I don’t know what country you are reading this in but if you’re in the UK, you will be well aware of the Dry Hands shortage. It’s not as big a deal as the many other shortages we could be facing but it’s no picnic when you can’t grip the pole for more than two seconds before you slip back down!
So, back in October, I purchased seven alternative pole grips to determine which is the best on the market. I have used these in the studio and at home, on both good and bad pole training days. This is to ensure each brand receives a fair assessment.
I’ll be ranking these out of 5 “sweaty palms ??” as while some may not work for me, they will still likely work well for those who require less assistance when training.
Total Grip
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I can’t think of anything bad to say about Total Grip. I wouldn’t say it’s as strong as Dry Hands but it certainly does the trick. It’s also true to its word on “no mess”, and though I’ve only used it a handful of times, it feels like I’ve barely scraped the surface of the contents!
Sweaty Palms: ?? ?? ?? ??
X Dry
I’d say X Dry offers a little bit of grip but it’s not enough for what I need. Another downside is how runny it is! This was an issue I had with Dry Hands and is something I certainly don’t miss. It’s an okay grip but it’s not for me.
Sweaty Palms: ?? ?? ??
Dew Point
There were different strengths I could choose when purchasing Dewpoint, so I played it safe and chose Medium. Similar to X Dry, it’s okay but I would need it a bit stronger. It’s a spray, making it easy to apply, so I give credit there.
Please note: I found an ingredient in their mix that didn’t make sense: calphryl glycol. When researching this ingredient, their brand was the first thing to show up, with no other suggestions, but I did get a suggestion for CALPRYRYL glycol, which is an alcohol found in palm oil and coconut oil. While I cannot confirm this is the ingredient they meant, I personally don’t feel comfortable buying this again unless I know what the ingredient is and where it came from.
Sweaty Palms: ?? ?? ??
Pole Grip
Does what it says on the tin! Honestly, if you’re looking for the ultimate Dry Hands replacement, this is it. Everything but the label is a carbon copy of Dry Hands but at a slightly lower cost. I simply cannot fault it!
Sweaty Palms: ?? ?? ?? ????
EnviroGrip
This grip speaks to the environmentalist in me. Not only does it work but it smells wonderful! The only downside is that this is another runny product. I’d suggest they swap to a spray bottle but I have a feeling the packaging would no longer be biodegradable. The fact that it is, however, makes up for this problem. So, if you prefer eco-friendly options, I cannot recommend this enough!
Sweaty Palms: ?? ?? ?? ??
Tite Grip
I won’t lie, I was disappointed when I tried this. I heard from numerous people that it’s a great replacement to Dry Hands but it offered almost no grip! I found myself swapping to other brands almost instantly after trying this because it simply didn’t help.
Sweaty Palms: ?? ??
Grip It
Image: Amazon (affiliate link)
This is a hidden gem that is great for long-lasting hold during a photoshoot. Surprisingly, this wasn’t designed with aerialists in mind, oh no. It was designed for manual labour! Yep, this bad boy was created to help plumbers and builders tighten nuts, bolts and pipes with ease, and it seems to have become the aerial world’s best-kept secret. Given that one of the ingredients is pine rosin, you will need to wipe down the pole with water/cleaning spray after your class. However, it is made from natural ingredients, including tea tree and jojoba oil. So, that’s bonus points from me!
Sweaty Palms: ?? ?? ?? ??