What you need
- A new rubber bat grip (not sure which texture? See chevron or tacky)
- A grip cone that fits your handle (full-size handles need a full-size cone)
- A dry cloth
- Scissors, for trimming the end
You don't need glue or tape. A rubber grip stays on by gripping the handle tightly.
Searching "bat grip kaise lagaye" or "bat ka grip kaise change kare"? These are the same five steps.
Before you start: take off the old grip
Roll the old grip up from the bottom, or carefully cut it off. If you cut, cut away from the handle and go slowly, so you don't nick the cane or the twine binding underneath.
Then wipe the handle clean and let it dry. Sweat, dust and bits of old rubber stop the new grip sitting flat. If the twine on the handle is loose or unravelling, get that fixed first: a new grip won't hold loose twine together for long.
The five steps
- Clean. Handle clean and dry, old grip off.
- Load. Stretch the open end of the new grip over the thin end of the cone, then roll the whole grip up the cone towards the wide end. Keep the texture facing out.
- Seat. Turn the cone over and press its wide mouth firmly onto the top of the bat handle. Hold the cone and handle together with one hand.
- Roll. With the other hand, roll the grip down off the cone onto the handle, a little at a time, working round the handle. Once the grip is on the handle, lift the cone away.
- Finish. Look down the handle. If the pattern twists, grip the handle in both hands and gently roll the rubber back straight. Fold the extra rubber under at the bottom, or trim it neatly with scissors.
Want a thicker handle? Fit a second grip the same way, straight over the first. Here's how to double-grip your bat.
Roll, don't drag
This is the one rule that matters. Rolling spreads the stretch evenly round the grip. Dragging pulls one spot thinner than the rest, and that thin spot is where rubber splits, either during fitting or a few matches later.
If the grip gets stuck halfway, stop pulling. Roll it back up a little, check the cone is still seated straight on the handle, and roll down again.
No cone?
You can put a grip on without a cone. Some players roll the grip down the handle by hand. Others slide a thin plastic bag over the handle, pull the grip on over the bag, then work the bag out from underneath.
Both can work, but they're messier and slower, and it's harder to keep the stretch even, so the rubber is more likely to thin in one spot and split. A cone that fits your handle is the cleaner way, and you keep it for every grip change after this one.
Common problems
- The cone keeps slipping off the handle. The cone may be too small for your handle, or an old grip is still on it. Full-size handles need a cone with a wide enough mouth.
- The grip has a twist or a ripple. Roll it gently around the handle in the opposite direction until the pattern runs straight.
- The grip feels loose. It may be too wide for your handle, or the handle is still damp. Take it off, dry the handle and refit.
- The grip tore while fitting. It was most likely dragged rather than rolled. If it's a Tezvia grip fitted with our cone, following the fitting card, it counts as defective: tell us within 7 days of delivery and we'll replace it. See our Returns and Refund Policy.
Not sure the old grip needed changing? See when to change your bat grip.
Doing it with the Tezvia kit
The Tezvia Match Grip Kit has 4 grips (2 chevron, 2 tacky) and a hardwood cone made for full-size handles, with a fitting card in the box. Keep the cone: it works for every grip change after this one.
Stuck halfway? Ask Tezi on this page and it will walk you through it.