Grippers - getting the right one

Here's an article I wrote on a gripper web shop I created some time back. It's based around the RB brand but the 'rules' apply across all brands.

There are several copies of a comparative list floating round on various forums. It's based on a wire size / approx inch poundage rating on the Gripboard. It was then written up by Diesel Crew member Jedd Johnson and now loads of blogs and forums have copies.


The issue for those of you looking to give grippers a go for the first time is not knowing quite what the numbers mean and so being unsure of which to pick to use as a training tool.


Here's the list of RB Grippers as is and my comments alongside to hopefully help a little.


RB   70 lbs - harder than most standard shop brought grippers and ok for the man about the house to open jars with etc
RB 100 lbs - a nice warm up for any kind of trained athlete / gym user
RB 130 lbs - now getting into the might need some work to close if you've not used grippers before.
RB 160 lbs - would give most gym users something to work with.
RB 180 lbs - only a few of the better non-grip guys type athletes would get this.
RB 210 lbs - the one that would stop 95% of those using a gym
RB 240 lbs - a good middle to middle/top gripper for quite a few grip specialists
RB 260 lbs - only 5% of the grip guys would make this look easy - the rest... sweat
RB 280 lbs ( new). Dunno not tried it yet.
RB 300 lbs - hard. Above a CoC 3 but a little under a CoC 3.5.
RB 330 lbs - doable but for the Elite.
RB 365 lbs - ok. I tried one of these today (12/07/09). It was a monster and rated elsewhere as being a 4.02. In other words harder than most CoC 4's. A gripper for the super elite only.

You then have the narrow versions (handles are closer together so easier to set and use - all things being equal)
RB 180 N lbs
RB 210 N lbs
RB 240 N lbs
RB 260 N lbs
RB 280 N lbs
RB 300 N lbs
RB 330 N lbs
RB 365 N lbs
 
Along with Robert's collectable and limited edition (only 100 made) WT the following might also be considered beyond most, if not all, mortals.
RB Gripper 400 lbs Standard
RB Gripper 400 lbs Narrow


Remember, as always and in spite of claims otherwise, there are variations between grippers even of the same spring size, coil tighteness and so on. It's well worth remembering that most of the gripper making companies sell only a few of their own hard versions compared to the 'lesser' grippers. So Ironmind will sell loads of their gripper up to a 3 and then very little above. Heavy Grips ditto on their 350, 400 and 500 models and the same with RB grippers over 260.  



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The truth - brutal and in you MO-FO face. Now open yer purses and get spending!