Please correct me if my assumptions are wrong. 1. Overgrips are used on top of your standard badminton grip/replacement grip. 2. It's to make it easier to swing the badminton racket. Do overgrips feel better? Do I need to replace them often? How well do they absorb sweat? (let's assuming I'm using the Yonex AC102) Can I put one over any replacement grip? Like say a Yonex high soft grip? Will the overgrip damage or leave glue marks on the grip underneath it should I chose to take it off? Any other benefits of using an overgrip that you care to share? Thanks!
I think your questions will mostly get personal opinion responses that differ depending on the person. I think overgrips feel better then the grip that comes with the racquet. Replacing them depends on personal preference and amount of use. Some people change it almost every day or week while others keep theirs for a couple of weeks to a couple of months. The type of grip changes absorption quite a bit, and since everyone sweats differently, "how well" really depends on the person. For me, the AC102 works quite well, but I consider myself a very mild if non-existent hand sweat person. You can put as many grips as you want over one another but a lot of people don't prefer to make the grip so big. Taking the grip off underneath is probably a common practice with more advance players since they become more picky with how the grip feels, size etc. But it's up to you, you don't have to. I don't usually. I just put a thin overgrip on top. The grip is the only part you contact for control in the game so I'd say it's fairly important. You want a grip that is comfortable (over long periods of play/rallies) and allows you maximum maneuverability (either for torque, touch, etc). Myself I also prefer good tack so the racquet doesn't slip or twist and I don't feel the need to grip too tight. Good luck.
Yes, grips are very personal choices. So it's really down to your own preferences. There are two type of grips - replacement and over grips. Replacement are thicker grips (and more expensive) that is designed for replacing the original grip. Overgrips are used on top of your original grip. They are thin and designed not to change the size of the grip much, but instead give you a new surface for the handle. However, there are no rules as such, people have used replacement grips on top of the original, and overgrips as replacement grips etc... it's all down to preference.
Thanks for the responses. I'll definitely try them out and experiment. But what about damage to the grip underneath when you take an overgrip off? Doesn't the glue leave marks, or takes bits of the grip underneath it off?
Normally overgrips do not have self adhesive back tape like those replacement grips, so you dont have worry about taking off the overgrips will damage your original grip. Im using overgrips on top of original grip and i change it once every 3-4 weeks because my hand doesnt sweat much.
There's no glue under the overgrip. You need to pull it tightly, and it might help to overlap a bit instead of having leftovers that will be wasted anyway. At least that's what I do.
i must be getting old because even with the little arrow as an indicator that i have responded to this thread i went ahead and respond a second time without remembering...sigh
Is it better to put the overgrip over the grip, or over the plastic that covers the grip in new racquets.
If you put a thin over grip on top of the plastic cover it can sometimes slip because its not sticky other than the first little bit, if you put a PU replacement type grip on top of the plastic it would be less of a problem because its sticky over the whole length.
I had no slipping problem so far. I use various overgrips (AC102, AC143, Wilson Pro, etc) layered on top of original shrink-wrap with 50% overlap.