The ULTIMATE Wrist Wrap Round-Up

Theres not a day of coaching that goes by where I don’t hear something along the lines of “my wrists hurt”.  Whether it be from not being able to properly hold a front rack position, to a pressing movement, to handstand push-ups, or even some extra padding for kettlebell snatches…we all could use a little more support.  Athletic tape is cumbersome, not adjustable and really only goes so far, not to mention that it’s pretty bland to just have some tape wrapped around your wrists.  While not absolutely necessary, like I’ve said before about knee sleeves, anything that allows you to preserve your body and go longer is definitely recommended by me.  And for the price(s), you really can’t argue against buying yourself a pair of wrists wraps/support.

With CrossFit becoming ever so popular, the amount of choices for wrist support has gone up exponentially.  I’ve decided to put together a little “comparison” guide including the wraps that I’ve acquired or have been sent to me throughout my CrossFit life.  I’ll continually be updating this guide as new wraps come in.

Just FYI before you go on reading, opinions of wrist wraps are very personal and subjective.  There are no winners, just like there are no losers.  This is merely a guide to help you find which one is right for you!

Many thanks the all the manufacturers that contributed their wraps for this!

Gym Rat Wrist Wraps

The first pair of wrist wraps that I ever bought.  Honestly, I can’t remember why I bought from them but I don’t remember seeing any other options when I was searching for wraps at the time (Sept 2012).  I’ve put a few miles on these guys, swapping between them and my Rogue wrist wraps for the past year depending on what I’m doing.  Unfortunately, the stitching is coming off at the ends of both wraps.  I’m not sure this is a fluke either, because my girlfriend’s pair has the same exact problem.  The support level is  moderate compared to the other wraps and the mobility level is moderate.  Make sure you let them dry before putting them into your bag after a workout session, mine have gotten stanky before. Dry time is pretty average at around 30 mins or so.

Color selection is a bit on the limited side but a pair will run you on the lower end from $20-25. A solid offering and a strong value, tons of people at my box use them without issues that I know of.

EDIT 7/20:

The great people over at Gym Rat found my review online and decided they wanted to replace both mine and my gf’s old wrist wraps.  No questions asked, and I’m pretty sure we both have had our wraps for over a year.  We’re truly grateful! Thanks Gym Rat!

Rogue White Wrist Wraps 12″

The second pair that I went for in addition to my original Gym Rat’s.  Mainly because someone else at the box got them and I liked the way they felt and how easy they could be taken on and off/adjusted.  I still keep these in my gym bag, but I reserve use of them for when I’m doing heavy overhead work and not WOD’s.  Reason being, evan at the 12″ offering they offer the greatest support, but at the same time, you’re giving up mobility for support.  I’m not big on the thumb loop because it can get uncomfortable; while you can remove it after setting up your wraps, I don’t like it dangling around either.  A minor issue, but something to be noted.  The Rogue’s are about business and it shows, style is nonexistent.

These wraps are probably the best bang for the buck, coming in at $12 for a pair!  It’s to be noted that the velcro failed on my with my first pair, but Rogue replaced it no questions asked.  I’m pretty sure I was out of the 90-day warranty as well.  A mainstay in my gym bag, but only for heavy lifting.

Amwrapz

Started by David Han from our neighbor gym, Valley CrossFit, and made in the U.S.A; Amwrapz quickly found their way over to our in box store and can be either purchased at CrossFit RepScheme, Valley CrossFit, or online.  They offer an awesome combination of support and mobility for both lifting and gymnastics, but feel less bulky than Gym-Rat, albeit being the same length and width.  I like that the fabric rests pretty flat when being put on and that the string to lock the wraps on isn’t overly long.  So far, so good as far as durability is concerned; I haven’t seen or run into any issues.  Dry time is pretty much the same as Gym Rat.  They’ve got a pretty good selection of solid colors and a few cool prints right now, but you can also contact Amwrapz for custom wraps as well.

Amwrapz go for $25-$30 depending on the print.  If you’re local to Los Angeles, stop by, say hi and pick some up!  Otherwise shipping will cost you a flat rate of $3.

 

Strength Wraps (Medium)

The “original”.  Another SoCal native company based out of Orange County, Strength Wraps are also made in the U.S.A and come with a 100% satisfaction guarantee.  Out of all the adjustable wraps of this nature, the medium weight Strength Wraps offer the greatest amount of support. The cotton/polyester blend ripstop fabric is the bulkiest and beefiest, but at the same time don’t allow for the mobility that some of the lighter fabric wraps do, without having to loosen.   You definitely won’t forget that you have these on and would probably be best suited for heavy presses.  The gridded fabric makes the easy to put on without having a sweat going already.  Dry time is slightly longer due to the thickness of the fabric, but not vastly longer than the previously mention wraps.

Strength Wraps offer a good selection of colors and prints at prices from $25-$30 with the option for custom wraps as well.  You can order online or get Rogue branded wraps from Rogue Fitness.

PR Wraps

They don’t stink.  PR Wraps are anti-microbial treated and are made from an all natural, hypo-allergenic material.  The most compact of the bunch both in length and width (I personally like this due to my long arms/thin wrist combo), PR Wraps also come with the option for a shorter wrap for those with smaller sized wrists.  The least supportive of the bunch (but still plenty supportive), they definitely make up points in the mobility area, so they would probably be the best for gymnasty days.  It seems like the material used to make PR Wraps are the highest quality, even after a few washes, they feel like they did when I first got them.  Not to mention, these things dry almost instantly.  After running them in the spin cycle, they’re pretty much good to go.  A minor gripe is that while the fabric is probably the nicest, the string is probably the flimsiest.  PR Wraps are also the only wraps tested to have stitching on both ends.

The color and print selection is great, with the option to customize your wraps (color only).  You will pay a little bit more for all that though, ranging between $30-$35.  Order from PRWraps.com