Badminton Grip Tape: What It Is, Why Use It, & Best Brands to Try

Have you been looking to step up your badminton game with better gear? If so, a few rolls of grip tape can be well worth investing in.

Whether you want to customize your racket handle or improve your grip during intense rallies, this simple product can make a world of difference in your handling and control. But what exactly is it, and where can you buy it?

Below, discover everything you need to know about badminton grip tape — including how it works, the best brands to try, and more.

What Exactly Is Badminton Grip Tape, and How Does It Work?

Badminton grip tape is a helpful, low-cost tool that can help you personalize and improve your racket grip. It’s easy to use and is applied by simply taping it over your racket handle. 

Grip tape is perfect for improving comfort and handling on the court — but beyond that, it can help you:

• Wick away moisture
• Customize your racket handle thickness
• Add cushioning and absorb shock 
• Create a textured and/or tacky surface to hold onto

Types of Badminton Grip Tape

Here are some of the most popular types of grip tape to choose from:

Overgrip/Grap

Overgrip (or “grap,” as you may have heard some players call it) is a super thin — around 0.6 mm — type of grip tape that can add tackiness and texture to your racket handle.

It’s not meant to be used directly over your racket’s wooden handle. Instead, it works best on top of a thicker replacement grip, or even your racket’s original black-tape grip. 

Towel Grip

Towel grip offers an absorbent, cloth surface (usually cotton), making it the perfect choice for those who need extra sweat protection on the court. 

Like other badminton grip tape, it comes in a convenient roll format and is very easy to apply.

Polyurethane (PU) Grip

Polyurethane grip tape (PU grips) can come as a replacement grip or overgrip tape. The replacement grips are a bit thicker (around 1.6 mm) and, as the name suggests, are meant to replace your racket’s original grip.

Some players with smaller hands can get away with using only the replacement grip on their rackets — but many pros find that a replacement grip combined with overgrip tape gives them the best balance of comfort and control.

How to Apply Badminton Grip Tape

If you’re wondering how to apply badminton grip tape, the good news is that it’s fairly easy to do. Here are the steps in a nutshell:

• Prepare your grip: First, remove or peel off your old grip.
• Optional step: If you’d like, you can wrap your handle with electrical tape before adding your new grip. This can serve as an extra layer of protection from sweat and moisture.
• Apply the grip tape: Peel the liner off the back of your tape, and apply the sticky side to the bottom of your handle. Take your time and start wrapping the tape upward. (Note: If you want to avoid bumps or ridges, be careful to avoid overlapping the edges.)
• When you reach the top of the handle: If using towel grip or PU grip, trim the edge so that it’s flush with your racket handle. Continue to wrap until you reach the end — and if your grip came with a thinner piece of finishing tape, this is when you can use it to seal the edge.
• Squeeze the tape a few times to ensure it’s secure and ready to go.

Best Brands to Try

Whether you’re looking for a super-absorbent towel grip or tacky overgrip tape, here are the most trusted and high-quality brands to pick from:

Wilson

Wilson is a racket sports brand offering a massive range of products, including some excellent grip tapes for badminton. Some of their best options are:

• Wilson Pro Comfort Overgrip. This is one of the most highly-rated grip tapes on Amazon (with a whopping 4.8-star rating at the time of writing this post). It’s an extremely thin, absorbent, and comfortable tape that’s a favorite among badminton and tennis players alike.
• Wilson Perforated Overgrip is similar to the Comfort Overgrip, but has a perforated texture for extra moisture absorption.

Yonex

A leader in badminton rackets and on-the-court gear, Yonex offers plenty of different grip tape options. These include:

• Yonex Super Grap, which is a 0.6 mm overgrip tape with a tacky texture
• Yonex Excel Pro Grip, which is a 1.6 mm replacement badminton grip made of polyurethane
• Yonex Towel Grip, which offers a cotton surface for maximum grip and sweat absorption

The Takeaway

Badminton grip tape comes in many forms — from soft, cottony towel grips to thin, tacky overgrip tape and everything in between. But no matter which you go with, this simple product can bring you more comfortable handling, sharper control, and an ultimately better performance on the court.