I have tried a lot of grip aids in my time! There are grips specifically for; hands, legs, elbows, knees, winter, summer, sweat absorption, gluing yourself to the pole... I wouldn't be surprised if there were grips that did your taxes soon. And everybody has very different needs from their grip. This Pole Grip aid guide is based on my personal opinions of most of the grips currently available, their pros & cons as well as a guide to who they may be the most useful for.
Drying/sweat absorbing style grips.
Pros: This style of grips is very diverse and can be used for your hands and body. They are great if you get a little bit sweaty and just need something to dry off your hands and stop the sweat from making you lose grip. Generally, they are gentle enough that you can still have control over sliding your hand down the pole when needed. Most grips sit in this category.
Cons: If your issue is grip strength, you may find this kind of grip can actually make things worse as they can become quite powdery when dried down. If you have dry skin these style grips will make your skin even dryer, especially if you use it on your legs and elbows. Some of these also leave very impressive white hand prints on everything!
Dryhands
The holy grail. The crack cocaine of pole dance. Does it all, absorbs sweat, and gives juuust enough tack to help you stick but not so much that you can't slide your hand if you need to. This is what I used to train with. BUT (and this is a big old buttt) it is painfully hard to get hold of, there was a ton of drama around the owner and them not wanting strippers to use it and we absolutely will stand for whorephobia/stripperphobia! I also strongly believe they have changed the formula and not told anyone. My most recent bottle is kinda crap and not worth the £20 I paid for it. Bastards!
Liquid chalk
I believe this was my first-ever grip aid. I bought a massive bottle from Whole Foods that cost less than £8 and I think I still have it at the back of a draw somewhere. I find it is great for sweat absorption but wears off very very quickly, it also leaves the WORST white handmarks ever! But it is cheap, very easy to get hold of, and a great first grip. Fun fact, I love this grip for my feet if I do Cupids or Reikos. There is also the powered version like the stuff weightlifters, rock climbers, and gymnasts use, it's just very messy and if you leave that mess in the studio your instructor will ask you to stay behind and vacuum after class.
Girly grip
This is probably my second favourite grip, it is very close to Dryhands but a little bit chalkier, and less tacky. I quite like this in summer as it's good for sweat.
Envirogrip
Smells great and is by far the most environmentally conscious grip out there. I found it a bit useless, it is a slightly worse version of Girly grip, however, I have students who only need a tiny bit of help with sweat and grip and this is perfect for them.
Gripinite
Gripinite is also very close to Dryhands but on the slightly tackier side. This will give a bit more grip aid and slightly less sweat absorption. This is my choice for winter poling when my body gets cold and my issue is grip strength and keeping my hands warm rather than sweat.
x-dry
very very similar to Envirogrip and Giryl Grip, maybe a little bit thicker so lastly slightly longer. Strangely I really liked this grip on Brass but wasn't a fan of it on Chrome.
Sticky/tacky/gluey grips
Pros: If grip strength is your issue this stuff will stick you to your pole. Great for things like elbow grip Ayeshas and Cupids. If you are super super sweaty, I'm talking hypohydration, then this sort of industrial strength grip may be the only thing that helps.
Cons: I'm gonna be straight up with you guys, I HATE sticky grips! I find you get one really good stick then you are either stuck and can't release the grip at all or it becomes slick. They are also super painful if used on the body. However, I am trying my best to be impartial here (kind of) and some students truly swear by this stuff.
Monkey Hands
Monkey Hands has lots of different style grips. They have Monkey Hands Dry which is closer to the drying/sweat-absorbing style grip, they also have Hydro, Classic, Gluey, and Sticky. I'm talking mostly about the Classic, Gluey and Sticky in this category. It can be really useful for photoshoots, where you hold one move for as long as possible because you will actually be glued to that pole. It also leaves no coloured handprints but does leave the pole in a sticky mess. I also wouldn't advise using it for any static spins as it will rip most of the skin off your hands. This is by far the most popular grip in this category and has truly helped a lot of students who really struggle with grip be able to climb and invert for the first time. I will say I believe you are better off trying one of the other style grips first and if that isn't helping at all then try Monkey Grip. It's not worth trying a gluey grip when you don't need it as I have had students genuinely get stuck and fall because they have had to just let go instead of slide safely down.
Itac
A bit of an OG pole grip. Itac has beeswax in it and is made for people with dryer skin to help them get a bit of tackiness to their grip. This one is an absolute nightmare to get off the pole so be kind and clean your pole after class so there isn't a poor beginner in the class after desperately trying to spin on a fully glued-up pole.
Stickum
Actual spray on glue for your hands. Spider-man ain't got nothing on this stuff! My first pole teacher used to use this for her Elbow Grip Ayesha and Cupid and I would see her spraying it on and ask to go to the loo to avoid doing them.
Body grip
Pros: If you have dry skin and struggle not putting moisturiser on then body grip may be the solution for you as it gives just enough moisture to help get that stick but not so much that you become slippery. I also personally love it in the winter when I can't keep my skin warm enough the entire class, and cold skin is sliddey skin.
Cons: It can take a while to get going, I normally put it on before the warmup but some people have to put it on in the mornings as it takes hours to heat up. Also not amazing for really oily skin as it can make your skin slicker. I don't love how my clothes stick to my legs after using this in class, but nothing a good shower can't get rid of.
Grip+Glow
If you have dryer legs this can be really useful to help bring just enough moisture to your body without making you slimy. But you will have to put it on well before your work out (they suggest in the morning, but I've generally found before the warmup is fine) and let it absorb and bit and heat up with the body. They have a wide variety of wonderful scents and have a slight shimmer to them. If you don't have dry skin, you can put it on a few minutes before you need it but make sure you rub it in THOROUGHLY, rub those legs together like a cicada. This is what I use and I genuinely think it's amazing, especially during the winter. Nothing works quite like it to get those knees ready for a Tornado Roll.
Dew point
Dew Point was the original liquid spray body grip and has a bit of an OG cult following. It is a bit less tackie then Grip + Glow and I find doesn't have as much longevity. It is fragrance free and therefore more suitable for people with sensitive skin or allergies.
There are LOADS more grip aids out there and everyone has their preferences. Finding your perfect grip is a long and winding road but hopefully this was a useful jumping off point for you to start exploring the wonderful world of grips.
Cheers
Alex :)
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