This site may contain links to affiliate websites, and we receive an affiliate commission for any purchases made by you on the affiliate website using such links. Read Our Disclosures
According to a study, among olympic weightlifters, the shoulders, knees and wrists were the most commonly injured areas. It’s not surprising because your wrist joint is made up of 8 bones and 4 ligaments. Although there are many bones involved, your wrist joint is not one to bear much weight.
Learn all about the 5 best wrist wraps below and how to protect your wrists while you’re pumping iron.
What are wrist wraps?
Wrist wraps are fitness accessories made of fabric that strengthen and support the wrist joints. They come in all different lengths and forms. For instance, some have thumb loops, partial glove elements, sling-types and textured grips. And others vary in their closure systems, which can have velcro, hooks and loops.
How should you go about choosing the best wrist wraps? Here are some things to consider:
- Material: What is it made out of? Is it a sweat-wicking material?
- Closure system: How is the wrap secured? Is it velcro, hook and loop or something else?
- Size: How long is the wrist wrap? What’s the width?
- Other features: What is the design? What colors does it come in? Is there a thumb loop? Are there grips? Do you require more support or do you prefer flexibility and mobility?
- Warranty: Am I covered if it breaks?
- Price: Is it worth it for me? Will I use them and would it help me? Do I have any wrist injuries?
Do wrist wraps really work?
Unfortunately, the scientific research on wrist wrap efficacy when weightlifting is severely lacking. However, there are some publications that have explored wrist wrap application to other sports and as therapeutic wrist support.
The International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sports published an article that investigated the effect of wrist straps on division 1 shot put athletes. The group that were wearing heavy wrist wraps performed better than the group with no wrist wraps. The average and maximum distance thrown was greater in the former.
Wrist support has been proven to be beneficial for those with rheumatoid arthritis. It was found that working wrist splints actually reduced pain in people with rheumatoid arthritis and enhanced their gripping strength.
But, the general consensus out there is that wrist wraps do work. Lifting for long sessions at a time or lifting heavy weights can put extreme stress on your wrist joints. This is because when you’re lifting a large load, you may have difficulty keeping your wrist neutral. If the wrists are supported, there’s less movement in that joint as it becomes stabilized.
Another advantage is that they may prevent wrist fatigue. If you’ve been working out hard, it may take a toll on your delicate wrist joint muscles. Having proper support prevents your wrist from moving in all directions and thus will reduce the strain on your muscles.
As mentioned before with relevance to grip strength, some wrist straps apply pressure to certain muscles, which induces the gripping position. This would then reinforce your gripping abilities and increase your gripping strength.
And, because your wrist is kept in a neutral position or adequately cushioned, if you have an existing injury, it’ll help to heal the injury faster.
Rogue Fitness Wrist Wraps
- Material: 40% Elastic, 10% Polyester, 50% Cotton
- Closure system: Hook and loop, velcro
- Length: 12″, 18″, 24″
- Width: 3″
- Design: Thumb loop and wrist support, comes in 6 colors
Rogue Fitness has made our list again with their high quality Rogue Fitness Wrist Wraps. These wrist wraps are both thick and durable. The blend of materials makes it perfect for absorbing extra moisture and it doesn’t irritate your skin.
The wraps provides excellent wrist support during heavy lifting and the hook and velcro closure system makes it easy to remove. The 90 day warranty covers the hook and loop. They range in price from $12.75-$18.75 USD, depending on the size you choose.
Stoic Wrist Wraps
- Material: High-grade nylon materials
- Closure system: Hook and loop, velcro
- Length: 18″, 24″, 36″
- Width: 3″
- Design: Thumb loop and wrist support, comes in black
The Stoic Wrist Wraps are very similar to Rogue’s. They come in 3 different lengths 18″, 24″ and 36″. It has a thick 2″ thumb look so it doesn’t wear and a 2″ hook and loop closure to secure the wrap in place.
Because they’re longer than most wraps, they can be adjusted to fit anybody. Plus, it’s approved for legal use in the IPF, USPA and USAPL. Stoic has a 100% satisfaction guarantee and you can contact them anytime. These wraps cost between $15.99-$29.99 USD.
Manimal Wrist Wraps
- Material: High-quality materials
- Closure system: Hook and loop, velcro
- Length: 7″
- Width: 3″
- Design: Thumb loop and wrist support, comes in 9 colors
The Manimal Wrist Wraps are a bit of mystery but a favorite among lifters. They don’t like to advertise their specs. But, they come in 9 designs and each is priced differently. They only come in one length of 7″ with a 3″ width. They’re made of durable, high-quality materials that are supposed to last for 3 years with daily use.
Like the others, the Manimal wraps have a thumb loop and hook and velcro closure, and each pair supports a charity. They have a lifetime warranty and are priced from $40-$50 USD.
DMoose Wrist Wraps for Weightlifting
- Material: Cotton and Polyester
- Closure system: Hook and loop, velcro
- Length: 12″, 18″
- Width: 3″
- Design: Thumb loop and wrist support, comes in 6 colors
The DMoose Wrist Wraps are another affordable option. They come in 2 sizes, 12″ and 18″ with a width of 3″. They offer a strong thumb loop, monster stretch velcro, a reinforced velcro fastener and ergonomic design, and they’re breathable.
The DMoose wraps come with a lifetime guarantee and cost $12.97 and $14.99 USD.
Rip Toned Wrist Wraps (Stiff)
- Material: Elastic, Polyester, Cotton
- Closure system: Hook and loop, velcro
- Length: 18″
- Width: 3″
- Design: thumb loop and wrist support, comes in 13 colors
Lastly, we have the Rip Toned Wrist Wraps, which come in a stiff and less stiff version. The stiff version is very stiff and offers little flexibility, so they may be suitable as powerlifting wrist wraps. We also deem these ones the best Crossfit wrist wraps.
They come in only one length of 18” with a width of 3″, but they have 13 different colors or designs. It features heavy duty velcro, long lasting stitching and reinforced thumb loops.
They provide a lifetime replacement warranty and are currently on sale for $13.97 USD. Otherwise, they cost $19.99 USD.
Whether the wrist straps improve your athletic performance or not, it’s clear they provide some protective advantage. So, if you do go hard during workouts, it wouldn’t hurt to wear them. They’re an economical and simple solution that could preserve your joints for days to come.
USA Home Gym gives in-depth insights into gym equipment, supplements, and fitness training methods. The motivation behind USA Home Gym is to provide you with information that goes beyond what you can find in any user manual, customer review, or other online review sites.
We go to great lengths to ensure that our reviews are completely comprehensive, usually covering everything from the design features to the warranty coverage and exercise options. This is all to help guide you towards the home gym equipment that’s best suited to your goals and budget, whilst also being the highest quality option in your chosen price range.
