grip did a good job absorbing moisture on the hands.

Overall, I found it a bit too dry for my taste with no real tack to it, but the Volkl V Dry will be a good choice for players who want moisture absorption over everything else.

Pros

Cons

Verdict: A good option for players looking for a ‘dry’ grip. It will last longer than Tournagrip.

Tecnifibre Pro Players Overgrip

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Tecnifibre Pro Players is marketed as a durable and absorbent overgrip used by several Tecnifibre touring pros.

Key Features

The Tecnifibre Players Pro Overgrip features Hydrocell Bond Technology, which can absorb moisture up to 5 times faster than a traditional overgrip.

As someone who doesn’t sweat profusely via the hands when playing, I can’t verify that claim, but the grip did a decent job absorbing moisture throughout the playtest.

As you can see from the pictures, the Players Pro overgrip has a perforated design that gives it a more textured feel.

I am not a massive fan of the dimpled effect and prefer a smoother grip, but it’s decent if you like this style.

The Players Pro grip also feels relatively thin when on the racket, which will suit players who like the bezels to be more pronounced.

The reason it’s not one of my favourites is because it gets pretty slippy when wet and doesn’t have a cushioned feel like the Yonex Super Grap.

Pros

Cons

Verdict: It feels a bit thin, and the perforated design isn’t my favourite.

Luxilon Elite Dry Overgrip

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Luxilon claims that revolutionary soft-touch fabric and moisture-tack technology deliver a comfortable feel and increased tackiness as you sweat.

Key Features

The Luxilon Elite Dry is billed as ideal for humid or for players who want an enhanced grip, and their marketing gives you the impression this is a premium product.

However, this was by far the worst overgrip I’ve ever used. You can see how it looked after a single hitting session below:

I could feel this overgrip fraying after just 5 minutes of play, and it wasn’t long before a whole section of it had worn out and exposed the leather grip underneath.

While it’s normal for ‘dry’ overgrips to fray and requires swapping out quickly, this one lasted nowhere near as long as a Tournagrip or a Volkl V-Dry.

To make matters worse, when I removed it, it left a ton of residue on the Wilson leather grip that I had to clean off.

So not only did it wear out after one session, I had to spend 10 minutes with a damp cloth to get the grey sticky residue off before applying another. 

Was this a bad batch? Who knows, but I can’t see how this is a viable product if other customers get the same experience as they are useless within 5 minutes. Even Gasquet needs more playing time than that!

Pros

Cons

Verdict: Avoid

Head Prestige Pro Overgrip

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The Head Prestige Pro Overgrip has a specially reinforced polyurethane elastomer material to offer maximum tackiness.

Key Features

The Prestige Pro overgrip is similar to the Wilson Pro Overgrip and the Gamma Supreme. It feels identical once on, and if this was a blind test, I’m not sure I’d have been able to tell the difference.

I tested this one on outdoor hard courts over three hitting sessions, and after using the Tournagrip, this was a welcome change back to my preferred ‘tacky’ grip.

The Prestige Pro is quite a thick overgrip, so it does add a bit to the grip size, but I liked the feel. It offers a good level of tack and feels good in the hand.

Overall I’d say it starts tacky but doesn’t hold tack as well as the Wilson or the Yonex, but I was more than happy with it.

I’m not a massive fan of the debossed logo, but you can wrap it in a way so that the majority of the hand is not touching it.

Pros

Cons

Verdict: Solid overgrip, just not quite as good as Yonex or Wilson

Gamma Supreme Overgrip

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The Gamma Supreme Overgrip “helps you rule the court and provides maximum durability for hours of play”. Bold claims, but it’s a decent overgrip based on my testing.

Key Features

It features what Gamma call a high traction polymer coating, and for players who like a tacky, then the Supreme Overgrip is a good buy.

The Gamma Supreme is similar to the Yonex Super Grap and Wilson Pro Overgrip. The three are almost interchangeable, but the Gamma is not as soft/comfortable as those above.

It also has the logo debossed on the grip, which I’m not a massive fan of, which is why I would pick the Super Grap, Wilson or Tennis-Point in front of this.

One advantage over the competition is that Gamma Supreme is tapered at both ends, so depending on the racket handle length and how much you overlap, you can get a neat finish without using scissors to cut it.

That won’t bother many players, but it does look tidier when the top end tapers to a finish. As you can see in my photos, I sometimes try to get the overlaps perfect and cut them with scissors; other times, I will just fit them quickly and hit the courts.

Pros

Cons

Verdict: A decent overgrip and one of the most widely used. 

Babolat Pro Response Overgrip

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The Babolat Pro Response is the overgrip of choice for Felix Auger Aliassime, and it’s the thinnest of Babolat’s tacky overgrip range.

Key Features

The Pro Response is one of the thinner overgrips at 0.45mm and is a decent choice for players who want less bulk on the grip while keeping good tack levels.

Before this playtest, I’d never tried a Babolat overgrip, and after using the Pro Response, I think I’d like some more in their range.

I didn’t enjoy the texture or the debossed logo, so while it did the job, it’s not one I would return to.

Players who want a thin, more cloth-type feeling from their overgrip will like this. But I prefer a slightly thicker rubbery feel.

Pros

Cons

Verdict: Just ok

Tournagrip

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The Tournagrip is one of the easily recognised accessories out there, thanks to Pete Sampras using it on his trusty Wilson Pro Staff 85 for all his fourteen Grand Slam Wins.

Key Features

Tourna markets it as the most absorbent grip in the world and perfect for hot and humid conditions. It comes in at 5g and has no tapering on either of the ends, nor does it have a small sticky square for adhesion to the butt cap like most grips.

The Tournagrip is one of the most widely used grips, but I think it’s overrated. I find the grip quite harsh on the hands and hard to manipulate the racket when switching grips.

I only kept this grip on for two hitting sessions as the abrasive nature started to cause a blister on my thumb.

I also didn’t play well with it as it gave me a disconnected feel from the racket, which also gave me a bad impression.

As for durability, it’s somewhere in the middle. I didn’t keep it on long enough to test longevity, but it lasts longer than the Luxilon Dry Elite but has more wear than the V-Dry.

Overall, I think the Volk V-Dry is a better buy as it will last longer and is more comfortable to use.

Pros

Cons

Verdict: Not as good as the Volkl V-Dry

Toalson Asterista Overgrip

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Toalson is a relatively unheard-of tennis brand that makes some great strings, so it’s only natural they also make quality overgrips.

One of those is the Asterista, which has become my overgrip of choice since testing it earlier in 2022.

Key Features

The Asterista is one of the most comfortable overgrips I have ever tried, and it is one that just felt great as soon as I tested it.

The thickness, tack and softness are all the things I’m looking for in a grip, and I found no real negatives with it.

Even though I’m usually not a fan of grips that have debossed logos, I can overlook it on the Asterista, and I would recommend that everybody tries it if they like the soft, wet, tacky feeling grips.

Pros

Cons

Verdict: One of my favourite overgrips

Artengo Absorb Overgrip

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Artengo is the in-house brand of retailer Decathlon, and they’re becoming more well known for their well-priced tennis rackets, which are comfortably the best value for money rackets you get right now.

The French firm also does the full complement of accessories, including overgrips with three types to choose from.

I tested their ‘Absorb’ grip, which comes in a pack of three.

Key Features

Even though the grip is marketed as an absorption type grip, I found it more of a tacky style grip, and I enjoyed it. It has an excellent feeling – more on the firmer side than soft, but I liked how it felt when switching between forehands, backhands and volleys.

The other advantage is that the outer edges of the grip are bevelled, which makes getting a uniform overlap very easy, as you can line up the grooves as you wrap them. 

One downside, however, was that the red tab to aid in peeling off the cellophane before fitting failed on all three grips – when I pulled that, the tab itself came away from the cellophane rather than separating it from the grip—no impact on the playability of the course, but just an annoyance.

Pros

Cons

Verdict: An excellent budget-friendly overgrip, worth trying.

Tourna Mega Tac

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The Tourna Mega Tac is sold as the tackiest overgrip ever made, and like their iconic blue absorbent, overgrips come in a single thick roll with three grips.

Key Features

If you like tacky overgrips, you’ll enjoy the Tourna Mega Tac. Is it the tackiest overgrip available, as claimed? I think so, yes.

I don’t use it because I think it’s a bit of a one-trick pony; it does tack super well, but with other grips like the Toalson or Super Grap, I think you get enough tack plus a bit more comfort.

Pros

Cons

Verdict:  The tackiest overgrip you can buy.

MSV Cyber Wet Overgrip

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MSV are a German company that produces some tremendous comfortable polyester strings like Focus Hex and Swift.

They all do several types of overgrip, and my favourite is their ‘Cyber Wet’ overgrip which is the tacky grip in the range.

Key Features

The Cyber Wet is 1050 mm long, 29 mm wide and has a thickness of 0.60 mm. I tested it on my Boom MP, and I liked it immediately.

It has an excellent tacky feel, and I find it hard to distinguish it from my other top picks, like the Wilson Pro Overgrip and Yonex Super Grap.

Durability is decent, and the Cyber Wet is simply a good all-rounder, which I’d have n qualms about buying and using if it were in a local store or the most accessible.

Pros

Cons

Verdict: Comparable to the Wilson Pro Overgrip and the Yonex Super Grap.

Head Prime Overgrip

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HEAD’s dry grip is called Prime; it’s a thin grip at 0.55mm and is said to have a dry, comfortable feel offering excellent sweat absorption.

Key Features

Although it is classified as a dry grip, the Prime feels like a tacky overgrip, without the tack and more of a cloth-like texture. Almost like the back of a tacky overgrip.

I tested it on the Boom MP over top of the Hydrosorb Pro grip and didn’t have good results. I found it poor for durability, slack after a couple of uses and just all around; not a good grip for my taste.

While some players might like this style, if you want tacky grips, avoid it, and if you like absorbent grips, the Prime doesn’t have as good absorbency as others, like the Volkl V-Dry.

Pros

Cons

Verdict: The Volkl V-Dry is a better buy.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much weight will an overgrip add to my racket?

All the weight is added to the handle. On average, an overgrip with the finishing tape will weigh around 5-6 grams. While it is negligible (only about 2% of a typical strung racket’s overall weight), it’s worth considering if you are customising or matching frames.

Do I need to use all the overgrip?

Most overgrips wrapped individually are too long for a standard racket handle. Many players will double wrap the last bit to use it in its entirety, but you can produce a much neater finish by trimming the end with scissors. 

You can also use far less overgrip if you have a one-handed backhand. Stan Wawrinka and Richard Gasquet only wrap halfway up the handle as their hands never gripped the upper part of the handle.

Should the sticky part be used at the handle’s top or bottom?

The instructions will tell you to place the adhesive part on the corner bezel at the bottom of the handle. However, many players do the reverse; they fold over the other end to create another tapered end and then use the adhesive part to fasten the overgrip at the top of the racket.

What is the tackiest overgrip available?

The Tourna Mega Tac is the tackiest overgrip, so if that’s what you are after, that’s the overgrip you should buy.

Do I even need an overgrip?

Not at all, many players choose not to use one, and it boils down purely to feel and preference. I like how an overgrip feels over a leather grip, so that’s my preferred setup.

I sweat a lot from the hands; which overgrip is best?

I would recommend the Volkl V-Dry, but I will be testing more dry-type grips in the coming months.

However, many players who say they sweat a lot from their hands sweat more on their forearms but don’t wear sweatbands, which means the sweat runs down onto their hands.

If I didn’t wear a wristband, my hands would get slippy, too, so I’d recommend testing some decent wristbands like the Nike doublewide first and seeing if that makes a difference.

Are overgrips just for tennis rackets?

Overgrips can be used for all sorts of things. As well as tennis rackets, Players can use them on Pickleball rackets, squash rackets and Padel bats.

I’ve also seen people use them for anything that requires a grip. Think dumbells, pull-up bars, axes, door handles, and steering wheels.

Overgrips Next On My Playtest List

Over the coming months, the following overgrips will be playtested:

I will add the reviews to this post over time.

Which overgrip do you use and why? Got any suggestions for overgrips I should review? Let me know in the comments.