Padel grip and overgrip: when to change it and how to wrap it

A padel racket usually has two layers on the handle:

• Replacement grip (base grip): the grip the racket comes with from the factory. It's glued straight onto the handle, thicker and cushioned. It lasts a long time, many months for most recreational players.
• Overgrip: a thin wrap that goes over the base grip. Standard overgrips are roughly 0.4 to 0.6 mm thick. It gives you grip, soaks up sweat and is the part you change regularly.

Most rackets are sold without an overgrip. My advice: wrap one on before your first game. It protects the base grip, which is harder to replace, and lets you adjust the grip size.

There's no fixed rule, but retailers give two rough guides: every four to six sessions for club players, or every 8 to 12 hours of play. If you sweat a lot or play outdoors in summer, change it sooner. The signs matter more than the calendar:

• The grip feels smooth or greasy and the racket slips.
• The wrap is thin or torn where your index finger sits.
• It has turned grey or blotchy, or it smells.
• The handle feels hard because the wrap is compressed.

Some quick maths: if you play twice a week and change every five sessions, you'll use around 20 overgrips a year. In a 12-pack that's about €23, less than one evening's court hire.

• Tacky overgrips: feel slightly sticky and give lots of grip. Good for dry hands. With heavy sweat they turn slippery sooner.
• Dry or absorbent overgrips: feel matt, soak up sweat and stay grippier with wet hands. For most players in warm indoor clubs, the better choice.
• Perforated overgrips: let air through and dry faster.
• Thicker comfort overgrips: add a bit more cushioning and build up the handle.

If you're not sure, buy a 3-pack of each type and decide after two weeks. At €2 a wrap, it's a cheap experiment.

1. Remove the old one: unwind the overgrip; a bit of leftover adhesive on the base grip is fine.
2. Start at the bottom: place the tapered end at the butt of the handle, just above where the wrist strap comes out. Peel off the backing film as you go.
3. Spiral upwards: overlap each turn by 2 to 3 mm. Direction is a matter of taste; many right-handers wrap clockwise and left-handers the other way. What matters is wrapping evenly.
4. Light tension: keep the wrap taut but don't pull hard. Too much tension thins it and it tears sooner.
5. Finish: at the top of the handle, cut off the rest at an angle and secure the end with the finishing tape from the pack.

It takes ten minutes the first time and five after that. You'll feel any wrinkles or gaps straight away; if so, just wrap it again.

Overgrips are how you adjust grip size. Two thin overgrips on top of each other come out at roughly the size of one thick comfort overgrip and feel firmer. More than two layers make the handle spongy. A grip that's too thin makes you squeeze harder and tires your forearm; one that's too thick stiffens your wrist.

Only replace the base grip when it's cracked, slides around or no longer cushions. You strip the old one completely and stick the new one straight onto the handle.

A few examples available from Tennis-Point, with prices from 3 November 2026:

• Absorbent: Bullpadel GB-1201 Comfort Absorbent (3 Stück)*, around €6.
• Stock-up pack: Bullpadel GB-1600 Comfort (12 Stück)*, around €14.
• Dry, for sweaty hands: Tourna Padel Mega Tac (3 Stück)*, around €7.
• Replacement grip: Wilson Padel-Basisgriffband*, around €9.

What else belongs in your bag is in my padel equipment overview. If you're still looking for the right bag: padel bag or backpack? And if the racket itself no longer suits you: the 9 best padel rackets of 2026 and the best rackets for beginners.

Links marked * are partner links to Tennis-Point. If you buy through them I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.