What Is the Best Staff Grip?

There are a ton of grips used in flow arts for staffs and other stick props, which can make choosing one feel overwhelming when you’re getting into dragon, contact, spin, or double staff. The right grip can make a huge difference, sometimes being the line between easily learning new moves and struggling with the basics.

In this post, I’ll cover the most common grips you’ll come across. This isn’t everything available worldwide, but it should give you a solid understanding of the pros and cons of the most widely used options.

Note: Everyone’s skin texture is different, so what works great for one person might not work as well for someone else. There is no universally “best” staff grip.

We are gonna cover the following staff grips:

• Silicone Grip Tubing (as well as some other silicone-based grips)
• Industrial Rubber Grip (F-Grip, EPDM, Goat Grip)
• Yoga Mat Grip (Wizard, Ohm, Oscar)
• Micro Gripping Material (Primal, Sage, Gecko, Black Pyrate)
• Sports Grips

Skip to the quick comparison

Silicone Grip Tubing

Silicone tubing is currently my favorite grip that’s widely available. It’s one of the grippiest materials when clean and dry. Silicone is also very heat resistant, which is why silicone self-fusing tape is commonly used to seal the ends of grips on fire staffs. The wall thickness is usually around 1.5 mm for this tubing.

Some people find it uncomfortable because it can be so grippy that it tugs at hair, but it’s generally more skin-friendly compared to industrial rubber grips. It’s also widely available, not just from flow prop companies but from industrial suppliers around the world.

Because it’s a continuous tube, silicone is one of the easiest grips to clean. My go-to method is wiping it down with rubbing alcohol on a rag. You can also spray it directly and wipe it off. Silicone performs best when it’s clean and dry, so I usually keep a rag and some rubbing alcohol in my prop bag to freshen it up. This also helps remove soot from fire props.

With proper care, silicone tubing can last for years. That said, if you live in a consistently humid environment or tend to sweat a lot, it may be less ideal since you’ll need to wipe it down more frequently. I still make it work, and I sweat a lot 🤣.

Silicone tubing should be installed on a clean staff with all wicks removed, and any residue should be cleaned or lightly sanded away. The tubing should have an inside diameter about 1/8 inch (3 mm) smaller than the staff’s outside diameter. To install it, use mildly soapy water to lubricate the tube and slide it on, then let it fully dry. It’s easier on dragon staffs with removable hubs and can be trickier on some contact staffs.

Durometer also matters. Lower durometers, around 35A to 40A, are softer and feel more gummy and grippy, while higher durometers, around 50A to 70A, are firmer and generally feel less tacky.

Other Silicone-Based Grip Options

There are also silicone grips that don’t come as tubing. Some of these use textured or foam surfaces that can help improve performance in wet conditions, where smooth silicone tubing isn’t always at its best.

• Gravity Grip (LMF Props): A crisscross-textured silicone strip that can perform better in wet conditions than smooth tubing. Availability is unclear right now.
• Nimbus Grip (Dark Monk): A silicone foam strip that can also perform better in wet conditions than smooth tubing. It needs to be sanded before use to rough up the surface.

Silicone Grip Pros & Cons

• Pros: Extremely grippy when clean and dry, durable, easy to clean, widely available, and generally skin-friendly.
• Cons: Can lose traction when sweaty, humid, dusty, or dirty, and the high tack can tug at body hair.

Industrial Rubber Grips

The most common industrial rubber grips are F-Grip, EPDM, and Goat Grip. All three are widely available through flow prop shops around the world, and each has its own feel and use case.

F-Grip

F-Grip is a textured black rubber grip originally popularized in strip form, similar to EPDM and Goat Grip. More recently, it’s being produced in pre-cut tube segments around 20 cm each, which are installed similarly to silicone tubing. Since they’re not one continuous tube, you’ll typically need 6 to 8 tubes to cover a full staff.

This grip sits in an interesting middle ground. It combines some of the best qualities of silicone and EPDM. The texture provides grip rather than relying purely on tackiness, and it performs well even when there’s some moisture involved. It doesn’t need a break-in period like EPDM and doesn’t leave behind the same initial black residue.

Compared to silicone, it doesn’t quite have the same level of grip when completely dry, but it holds up better once things get sweaty or humid. Compared to EPDM and Goat Grip, it feels a bit more naturally tacky due to the rubber composition.

It won’t last quite as long as EPDM or Goat Grip, but it holds up significantly better than softer natural rubber grips like yoga mat-based options. Because it comes in tubing form, it’s also relatively easy to clean.

Right now, F-Grip tubing is typically sized for 7/8 inch (22 mm) staffs, so compatibility is something to keep in mind.

EPDM

EPDM is a synthetic rubber commonly used for seals, gaskets, and weatherproofing. It’s durable, weather-resistant, and performs well in humid or dusty environments after it’s broken in. It also has a relatively soft, padded feel compared with many other industrial rubber grips.

EPDM usually comes in strips and is applied by spiraling it around the staff. If it doesn’t have adhesive, double-sided tape is recommended since it’s much easier to remove than glue.

One downside is that EPDM can feel a bit slippery when brand new. It needs a short break-in period, but once it’s worn in, it becomes noticeably grippier and ages like fine wine. You can speed this up by lightly sanding the surface.

Cleaning is simple. Just wipe it down with a damp rag. It doesn’t need frequent cleaning unless it starts to feel oily.

One interesting side note is that EPDM has a tendency to leave a black residue on your hands, especially when first being broken in. It might not be the best option if you are wearing white clothes 😭.

Goat Grip

Goat Grip is made from a crisscross-textured industrial rubber. It has a rougher, more aggressive texture compared to EPDM and is generally more durable than both EPDM and F-Grip. It performs well in most environments.

Goat Grip tends to last longer than most other grips. Installation and cleaning are similar to EPDM since it also comes in strip form. Some people find the texture too rough on their skin, while others swear by it. This one really comes down to personal preference, but it is one of the most widely used staff grips.

Although it’s about the same thickness as EPDM, it’s a more solid rubber in comparison, so it doesn’t feel as padded or soft.

Note: Although used globally as staff grip, industrial rubber was never originally intended to make constant contact with human skin. Flow arts is a relatively small niche compared to other sports and fitness activities, so the safety of industrial rubbers on skin for prolonged use is not well studied or documented.

Industrial Rubber Grip Pros & Cons

• F-Grip: Good balance of tackiness and texture with solid performance in varied conditions, but not quite as durable as EPDM or Goat Grip.
• EPDM: Soft, padded, durable, and inexpensive, but needs to break in and can initially leave black residue.
• Goat Grip: Very durable with an aggressive texture, but firmer and potentially rougher on skin.

Yoga Mat Grip

Most companies use different names for their yoga mat grips, but many of the popular options in flow arts are made from similar yoga mats. Common examples include Wizard Grip (Wizard of Flow) and Ohm Grip (Dark Monk). These grips are fabric-reinforced and come in pre-cut lengths, usually around 6 ft.

These grips are made from materials originally designed for frequent skin contact. They’re also some of the grippiest options available and were my personal favorite for a long time. They perform well in most environments.

The main tradeoff is durability. Natural foam rubber generally breaks down much faster than the synthetic grip options mentioned in this article. Depending on how often you use your staff, how humid or sweaty your environment is, and how it’s stored, this could mean regripping every 4 to 6 months, or a bit longer with lighter use and proper care.

These grips come in strips and are spiraled onto the staff. If they don’t have adhesive backing, I recommend using double-sided tape instead of glue. Compared to synthetic grips, they can be more annoying to remove, especially once they start breaking down and leaving chunks behind. This is even worse if glue was used during installation.

Oscar Grip, made by Oscar Richards in the UK, is a relatively newer development in the yoga mat-style grip category. After years of testing, he created a grip designed to last longer than Wizard or Ohm. This grip is thinner than the other yoga mat grips, so it won’t have as much of a padded or soft feel. It appears to use a more durable yoga mat-style material (probably synthetic), although we haven’t confirmed the exact material composition.

Note: No grip should be left in direct sunlight for long periods, as UV exposure breaks down materials over time. Natural foam rubber grips tend to degrade much faster than more durable synthetic options.

Yoga Mat Grip Pros & Cons

• Pros: Soft, padded (except Oscar), very grippy, comfortable against skin, and performs well in a wide range of conditions.
• Cons: Natural versions wear considerably faster than most synthetic grips and can become messy and difficult to remove as they deteriorate.

Micro Gripping Material

Micro gripping material has become increasingly popular for contact staffs and dragon staffs because it creates traction in a completely different way from smooth silicone or conventional rubber. Instead of relying primarily on a tacky surface, it uses thousands of tiny flexible elastomer fingers to create a soft, extremely high-friction texture.

You’ll see this style of grip sold under several different names in the flow arts community, including:

• Primal Grip (Bonobo Flow)
• Gecko Grip (Flow on Fire)
• Sage Grip (Wizard of Flow)
• Black Pyrate Grip (Ninja Pyrate)

The standout feature is the micro-textured surface. Up close, it almost looks like a dense layer of microscopic rubber hairs. These flexible little fingers create a surprising amount of friction while still feeling relatively soft against the skin. My partner calls it “cat tongue grip,” which is honestly a pretty accurate description 😅.

One of its biggest advantages is consistency. It provides excellent traction in dry conditions but also continues to grip well when sweat and humidity enter the equation. That makes it especially interesting for people who love the traction of silicone but find that smooth silicone becomes too slippery once they start sweating.

This material is very thin, so it should generally be treated as an overgrip rather than the primary grip layer on a contact or dragon staff. It has an adhesive backing and is best wrapped over an existing padded grip or adhesive-backed foam layer. At Bonobo Flow, we recommend installing Primal Grip over EPDM. The EPDM provides the padding and structure, while the micro gripping material provides the high-traction outer surface.

Because it already has an adhesive backing, installation is pretty straightforward. Grip the staff with your base layer first, then spiral the micro grip evenly over the top. You don’t need to add another layer of adhesive between the two.

The main downside is that the microscopic texture can collect lint, dust, hair, and other debris more easily than a smooth grip. A lint roller works surprisingly well for routine cleaning. For a deeper clean, it can be gently cleaned with a rag and a little warm water.

It’s also one of the more expensive ways to grip a staff, especially since you’re using it on top of another grip rather than by itself. What you’re paying for is a pretty unusual combination of a thin profile, soft feel, and high traction across a wide range of conditions. With regular usage, it generally lasts about 6 months or so.

Micro Gripping Material Pros & Cons

• Pros: Excellent traction, performs well in dry and sweaty conditions, soft micro-textured surface, thin profile, and self-adhesive backing.
• Cons: More expensive than most grip options, collects lint and debris, and requires another grip or foam layer underneath for padding.

Sports Grips

Sports grips are a broad category that includes grips used in tennis, hockey, racquetball, biking, baseball, and more. While they’re designed for sports, most of those use cases don’t translate perfectly to contact flow props, so I don’t generally recommend them as a first choice for dragon staff or contact staff. That said, they are designed with frequent handling in mind and are widely available.

Racket, baseball bat, and hockey grips are usually much thinner than most of the grips we’ve talked about. When they’re this thin, they’re often referred to as overgrips. They also come in shorter lengths, so you’ll likely need multiple pieces to cover a full staff.

Because they’re so thin, they don’t offer much padding, which can make contact-based props uncomfortable to use. They also tend to wear out faster and need to be replaced more often.

On the positive side, they come in a huge variety of colors and patterns, which makes them a fun option if aesthetics matter. If your prop doesn’t rely heavily on contact, like tech doubles or batons, they can be a solid choice. They’re also widely available and affordable, since you can find them in most sporting goods stores around the world. If you’re on a budget, don’t have access to flow-specific grips, or need something quickly, they can work as a backup option. That said, because they wear out faster and may require multiple pieces, they’re not always the most cost-effective choice long term.

Handlebar grips for bikes, especially cork handlebar tape, are more cushioned than most sports grips. Spades, one of the most well-known contact staff artists, has mentioned loving this grip in videos online. I’ve personally tried a lot of cork options, and while they feel nice and padded, I haven’t found one that feels particularly grippy. It just goes to show that even high-level artists sometimes use unconventional setups that work for their personal style.

Sports overgrips can also be useful in specific situations. If silicone tubing starts to feel slippery in humid or dusty conditions, you can wrap an “extra tacky” overgrip on top of it. The silicone provides cushion, and the overgrip helps manage sweat. It’s an easy, removable solution. I’d recommend sealing the ends with silicone tape. This is what I do when going to Burning Man!

All that being said, sports grips can still be a good option for props that don’t involve a lot of contact manipulation, such as spin staff and double staff. Their thinner profile can actually be ideal for things like finger twirls and control-based movement, which is why some people prefer them for those use cases.

We actually use sports grip on our Hollow Lyco Fire Swords as we found them to be super comfortable for that specific prop and contact grip doesn’t matter as much there.

Sports Grip Pros & Cons

• Pros: Affordable, widely available, lots of colors and patterns, thin profile, and useful for doubles, spin staff, or as an overgrip.
• Cons: Usually less padded, shorter rolls may require multiple pieces, and many options wear faster than staff-specific grips.

Which Staff Grip Should You Choose?

There really isn’t one staff grip that wins every category. The best option depends on how you spin, your skin, how much you sweat, your environment, and whether you prioritize traction, durability, padding, maintenance, or price.

• Silicone Tubing: Extremely grippy when clean and dry, durable, easy to clean, and long-lasting. Its biggest weakness is sweat, humidity, and dust.
• F-Grip: A good middle ground between tacky and textured grip. It handles moisture better than smooth silicone and doesn’t require the break-in period of EPDM, although it isn’t the most durable industrial rubber option.
• EPDM: Soft, padded, durable, and relatively inexpensive. It needs some break-in time and may leave black residue at first, but it’s a reliable all-around staff grip once worn in.
• Goat Grip: One of the more durable choices with a rough, aggressive texture. Great if you like that feel, less great if your skin doesn’t.
• Yoga Mat Grip: Soft, padded (except Oscar), and very grippy with a comfortable feel against the body. Natural versions tend to wear significantly faster than synthetic rubber and silicone options.
• Micro Gripping Material: Excellent traction across dry and sweaty conditions with a unique soft micro-texture. It’s thin and works best as an overgrip, but it’s one of the more expensive setups and can collect lint and debris.
• Sports Grips: Cheap, accessible, colorful, and easy to experiment with. They’re generally thinner and less padded, making them better suited to doubles, spin staffs, or overgrip applications than dedicated contact staffs.

If you can, try a few different grips at a local flow jam before committing to one. Once you spend enough time with a particular material, you also tend to adapt to how it behaves, which is probably why flow artists can argue about staff grip forever without anyone actually winning.

Pick the pros and cons that matter most to you, grip your staff, and go spin the thing.