Replacing foam grip on pull-up bar

May 13, 2022 12:09 PM

My pull-up bar's foam grips are falling apart. But when I try and look for replacements, I'm failing. I've considered: Bicycle handlebar tape (but this isn't that soft) Moldable foam that my kids use at school (not even sure what this is called) Pipe insulation (this doesn't seem that grippy) What should I be searching for?
posted by thewumpusisdead to Shopping (8 answers total)

one cheap thing you could try is pre-wrap for athletic tape. It's thin foam designed to wrap around legs and stuff under athletic tape, a few wraps of it on a bar (more or less, depending on how soft you want it) sealed with some athletic tape for grippiness might give you what you want, and you're only out a few bucks if it doesn't.
posted by true at 12:26 PM on May 13, 2022

A search for 'foam tubing hand grip' on the usual buying-stuff sites seems to return a lot of promising hits for me
posted by pipeski at 12:40 PM on May 13, 2022

I'd suggest tennis racket overgrip tape; it's adhesive backed, and you can get some that is cushioned. It's probably not going to be as cushy as the original, but should work.
posted by EKStickland at 1:04 PM on May 13, 2022 [3 favorites]

Pipe insulaton covered with a layer of electrical tape will make it very grippy.
posted by mezzanayne at 1:21 PM on May 13, 2022

If your problem were my problem, the first thing I'd try would be stripping off all the old foam and winding on enough layers of gaffa tape to build the bar back up to a comfortable thickness. It's not the slightest bit foamy, but the rubbery adhesive layer gives it a bit of bounce once multiple layers go on, and the embedded cloth makes it quite stable and reasonably wear-resistant. It also comes in ridiculously long rolls and doesn't cost much. And unlike electrical tape, the adhesive is stable over time and won't turn into a drippy, gooey mess from absorbed humidity in two years or less.

Might even try winding on a layer or two straight over the top of the old, worn foam before stripping it off, if it's not already completely crumbling.
posted by flabdablet at 1:51 PM on May 13, 2022 [1 favorite]

My first thought was using sections of a pool noodle. I found an example of someone making grips from a pool noodle.
posted by RobinofFrocksley at 4:38 PM on May 13, 2022 [2 favorites]

I know a handful of professional (teaching or performing) circus artists who do trapeze, and they all use cloth bicycle tape on their trapeze bars. Seems like a good analogue!
posted by migrantology at 7:30 PM on May 13, 2022

You could get cane grips - foam grips made to replace those on cheap canes made from metal tubing, if your bar is of similar size. Often easy to find at pharmacies, drugstores, etc.
posted by Vigilant at 8:53 AM on May 14, 2022 [1 favorite]