Best Grip Strengtheners
We purchased five of the top grip strengtheners and put them to the test on hands of various sizes. The IronMind Captain of Crush Hand Gripper is our favorite because of its effectiveness and high build quality.
Grip strength is commonly overlooked despite how simple it is to exercise. Furthermore, its applications are remarkably diverse.
Power lifters are likely to benefit the most, but grip strength is important to everyone from pianists to rock climbers.
Training grip, fortunately, is neither difficult nor expensive. Specialized disciplines may necessitate specialized training, but there is only one basic exercise: squeeze incredibly hard.
All of these goods contribute to achieving that goal. Furthermore, they’re all pretty good. I’m quite convinced that any of these five gadgets could assist you efficiently increase grip strength with a well-structured program.
Regardless, variances in construction and funding result in a variety of experiences. Continue reading for specifics.
IronMind Captains of Crush Hand Gripper
The Captain of Crush Hand Gripper is a popular and time-tested alternative among grip strengtheners, thanks in part to its distinctive name.
It’s not difficult to understand why after living with one for a month.
This is the device that felt the most like a genuine piece of gym equipment out of all the ones we tested. Burly, ergonomic, straightforward, and brutally efficient.
The design is simple: two diamond-textured handles are separated by a three-coil spring.
The Gripper, made of aluminum and steel, is substantial but not overpowering. The device is as tough as they come, with no moving parts.
The handle angle is ergonomic and provides for a full range of motion. It was simple and successful to perform a simple and effective hand workout with this item.
IronMind is on your side in this case; they include excellent training instructions on the packaging and a downloadable training manual. Their advise is sound: warm up, prioritize quality over quantity, and train gradually.
That last advice is where the Gripper falls a little short. IronMind has a wide range of resistances (up to a seriously meaty 365 pounds), but each one requires a separate Gripper.
Moving forward necessitates a considerable investment. IronMind suggests keeping a warm-up Gripper, a work-set gripper, and a stretch-goal gripper on hand.
Although this is a wonderful goal, even a single Gripper is the most expensive equipment in our test. Not everyone has that kinds of money to spend on a grip.
Adding to the difficulty, testers with particularly small hands found the Gripper unusable. Most people did fine, but those with small hands had to slip their hands up the handles, reducing leverage and comfort.
And, while 60 pounds is a good starting point, it may be too hefty for some.
As a result, the Gripper is ideal for the ardent fan. If grip strength isn’t a top need, one of the less expensive or adjustable grip strengtheners will suffice. However, if you’re serious about training, the Captains of Crush Hand Gripper is the best there is.
Gripmaster Pro Hand Exerciser
Because not all strengtheners can target particular fingers, this category is worth establishing on its own.
In fact, Gripmaster (in various incarnations) appears to have monopolized that market.
Individual finger training may be essential in disciplines like as climbing or music. If you’ve never used a Gripmaster before, you might be surprised at how weak parts of your fingers are.
Fortunately, Gripmaster produces a high-quality product. The key distinctions between the Gripmasters Pro and the standard Gripmaster are the Pro’s wider range of motion and padded finger surfaces.
The Pro also has a higher maximum tension, but it isn’t adjustable like the Captains of Crush Hand Gripper, so you’ll have to buy a new device as you progress.
These characteristics make the Pro the preferred grip for grippers who are serious about finger strength.
The increased range of motion makes workouts more effective, and the padded fingers make strenuous activities more comfortable. Dedicated learners will almost certainly exceed the maximum tension of 9 pounds per finger on the conventional Gripmaster.
The Pro does not come without drawbacks. Due to the lack of a thumb-side tab, we felt the palm-rest shape to be significantly less secure and pleasant than the conventional Gripmaster. The greater range of motion was less appealing to testers with little hands, who felt the gadget to be too wide to be ergonomic.
In addition, the Pro is the second most expensive device in our evaluation. It’s not much more expensive than the standard Gripmaster, but it still requires multiple purchases to proceed.
Because of these factors, the Gripmaster Pro is best suited to dedicated learners with medium to big hands.
Luxon Hand Grip Strengthener
The Luxon strengthener costs about the same as most of our products, however it comes in packs of two.
It’s a terrific affordable selection as long as you can buy with a companion.
The Luxon device is adaptable, easy to use, and surprisingly effective for the price. It isn’t the most complicated or long-lasting gripper, but it does the job, especially for beginners.
The main advantage of the Luxon is its adaptability. A hinge connects the two handles, which lies beneath a spring with a screw-adjustable length. The strain at the handles is increased when the spring is lengthened.
The tension starts at a gentle 22 pounds, which is light enough for practically anyone to practice with. The screw is simple to use and just takes a few seconds to adjust.
The weight limit on the spectrum is 120 pounds. We discovered that this degree of resistance was enough for all but the most serious learners.
The disadvantage is lack of comfort. The Luxon trainer was considered to be less ergonomic by the majority of testers, and the lightly padded plastic isn’t as comfy during exercises. Testers with little hands, on the other hand, found a solid grasp on the Luxon.
The main argument in favor of the Luxon is its value. If you’re serious about increasing your gains but only want to buy one gripper, this is the one to grab. It’s simple and not as well-crafted as other solutions, but it’s still effective.
Gripmaster Hand Exerciser
For anyone wishing to target certain fingers, the traditional Gripmaster is still a solid alternative.
It’s more manageable than the Gripmaster Pro, and while it won’t go you as far as the Gripmaster Pro, it may be a better option for some.
Despite the fact that our test versions have the same advertised finger tension, the conventional Gripmaster is a more comfortable squeeze.
This is mostly due to a narrower range of motion, which also makes the original more suitable for persons with small hands.
Although the rubber palm grip can chafe over time, it is secure and ergonomic. The finger pads lack cushioning, making them less pleasant than those on the Pro.
However, the Gripmaster still delivers on its primary promise, which is a training program that covers all of the fingers. The Gripmaster’s tension starts at just 1.5 pounds per finger, making it an approachable entry point for beginners or grip rehab.
This Gripmaster is also not adjustable, although it is one of the less expensive gadgets in the test. If you don’t require a heavy-duty finger trainer or if your digits are better suited to a smaller size, the Gripmaster won’t let you down.
Kootek Hand Grip Strengthener
On the surface, the Kootek grip strengthener appears to offer the best of all worlds. It is similar in design to the Captains of Crush Hand Gripper, but it has adjustable tension.
In practice, neither part is carrie out well enough to win any honors. The Kootek is still a capable reinforcer; it just isn’t our first pick.
The aluminum alloy handles are slightly smaller in diameter than the Captains of Crush, causing them to dig deeper into the hands.
The angle of pull is also changed, making the motion feel less ergonomic.
The adaptability is useful but not tremendously pleasurable. The revolutionary design allows the inner beam to pull out by unscrewing the top section of each handle.
The tension decreases as the distance between the handles and the coils increases. The range is claimed by Kootek to be 50-150 pounds, but the larger tensions feel light for the weights, and tension isn’t always consistent across the ranges of motion.
To make matters worse, Inner aluminum arm is covere in a lubricant similar to grease. This facilitates adjustment, but it also means that your table (and your hands) are likely to pick up some secondhand grease.
That’s obviously not great for grip training. The screw-top handles are difficult to manipulate, particularly when re-screwing after adjustment.
Overall, the Kootek is more bother than it’s worth. That’s a shame, because it would be a terrific buy for the price.