Many people eschew using gloves during weight lifting, while others swear by them for keeping the hands safe and healthy. One thing is for sure: not all lifting gloves are created equal. NewGrip Power Pads are one of the more innovative and effective products I’ve tried.
RELATED: 3 Ways to Grip a Deadlift and How to Get Your Grip Stronger
About NewGrip Power Pads
NewGrip creates products for hand protection during athletics. I tried their Power Pads, which are one of their simplest offerings. They are basically black pads that cover your palm and a good portion of your fingers. The pads can also cover your thumb joints, depending on how you wear them. Power Pads are made of breathable material, so no more stinky hands from full gloves. They are even suitable for vegan athletes.
“If you swear by using lifting gloves but are looking for something a little out-of-the-box, NewGrip Power Pads are for you”
On the back side of the pad is a simple strap intended to lightly secure the pad to your hand. There are various setups for the loop and the pad, depending on the activity you plan to do. The pads protect the skin and joints of your hands, providing a good amount of friction to bite the bar, kettlebell, or other tool. That’s it. It’s a simple, easy, and effective design.
READ: 7 Exercises to Maximize Hand, Wrist, and Forearm Strength
The pads can be used for anything you would use a glove for. Of course weight lifting is on the list, but they are versatile enough for other activities that are rough on the hands, like CrossFit and rowing.
My Experience
The only possible issue with the Power Pads is that they do not secure to the wrist straps that NewGrip offers. The NewGrip Gym Gloves, which I have not used, attach to the wrist straps. The Power Pads only have a loop that goes over your fingers. If you’re switching rapidly between movements and time is critical, you may still be better off with regular gloves or the NewGrip Gym Gloves, since you could easily lose the Power Pads in the transition.
NewGrip Gym Gloves
I’ve always had a strong grip, but I find it’s strongest when there is a slight give to what I’m holding on to. I will sometimes add hand towels to a bar, so I can squeeze harder. The Power Pads have a little bit of cushion to them, which yields just the right amount of give to the bar to allow for a crushing grip. While this isn’t the advertised purpose, they definitely helped my grip.
READ: The 3 Types of Grip and the 8 Ways to Train Them
NewGrip has a pretty outdated website, so you’ll have to ignore it and browse the content and products instead. It’s actually come a long way since I first looked at it, and now has a lot of sections – perhaps too many. Fortunately, it’s not hard to find all the possible uses for Power Pads, including some unorthodox methods you probably haven’t considered.
“The gloves protect the skin and joints, providing a good amount of friction to bite the bar, kettlebell, or any other lifting tool.”
If you swear by using lifting gloves but are looking for something a little out-of-the-box, NewGrip Power Pads are for you. They are effective, simple, and fairly priced, and they might even make your grip stronger. If you’re in the market for lifting gloves, check these out instead.
NewGrip Power Pads are available for $11.99-15.98 at Amazon.com.
