grip up or down

[mauricem]

I seem to be between L3 and L4 grip size. Not sure which to go for with an extreme tour. Its obviously easier to add some bulk to a smaller grip than trim a large one down but I do like to feel the bevels. Just an average older club player but I do hit a reasonable topspin.
Other consideration is potential resale, I would guess L3 is going to be easier to move??

 

[Ryebread]

Nobody can answer this but you.

But since you’re asking,
I’d go L3 with an extra OG.

 

[DropvolleysRhard]

I use size 4 head pallets but with a thinned out leather grip so it comes out between a 3 and a 4 size.

 

[Stefanm]

Normally I’d err on the side of smaller, but if pronounced bevels are important, you could get a 4 and use a Tourna Pro Thin or better yet a Kimony Techni leather grip. Either would reduce grip size about halfway down

You’d have very pronounced bevels and a very firm feel

 

[Doulke]

Go with #3, if with the overgrip still feels small after a while you can change the pallet on the racket, that’s the good thing about head frames.

 

[Alcawrath]

Personally I find 4 1/2" grip size best for groundstrokes and volleys and serve best with a 4 3/8". Anyone else find that serving is best for them with a smaller grip size? I think it's because I get a little easier wrist movement for kick and pronation.

 

[NicoMK]

Normally I’d err on the side of smaller, but if pronounced bevels are important, you could get a 4 and use a Tourna Pro Thin or better yet a Kimony Techni leather grip. Either would reduce grip size about halfway down

You’d have very pronounced bevels and a very firm feel

For those interested, just received my Kimony leather grip in "red" colour and have to say that it looks really cool. A quality grip.

First time trying one, I have to go one size down.

 

[mauricem]

I thought for a while and decided on the L3 but when I went to order they were sold out so a L4 4 1/2 it is. I'm normally an XL glove size so should be OK but had gotten used to L3s.
I've got a Blade 100 L3 and I tried a leather grip over the original and it felt horrible but it was a fairly thick leather. I hear different things about Head pallets being either smaller or bigger than Wilson so who knows?

 

[sharif]

I thought for a while and decided on the L3 but when I went to order they were sold out so a L4 4 1/2 it is. I'm normally an XL glove size so should be OK but had gotten used to L3s.
I've got a Blade 100 L3 and I tried a leather grip over the original and it felt horrible but it was a fairly thick leather. I hear different things about Head pallets being either smaller or bigger than Wilson so who knows?

I'm curious about that as well b/c I switched from Head to Wilson...

 

[Rosstour]

I thought for a while and decided on the L3 but when I went to order they were sold out so a L4 4 1/2 it is. I'm normally an XL glove size so should be OK but had gotten used to L3s.
I've got a Blade 100 L3 and I tried a leather grip over the original and it felt horrible but it was a fairly thick leather. I hear different things about Head pallets being either smaller or bigger than Wilson so who knows?

I use a 3, and I have like women's small/medium glove size. I think you were using too small a grip

 

[sharif]

Normally I’d err on the side of smaller, but if pronounced bevels are important, you could get a 4 and use a Tourna Pro Thin or better yet a Kimony Techni leather grip. Either would reduce grip size about halfway down

You’d have very pronounced bevels and a very firm feel

Why do u think smaller is better?

 

[mauricem]

I think you were using too small a grip

Possibly, its just what I was used to, I think my hands are fairly broad so L gloves are too tight but fingers aren't that long so there was always a gap between fingers and palm when holding with a conti grip. Anyway worst case looks like I can go down the pallet mod route.

A couple of things I'd heard were larger size was better for elbow problems as the grip could be more relaxed and of course smaller size for spin most famously showcased by Nadal 4 1/4" grip (if that's even true!)

 

[AmericanTwist]

L3 is easier to sell if the frame doesn't work for you. As for grip size I think having 3-7mm gap (one whole finger is too large imho) is ideal. The acid test is how badly you get callouses with a smaller grip size. Play with both sizes and see what callouses develop. Sizes among brands are also different. I find Dunlop, Yonex, and Prince slightly bigger than other main brands, but I haven't used all the brands.

 

[Stefanm]

Why do u think smaller is better?

It’s easier to make a grip larger than smaller. And if you use a very thin grip to reduce the grip size, it makes the grip feel too firm for my taste.

 

[McLovin]

Head also has pallets (although you have to go outside the US to find them), so you can easily swap them out for L3 TK82S if you don’t like the L4.

What I’ve been doing for years is:

• Order an L3
• Replace the base grip w/ a thicker base grip (like the Tecnifibre Wax Max)
• Replace the L3 butt cap w/ an L4 (I like bug butts)

I also found I’m in between L3 and L4, but have found the above solution works great.

 

[sharif]

It’s easier to make a grip larger than smaller. And if you use a very thin grip to reduce the grip size, it makes the grip feel too firm for my taste.

gotcha that makes sense

 

[stephenpinkus]

There is a disconnect. Unless you have plump fingers, it is hard for me to picture a guy with an XL glove size using a 4, let alone a 3. I am an M glove size and use a 5.

 

[mauricem]

For anyone interested I went with an L4 grip for the Head Extreme Tour which is perfect but it's almost the exact same size as my L3 Wilson Blade 100.
Are there similar QC variations on grip sizes as there seems to be on frame weights or does it just vary between manufacturers?
I'm no grip expert but AFAIK there's no layup involved just a simple plastic mold?

 

[Dragy]

For anyone interested I went with an L4 grip for the Head Extreme Tour which is perfect but it's almost the exact same size as my L3 Wilson Blade 100.
Are there similar QC variations on grip sizes as there seems to be on frame weights or does it just vary between manufacturers?
I'm no grip expert but AFAIK there's no layup involved just a simple plastic mold?

For some reason Head L3 and L4 seem very close to me. Wilson or Yonex or Babolat L4 are huge in comparison.

 

[naylor73]

There is a disconnect. Unless you have plump fingers, it is hard for me to picture a guy with an XL glove size using a 4, let alone a 3. I am an M glove size and use a 5.

XL left hand golf glove and alternate between L3 and L4 with OG. Just works better for my technique on groundstrokes and serves. I will say I broke ring and pinky metacarpals on the growth plates as a 12 yo so my right outer palm is actually 1/4” shorter than my left. I play right handed.

 

[aussie]

L3 is easier to sell if the frame doesn't work for you. As for grip size I think having 3-7mm gap (one whole finger is too large imho) is ideal. The acid test is how badly you get callouses with a smaller grip size. Play with both sizes and see what callouses develop. Sizes among brands are also different. I find Dunlop, Yonex, and Prince slightly bigger than other main brands, but I haven't used all the brands.

For sure Prince grip sizes have increased over the years. In my younger years I used L5 with an overgrip (Prince Pro), then for many, many years used L4 (Prince Scream, Thundercloud, Shark, Tour 100 etc), then went to L3 when L4 grip size was not readily available, such as Exo3, Phantom Pro.

On all these racquets I've used an overgrip and the gap between my ring finger and palm has remained at 2-3 mm which I find ideal.

I picked up a Prince Phantom 100x a few weeks ago at a bargain price and it was a L2. Amazingly, after adding an overgrip, the gap between ring finger and palm is still 2-3 mm!

So absolutely, Prince grip sizes have definitely increased over the years - my hand is still the same size and I still have the majority of the above racquets to compare.