Any DIY grip aid ideas?

Duopoly started this discussion · 6/4/2016

Hey everyone! So I'm a beginner. I'm almost through with the 30 day take off, and I'm quite excited to move forward on my pole journey :) One problem, my legs are so dry that they slip right off no matter how warm I am, or how warm the pole is :( You can imagine how difficult climbs are as a result. And there are no grip aids like itac, tite grip etc available here. So far I've tried glycerine, vinegar, antiperspirant, even toothpaste. Nothing works. At best I get a good-ish grip for 5 mins or so before the effect wears off and I have to wipe residue off the pole. Any ideas for what else I can try? My pole is stainless steel, if it helps to know. I also clean my pole after every session.

8 replies

Kellye Perkins · 6/4/2016
I have good luck with Corn Huskers Lotion. About $3.50 at Walmart is where I buy it. You might try running a humidifier in your pole room a half hour before you practice. Also, riding a stationary bike with sweatpants on will help you bring moisture to those dry legs. I have also had good luck using 'Total Moisture' Body Lotion by Vaseline Intensive Care the night before a pole day. Good Luck:)
Phoenix Hunter · 6/4/2016
Yes I've heard corn huskers is good for this. Also plain aloe Vera gel
Catsanctuary177663 · 6/4/2016
Is there mail delivery? I get all my grip aids off amazon.com. I have dry skin and find itac has worked best. Congratulations on your pole journey, it will change your life!
Veena · 6/4/2016
Try luberderm or an off brand, it's what I use and works well. Apply it the night before so it will not grease up the pole.
Elyse Hauke · 6/5/2016
While I have not yet tried this yet, I have done some research recently and have come across many videos and articles online about making your own liquid chalk. If you have access to a sports gear store that sells powder form gymnast chalk, you can mix it with isopropyl alcohol. People claim that it dries quickly and doesn't make a mess the way dry chalk does. Based on what I have seen it should work just as well as Dry Hands and is virtually the same thing. Only difference apparently is that it just doesn't have the thickening agent that most liquid chalks have to keep it from being so runny and drying out quickly. If it does just add some more alcohol. Very cost effective in comparison to paying $7 and up for a small bottle of grip aid. I have wanted to try this for a while, I just haven't gotten around to it.
Duopoly · 6/6/2016
Thanks so much your suggestions guys! It's times like this I wish I lived in the US. Unfortunately stuff like cornhuskers lotion and lubiderm aren't available on this side of the atlantic. But I'll definitely look into the liquid chalk and the aloe vera gel and see how it goes.
moonflower · 6/12/2016
I have a DIY grip enhancer for legs and body tutorial on my blog! If you've used , it's like that. I don't use alcohol as a preservative anymore. Recently I've been mixing in in a really small bottle and dumping any left over out after a few days so I don't need to use a preservative. Another preservative that can work is something called Germall + at about .5% of solution, but you have to order it. So I just prefer to make a tiny batch and throw out the extras every few days. http://www.liveituppolefitness.com/grip-enhancer-solution-dry-skin/
DianneF · 6/16/2016
I also suffer really dry legs, and can never remember to moisturise the night before. One thing that I have found to help me is shaving foam ! Just a little quirt onto the back of your hand, then apply it to the areas that you need some grip. I'm currently using Gilette for sensitive skin. I hope you find something, it's a huge leap forward when you do !