The 9 Best MTB Grips for Downhill, Touring, & Bikepacking

Last Updated on 17 August 2024 by Cycloscope

Our 9 Best Mountain Bike Grips Reviewed
Handlebar Comfort for Downhill MTB, Cycle Touring, & Bikepacking

Lock-on, slide-on, padded… The best MTB bike grips to avoid hand sores & numbness

What are the best MTB grips?

Grips are one of the most important contact points on your bike, and also one of the least expensive parts to change. Mountain bike grips directly affect your control when riding, as your hands are always resting or holding onto the grips. So it is very important to have a grip you are comfortable using and cause no pain. 

Grips are your first line of comfort and control, so they are even more important when cycle touring or bikepacking for several days with a loaded bike. 

You can happily compromise on the most part and still enjoy a ride, but getting your choice of grips wrong and your enjoyment can go out of the window.

There are a couple of reasons to invest in the best mountain bike grips. The most important is that a good pair of MTB grips keeps your hands in place and reduces the effect of vibration.

The stock grips that came with cheap or mid-range MTB and touring bikes are unlikely to be really good, that’s why you should upgrade them to the most comfortable mountain bike grips.

There are many different types of grips present in the market. We offer this guide to help you decide which grips are best for you that you could enjoy mountain biking as much as possible.

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The best grips for MTB, touring & bikepacking in a nutshell

• Ergon GE1 Evo – best hardtail MTB grip
• Ergon GP3 w/Bar Ends – best bike touring grips
• ESI Chunky MTB Grips – the most comfortable mountain bike grips
• ODI Elite pro – best grip for enduro MTB
• Race Face Half Nelson – best grip for rainy weather
• Ergon GA2 Fat – best mountain bike grip for downhill
• Fifty-Fifty MTB Grips – great MTB grips for dirt jumping
• BV Mountain Bike Handlebars Grips – best bikepacking grips
• Oury Original Mountain Grips – cheap and fashionable MRB grips

9 Best MTB Grips Reviewed

Here are our picks, we hope you’ll find what you’re looking for. If you own some great MTB grips that are not on this list, please let us know in the comments.

Ergon GE1 Evo

Best hardtail MTB grip

LENGTH: 135 mm

STYLE: Single clamp

The GE1 grips by Ergon have an ergonomic design, a cut-out skeleton that makes their shape unique and noticeably less radical than other grips. The ergonomics take some of the stress off the muscle used for grips to reduce arm pump while creating a wide contact area for your hands. 

The Ergon GE1 Evo grips are an intelligent way of turning your riding position and you can change your hand position about the handlebar because the cushioning is counterbalanced to the central sleeve that slides the bar.

The Ergon G1 directs you to ride with your elbows out while creating a better riding position for aggressive trail and enduro riding.

Pros

• Ergonomic design
• Available in a slim version
• Provide good riding techniques

Cons 

• Limited color options
• A bit expensive

Ergon GP3 w/Bar End

best bike touring grips

LENGTH: 135 mm

STYLE: Single clamp

Let’s immediately double up with another Ergon grip. The GP3 w/bar ends are definitely among the best grips for cycle touring and bikepacking with flat bars.

The GP3 grips by Ergon feature a really comfortable design, you can rest your hand palms on the widened surface, and the short bar ends give you the possibility of shifting position from time to time.

Pros

• Ergonomic design
• more hand positions

Cons 

• no color options
• not cheap

ESI Chunky MTB Grips

most comfortable mountain bike grips

LENGTH: 130 mm

STYLE: Slide On

The Chunky MTB grip by ESI is a lightweight silicone tube; it offers plenty of vibration dampening, and cushioning, providing traction and shock absorption during the bumpiest rides even when wet. It works great also as a bikepacking grip or even BMX grip.

The structure is designed in such a way that material thickness is distributed to ensure maximum grip. The cons of LSI Chunky grips are that it doesn’t feature lock ring to secure them around the handlebars, so they need to be glued and that doesn’t last very long, besides leaving marks on your handlebars.

Pros

• Covered on the bottom end
• Large diameter of 32mm
• Cheap 
• Lightweight 

Cons  

• not very durable

ODI Elite pro

Best downhill and enduro MTB grip

LENGTH: 130mm

STYLE: Lock On

Developed with the help of Pro Enduro rider Curtis Keene the ODI Elite is an incredibly effective MTB handlebar grip; it puts more rubber in the palm of your hands compared to the underside of the grips where the fingertips rest.

It also has a raised rubber end cap that keeps your hands in position and avoids hand numbness. They’re super-grippy and the tactile feel and cushioning are in the right place. An excellent combination of comfort and control.

Easy to clamp on and take off, the ODI Elite pro grips come in one diameter and one rubber compound with four color options.

Pros  

• More rubber in the palm 
• Raised rubber end cap
• Friendly price

 Cons 

• No noticeable cons

Race Face Half Nelson

most grippy MTB grips in rainy weather

LENGTH: 133mm

STYLE: Single clamp

Despite having a diameter of only 28mm, the Half Nelson Grips are pretty cushioned and superbly grippy. These MTB grips by Half Nelson really satisfy all the requirements of an excellent grip. 

The grips also include some elevation in the interior part, which makes them hold their firm grasps, even under rain or sweat the grips hold their amazing footing. Race Face Half Nelson grips are structurally designed to perform well in numerous climate conditions. 

To make your mountain bike riding or long cycle touring days even more enjoyable, the Race Face Half Nelson grip is the best choice but it’s a bit pricey.

Pros

• Lightweight 
• Excellent shock absorption 
• The grips retain their holds regardless of rain and wetness

Cons 

• A bit expensive

Ergon GA2 FAT

best mountain bike grips for downhill

LENGTH: 136mm

STYLE: Single clamp

Designed in collaboration with former DH World Champion, Fabien Barel, this is really one of the best mountain bike grips around.

The soft texture given by the UV-stable silicon rubber material makes them comfortable and capable of providing excellent traction.

They are ultra-lightweight and equipped with inward clamps to have a firm hold of your handlebars. An extremely durable product that will satisfy the needs of the most hardcore MTB riders.

Pros

• More efficient
• Soft feel on palm
• Lightweight unit
• Excellent fit

Cons

• A bit pricey compared to others

Fifty-Fifty MTB grips

best MTB grips for dirt jumping

LENGTH: 135mm

STYLE: Single clamp

Fifty-fifty MTB grips are excellent handling grips for extreme mountain biking and downhill riding.

They are reliable, firm, and securely held, thanks to the strong lock-on system, while the high fraction rubber provides enough grips in all weather. This means that grips remain tightly fixed regardless of how bumpy the trial becomes.

They are quality grips that can be purchased in five different colors; black, red, purple, orange, and yellow.

Pros

• Tightly attached to handlebars
• Vibration-damping rubber feature
• All-weather-ready

Cons

• The padding is not the most cushioned around

BV Mountain Bike Handlebars Grips

best grips for bikepacking

LENGTH: 133mm

STYLE: Double clamp

BV bike handlebar grips have an aesthetic look and attractive design while fitting any standard bicycle handlebar.

The double clamp design of these grips is easy to install and firmly held in place without twisting. This makes them also among the best grips for bikepacking.

These grips are manufactured with a TPR material that is soft enough to isolate your hands from shock and vibration. BV bike grips are available in five different colors: black, yellow, green, red, and blue.

Pros

• Secured by a double clamp
• Work for most handlebars
• Cheap

Cons

• The design might not be attractive to everyone

Oury Original Mountain grips

cheap and fashionable MTB grips

LENGTH: 127mm

STYLE: Slide on

The Oury Mountain Grips have been a standard in the amateur MTB world for a while. If you’re in the market for cool-looking grips and care for a variety of colors then that is the best choice to select.

Regardless of their ridiculously cheap price, the Oury MTN ensures maximum grip power. They are made from an extremely soft single rubber compound that absorbs bumps in an efficient manner.

 Pros

• Great grip power
• Good-looking
• Cheap
• Wide selection of colors 

 Cons 

• Short
• not fit for touring or bikepacking

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