Grip vs Overgrip: When to Change Yours (and Which to Buy in NZ) | Padel Park

Here's a thing almost nobody tells new players: the most important bit of your racket isn't the carbon or the foam — it's the few millimetres of grip your hand actually touches.

A slipping handle ruins more shots than a "bad" racket ever will. Your grip twists on contact, you tense up, your timing goes, and you start blaming the frame. Nine times out of ten it's just a worn, sweaty grip.

The fix is cheap and takes five minutes. From the team at Padel Park, here's the plain-English guide to grips and overgrips — what they are, the difference, and how to set your handle up so it stops fighting you.

Grip vs overgrip: what's the actual difference?

This trips up nearly every beginner, so let's keep it simple.

The base grip (or replacement grip) is the thicker layer wrapped directly onto the bare handle. It's structural — it sets the core thickness and cushioning of the handle. Most rackets and paddles come with one already on.

The overgrip is a thin layer you wrap over the base grip. It's cheap, you replace it often, and it does the day-to-day job: tack, sweat absorption, and a fresh feel. Think of the base grip as the mattress and the overgrip as the sheet you change regularly.

Most players leave the base grip alone for months and just swap overgrips every few weeks. That's the normal rhythm.

1. When to replace your base grip

You don't touch the base grip often, but it does wear out. Replace it when the cushioning has gone flat and hard, when it's started to peel or unravel at the butt of the handle, or when no amount of fresh overgrip fixes a dead, slippery feel.

This is also where you fix comfort problems. If you get arm or wrist soreness after sessions, a more cushioned base grip can take a surprising amount of sting out of every impact.

2. Overgrips: the cheap upgrade you should actually be doing

If you take one thing from this article: change your overgrip regularly. It's a few dollars, it takes minutes, and it makes a worn racket feel new again.

A fresh overgrip restores tack so the handle stops twisting, soaks up sweat so your hand doesn't slide, and lets you fine-tune the feel without touching the base grip. Most regular players change theirs every handful of sessions — more often in a sweaty Waikato summer.

3. Tacky vs dry: which overgrip feel suits you?

Overgrips broadly split into two camps, and it comes down to personal preference plus how much your hands sweat.

Tacky overgrips feel grippy and almost sticky — great if you want a really secure, locked-in connection and don't sweat heavily. Dry overgrips feel smooth and absorbent — better if your hands get clammy, because a tacky grip can turn slick once it's wet. If you're not sure, sweaty hands lean dry; dry hands lean tacky.

4. Playing pickleball too? Grab a pickleball-specific overgrip

Everything above applies to a pickleball paddle as well — the handle's shorter, but a slipping grip costs you just as many points at the kitchen line. If pickleball is your main game, a dedicated pickleball overgrip is the easy buy.

5. Using grips to change your handle size

Handle feel is personal, and grips are how you dial it in. If your handle feels too thin and you find yourself squeezing to hold on, add an overgrip — or a thicker one — to build it up. A handle that's too thick is harder to fix, so it's usually better to start thin and add.

A good rule: when you hold the racket, you want a small gap between your fingertips and the base of your thumb. No gap means it's too thick; fingers digging into your palm means it's too thin. Adjust with overgrips until it feels natural.

How to wrap an overgrip in 60 seconds

Start at the butt of the handle, tacky side out if there's a backing to peel. Wrap upward at a slight angle, overlapping each turn by a few millimetres so there are no gaps, keeping light tension as you go. Finish near the top, trim at an angle, and lock it down with the finishing tape that comes in the pack. That's it.

The bottom line

Your grip is the cheapest performance upgrade you own. Keep a fresh overgrip on, replace the base grip when it goes flat, and match the feel to your hands — tacky for dry hands, dry for sweaty ones. Do that and your racket will feel better and behave better, no new frame required.

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Read next

How to Choose Your First Padel Racket — Beginner Guide — once your grip's sorted, make sure the racket underneath it actually suits your level.

FAQs

What's the difference between a grip and an overgrip?

The base (replacement) grip is the thicker layer wrapped onto the bare handle and sets its thickness and cushioning. The overgrip is a thin layer you wrap over the top, replaced often for tack and sweat absorption.

How often should I change my overgrip?

Most regular players change theirs every few sessions, and more often in hot, sweaty conditions. As soon as it feels slick or hard, swap it — it's only a few dollars.

Should I choose a tacky or dry overgrip?

Sweaty hands usually do better with a dry, absorbent overgrip, since tacky grips can turn slick once wet. Dry hands tend to prefer the locked-in feel of a tacky grip.

Can I use the same overgrip on a pickleball paddle?

Yes — the principles are identical. A pickleball-specific overgrip like the Wilson Pickleball Pro is sized and built for paddle handles if pickleball is your main game.

How do I make my racket handle thicker?

Add an overgrip, or use a thicker one. It's much easier to build a thin handle up than to slim a thick one down, so start thin and add until it feels right.

Written by Nicholas Woods — owner of Padel Park Hamilton & accredited padel coach.