I am not a weightlifter.
Sure, there is weightlifting in CrossFit and I love anything that involves moving a barbell; but I ain’t trying to fake the funk. Much of the gear I review pertains to both disciplines, but I couldn’t even tell you the last time I used lifting straps. I’ve got dainty hands and weak ass grip, only one of those things I’m actually going to be able to work on so I try to train it as much as I can. That being said, I am not against using them in the right circumstances. When training volume goes up, CrossFit, weightlifting, powerlifting, doesn’t matter, the first thing to go is always your grip. When that’s gone, you’re done.
Straps have their benefits other than just helping you maintain your grip. The main thing that’s been benefiting me from using them is that they’re letting me focus on the million other things you need to worry about during a snatch. My leg power output has gone up since I don’t have to worry so much about holding on to the bar. To note, you should only be using straps for snatches and pulls. You won’t want to use them on full cleans because there’s no safe way to bail out of them.
Not all straps are made the same. You have options with straps: leather, nylon, cotton, loop through or oly style (sewn ends). Nylon ones have a mean break in time before they get soft and until then, cut into your wrists. Leather ones are immediately much more comfortable and the “bare” side does a much better job grabbing knurling. The loop through kinds are typically longer, while the oly ones only require about a single wrap around the bar. You’ll see a lot of powerlifters going for the nylon loop through type, whereas oly lifters are more commonly seen obviously using the oly type.
Onyx Straps are 100% genuine leather oly style straps that are made in Los Angeles by a weightlifter, for weightlifters. The brand was created to fill a void in the weightlifting world where most straps were either not stylish, or didn’t work well. All straps are handcrafted, made to order and you even get to pick out of a few different color options. Since each pair is custom, you could also opt for the loop through kinds as well. Another huge benefit of using leather straps is that they conform to your hands and only get better with age, making them even more individualized. The only branding is a clean “Onyx Straps” embossed on the back of the each strap.
The quality of the leather Onyx straps uses is unparalleled; I have a pair of Rogue Ohio leather straps that pale in comparison. On top of that, the Rogue’s come with two left hand straps. I didn’t even know this was a thing until Danny, the owner and main leather crafter, explained it to me. That made so much sense to why I could never get a good wrap with my Rogue’s. The Onyx Straps use a very soft leather that not only grips the knurling well, but also doesn’t feel like it will slit your wrists. The amount of wrap is perfect, about one and a half turns around the bar compared to the single turn of my Rogue’s. My straps are a dyed in a blood red and hasn’t bled (no pun intended) onto anything or lost it’s color. Onyx Straps are not only functional, they’re just plain dope looking; also, who can resist the smell of fine leather?
They costs a little more than weightlifting straps that are inferior, but $35 isn’t much to pay to have something customized for you. I’m finding myself always going for my straps unless I’m trying to hit a PR nowadays. Don’t just take my CrossFitter word for it, check out the #OnyxStraps hashtag and see all the top level weightlifters in the U.S.A. using them. I really don’t have anything negative to say about the Onyx Straps other than that now I need more colorways. The fun doesn’t end there, I got a nice simple wallet custom made and you can also get nice dog leashes from him as well. If your volume’s got your grip in shambles, you need to get yourself a pair of Onyx Straps.
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