I remove the orignal grip on all new rackets, wrap three layers of electrical tape around the handle to give my required thickness and one karakal pu grip over the top, overlapped by about 5mm. finish off with electrical tape rather than the rubbish tape that comes with the grip.

sparty

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thanks Adz, I usually did vice versa and could not get the right "feeling" about the grip after some 4-5 hours on court. this advice does make sence and I think I`ll give it a try.

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No, normally I just change the PU Supergrip, but if the base grip becomes too damaged or unusable then I change that too.

The undergrip normally lasts for about 15 to 20 grip changes, but I have had to change them within 5 in the past.

Adz

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Adz, does that means that you change both of them when time comes to change the grip?

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I've been replacing my own grips since I was about 10 years old. It was definitely easier at first to watch other people do it, but once I had a go myself I've never looked back.

There are so many types of grips out there it can be hard to find one that you really like playing with, but getting the grip right is almost as important as getting the size (diameter) right. Then comes the challenge of putting them on right.

So if I start with a brand new racquet, fresh out of the packaging, here's what I do:

1) Strip the handle down to the frame (some racquets have a solid-foam handle, others have the frame shaped into a handle - my dunlop aerogels are the latter).

2) I use two different types of grips - one thin "overwrap" grip (currently a Pro'sPro) and one Karakal PU Super Grip

3) Most grips are shaped with a thin, tapered end with the other end cut off flat. I start with the overwrap grip, which usually has a small (1cm long) adhesive section on the end of the tapered bit. I hold the racquet in my left hand with the head tucked under my arm, and begin by applying the small tapered adhesive bit onto one of the wider edges of the grip (the two thinner edges are on the sides with the longer ones being on the faces).

4) After stripping off the protective outer layer on the wrap, I wind the overwrap-grip around the racquet with a 50% overlap (e.g. each part of the racquet frame is covered by two layers of overwrap grip). I only do this to get the appropriate diameter of grip for my playing style.

5) When the grip begins to reach the top of the handle (e.g head end), I keep the racquet held in place under my left arm with my left thumb holding the grip in place whilst I use a scissors to cut the excess overwrap grip off at an angle. This angle is made by keeping the top edge of the grip as a straight edge, and cutting diagonally through the grip towards the butt (bottom) of the grip.

6) Wrapping this new tapered edge around the top of the grip, I usuallly cut about the last 1cm off the taper to give me a small flat end (similar to the starting taper found on most grips) I find that this gives me a flat area which is less likely to escape as I apply holding tape.

7) I never use the tape that comes with the grips, as I find that these tend to have poor adhesion and don't stretch enough when being applied (especially Karakal PU Super Grip tape). I tend to opt for black electrician's tape which has great adhesion but can also be stretched to fit the contour of the grip. As this first grip was only being used to get the diameter right, it doesn't really make much difference to me how wide I place this tape as it will be covered by the top-coat grip.

8) So I now have one fitted grip and I'm ready to put on the 2nd layer (the PU Super Grip). These grips also come with a protective clear film wrap on the outter edge, with a full-length adhesive strip on the inside of the grip. To start I strip off ALL the outer film, but DO NOT remove the inner adhesive cover just yet.

9) I unpeel about 2 inches of the adhesive cover (enough to stick the start of the grip to the handle) from the tapered end, and holding the racquet the same way as before (head under left arm, handle in left and grip in right hand), I apply the first tapered edge of the grip to the opposite side that I started with before.

10) As before I wrap the grip around the racquet, turning the handle with my left hand, whilst applying the grip with my right. This time however, I only have approximately a 33% overlap - on a Karakal PU Super Grip this is just above the lettering stamped into the grip.

11) Continue the wrap to the top of the handle (as before), making the same cut diagonally through the grip to provide a final wrap around the top of the handle.

12) This time I'm more careful to apply the adhesive tape as narrow as I can to give the grip a nice looking finish.

From start to end I can do a brand new racquet grip(s) in about 4-5 mins to get it perfect, but I can replace a single grip in about 1 1/2 mins (still using the scissors and the electricians tape). I've put a gripon in less time without cutting it, but it never looks as good a finish.

I'll try to take some snaps and post them on here if it's of any help to anyone, but I only replaced all three of my grips last night (and all three sets of strings! Doh!!), so I don't need to do any for a while unless requested by someone on here.

A bit long winded I know, but hopefully a fully comprehensive description!

Cheers

Adz

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Like Mike, I also regrip myself using the individual Karakal PU Supergrips.  These cost only 2 GB£ from my local sports shop.  It's a straightforward enough process, although can be a little tricky once you get to the end of the handle and need to make a good cut at the appropriate angle across the grip to make a nice, clean finish to tape up over using the black and silver tape provided by Karakal.  Once you have seen how it should be done by someone else, it is easy to pick it up for yourself.  I like to extend the grip slightly beyond the handle and onto the base of the shaft, as this provides extra grip area if you want or need to shorten the grip. 

I guess the sports shop where I buy these, who also do restringing, would gladly do all this at a cost, so I guess I am saving a little bit of money doing it for myself.

Cheers

Jimbob

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I buy my own in bulk (10 M Long) from www.victorracquets.com.These are a fantastic towel grip for players that sweat a lot. Only takes 2 mins to replace the grip & saves a fortune from buying in high street store.

C-1025
Grip: Towel
Material: 100% cotton
Size: length: 10000mm / width: 30mm
Colours: yellow / red / blue / green / black
A 10m roll of towel grip with an adhesive back tape that is made of 100% cotton. Available in different colours. Provides maximum absorbency.

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I peel off the old one, and slowly and tighly wrap a Karakal PU Grip over the handle with about a 1/3 overlap as I go round.

I assume most people would always do their own, though I have come across a few at my club who didn't know how to.

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