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

Last Updated on 2 December 2025 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 essential 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. It is essential to have a grip that you are comfortable using and that causes no pain. 

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

You can happily compromise for the most part and still enjoy a ride, but getting your grip choice wrong can mean your enjoyment goes out the window.

There are a couple of reasons to invest in the best mountain bike grips. The most important thing is that a good pair of MTB grips keeps your hands in place and reduces 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 types of grips available on the market. We offer this guide to help you choose the grips that are best for you so that you can enjoy mountain biking as much as possible.

Check also
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> 7 Best Flat Pedal MTB Shoes: Sturdy, Waterproof, & for all Budgets
> 10 Best Clipless Mountain Bike Shoes: SPD Cleats for MTB

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 any excellent MTB grips that aren’t 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 grip muscles, reducing arm pump, while creating a wide contact area for your hands. 

The Ergon GE1 Evo grips are an intelligent way to adjust your riding position, and you can change your hand position on the handlebar because the cushioning is counterbalanced by 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 flat-bar cycle touring and bikepacking.

The GP3 grips by Ergon feature a comfortable design. You can rest your hand on the widened surface, and the short bar ends allow you to shift 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 that offers plenty of vibration damping and cushioning, providing traction and shock absorption on the bumpiest rides, even when wet. It also works great as a bikepacking grip or even a BMX grip.

The structure is designed to distribute material thickness to ensure maximum grip. The cons of LSI Chunky grips are that they don’t feature a 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 than on the underside of the grips where your fingertips rest.

It also has a raised rubber end cap that keeps your hands in place and helps prevent 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 on the interior, which helps them maintain a firm grip, even in rain or sweat; they hold their footing well. Race Face Half Nelson grips are structurally designed to perform well across a wide range of 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 of the UV-stable silicon rubber material makes it comfortable and provides excellent traction.

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

Pros

• More efficient
• Soft feel on the 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-friction rubber provides enough grip 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 an attractive design, and fit any standard bicycle handlebar.

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

These grips are made of TPR, a soft material that isolates 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 about a variety of colors, then this is the best choice.

Despite its ridiculously low price, the Oury MTN ensures maximum grip. They are made from a highly soft single-rubber compound that absorbs bumps efficiently.

 Pros

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

 Cons 

• Short
• not fit for touring or bikepacking

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