This is a good time for thick grips. There are more options than ever for anyone seeking a little extra surface area. Travis is a bit of an expert on the subject, and never travels without a set of grips 33 mm or larger in case he needs to borrow a bike. So, he’s gathered a baker’s dozen and gave them a squeeze.

I should confess that I’ve already written a round-up review of oversized grips. It was long ago, though. At the time, I could only find five models that met my arbitrary 33mm-and-over requirement. But that review was for a print magazine, which tells you about how long ago it was. Things have come pretty far since then. I was able to round up 13 grips, and I even put a few restrictions on the list. For one, these are only lock-on grips.

It felt a little apples-to-oranges to include push-on grips, though let me know in the comments if any of you die-hard no-bolters want your own list someday. The other requirement was that these be single-clamp lock-on. Dual-clamp grips aren’t comfortable for me because I perch the outer edge of my palms on the tips of the bars, and choking up is a bridge too far, even if it’s for a paycheck.

That’s because I’m very picky about my cockpit setup. If a test bike comes with 780mm bars, I have to put on my 800s. And I’ll always swap to a set of oversized grips in the process. I wear an XXL-sized glove, but I think it goes beyond that. Thicker grips tend to offer a pleasant bit of initial twist, which I will hereinafter call “squirm.”

It’s not a bad thing. Think of it like Mips, where it’s absorbing angular impact, relieving stress and wrist fatigue. Also, a little extra surface area will go a long way not just for adding grip but for spreading the load. Maybe that’s why the number of oversized grips on the market has nearly tripled in the past five years. There’s a lot to cover, so let’s get to it.

Oury V2 – $33.99

• 33.2 mm thick
• 135 mm long
• 121g

I wanted to open with a classic. The previous V1 Oury lock-ons were my go-to back when I was still riding dual-clamp grips, and the V2 has handled the single-clamp evolution brilliantly. I’m not sure how many of the grips on this list were made by ODI, but these sure are. I like that the clamp is permanently affixed to the grip. Although the bolt orientation ends up asymmetrical, Ourys’ 360-degree symmetry means you can position each side’s bolt to face wherever you want.

Oh, and shout out to ODI and Oury for the blingy Radavist clamps!

Despite being known as a soft and squishy grip, the Oury lock-on had remarkably little squirm. I reckon that’s thanks to the large squares, which resist the shearing motion that allows some of these other grips to deflect a bit at the surface. Like I said squirm is not necessarily a bad thing, it’s just not for everyone.

Oury’s approach helps these grips strike a good balance between control and comfort, flanked by the Sensus Meaty Paws on the control side, and both Deity grips on the comfort side. More on those later. I’ll also thank the large squares for the fact that I wasn’t bothered by the wide, deep channels between them like I’ll talk about on the Rogues below. The wide channels help give a bit of anchor at the fingertips without being noticeable in the palm.

I do wish the thumb groove were a little wider. Not just because my outboard grip kept them out of reach, but because it kinda traps you as it is. The thumb panels on the OneUp Thick, ODI Reflex XL, and both Peaty’s did nearly as good a job at anchoring the thumb while still offering some freedom of positioning.

Pros:

• Not as squishy as some on this list
• Simple shape allows for free positioning of grip and bolts
• Clamp stays attached to grip
• Good with or without gloves

Cons:

• Thumb groove could be wider
• Not as squishy as some on this list

ODI Rogue 2.1 – $30.95

• 33.4 mm thick
• 135 mm long
• 127 g

Keeping it classic is the ODI Rogue V2.1. It’s got that nice embedded clamp, and because of the simple and consistent pattern, it offers the freedom to point the bolts away from obstructions when installing it. And that simple pattern and identical thickness might make it seem like the Rogues would ride a lit like the Ourys, but the differences are pretty stark.

 

For one thing, there was slightly more squirm on the Rogues. It helps damp oblique impacts, especially while braking down steep sections. I reckon that’s partly because the “knobs” are slightly smaller than the Ourys, and partly because there are a number of deep sipes on each of them. Speaking of deep, the channels between the knobs made these grips a real gloves-only affair for me.

It was almost like the old Yeti grips, which apparently are still in production. If you like everything else about these grips, and your hands are just sensitive to bumpy surfaces, the Ourys are a good alternative. But if you’ve liked Rogues any time in the past thirty years, these are the same but better.

Pros:

• Just enough squirm to relieve fatigue
• Simple shape allows for free positioning of grip and bolts
• Clamp stays attached to grip

Cons:

• No defined thumb groove
• Sparse knobs may be uncomfortable without gloves

ODI Grip Reflex XL – $30.95

• 33.5 mm thick
• 135 mm long
• 117.7 g

Now we’re starting to find some stuff to talk about! The Reflex XL is the first grip on this list to be the larger version of a similar, more standard-thickness model. Not to get on a tangent, but I think all grips should have two sizes. I’d love to ride the Burgtec Bartenders and DMR Deathgrips, but they’re too small for me. And ODI picked a good grip to apply that logic to.

My only complaint is one that will show up a lot on this list: The left/right/up/down-specific pattern means you don’t get to choose where the bolts face, and for me, one always faced right at a shifter paddle, forcing me to move the shifter out of the way to tighten the grip. But again, not the only offender on this list. And it does so many other things right.

Commonly called a “waffle” pattern, the shapes under the fingertips provide a very positive anchor. Between the waffle lines, the diamond-print panels are recessed closer to the bar than the surface under the palm. I’ll admit, that wasn’t ideal for my large hands, and my fingers wrapped slightly past their target area, but for the XL, large, and even medium crowd, it’s an excellent way to get the surface area of a large grip without feeling like you’re palming a can of Folger’s. Combined with a moderately big thumb panel, everything feels like it has a place. And the shallow mushroom-print panels under the palm make for a great glove-free feeling.

Pros:

• Not just for people with big hands
• Secure-feeling grip at fingertips
• Large, comfortable thumb bed
• Good with or without gloves

Cons:

• Doesn’t feel as thick as some others thick grips
• Clamp bolts may end up hard to reach

Wolf Tooth Fat Paw Lock-On – $34.95

• 37.5 mm thick
• 135 mm long
• 142 g

One of the pioneers in the early days of the silicone-rubber grip craze was Red Monkey. Wolf Toth acquired their grip line in 2019, so if you know Red Monkey, you know the material used in these. There’s just more of it. A lot more of it. Wolf Tooth states these grips are 36mm around, but I’m getting 37.5. Not quite as fat as the claimed 40mm push-on Mega Fat Paws, but significantly fatter than any other grip on this list. The fancy Minnesota-made clamps are removable, which means you can buy refill grips when they wear out. And the grips are not position-specific, so you can position the bolts wherever you want.

I did most of my testing in a “normal” mountain-biking context. I’m riding technical trails for a few hours at a time, with a focus on fun, shred-tastic descents. And to my surprise, I found the diameter of these grips wasn’t ideal for that scenario. Part of that was that it pushed my thumbs back in an uncomfortable way.

To be fair, both my thumbs have had serious injuries in the past, so they’re a little sensitive. So, I tried shaving down some channels for them with a razor blade. It helped, but I wouldn’t recommend it if you think you’ll be in the same boat. One reason is that, over time, the silicone outer grip rotated slightly on the plastic core. I did not notice it while riding, so it’s not like there’s any “throttle grip” happening. But it’s best to leave these smooth.

The other reason is that, unless you’ve got XXXL hands, maybe these just aren’t for shred-tastic riding. They spent some time on a bikepacking hardtail with a lot of backsweep, which eased the stress on my thumbs and played to these grips’ strength for long-term comfort.

Pros:

• Thickest lock-on grip we could find
• Grips alone can be replaced for $20.95
• Simple shape allows for free positioning of grip and bolts
• Soft, foam-like silicone feel
• Good with our without gloves, as long as they’re dry

Cons:

• Could be too thick for some
• Silicone can get slippery when wet without gloves
• Separate bar plugs that may not survive removal

Race Face Chester 34mm – $27.00

• 34 mm thick (thickest point) 31.6 mm thick (thinnest point)
• 137mm thick
• 125g

This is another example of a grip that comes in two sizes. This is the 34 mm version, though it does taper down a bit just before the thumb pad. Like the also-tapered Ergon GA2 Fat and PNW Loam XL, that keeps the controls feeling familiar, and may open the door for those with normal-sized hands. And aside from the gum color, most of the options are black grips with various clamp colors, including a Kashima color called Kashmoney, which is kinda neat. Also neat is the fact that the clamps are symmetrical and swappable, so they can both face forward or backward, and you can maintain easy access to them wherever your shifters or brake levers are.

These grips take what I’m gonna call a less “prescriptivist” approach to its surface contours than complex grips like the ODI Reflex XL. It’s top/bottom specific, but not left-right specific. Those contours include a section under the palm where the “floor” under the mushroom print is raised a bit. Meaning, the outside diameter doesn’t change, but the ridges get a little shallower. This seems to be a way to help the surface hold up longer in this high-load area.

The ridges will still wear down, but at least there’ll be a lot of rubber left to cushion you. On the underside are some waffle-print lines bordering a wide recessed channel. It’s an anchor for the tips of your fingers, but the transition into and out of it seems gradual. Like, my hands could be clocked a bit forward or back and I still felt secure. And that paired well with the slight bit of extra noticeable squirm.

Plus, the deeper ribs under the thumb go around the whole grip. Again, that made it feel less like I had to lock in at a certain angle. There’s also a slight taper which helped keep these from feeling like they were only for riders with big hands. They’re ideal for anyone who likes a grip with a unique shape to orient them into the right position, but don’t want to second-guess if it’s installed at the perfect angle.

Pros:

• Waffle pattern under fingertips adds grip without forcing your hands to stay in the perfect position
• Both clamp bolts face the same way, and clamps can be swapped left to right
• Large, comfortable thumb bed
• Not just for people with big hands
• Good with or without gloves

Cons:

• Don’t feel as thick as some others thick grips

Peaty’s Monarch Mushroom and Monarch Knurl – $26.78

• 34.0 mm thick
• 138 mm long
• 128 g

I’m going to put these two together because, truly, the only difference is the material under the palm. Also, at the time of writing this, they’re not readily available in the US, but that’s likely to change. Both grips are right/left specific, as are the removable clamps, meaning the bolts will point the same way, and if they interfere with your controls, you can swap them. It’ll just mean they’re indicating you’ve got your right on the left and left on the right, but the grip contour makes it obvious which is which.

That’s thanks to these grips’ thumb panels, which were my favorite in the test. They’re large patches of deep zig-zag waffle print, which I could almost sink the side of my thumb into like it was laying in a tuft of tall grass. It didn’t chaff when I went gloveless, and it always lined up right where the grip designer meant it to.

Then, underneath the grip, are some clever dotted waffle prints to grab your fingertips. The only grip that I think did a better fingertip waffle was the OneUp, but I could see why someone might choose the Peaty’s instead. They’re recessed and shallow, and don’t really feel like waffle prints. It’s more like a series of little curbs that only yielded slightly when I pull back on the bars. They had a sort of Velcro effect, easing the tension I needed to keep a grip.

And in my opinion, the paired well with the mushroom pattern because the combination made for a little extra fatigue-relieving squirm. The diamond version may last longer, but I don’t think they played to the grip’s strengths as well as the mushroom version.

Pros:

• Secure-feeling grip at fingertips
• Large, comfortable thumb bed
• Both clamp bolts face the same way, and clamps can be swapped left to right
• Good with or without gloves

Cons:

• Not available in the US yet

Oneup Thick Grips – $26.99

• 33.0 mm thick
• 135 mm long
• 144 g

OneUp took an interesting approach to offering multiple sizes in the same grip. They offer three options; Thick Grips, Thin Grips, and just “Grips.” You can tell they all share the same DNA, but they’re not just the same grip in three thicknesses. Each includes one or two of the same features, while the Thick Grip includes all of them, starting with the symmetrical removable clamps along with all the bolt-orientation perks I keep mentioning.

At the center of the palm, there’s a series of gently raised knobs that look subtle, but don’t feel subtle. They offer something similar to arch support in a shoe. Its location actually seemed to favor my outboard hand position and might not line up for those who like to grip further from the tips. Inboard is a generous mushroom-print thumb panel that’s not quite as comfy as that of the Peaty’s grips, but more so than the ODI Reflex, and the spiral seemed to offer a more positive lock than the Race Face Chester.

But my favorite part was the waffle print underside. They’re raised almost 2 mm above the rest of the grip, and they engage positively with the undersides of my fingers. They’re more flexy than the somewhat similar undersides of the Race Face Chesters, but the rest of the grip doesn’t offer a lot of squirm, so they make you feel pretty locked-in. Oh, and as a bonus, if you have a OneUp dropper lever, you can get a thumb pad to match them.

Pros:

• Secure-feeling grip at fingertips
• Fingertip grip texture is not recessed, maintaining that “big grip” feel
• Large, comfortable thumb bed
• Both clamp bolts face the same way, and clamps can be swapped left to right
• Suportive bump under palm
• Good with or without gloves

Cons:

• Tall waffle print at fingertips may be distracting for some

PNW Loam XL – $26.00

• 34.0 mm thick (thickest point) 31.8 mm thick (thinnest point)
• 133 mm long
• 132 g

These have a very subtle left-right specificity, but again, they allow you to swap clamps for optimal bolt orientation. That left-right-ness is mostly in the slight twist near the clamp. Subtle enough that I had to really search to feel a difference. And when I did, I actually swapped them because my thumb force could be more perpendicular to the ridges, offering a bit of cushion.

These are one of the few grips with a taper that goes pretty much all the way to the inner edge. Like the recessed underside on the ODI Reflex XL, it makes an oversized grip work better for normal-sized hands. It also eliminated something I noticed on the thickest grips in the bunch, some of which actually had me dialing my brake lever reach in a tad.

The slightly smaller innermost section should keep your controls feeling familiar if you’re used to traditional grip diameters, while the thicker outermost section works to add comfort. And I like what PNW did in that outermost section. The ultra-thick mushroom zig-zag will wear longer than the thinner mushroom pattern found on so many other grips on this list, but it offers more grip and cushion than a diamond pattern.

It happens to be noticeably resistant to squirm, which is also true of how the ribs felt under my fingertips. I didn’t feel as locked-in as I did on the grips with more dramatic undersides. Instead, the various surfaces worked together with more subtlety. I’d say these were the most “normal-feeling” grips in the bunch. In a good way.

Pros:

• Not just for people with big hands
• Good with or without gloves
• Large, comfortable thumb bed
• Both clamp bolts face the same way, and clamps can be swapped left to right
• Least expensive grips on the list
• Not as soft as some grips in the test

Cons:

• Don’t feel as thick as some others thick grips
• Not as soft as some grips in the test

Ergon GA2 FAT – $29.95

• 34.0 mm thick (thickest point) 31,6 mm thick (thinnest point)
• 135 mm long
• 139 g

If you can’t tell, I’ve ridden these grips for a while. I could have had Ergon send a fresh pair, but I’ve already got three sets. As the name implies, these are the fatter version of Ergon’s GA2 grip. Although I’m not a fan of Ergon’s use of bar plugs, I do have to praise how they orient their clamp bolts. They’re pointing more or less upward, easy to see and easy to reach. I also like the gradients etched in the clamps to take at least some of the guesswork out of getting the unique left and right sides to match.

And the difference between the two sides is rather subtle. Nothing is raised or recessed. It’s just that the panels are siped differently. Surprisingly, these grips had the most squirm in the bunch except for the Deitys.  The rubber is uniquely soft, which I suppose is why they didn’t get crazy with the shapes.

There’s enough grip and enough give in the material itself. And the GA2 Fat is tapered, putting up very similar numbers to the PNW Loam XL. And it’s similarly conservative with its surface variation. The big difference is how much softer Ergon’s rubber is. At the heel of the hand, where there’s the most of that softer rubber, the material’s cushioning effect is very noticeable. I’ve heard more aggressive riders say they don’t like this because that’s where you’re putting the most force into the bike, and you should want your input to be as direct as possible.

But it’s also where the bike’s putting the most force into you, so I appreciated a little extra padding. Then, on the underside, it’s similar to the Peaty’s grips, where instead of an obvious raised waffle pattern, it’s a series of shallow ridges. It’s not as grabby as the ODI Reflex XL or the OneUp Thick, but it’s remarkably positive for an otherwise relatively smooth grip.

Pros:

• Not just for people with big hands
• Good with gloves, and especially good without gloves
• Low-profile texture is grippy, but not distracting
• Clamp bolts actually face up where you can reach them

Cons:

• Separate bar plugs
• Don’t feel as thick as some others thick grips

Deity Supracush – $27.99

• 33.0 mm thick
• 132 mm long
• 123 g

It’s no coincidence I opted for bubble-gum pink in the Supracush. These things are extremely soft. Not necessarily softer than the silicone Wolf Tooth Fat Paw grips, but definitely more stretchy. And like Wolf Tooth, that’s why they don’t really need any ribs or recesses or contours to keep them grippy.

That also means there are fewer raised shapes that are more likely to wear or tear. To be fair, I didn’t spend enough time on most of these grips to make durability comparisons, but I did once do three fully loaded 12-hour days on a set of Supracush grips, and that field of diamond-print didn’t show the slightest divot.

It was also pretty comfy, and a good alternative to the Wolf Tooth Fat Paws if their 37.5 mm diameter is too much to handle Oh, and I almost forgot to mention that I liked that the symmetrical shape on the Supracush allowed me to point the bolts wherever I wanted.

On the trail the Supracush’s signature stretchyness did some unique things. These two Deity grips were the only ones where the squirm bordered on too much. And there’s definitely no twist in the grip chassis itself. These took a fair bit of force to slide on and off thanks to three rows of rubber traction pads on the inner surface. Still, it almost (almost) reminded me of the feeling of a set of Rev Grips, which have a few degrees of sprung rotation built into the clamps.

Most of the time, it actually has a helpful damping effect, absorbing the slightly tangential forces between your arms and your bars. But when those forces were applied to preload for a jump or to lean back while lifting up the front end, the squirm took a little getting used to. Just saying it’s not for everyone, but I did eventually get used to it, and these were contenders for my top three.

Pros:

• Simple shape allows for free positioning of grip and bolts
• Second softest grip in the test
• Not just for people with big hands
• Longer-wearing than you might think
• Good with gloves, especially good without gloves

Cons:

• Softness and stretchyness may be feel vague to some
• Don’t feel as thick as some others thick grips

Deity Megattack – $27.99

• 35 mm thick
• 140 mm long
• 154 g

So, you’ve got to feel these to believe them. The Wolf Tooth grips stand out by being the thickest, but the Megattacks are definitely the softest. It’s the same cushy rubber as the Supracush. There’s just more of it. But before I get to that, I’m almost done talking about bolts. The Megattacks are not left-right specific, and Deity points their clamp bolts the same way, so I was able to point these away from the shifters and keep them in reach. But that’s not why these were in my top three of the test.

The bump absorption in the palms is remarkable. If I were ever dumb enough to build a short-travel cross-country race bike, these would be my first pick. They noticeably shave the edge off high-speed impacts in a way that goes beyond just hand comfort. But they do offer a lot of hand comfort.

Though I kinda like the simple profile of the Supracush, the mushroom print thumb panels are positively cloudlike on these. And then underneath, the waffle pattern checkered by recessed panels allows for a more positive lock at the fingertips. Although my hands are big enough to wrap fully around a 35mm grip, those recesses will allow normal-sized hands to get some extra bite while still benefiting from all the cushioning.

The only thing is that these have the most squirm of all the grips in this test. If I committed to riding these and only these for a month, I’m sure it would start to feel natural, but there’s a lot of motion. If you’re aware of that, and you’re looking for the most comfort-forward grip this side of a wing-shaped bio-cork Ergon GP1, look no further.

Pros:

• Softest grip in the test
• Secure-feeling grip at fingertips
• Large, comfortable thumb bed
• Good with gloves, especially good without gloves
• A little extra length but not too much

Cons:

• Softness and stretchyness may be feel vague to some
• Clamp bolts may end up hard to reach

Sensus Meaty Paws – $32.99

• 35.0 mm thick
• 150 mm long
• 163 g

These are 35mm, just like the Megattack, but they almost couldn’t be more different. For one thing, they’re completely left/right/top/bottom agnostic. That means I can end my bolt-positioning comments on a high note! But also, the Meaty Paws are surprisingly firm. The rubber is stiffer, and the texturing is shallower.

So, you get all of the thickness, with the least amount of squirm in the bunch. I like how direct my connection is with the handlebars. That sounds like spiritual mumbo-jumbo, but it’s real. Especially on the moderate-travel bikes I’ve been on lately, I swear the bike responds more quickly to my inputs. It takes less thought to bounce off of the occasional curb-sized rock, or to blip the rear tire loose. And thanks to the size, they stay relatively comfy.

All that surface area goes a long way. It’s why I rarely found myself death-gripping. The fine ribbing on the surface added friction without adding motion. It’d kinda be nice to have a friendlier thumb-gripping pad than the star scribbles Sensus went for here, but I really only noticed it when I rode gloveless. And if you ride gloveless more than I do, you’ve probably got the necessary callouses to handle these grips. And the flanges are a little unnecessary, and might interfere with some shifters or dropper levers. But that’s what scissors are for.

Really, my only complaint is that they’re so damn long. I can’t use these grips with modern Shimano brake levers unless I take a hacksaw to them. My outside-edge positioning puts me too far from the brakes. But I’ve been running SRAM brakes lately, so Meaty Paws are back on the menu!

Pros:

• Thick, without being too soft or the least bit vague
• Simple shape allows for free positioning of grip and bolts
• Clamp stays attached to grip
• Shallow texture adds grip without adding squish

Cons:

• Length may crowd some cockpit setups
• Shallow texture may wear out quickly
• Flange may need to be cut to clear some controls

Who won?

It’s too hard to pick one single winner. But I definitely can pick three. Keep in mind, there were no stinkers in this group. The ten that won’t find a home on one of my bikes might still earn a home on one of yours. The Ergon GA2 Fat, PNW Loam XL, ODI Reflex XL and Race Face Chester are excellent big options for those with average-sized hands.

The Peaty’s Monarchs and OneUp Thick Grips probably had the greatest security in the bunch. The Deity Supracush, ODI Rogue and good ol’ Oury all had a classic feel with varying amounts of impact-damping squirm. But for me, my favorites were the Deity Megattack, which will be my go-to for multi-day rides that also involve technical singletrack. Then it’ll be the Wolf Tooth Fat Paw lock-ons when I’m going flat-bar touring or getting my fully rigid e-commuter in the dirt.

And finally, the Meaty Paws are staying on my mountain bike. The firmer feel doesn’t cost me enough comfort to make me want to give up their added control … At least for now. Who knows how many fat grips there will be the next time I do a review roundup.