The 4 Year Torture Test: Rubber vs Leather

[BestGrips.com]

4 years ago I wanted to experiment with a new leather I had just started prototyping. I shafted it on an old shaft and placed it next to another, similar style grip. That grip was a Gridiron Club Grip and the similar grip was a chorded rubber grip.

 

 

So after 4 years, one grip is playable, the other... a stark reminder of what age and the elements can do to the industry leaders.

[RoverRick]

Four years?  I will say that my rubber driver grips never last more than two months before I have worn a hole under my right thumb. Winn grips last even less time than that.  I have had the Best Grips Micro Perforated on there for 7 months and no wear as of yet.

[whiskey golf]

Did you leave these outside or just laying around?

[BestGrips.com]

@RoverRick - These have not been touched or swung. 

 

@WhiskeyGolf - They have sat outside in the same location 24/7/364.25 for the last 4 years.

 

Side note: rubber will begin dry rotting immediately, even it is in the wrapper. Watch out for deep discount closeout grips. 

[RoverRick]

I bought a Karma Putter Grip once and a week after I put it on it was time to change it.  So I did, for Major Leaguer.

[GolfSpy WD]

You do get what you pay for. I play only once a week usually and wore out the Karma pretty fast.

[BIG STU]

@RoverRick - These have not been touched or swung. 

 

@WhiskeyGolf - They have sat outside in the same location 24/7/364.25 for the last 4 years.

 

Side note: rubber will begin dry rotting immediately, even it is in the wrapper. Watch out for deep discount closeout grips.

You are so right about rubber grips dry rotting even inside in the wrapper the cheaper the grip the quicker it rots especially the Karma ones. Winn grips are also bad about dry rotting. We see that a lot here especially the wraps. A lot of our snowbirds will leave a set of clubs here in their condo or house when they go up North for the summer and after a winter season of golf and being stored over the summer they are shot and they are nasty when you take them off

[whiskey golf]

Those Winn putter grips get really disgusting at golf shops on used putters.

[BIG STU]

Those Winn putter grips get really disgusting at golf shops on used putters.

Yeah buddy just downright rotten and nasty

[fozcycle]

Living in FLA, you cannot store golf clubs with Winn Grips in your garage. The temperature in the garage can get up to way over 100* during the day.  One Summer will see them disentegrate.  I do have my Powerbilts in the garage, but they have Black Widow grips and have not seen any disentegration.