Grips you like and don’t like..

Wetswinger

Wetswinger

Beneath the surface of the mud, there’s more mud.
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As a hobbyist rod builder I’m always interested in what grips people like. There’s so many different shapes, sizes and materials available, it would be nice to know what people like.. I guess the lastest thing in grips is graphite. Many people claim they transmit the rods feeling better when relying on touch and are soft and good in the rain. I haven’t had the chance to try one yet…Seems most the big companies only use Half Wells for the smaller weight rods and Full Wells grip for the heavyweights. I do use them, and on my personal rods, like the Full Wells grip on 6# and heavier rods. I prefer a longer grip and don’t care for the shorty that Sage is known for. ..But for the smaller weight rods there’s a lot of choices. I’ve used Ritz, Cigar, and Bulletnose grips for rods over the years. I find they work ok, but the only grip I put on my personal lightweight rods is the Fenwick style. It just feels great in the hand..So, what grips do you all like the most.?
 
Wetswinger said:
As a hobbyist rod builder I’m always interested in what grips people like. There’s so many different shapes, sizes and materials available, it would be nice to know what people like.. I guess the lastest thing in grips is graphite. Many people claim they transmit the rods feeling better when relying on touch and are soft and good in the rain. I haven’t had the chance to try one yet…Seems most the big companies only use Half Wells for the smaller weight rods and Full Wells grip for the heavyweights. I do use them, and on my personal rods, like the Full Wells grip on 6# and heavier rods. I prefer a longer grip and don’t care for the shorty that Sage is known for. ..But for the smaller weight rods there’s a lot of choices. I’ve used Ritz, Cigar, and Bulletnose grips for rods over the years. I find they work ok, but the only grip I put on my personal lightweight rods is the Fenwick style. It just feels great in the hand..So, what grips do you all like the most.?
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I didn't know the various names, but I like this kind:

PXL_20260626_000133805.jpg
 
Full Wells on anything in salt and large caliber fresh water 6 wt and up.
Cigar on 4 wts and down where delicate casts are needed at times.
I do not care for any Sage reverse half wells as they are too short & too small in diameter for my hands.
Also, the cork they tend to use is let’s say, dime store quality.
 
Full wells 7 & up. Half-wells on 5 & 6 weights. Cigar 4 and below.
 
The IMX rods in the 90's had (I think) what was called a "Western" grip. To me it just looked like a 1/2 wells, but maybe there was something different about it. More of a contour maybe. I always thought those were good looking grips on trout rods.
 
Non preference here. I have never developed a preference for grips and don’t recall ever noticing a difference between grips on fly rods at all. It has never factored even a little bit into me liking a rod or making a decision to buy one. Lots of other things have, but not even once has the grip factored into my decision.
 
jasmillo said:
Non preference here. I have never developed a preference for grips and don’t recall ever noticing a difference between grips on fly rods at all. It has never factored even a little bit into me liking a rod or making a decision to buy one. Lots of other things have, but not even once has the grip factored into my decision.
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If you were having a custom rod built for you, and the builder gave you several choices, would you choose the grip or just tell the builder decide.?
 
I prefer a 1/2 wells grip on all of my rods. I have larger hands and that style just fits better and feels more comfortable.
 
Proofflyfishing has a good assortment of grips to show you the many types available now days..

www.proofflyfishing.com

Grips

We have been working with the same small manufacturer and grower in Portugal for 15 year. Proof Fly Fishing "Flor" (flower) grade cork rings can be found on rods across the world. In addition to our individual and bagged rings we also offer a selection of quality custom turned grips, B grade...
www.proofflyfishing.com
 
For 6wt and lower I prefer reverse half wells/western. Yes, they're the same. Some will say that a western is different because it might be thicker at the front than a reverse half wells, but they are effectively the same.

I like full wells for 7wt and bigger, but it seems many of the newer rods are making a very thin full wells. I have big hands so a thicker full wells is much better for me. It keeps the cramps and tendonitis at bay.

I really like the 7" grips I've ordered from Proof Fly Fishing.
My old IMX 5wt needed rebuilt since I broke the butt. Long story, but I had a spare butt section from G Loomis sending me a complete replacement blank when I had a gen 1 tip issue.
I used Proof's rubber cork faced reverse half wells 7" (inlet .790) along with the original reel seat and really like it. It's a bit thicker than the one I put on my original gen 1 (1987 or 88). I think it's nicer cork as well. Only $22, which seems pretty reasonable given the supposed cork shortage.
I think it looks nice, but more important than that, it feels nice.

20260320_153139 (1).jpg

I also ordered the Proof rubber cork faced full wells 7" (inlet .850") to replace the crappy cork on my gen 1 Fenwick Aetos 8wt. I really like it. The Aetos has a very light swing weight so can get away with a small grip, but again, I have mitts so this has been a game changer. And it's really nice cork for the $22.

Here it is on the left, next to my other 8wt. The Fly Project's Project One. The grip on the Project One grip is a bit more slim, like most of the big-name rods these days. My 11wt Orvis Clearwater musky specific rod is even thinner. I don't quite get it, even knowing my bias of big hands. Is it so you can "feel" more?? Or is it so they buy cheaper cork? Or maybe there are just more fly fishers with small ass hands these days. 😁

20260625_220213.jpg

And the 11wt Sage RPLX that my buddy built for me also has a 7" fulls wells grip from Proof. No rubber facing on that one, but same thickness which is really nice for that friggin tuna stick.

Anyway, I have 3 of them and highly recommend. And I'm not going to carbon fiber no matter how many benefits it has. It's just wrong. 😁
 
skyriver said:
For 6wt and lower I prefer reverse half wells/western. Yes, they're the same. Some will say that a western is different because it might be thicker at the front than a reverse half wells, but they are effectively the same.

I like full wells for 7wt and bigger, but it seems many of the newer rods are making a very thin full wells. I have big hands so a thicker full wells is much better for me. It keeps the cramps and tendonitis at bay.

I really like the 7" grips I've ordered from Proof Fly Fishing.
My old IMX 5wt needed rebuilt since I broke the butt. Long story, but I had a spare butt section from G Loomis sending me a complete replacement blank when I had a gen 1 tip issue.
I used Proof's rubber cork faced reverse half wells 7" (inlet .790) along with the original reel seat and really like it. It's a bit thicker than the one I put on my original gen 1 (1987 or 88). I think it's nicer cork as well. Only $22, which seems pretty reasonable given the supposed cork shortage.
I think it looks nice, but more important than that, it feels nice.

View attachment 186892

I also ordered the Proof rubber cork faced full wells 7" (inlet .850") to replace the crappy cork on my gen 1 Fenwick Aetos 8wt. I really like it. The Aetos has a very light swing weight so can get away with a small grip, but again, I have mitts so this has been a game changer. And it's really nice cork for the $22.

Here it is on the left, next to my other 8wt. The Fly Project's Project One. The grip on the Project One grip is a bit more slim, like most of the big-name rods these days. My 11wt Orvis Clearwater musky specific rod is even thinner. I don't quite get it, even knowing my bias of big hands. Is it so you can "feel" more?? Or is it so they buy cheaper cork? Or maybe there are just more fly fishers with small ass hands these days. 😁

View attachment 186893

And the 11wt Sage RPLX that my buddy built for me also has a 7" fulls wells grip from Proof. No rubber facing on that one, but same thickness which is really nice for that friggin tuna stick.

Anyway, I have 3 of them and highly recommend. And I'm not going to carbon fiber no matter how many benefits it has. It's just wrong. 😁
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Thread drift @Wetswinger, sorry: Interesting: "a thicker full wells is much better for me. It keeps the cramps and tendonitis at bay." I don't know what's going on with me but for the past three or four years, especially when I've caught strong fish (or on those RARE outings - a lot of strong fish), I get cramps in my hands to where I literally have to stop fishing (for awhile). Old age? Arthritis? Dehydration? or...... the wrong grip?

The other activity that causes these flare-ups is rowing the pram - great exercise at that alkaline lake north of here, but having both hands cramp simultaneously while driving? SH--!

Three Advil and a Tylenol and lots of water helps stop the cramping.

Back to grips: Maybe I need thicker full wells grips, all of my 6 weight rods and heavier have full wells grips. I'm quite insensitive anymore, maybe a carbon fiber grip would help. ;-)
 
Buzzy said:
Thread drift @Wetswinger, sorry: Interesting: "a thicker full wells is much better for me. It keeps the cramps and tendonitis at bay." I don't know what's going on with me but for the past three or four years, especially when I've caught strong fish (or on those RARE outings - a lot of strong fish), I get cramps in my hands to where I literally have to stop fishing (for awhile). Old age? Arthritis? Dehydration? or...... the wrong grip?

The other activity that causes these flare-ups is rowing the pram - great exercise at that alkaline lake north of here, but having both hands cramp simultaneously while driving? SH--!

Three Advil and a Tylenol and lots of water helps stop the cramping.

Back to grips: Maybe I need thicker full wells grips, all of my 6 weight rods and heavier have full wells grips. I'm quite insensitive anymore, maybe a carbon fiber grip would help. ;-)
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Do you use the fighting butt pressed against your body for leverage.? When using my 4 & 5#, I miss and realize how much the fighting butt can help take pressure off my arms..
 
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