looking into leather grips

I need to do some pallet replacements, and I thought while I'm at it, why not try to look into leather replacement grips. I've done a lot of reading on the forum here, and some searching online. a few quick things:

-how common is VICTOR VISCOUNT II LEATHER for modern racquets? the searches I've found seem to have them on classic wood frames, but are they still good for today's game? Can anyone give me some feedback on them? I use gamma high tech contour grips right now w/tourna grip over them. I do like the raised contour feel, but it's not the most critical thing for me. Some of these VICTOR VISCOUNT II LEATHER have contours, but idk if that would add or take away from the firm/solid feel of the leather...

-do leather grips have the sticky adhesive underside like synthetic grips? If so, how many times can a leather grip be taken on and off and still have the stickiness sufficient, and if a leather grip has never been used but has been out in the open for a while (not packaged), would the sticky underside need to be replaced?

-i have some lead tape wrapped over and around the pallet and under the Gamma replacement grip for some of my rackets. Some have a lot, some have a little, some have it spread thin, and some have it thicker in an area (not crazy thick, but enough for a noticeable bulge, one specifically on the butt cap region). The Gamma grip had no problem wrapping over the lead tape, would leather do the same?

-if I like a firm and crisp feel when the ball contacts the strings, will leather enhance or diminish that feel? i keep reading that players get more "feel" with leather, but the best feel I find is that good crisp,tight pop on the stringbed, and I don't know if there is any relation between that and the "feel" of leather (or synthetic for that matter).

TheLambsheadrep said:

-if I like a firm and crisp feel when the ball contacts the strings, will leather enhance or diminish that feel? i keep reading that players get more "feel" with leather, but the best feel I find is that good crisp,tight pop on the stringbed, and I don't know if there is any relation between that and the "feel" of leather (or synthetic for that matter).

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I can only answer one with certainty.

Yes, I think the feel is much better with leather.

ok, thanks db10s. have you heard of that leather brand I mentioned or have input on what I was saying about putting the grip over lead tape?

Another thing, I was measuring some of my grips and grip-less pallets, and a bare L3 pallet came to be 4" and a bare L5 pallet was 4 1/4", so is the general rule that the given measurement (found on the butt cap/on the pallet) is achieved after the addition of a base grip and over grip, and the pallet itself is 3 sizes smaller than advertised to make this possible?

Also, I measured the grip of my LM Prestige Mid which only has a Wilson Leather grip on it right now. The butt cap/pallet says L4, and the measurement was exactly 4 1/2". So in general, does a replacement grip increase the size (from the bare pallet) by about 3 sizes, and is it different between leather and synthetic grips? I ask bc I had a hard time measuring racquets with my other replacement grips bc they are Gamma High-Tech Contours and the bump that runs through them skews the measurement. As best as I could, for the Gamma's, they increased the size (from the bare pallet of 4") by about 4 sizes, but the extra size up from the leather measurement could have been from the contours. I just want to see how the size may be different

TheLambsheadrep said:

-do leather grips have the sticky adhesive underside like synthetic grips? If so, how many times can a leather grip be taken on and off and still have the stickiness sufficient, and if a leather grip has never been used but has been out in the open for a while (not packaged), would the sticky underside need to be replaced?

-i have some lead tape wrapped over and around the pallet and under the Gamma replacement grip for some of my rackets. Some have a lot, some have a little, some have it spread thin, and some have it thicker in an area (not crazy thick, but enough for a noticeable bulge, one specifically on the butt cap region). The Gamma grip had no problem wrapping over the lead tape, would leather do the same?

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To the first, most modern leather grips indeed do - just like the synthetics I've used. That's not true of older leather grips I believe (and possibly, some of the high-end ones still do not? I've only used Head, Volkl, and TW). If you're using one of the run-of-the-mill modern ones, it should have the strip of adhesive. I've taken off and reused before, but I'm not sure how many times it can (or should) be repeated.

To the second, I think you'll be more likely to feel it underneath the leather. You can feel things like buttcap staples that haven't been set correctly, so I would presume you could feel the slight rise of the lead tape. That said, I always played with an overgrip so I never really noticed (the hack that I am).

i have considered the victor viscount II leather grips in the past as my primary grip but never received any feedback on them.

hopefully someone can chime in with comments about it.

lgbalfa said:

i have considered the victor viscount II leather grips in the past as my primary grip but never received any feedback on them.

hopefully someone can chime in with comments about it.

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I did order some, so I will let you know how they are soon hopefully

TheLambsheadrep said:

I did order some, so I will let you know how they are soon hopefully

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how did you like the victor viscount grips?

They are Neuman. At least mine are.

bt johnson said:

They are Neuman. At least mine are.

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how do you like them?

I installed the tw no name leathers on my radical pros and I couldn't be happier. Great feel and that classic firm feedback -- after putting tournagrip xls on. I got their thicker and wider option in order to made head's wide bevels feel more natural. Anyway I highly recommend them.

bt johnson said:

They are Neuman. At least mine are.

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Victor Vicount grips are Neuman? What choo talkin bout Willis? A quick trip to the Urban Dictionary reveals a few genuinely funny entries for that word, but none I can translate to the topic of tennis grips LOL.

pauliewa said:

I installed the tw no name leathers on my radical pros and I couldn't be happier. Great feel and that classic firm feedback -- after putting tournagrip xls on. I got their thicker and wider option in order to made head's wide bevels feel more natural. Anyway I highly recommend them.

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Same here. The thicker and wider TW leather versions on my MG Rad Mp's.

I just use it as a platform for an OG but like the firm feel/feeback.

Can't stand mushy synthetic grips, feels like holding a water balloon.

ChicagoJack said:

Victor Vicount grips are Neuman? What choo talkin bout Willis? A quick trip to the Urban Dictionary reveals a few genuinely funny entries for that word, but none I can translate to the topic of tennis grips LOL.

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chicagojack -

are familiar with the victor viscount / neuman grips?

seems like no one on the board has any feedback on them.

gavna said:

The best "retail" of the shelf leather are the Wilson's - awesome for the price.

Volkl are good as well - not a fan of the Head or the one TW sells (sorry guys).

Prince leather are also excellent but not sold to the public any more???? Too bad - last set I got from Prince I had to deal like Tunisian rug merchant to get some.

Of course the best are still the fairways you can find online from the UK.

Most leather grips do not come with a tacky backing ( except) the Wilson's -

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are you playing the leather "bare"? or with an OG?

the TW leather grips do have a tacky backing. also, you could use artists "spray mount", it's a spray glue, but should be removable later on.

ChicagoJack said:

Victor Vicount grips are Neuman? What choo talkin bout Willis? A quick trip to the Urban Dictionary reveals a few genuinely funny entries for that word, but none I can translate to the topic of tennis grips LOL.

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My bad bro. Neumann leather grips

lgbalfa said:

chicagojack -

are familiar with the victor viscount / neuman grips?

seems like no one on the board has any feedback on them.

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They are okay. They are better than any current retail production.

Prince Calfskin
Head Calfskin
Fairway

those are 3 best IMO

bt johnson said:

They are okay. They are better than any current retail production.

Prince Calfskin
Head Calfskin
Fairway

those are 3 best IMO

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do you by chance know the thickness / weight of them?

thanks

bt johnson said:

My bad bro. Neumann leather grips

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Aha, I get it now. A little digging reveals that Adams Neumann made leather grips (both for tennis and golf clubs) under their own label, and also for Victor Viscount. Thanks for the info, much appreciated.