An unusual take on the traditional lifting strap, but these Death Grips are certainly effective.

This is a different type of strap because of the way it’s applied. JerkFit Death Grips could almost be considered more of a lifting glove than a strap. You secure the wrist wrap as you would a glove, and the strap itself provides extra protection for the palm.

Men’s Fitness verdict

The Death Grips are a different style of lifting strap – in fact they’re more like a glove. But they’re well suited to most types of lifting, particularly resistance machines.
Pros
  • Extra palm protection
  • Comes in three sizes
  • Easy to take off
Cons
  • Could do with an XL size
  • Fairly expensive

How we test the best lifting straps

Our tester Roger Lockridge is an experienced product reviewer of all manner of fitness kit. He tested these lifting straps over at least a month at various weights and through a range of exercises at high rep ranges. Roger assessed each pair in terms of grip, comfort and durability. He then provided an overall score, taking availability, value and ranges of colours, sizes and other options into account.

JerkFit Death Grips features

It wraps around the object you intend to hold just once. There are other grips on the market that use this method, but these grips in particular are simple to use and strong enough to last for many workouts to come. The tongue is short, and it won’t wrap around as many times as your traditional lifting strap would, but this is by design. 

These are also different because of the material. They are made of PVC with neoprene padding. You’ll know you’re holding something, but there won’t be any discomfort from the pressure of the weight or resistance. These would be one of the best lifting straps for lifters that use machines in training or want to maintain a solid hold of cable attachments. Of course, they can work for barbells too. The skull on the strap catches the eye and gets you in the zone. 

The largest size is designed for those with wrists over 8in (20.3cm) in diameter, but an extra-large option would have be nice for the bigger lifters out there. There’s a lack of support for the thumb, but that’s a minor inconvenience because you’ll still have a solid hold of whatever you’re using. 

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