One of the regular topics on PRW News will be product reviews. I will do my best to review products without any bias. I do not receive any payment or free product from any of the product brands that I review. So now that that’s out of the way…where to start?
Pete Sampras and his Tourna Grip
In today’s age of “new and improved” we sometimes forget some of the original products that started the trend. Maybe the original never needed to be new and improved! Thus is the case of the OG overgrip…Tourna Grip. I once was a big fan of this overgrip, but fell under the influence of marketing and other road blocks in my way that directed me down the road of new and improved. After years away from Tourna Grip, I decided to throw it on one of my racquets. Wait..what!!! This stuff is great!! In fact, if possible, even better than I remember.
Now I will confirm that I fall into the dry/soft camp of overgrip users, as opposed to the tacky overgrip camp of such models as Wilson Pro Overgrip or Yonex Supergrap. Let me tell you, the good old Tourna Grip with its old school packaging, still stands up to all of the overgrips that have been introduced in the many years since the beautiful blue grip first hit the market in the 1970’s.
This review is being written during the hot outdoor season here in Portland, so the grip is getting its share of heavy perspiration. While never a grip that lasts forever, the grip stays firmly attached to my hand even during the longest points under the hottest conditions. Apparently the original plan was to develop a chamois cloth for drying cars after washing. In the development, they were finding that the material was almost too absorbent and was sticking to the cars! Fortunately for tennis players around the globe, the idea was hatched to cut it into strips and try it on a tennis racquet handle. The rest, as they say is history!
For me, I’m now stuck…literally…to Tourna Grip. If you haven’t tried it in a while or never had the chance, I think you too will enjoy the light blue grip that doesn’t slip.