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At first glance, lifting straps are fairly simple tools; they’re thin strips of cotton or nylon that connect your wrists to a barbell to help you hold on to heavier weight for longer periods of time. And while they may seem like a crutch, lifting straps can be extremely helpful for building strength, allowing you to push your larger muscles (like your quads or posterior chain) without being limited by your grip strength.
But there are many types of lifting straps on the market, so finding the right one for your needs can be a daunting task. If you’re a weightlifter, you’ll likely prefer a quick-release strap that comes off the bar easily if you need to bail on a lift. Conversely, strongman competitors usually prefer figure 8 straps that won’t come off the bar even if their grip gives out. So we did the heavy lifting (literally) to find the best types of straps for a variety of training styles, budgets, and scenarios. However you like to lift, there’s a set of straps on this list for you.
Our Picks for the Best Lifting Straps of 2023
Best Overall Lifting Straps
The best lifting straps need to provide a mixture of security, versatility, and durability. Having the confidence to pull heavy and build those glutes without worrying about a slip from your lifting straps is a great advantage to have when working on a PR.
Gymreapers Lifting Straps
These lifting straps from Gymreapers offer the combination of security and comfort that lifters want without being too invasive. At 18 inches long, these straps can wrap around the bar a couple of times to provide extra security, so you know your bar or dumbbell isn’t going anywhere once you’re strapped in. You can just grip it and rip it. Plus, the thin neoprene padding provides just enough cushion to help prevent the straps from digging into your skin or bruising your wrist.
Gymreapers Lifting Straps
Gymreapers Lifting Straps provide the security and comfort that many lifters desire at an affordable price. These 18 inch straps are available in nine different colors. You can rely on these straps for shrugs, deadlifts, cleans, or heavy dumbbell rows.
If you’re not a fan of padding, Gymreapers offers options that don’t include padding on the wrist. The Gymreapers Lifting Straps are made from a durable combination of neoprene and cotton, and they offer a lifetime replacement guarantee.
Specs
Style: Lasso
Material: Cotton/Neoprene
Length: 18 inches
Padding: Yes
Price: $16.99
Color Options: Black, Black/Red, Desert Tan, Military Green, Navy, Pink, Gray, Red
Pros
The 18-inch length can wrap around the bar enough to provide a solid amount of grip security, even on fat bars.
The slim layer of neoprene padding around the wrist can help prevent skin pinching or abrasion during heavy lifts.
Gymgoers who prefer to have a bit of color variety will like that these straps come in nine color options including black, green, and pink.
Cons
The 18-inch length might be too short for lifters with big wrists or those who want a more secure grip.
If you need more security for, say, long-distance farmer carries, you should look for something more secure, like a figure 8 strap.
Weightlifters should look for something more quick-release (like a closed-loop strap), since they may have to bail quickly on lifts.
These lifting straps from Gymreapers are an excellent choice for both beginners and advanced lifters. They’re relatively inexpensive, don’t have a learning curve to use (like Olympic lifting straps or figure 8 straps), and offer a measure of comfort, thanks to the neoprene wrist padding (which is optional). The heavy-duty construction can also satisfy experienced lifters who don’t want to buy a new set every few months.
Most Durable Lifting Straps
Many folks purchasing gym equipment want a product that will last them a long time, getting them a good return for their money spent. When selecting the most durable lifting straps, we took into consideration not only how the straps are made, but also the material they’re made from.
Manimal Infinity Lifting Straps
Heavy pulls like hang cleans and deadlifts can put a lot of stress on lifting straps, especially when you use a bar that has moderate to intense knurling. Rubbing the straps consistently against knurling can damage and weaken lifting straps, which is why we’re fans of the durably poly-nylon mix used in these straps from Manimal. Their 24-inch length — which is about six inches longer than the standard pair — also contributes to the durability of these straps. The extra length means you can loop the strap around the bar more and distribute the weight more than you would with, say, an 18-inch strap.
Manimal Infinity Lifting Straps
These one-and-a-half-inch wide and 24-ince long three millimeter neoprene lifting straps provide padding to the wrists. They are made with a poly-nylon mix for better durability.
On the comfort side, these straps also feature three-millimeter neoprene padding around the wrist to help increase comfort and prevent pinching of the skin and bruising. Plus, the clear Left/Right labeling helps you keep the straps straight as you break them in to conform to your left and right wrists. Manimal offers a lifetime warranty, so if you do manage to break them, you’re covered.
Specs
Style: Lasso
Material: Poly-nylon/Neoprene
Length: 24 inches
Padding: Yes
Price: $25
Color Options: Black
Pros
Durable poly-nylon material and a lifetime warranty help these straps live up to the Infinity name.
Left/Right labeling on each strap helps you know which strap is which as you break them in.
The 24-inch length provides extra grip security during heavy lifts.
Cons
The extra-long strap may be too bulky or unnecessary for people with small hands.
These aren’t the most expensive straps on the market, but there definitely are cheaper alternatives.
Manimal set out to make the most durable pair of lifting straps on the market, and they did a solid job of it. The material is meant to last, and the longer length of these straps helps to distribute the weight being held on the straps. And if they do beak, you’re covered by the lifetime warranty.
Best Lifting Straps for the Money
Are you on a budget and need a cost-efficient pair of lifting straps? Gymreapers offers a high-quality, reasonably priced option without sacrificing quality.
Gymreapers Lifting Straps
There are cheaper lifting straps on the market, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find a set that will outperform this set from Gymreapers. Costing under $20, these 18-inch straps are long enough to provide grip security, and the double-stitched cotton is built to last. And while the construction alone is worth the price and then some, Gymreapers also allows you to customize the straps, which is something that you rarely see in straps in this price range.
Gymreapers Lifting Straps
Gymreapers Lifting Straps provide the security and comfort that many lifters desire at an affordable price. These 18 inch straps are available in nine different colors. You can rely on these straps for shrugs, deadlifts, cleans, or heavy dumbbell rows.
You can get them unpadded or you can add neoprene wrist pads if you’re craving more comfort. Plus, there are eight color options for you to choose from if you’d like to color-coordinate your gym kit. They also come with a lifetime replacement guarantee, which means you’ll only have to pay for one pair. Ever.
Specs
Style: Lasso
Material: Cotton/Neoprene
Length: 18 inches
Padding: Yes
Price: $16.99
Color Options: Black, Black/Red, Desert Tan, Military Green, Navy, Pink, Gray, Red
Pros
The price is right for the budget shopper.
The nine color options let you customize your pair to some degree.
A lifetime replacement guarantee means you’ll never have to buy another pair.
Cons
Strongman athletes who want to really lock in to the bar should look at something more secure, like figure eight straps.
If you sweat through the cotton material, these straps take a long time to dry.
Gymreapers Lifting Straps are not just a great choice for an athlete on a budget, but a great choice for athletes in general. It has durable double-stitching, a generous strap length, and several color and padding options, all for under $20. Plus, the lifetime guarantee means you’ll never have to buy another pair.
Best Lifting Straps for Powerlifting
Powerlifting is a simple sport — you’re there to bench press, squat, and deadlift as much weight as you can. Which is why the best powerlifting lifting straps need to be extremely secure when fixed to loaded barbells, durable enough to withstand multiple heavy sessions of barbell training, and simple enough to use when your central nervous system is fried.
Rogue Fitness Ohio Straps
This strap comes in a 20-inch length, allowing a little extra room for those with larger wrists, like powerlifters, to get the most out of these lifting straps. Plus, that extra length adds more surface area to the bar, providing a more secure grip for those 10-second one-rep-max deadlift attempts. Also, the lasso design, while extremely secure, instantly lets go as soon as you open your hands, so if your deadlift goes south, you can drop the bar without it pulling you to the floor.
Rogue Fitness Ohio Straps
This lifting strap is designed with a cotton build and offers additional padding to limit wrist friction and discomfort. These are great for deadlifts as well as accessory movements like shrugs and rows.
Thanks to the heavy-duty cotton webbing and reinforced stitching, these straps are also made to be durable for your heavy deadlift and barbell row sessions. There’s no neoprene wrist padding in these straps, so lifters with sensitive skin might feel some pinching or bruising.
Specs
Style: Lasso
Material: Cotton
Length: 15 inches
Padding: No
Price: $16.99
Color Options: Black
Pros
A 20-inch length provides added grip security for heavy lifts.
The lasso design allows you to instantly let go of the bar so you can drop the weight with ease.
The reinforced stitching and edges add the durability they’ll need for repeatedly pulling heavy weight.
Cons
There is no neoprene cushioning, so you’ll be at risk for some skin pinching or bruising around the wrist.
If you’re doing sustained movements like farmer carries, you might want to look at a more secure strap, like a figure 8.
Most powerlifters like their gear to do one thing: help them move more weight. That’s why we love the Rogue Ohio Lifting Straps — they’re simple, effective and durable, thanks to the grippy, quick-release lasso style and heavily reinforced material.
Read our full review of the Rogue Ohio Cotton Straps.
Best Lifting Straps for Deadlifting
If you’re looking to really strengthen your posterior chain with heavy deadlifts, you don’t want your grip to stop you. And figure 8 lifting straps, like this pair from Gymreapers are the perfect choice — they will lock you to the bar and won’t let go until you finish your lift.
Gymreapers Figure 8 Lifting Straps
A common component in many powerlifting programs is an overloaded deadlift, one in which you perform reps of weight that your grip normally wouldn’t let you do. In these sets, you want an extremely secure strap, like the Gymreapers Figure 8 Lifting Straps, which pretty much tie your wrists to the bar. Here’s how it works: Each loop of the figure 8 goes around your wrist, with the bar resting in the area where the material crosses over itself, locking you to the bar until you remove the straps. These straps almost totally remove your grip from the equation, so you can focus on larger muscle groups and bang out more reps than grip strength might allow.
Gymreapers Figure 8 Lifting Straps
If you intend to pull some massive weights, then you need massive support, and these Figure 8 Straps from Gymreapers are designed to provide just that. With heavy-duty cross stitching and thick cotton webbing, these are meant to stand up to the heaviest and hardest of workouts.
These have a weight capacity of over 1,000 pounds, so unless you’re Thor or Eddie Hall, you won’t outgrow these anytime soon. This high capacity is thanks to the heavy-duty cross stitching and 1/4-inch thick cotton webbing, which provide an unholy amount of support. They also come in three sizes to accommodate any type of bar you might be lifting on and most any wrist size. These straps are also backed by Gymreapers’ lifetime replacement guarantee, so if you do somehow manage to pop one of them, Gymreapers will send you a new pair.
Specs
Style: Figure 8
Material: Cotton
Length: N/A
Padding: No
Price: $28
Color Options: Black, Green, Khaki, Red
Pros
The figure 8 design literally ties you to the bar. Even if you let go, these grips won’t.
Thick cotton webbing and heavy-duty cross-stitching give these straps a weight capacity that you aren’t likely to outgrow.
There’s no padding with these, but the 1.4-inch-thick cotton does add some cushioning.
Cons
There is no quick release on these. When the bar goes down, you go with it, so Oly lifters should look for a different kind of strap.
Overuse of these can lead to a lack of grip strength, which may come back to haunt you in competitions where straps aren’t allowed.
The figure 8 style of strap has become increasingly popular over the past few years due in part to competitors like Eddie Hall using this style of strap to break the 500-kilogram deadlift barrier. Though not for everyone, these straps are a solid choice for people who want to be absolutely certain that the bar isn’t leaving their hands once they’re strapped in.
Best Lifting Straps For Bodybuilding
Bodybuilding often entails long workouts and lots of high-rep sets to help facilitate muscle growth. If you don’t want these sets to be limited by your grip endurance, a solid, comfortable pair of lifting straps, like these ones from Harbinger, are essential.
Harbinger Cotton Padded Lifting Straps
Since bodybuilding workouts tend to be longer than other kinds of training, a good set of lifting straps need to be comfortable as well as supportive. The Harbinder Cotton Padded lifting straps are a great choice here, thanks to the NeoTek neoprene cushioning and the reliable lasso-style design. We’ve used these for years, and the straps have proven to be comfortable for everything from banging out high-rep sets of dumbbell rows to sets of trap bar shrugs to failure.
Harbinger Cotton Padded Lifting Strap
A cotton lifting strap that provides additional padding for the wrists to reduce friction. These 21.5-inch lifting straps have extended length to give more grip on the bar and extra stitching to prevent frays. These affordable straps are great for beginners and advanced lifters alike.
The thicker padding adds a comfort that you won’t find in other lifting straps, and the 1.5-inch width provides a strong grip, helping stave of fatigue during long sets. Plus, the lasso style releases as soon as you let go, so when you’re done with your set, you can drop your weight quickly and start resting up for your next movement.
Specs
Style: Lasso
Material: Cotton/Neoprene
Length: 21.5 inches
Padding: Yes
Price: $9.89
Color Options: Black, Camo, Flag, Merlot, Pink, Skulls
Pros
The thick neoprene cushioning is perfect for lifters who regularly perform long workouts.
These straps are 21.5 inches long, which provides more surface contact and better grip than shorter straps.
The lasso design provides a quick release.
Cons
The longer strap may be too much material for movements with limited grip space, like kettlebell farmer carries.
If you’re doing Olympic lifts where you need an instant release, these may not let go fast enough.
These lifting straps from Harbinger are reasonably priced and offer solid security that should be more than enough for the average gymgoer. Plus, the NeoTek padding offers an extra layer of protection and comfort on the wrist for those long bodybuilding workouts.
Read our full review of the Harbinger Cotton Padded Lifting Straps.
Best Lifting Straps for Weightlifting
Weightlifters have a unique set of needs when looking for lifting straps. They need something that is both very secure (so they’ll stay attached to the bar during the high acceleration forces involved in snatches and cleans) but also straps that come off very quickly if they need to dump the bar. These close-loop straps from Gymreapers fit the bill.
Gymreapers Olympic Lifting Straps
Since cleans, jerks, and snatches require moving weight quickly and explosively, weightlifting lifting straps need to release instantaneously if something goes wrong during a lift. Gymreapers Olympic Lifting Straps are designed specifically for this purpose, thanks to the closed-loop design. This design doesn’t wrap around the bar as many times as a lasso-style strap, so the second you let go, the bar is out of your hands.
Gymreapers Olympic Lifting Straps
These tear-drop shaped lifting straps are great for cleans and snatches because they are reinforced with triple stitching along the seams. The soft cotton fabric allows for more comfort while lifting heavy.
The shorter design is also ideal for weightlifters because it leaves less material between the bar and your hands, so you don’t have to adjust your technique or grip in any way. It also means you won’t achieve as secure a grip with these straps, but for lifts like clean & jerks and snatches, grip strength comes secondary to explosive strength.
Specs
Style: Closed Loop
Material: Cotton
Length: N/A
Padding: No
Price: $14.99
Color Options: Black, Military Green, Navy, and Red
Pros
The 8.5-inch strap length leaves less material between your hands and the bar, so you won’t need to alter your grip.
Closed-loop straps provide an instant release, so you can bail on a lift without the bar pulling you to the floor.
Who Shouldn’t Buy Gymreapers Olympic Lifting Straps
People who want a strap for lifts other than Olympic should look at a more secure lifting strap, like a lasso-style strap.
There’s no padding, so if you have sensitive skin, you may feel pinching or experience bruising around the wrist.
The closed-loop style of Gymreapers Olympic Lifting Straps is ideal for weightlifters because it provides a measure of grip security but, more importantly, releases instantly when they need to. Plus, the shorter length means you won’t have to adjust your grip or technique when practicing high-skill movements like snatches or cleans.
Most Secure Lifting Straps
When thinking about the most secure lifting straps, there are a lot of considerations — style, materials, stitching, and durability. Thanks in part to its lock-in design, Gymreapers Figure 8 Lifting Straps check all of these boxes, making it the most secure lifting strap we’ve seen.
Gymreapers Figure 8 Lifting Straps
These Gymreaper Figure 8 straps are designed specifically for deadlifting, rowing, and strongman-style pulling. The strap is made with heavy layered canvas cotton and contains extra padding along the wrists, along with double stitching throughout to handle heavy weight. But what really makes this the most secure lifting strap is the figure 8 design, which basically handcuffs your hands to the bar for the duration of your lift.
Gymreapers Figure 8 Lifting Straps
If you intend to pull some massive weights, then you need massive support, and these Figure 8 Straps from Gymreapers are designed to provide just that. With heavy-duty cross stitching and thick cotton webbing, these are meant to stand up to the heaviest and hardest of workouts.
This design allows you to feel incredibly secure to the bar and gives no chance of slippage due to grip. You can physically let go of the bar and still remain tied to your lift, and this is what makes Gymreapers Figure 8 lifting straps our favorite choice for most secure lifting straps. Plus, the straps have a weight capacity of over 1,000 pounds, thanks to the 1/4 inch thick cotton webbing and heavy-duty cross stitching, so you’ll probably break before they do.
Specs
Style: Figure 8
Material: Cotton
Length: N/A
Padding: No
Price: $28
Color Options: Black, Green, Khaki, Red
Pros
There are three sizes available, so you can adjust for bigger wrists or axle and thick bar work.
The figure 8 style provides a maximum amount of security during deadlift sessions.
If you’re looking for a high weight capacity of 1,000, these straps are for you.
Who Shouldn’t Buy Gymreapers Figure 8 Lifting Straps
These lock you to the bar — if you do any lifting where you need to drop the weights quickly, these aren’t for you.
Grip strength is taken out of the equation with these straps. If you want a stronger grip, you’ll want to use these sparingly, if at all.
If you do lots of different kinds of lifting, you’ll want something more versatile, like a loop-style strap.
Figure 8 style straps aren’t for everyone, and we don’t recommend them for beginners. But if you’re looking for a secure strap that’s ideal for heavy deadlift training or strongman work like farmer carries and holds, this is the strap for you.
[Related: 3 Partial Range Of Motion Lifts To Boost Your Powerlifting Game]
Benefits of Lifting Straps
The main reason for using a strap is to support your grip. A strap enables an athlete to hold more weight than their normal grip can handle, which can be ideal for working larger muscle groups like the posterior chain. For a weightlifter, a strap is often used when performing heavier clean pulls and snatches. Powerlifters will usually utilize straps when they’re working to overload their muscles and nervous system or for accessory work when their grip may be fatigued.
Benefits of Lifting Straps
Lifting straps can be used for a variety of reasons in strength training by multiple types of athletes. The main reason for using a strap is to support grip. A strap enables an athlete to hold more weight than their normal grip can handle. For a weightlifter, a strap is often used when performing heavier pulls and snatches. Powerlifters will usually utilize straps when they’re working to overload their muscles and nervous system or for accessory work when their grip may be fatigued.
Image via Shutterstock / Maridav
Strongman-style training will utilize straps in a similar manner to powerlifting. The end goals are usually to strengthen and overload the body when the grip is fatigued. Whether you’re a serious athlete or a recreational lifter, straps can be a great tool to utilize in a well-thought-out program. They’re a lifting accessory that doesn’t require a ton of gym bag space and can come in handy when there’s still work to do, but your grip is shot.
How We Chose the Best Lifting Straps
With so many different kinds of lifting straps available, we had a lot of digging to do. We considered style, durability, and price when deciding which straps were our favorites.
Style of Lifting Strap
There are many different styles of lifting straps. These include single-loop, which is commonly used for weightlifting; lasso, which is the most common style and a jack-of-all-trades strap; and figure 8, which is commonly used in strongman and high-level powerlifting. Since many customers have different needs when it comes to lifting straps, we included a variety of these types on this list to help suit them all.
Materials and Durability
There are also different types of materials that can be used to manufacture lifting straps, such as cotton, nylon, leather, and other poly-mix materials. The materials have a big impact on the durability of a lifting strap. The most common material for lifting straps to be made of is cotton and nylon, but in years past, they were made from all sorts of materials, such as leather and suede. Now there are more synthetic fibers that are available to make lifting straps extremely strong and durable (like polyester blends and reinforced or cross-stitched cotton).
Image via Shutterstock / Chayantorn Tongmorn
Durability is another major factor in how we decide the best lifting straps, as we want to show you products we know will last a while and get you a good return for your money. Durability not only refers to how long the strap will last you — which depends on how often you use the straps, as well — but it refers to the amount of weight the straps are designed to hold safely. A heavy-duty lifting strap can hold over 1,000 pounds, and some straps, like figure 8 straps, have held over 1,200 pounds (like in the silver dollar deadlift world record). This is due to their design, reinforced stitching, and material layering.
Price
Price is also an important consideration since we want to ensure we’re highlighting products that offer good value. It may not be quite as large a consideration with lifting straps as it is with other products that can get quite pricey (such as lifting belts and shoes), but getting a good product for your hard-earned money is something that everyone wants. Lifting straps can range from under $10 bargain-bin straps to a pair of heavy-duty figure 8 straps that might run you upward of $50. We included some straps from both ends of the price range as well as those in between, so no matter your needs or budget, we’ve got you covered.
How Much Do Lifting Straps Cost?
Lifting straps generally fall within a narrow price range of around $10 to $30. There are some exceptions that can cost more, such as specialty straps made for lifting axles in strongman or metal hook straps. Those are outliers and still won’t run more than $50, for the most part.
Best Overall Lifting Straps
Gymreapers Lifting Straps
$16.99
Most Durable Lifting Straps
Manimal Infinity Lifting Straps
$25
Best Lifting Straps for the Money
Gymreapers Lifting Straps
$16.99
Best Powerlifting Lifting Straps
Rogue Fitness Ohio Straps
$15
Best Lifting Straps for Deadlifting
Gymreapers Figure 8 Lifting Straps
$28
Best Lifting Straps for Bodybuilding
Harbinger Cotton Padded Lifting Straps
$9.99
Best Weightlifting Lifting Straps
Gymreapers Olympic Lifting Straps
$14.99
Most Secure Lifting Straps
Gymreapers Figure 8 Lifting Straps
$28
The straps on this list tend to fall within the normal range of prices and may even skew a bit toward the lower end of the price range. Since straps are relatively inexpensive and take up very little space, it’s a good idea to keep a pair in your gym bag so that, should you or a friend need them, you’ll have them on hand.
How to Pick the Best Lifting Straps
Whether you’re looking for your first pair of lifting straps or you’re an advanced lifter looking to boost your training, there are some considerations to keep in mind when making your investment. Here are a few of the important ones.
Primary Use
When considering which lifting straps to buy, the major factor to consider is what you’ll primarily be using them for. If you compete in weightlifting, you likely won’t have a use for figure 8 straps. Conversely, if you’re a strongman competitor, you probably don’t need weightlifting straps. Figuring out what type of lifting you prefer to do and envisioning how you’ll be using the lifting straps will help narrow down which type to get.
Image via Shutterstock / Parilov
That said, if you like to do a variety of lifting styles, or if you’re still trying to figure out what you like to do, it may be a good idea to experiment and try out different styles of straps. We have a few different pairs in our gym bags ourselves — weightlifting straps for dumbbell work since they’re quick and easy to use, figure 8 straps for heavy deadlifts and rows, and even a pair of regular lasso-style straps for everything in between.
Frequency of Use
When thinking about buying a pair of lifting straps, how often you plan to use them can have a large impact on which ones you buy. If you’re looking for straps you can use every day for multiple sessions, you may want to consider a pair with some added wrist padding to prevent discomfort from repeated use. Maybe you only want to use the straps for max effort days. Then you’ll want to look for a pair that can handle quite a bit of weight and remain secure — like a figure 8 strap. Whatever you plan on using them for, know that durability varies with lifting straps, and keep that in mind when looking for your next purchase.
Budget
Your budget is something to consider when looking for any piece of gym equipment. It may not come into play quite as much with lifting straps as they are lower in cost than most other pieces of equipment, but it’s still a consideration. Why spend more than you have to for a pair of lifting straps when a cheaper pair will meet your needs just fine? This is where the other two points are helpful — if you know your primary use and the durability that you need, it will be much easier to figure out the right straps for you within your budget.
Main Types of Straps
As with any other type of lifting gear, there are a few different types of lifting straps to choose from. The best type of strap for you will depend largely on the type of lifting you perform and your goals in the gym.
Image via Barbend
There are three common types of straps, and they include single-loop, lasso, and figure 8. Each has different attributes that will benefit a strength athlete in different scenarios.
Lasso
This strap is your classic jack-of-all-trades strap, and you’ll typically see this strap in Globo gyms and in bodybuilding-style training. This strap is highly versatile – it can be used for everything from deadlifting to lifts like pull-ups and lat pull-downs. This style strap is great for newer lifters because it’s easy to use and can be useful in most varieties of lifting. For these same reasons, it’s also a great strap for the general lifter or CrossFitter who does a bit of everything.
Single-Loop
This strap is often considered the best for Olympic lifting. This is the best strap when you need a quick release in lifting — like in the snatch and clean & jerk. Straps like the Attitude Nation Single-Loop strap were designed by Olympic lifter Jon North for Olympic lifters.
The tradeoff here is that it’s shorter than a lasso-style strap, so it doesn’t provide as much grip security. It can be used as an all-purpose strap, but if you require more grip assistance, you’re better off going with a lasso-style strap.
Figure 8
This style strap is the least versatile, but most secure, thanks to the figure 8 strap design, which locks your hands to the bar, making grip strength all but irrelevant. This strap is ideal when performing maximal pulling lifts such as the deadlift and other strongman-type pulls.
This style strap doesn’t have a quick release, so it’s never recommended for power movements or occasions when dumping the bar may be required. These straps are often made with a lot of material and reinforcement, as they’re designed for holding maximal loads.
Types of Material
There are multiple types of strap material. The most common three are cotton, leather, and nylon. Each strap material will have a different feeling to it. What material people use comes down to personal preference, but reinforced cotton is the most common and has attributes that make it ideal for the majority of lifters. Nylon and leather are also used in lifting straps as well but have some downsides.
Cotton
Cotton is the most commonly used form of material in a lifting strap. This material absorbs sweat best out of the three, and the thicker the cotton, the better the sweat absorption. Most cotton straps require a few lifts to break in, and through all of our strap reviews, the average cotton strap takes about three to four good sweaty gym sessions to break in.
Softer kinds of cotton take a little less time to break in, and this strap takes about 2 to 3 lifts to feel comfortable. It’s worth noting that the softer the material — while comfortable on the wrist — the more the strap seemed to stretch with heavy lifts.
In some cotton straps, there’s added padding for comfort, like the Gymreapers Lifting Straps. The added foam pad is utilized to take the stress off the top of the wrist during heavy lifts. We found the added pad made a strap instantly more comfortable but took away from some of the sweat absorption other cotton straps offer.
[Related: The Best Foods And Supplements For Fighting Inflammation]
Nylon
Nylon is another common form of strap material. This material generally offers a smooth feeling on the wrist but can produce a little chafing when breaking in. Nylon can also be slicker, especially when it comes in contact with sweat, which is why it’s not as common as cotton in lifting straps.
Image via Shutterstock / Chayantorn Tongmorn
This is because this material isn’t ideal for absorbing sweat; in fact, in our tests, a majority of the nylon straps moved on the wrists when getting progressively more sweaty. Someone using this style strap for a WOD or any other style of high-intensity training with lots of reps may experience difficulty with maintaining an optimal strap placement.
Leather
This material is the least common of the three and is usually used due to personal preference. The feeling of leather on the skin is much different than the above two – once it’s broken in, many feel that leather is the most comfortable material.
But when it comes to sweat, leather doesn’t absorb moisture well. In the middle of a sweaty workout, the leather straps we tried actually moved on the wrist and had to be tightened multiple times. One cool thing about leather is how it maintains shape when heavy loads are placed on it — it snaps back and barely shows stress.
Final Word
Lifting straps are a great tool that can allow you to increase the amount of weight you can lift without worrying about losing your grip on the barbell or dumbbell. Used judiciously, lifting straps can be a helpful piece of equipment to empower you to maximize your lifting while still waiting for certain muscle groups to catch up to the rest.
With so many styles of straps on the market, finding the perfect fit can be intimidating. The best way to start when selecting your perfect strap is to consider your training styles, goals, and personal preferences. Once you know how you want to use them, consider factors like bar security, value, and versatility to help you dial in exactly what you want. Once you’ve made all your considerations, allow this list to guide you to find the perfect fit.
FAQs
When should I use lifting straps?The answer to that question is going to be different for everyone. If you’re a powerlifter, then you’ll likely only use them during your off-season training since they’re not allowed in competition, or when you have a grip-heavy session such as one with rows, shrugs, deadlifts, and heavy dumbbell rows in the same workout. If you’re a strongman competitor, then you can usually use them whenever you like since straps are generally allowed in competition. For everyone else, you can use them when you feel it’s necessary — just be sure not to use them as a crutch for poor grip strength, as grip is an important aspect of overall strength.
What are the best lifting straps?The best lifting straps for you will depend largely on the type of lifting you’re doing. Strongman competitors usually prefer figure 8 straps, weightlifters like quick-release straps, and so on. For a versatile and well-constructed pair of straps that we’re big fans of right now, we recommend the Gymreapers Lifting Straps.
How much do lifting straps cost?Lifting straps are one of the more inexpensive pieces of lifting equipment that you’ll encounter. While the world of strength training can become quite expensive rather quickly, lifting straps generally run between $10 for a basic pair to around $30 for a really solid pair. Specialty straps can cost more, but we’ve not seen a pair of lifting straps fetch more than $50.
Lifting straps hurt my wrist — am I doing something wrong?If using lifting straps hurts your wrists or causes a sensation that your hand is being ripped from your arm, then you may be weaning them too far down on the wrist and need to move them up over the bone that sticks out from the wrist. Wearing them too far down onto the wrist can cause the hand to be pulled from the wrist, and create a sensation of your hand being dislocated. If lifting straps hurt because of bruising or irritation of the skin, then looking into a pair with some padding on the inside may help reduce the irritation.
Should I use lifting straps or lifting hooks?Lifting hooks were more popular in the old school days of lifting. They’ve largely fallen out of popularity since they were unreliable and prone to breaking and bending, rendering them useless after just a session or two. The design of lifting hooks also caused additional pain from pulling on the wrist and they were known for slipping and sliding when in use with heavy weights as well. Overall, lifting straps are better functionally, and generally cheaper than lifting hooks.
At first glance, lifting straps are fairly simple tools; they’re thin strips of cotton or nylon that connect your wrists to a barbell to help you hold on to heavier weight for longer periods of time. And while they may seem like a crutch, lifting straps can be extremely helpful for building strength, allowing you to push your larger muscles (like your quads or posterior chain) without being limited by your grip strength.
But there are many types of lifting straps on the market, so finding the right one for your needs can be a daunting task. If you’re a weightlifter, you’ll likely prefer a quick-release strap that comes off the bar easily if you need to bail on a lift. Conversely, strongman competitors usually prefer figure 8 straps that won’t come off the bar even if their grip gives out. So we did the heavy lifting (literally) to find the best types of straps for a variety of training styles, budgets, and scenarios. However you like to lift, there’s a set of straps on this list for you.
Our Picks for the Best Lifting Straps of 2023
Best Overall Lifting Straps
The best lifting straps need to provide a mixture of security, versatility, and durability. Having the confidence to pull heavy and build those glutes without worrying about a slip from your lifting straps is a great advantage to have when working on a PR.
Gymreapers Lifting Straps
These lifting straps from Gymreapers offer the combination of security and comfort that lifters want without being too invasive. At 18 inches long, these straps can wrap around the bar a couple of times to provide extra security, so you know your bar or dumbbell isn’t going anywhere once you’re strapped in. You can just grip it and rip it. Plus, the thin neoprene padding provides just enough cushion to help prevent the straps from digging into your skin or bruising your wrist.
Gymreapers Lifting Straps
Gymreapers Lifting Straps provide the security and comfort that many lifters desire at an affordable price. These 18 inch straps are available in nine different colors. You can rely on these straps for shrugs, deadlifts, cleans, or heavy dumbbell rows.
If you’re not a fan of padding, Gymreapers offers options that don’t include padding on the wrist. The Gymreapers Lifting Straps are made from a durable combination of neoprene and cotton, and they offer a lifetime replacement guarantee.
Specs
Most Durable Lifting Straps
Many folks purchasing gym equipment want a product that will last them a long time, getting them a good return for their money spent. When selecting the most durable lifting straps, we took into consideration not only how the straps are made, but also the material they’re made from.
Manimal Infinity Lifting Straps
Heavy pulls like hang cleans and deadlifts can put a lot of stress on lifting straps, especially when you use a bar that has moderate to intense knurling. Rubbing the straps consistently against knurling can damage and weaken lifting straps, which is why we’re fans of the durably poly-nylon mix used in these straps from Manimal. Their 24-inch length — which is about six inches longer than the standard pair — also contributes to the durability of these straps. The extra length means you can loop the strap around the bar more and distribute the weight more than you would with, say, an 18-inch strap.
Manimal Infinity Lifting Straps
These one-and-a-half-inch wide and 24-ince long three millimeter neoprene lifting straps provide padding to the wrists. They are made with a poly-nylon mix for better durability.
On the comfort side, these straps also feature three-millimeter neoprene padding around the wrist to help increase comfort and prevent pinching of the skin and bruising. Plus, the clear Left/Right labeling helps you keep the straps straight as you break them in to conform to your left and right wrists. Manimal offers a lifetime warranty, so if you do manage to break them, you’re covered.
Specs
Best Lifting Straps for the Money
Are you on a budget and need a cost-efficient pair of lifting straps? Gymreapers offers a high-quality, reasonably priced option without sacrificing quality.
Gymreapers Lifting Straps
There are cheaper lifting straps on the market, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find a set that will outperform this set from Gymreapers. Costing under $20, these 18-inch straps are long enough to provide grip security, and the double-stitched cotton is built to last. And while the construction alone is worth the price and then some, Gymreapers also allows you to customize the straps, which is something that you rarely see in straps in this price range.
Gymreapers Lifting Straps
Gymreapers Lifting Straps provide the security and comfort that many lifters desire at an affordable price. These 18 inch straps are available in nine different colors. You can rely on these straps for shrugs, deadlifts, cleans, or heavy dumbbell rows.
You can get them unpadded or you can add neoprene wrist pads if you’re craving more comfort. Plus, there are eight color options for you to choose from if you’d like to color-coordinate your gym kit. They also come with a lifetime replacement guarantee, which means you’ll only have to pay for one pair. Ever.
Specs
Best Lifting Straps for Powerlifting
Powerlifting is a simple sport — you’re there to bench press, squat, and deadlift as much weight as you can. Which is why the best powerlifting lifting straps need to be extremely secure when fixed to loaded barbells, durable enough to withstand multiple heavy sessions of barbell training, and simple enough to use when your central nervous system is fried.
Rogue Fitness Ohio Straps
This strap comes in a 20-inch length, allowing a little extra room for those with larger wrists, like powerlifters, to get the most out of these lifting straps. Plus, that extra length adds more surface area to the bar, providing a more secure grip for those 10-second one-rep-max deadlift attempts. Also, the lasso design, while extremely secure, instantly lets go as soon as you open your hands, so if your deadlift goes south, you can drop the bar without it pulling you to the floor.
Rogue Fitness Ohio Straps
This lifting strap is designed with a cotton build and offers additional padding to limit wrist friction and discomfort. These are great for deadlifts as well as accessory movements like shrugs and rows.
Thanks to the heavy-duty cotton webbing and reinforced stitching, these straps are also made to be durable for your heavy deadlift and barbell row sessions. There’s no neoprene wrist padding in these straps, so lifters with sensitive skin might feel some pinching or bruising.
Specs
Read our full review of the Rogue Ohio Cotton Straps.
Best Lifting Straps for Deadlifting
If you’re looking to really strengthen your posterior chain with heavy deadlifts, you don’t want your grip to stop you. And figure 8 lifting straps, like this pair from Gymreapers are the perfect choice — they will lock you to the bar and won’t let go until you finish your lift.
Gymreapers Figure 8 Lifting Straps
A common component in many powerlifting programs is an overloaded deadlift, one in which you perform reps of weight that your grip normally wouldn’t let you do. In these sets, you want an extremely secure strap, like the Gymreapers Figure 8 Lifting Straps, which pretty much tie your wrists to the bar. Here’s how it works: Each loop of the figure 8 goes around your wrist, with the bar resting in the area where the material crosses over itself, locking you to the bar until you remove the straps. These straps almost totally remove your grip from the equation, so you can focus on larger muscle groups and bang out more reps than grip strength might allow.
Gymreapers Figure 8 Lifting Straps
If you intend to pull some massive weights, then you need massive support, and these Figure 8 Straps from Gymreapers are designed to provide just that. With heavy-duty cross stitching and thick cotton webbing, these are meant to stand up to the heaviest and hardest of workouts.
These have a weight capacity of over 1,000 pounds, so unless you’re Thor or Eddie Hall, you won’t outgrow these anytime soon. This high capacity is thanks to the heavy-duty cross stitching and 1/4-inch thick cotton webbing, which provide an unholy amount of support. They also come in three sizes to accommodate any type of bar you might be lifting on and most any wrist size. These straps are also backed by Gymreapers’ lifetime replacement guarantee, so if you do somehow manage to pop one of them, Gymreapers will send you a new pair.
Specs
Best Lifting Straps For Bodybuilding
Bodybuilding often entails long workouts and lots of high-rep sets to help facilitate muscle growth. If you don’t want these sets to be limited by your grip endurance, a solid, comfortable pair of lifting straps, like these ones from Harbinger, are essential.
Harbinger Cotton Padded Lifting Straps
Since bodybuilding workouts tend to be longer than other kinds of training, a good set of lifting straps need to be comfortable as well as supportive. The Harbinder Cotton Padded lifting straps are a great choice here, thanks to the NeoTek neoprene cushioning and the reliable lasso-style design. We’ve used these for years, and the straps have proven to be comfortable for everything from banging out high-rep sets of dumbbell rows to sets of trap bar shrugs to failure.
Harbinger Cotton Padded Lifting Strap
A cotton lifting strap that provides additional padding for the wrists to reduce friction. These 21.5-inch lifting straps have extended length to give more grip on the bar and extra stitching to prevent frays. These affordable straps are great for beginners and advanced lifters alike.
The thicker padding adds a comfort that you won’t find in other lifting straps, and the 1.5-inch width provides a strong grip, helping stave of fatigue during long sets. Plus, the lasso style releases as soon as you let go, so when you’re done with your set, you can drop your weight quickly and start resting up for your next movement.
Specs
Read our full review of the Harbinger Cotton Padded Lifting Straps.
Best Lifting Straps for Weightlifting
Weightlifters have a unique set of needs when looking for lifting straps. They need something that is both very secure (so they’ll stay attached to the bar during the high acceleration forces involved in snatches and cleans) but also straps that come off very quickly if they need to dump the bar. These close-loop straps from Gymreapers fit the bill.
Gymreapers Olympic Lifting Straps
Since cleans, jerks, and snatches require moving weight quickly and explosively, weightlifting lifting straps need to release instantaneously if something goes wrong during a lift. Gymreapers Olympic Lifting Straps are designed specifically for this purpose, thanks to the closed-loop design. This design doesn’t wrap around the bar as many times as a lasso-style strap, so the second you let go, the bar is out of your hands.
Gymreapers Olympic Lifting Straps
These tear-drop shaped lifting straps are great for cleans and snatches because they are reinforced with triple stitching along the seams. The soft cotton fabric allows for more comfort while lifting heavy.
The shorter design is also ideal for weightlifters because it leaves less material between the bar and your hands, so you don’t have to adjust your technique or grip in any way. It also means you won’t achieve as secure a grip with these straps, but for lifts like clean & jerks and snatches, grip strength comes secondary to explosive strength.
Specs
Most Secure Lifting Straps
When thinking about the most secure lifting straps, there are a lot of considerations — style, materials, stitching, and durability. Thanks in part to its lock-in design, Gymreapers Figure 8 Lifting Straps check all of these boxes, making it the most secure lifting strap we’ve seen.
Gymreapers Figure 8 Lifting Straps
These Gymreaper Figure 8 straps are designed specifically for deadlifting, rowing, and strongman-style pulling. The strap is made with heavy layered canvas cotton and contains extra padding along the wrists, along with double stitching throughout to handle heavy weight. But what really makes this the most secure lifting strap is the figure 8 design, which basically handcuffs your hands to the bar for the duration of your lift.
Gymreapers Figure 8 Lifting Straps
If you intend to pull some massive weights, then you need massive support, and these Figure 8 Straps from Gymreapers are designed to provide just that. With heavy-duty cross stitching and thick cotton webbing, these are meant to stand up to the heaviest and hardest of workouts.
This design allows you to feel incredibly secure to the bar and gives no chance of slippage due to grip. You can physically let go of the bar and still remain tied to your lift, and this is what makes Gymreapers Figure 8 lifting straps our favorite choice for most secure lifting straps. Plus, the straps have a weight capacity of over 1,000 pounds, thanks to the 1/4 inch thick cotton webbing and heavy-duty cross stitching, so you’ll probably break before they do.
Specs
[Related: 3 Partial Range Of Motion Lifts To Boost Your Powerlifting Game]
Benefits of Lifting Straps
The main reason for using a strap is to support your grip. A strap enables an athlete to hold more weight than their normal grip can handle, which can be ideal for working larger muscle groups like the posterior chain. For a weightlifter, a strap is often used when performing heavier clean pulls and snatches. Powerlifters will usually utilize straps when they’re working to overload their muscles and nervous system or for accessory work when their grip may be fatigued.
Benefits of Lifting Straps
Lifting straps can be used for a variety of reasons in strength training by multiple types of athletes. The main reason for using a strap is to support grip. A strap enables an athlete to hold more weight than their normal grip can handle. For a weightlifter, a strap is often used when performing heavier pulls and snatches. Powerlifters will usually utilize straps when they’re working to overload their muscles and nervous system or for accessory work when their grip may be fatigued.
Image via Shutterstock / Maridav
Strongman-style training will utilize straps in a similar manner to powerlifting. The end goals are usually to strengthen and overload the body when the grip is fatigued. Whether you’re a serious athlete or a recreational lifter, straps can be a great tool to utilize in a well-thought-out program. They’re a lifting accessory that doesn’t require a ton of gym bag space and can come in handy when there’s still work to do, but your grip is shot.
How We Chose the Best Lifting Straps
With so many different kinds of lifting straps available, we had a lot of digging to do. We considered style, durability, and price when deciding which straps were our favorites.
Style of Lifting Strap
There are many different styles of lifting straps. These include single-loop, which is commonly used for weightlifting; lasso, which is the most common style and a jack-of-all-trades strap; and figure 8, which is commonly used in strongman and high-level powerlifting. Since many customers have different needs when it comes to lifting straps, we included a variety of these types on this list to help suit them all.
Materials and Durability
There are also different types of materials that can be used to manufacture lifting straps, such as cotton, nylon, leather, and other poly-mix materials. The materials have a big impact on the durability of a lifting strap. The most common material for lifting straps to be made of is cotton and nylon, but in years past, they were made from all sorts of materials, such as leather and suede. Now there are more synthetic fibers that are available to make lifting straps extremely strong and durable (like polyester blends and reinforced or cross-stitched cotton).
Image via Shutterstock / Chayantorn Tongmorn
Durability is another major factor in how we decide the best lifting straps, as we want to show you products we know will last a while and get you a good return for your money. Durability not only refers to how long the strap will last you — which depends on how often you use the straps, as well — but it refers to the amount of weight the straps are designed to hold safely. A heavy-duty lifting strap can hold over 1,000 pounds, and some straps, like figure 8 straps, have held over 1,200 pounds (like in the silver dollar deadlift world record). This is due to their design, reinforced stitching, and material layering.
Price
Price is also an important consideration since we want to ensure we’re highlighting products that offer good value. It may not be quite as large a consideration with lifting straps as it is with other products that can get quite pricey (such as lifting belts and shoes), but getting a good product for your hard-earned money is something that everyone wants. Lifting straps can range from under $10 bargain-bin straps to a pair of heavy-duty figure 8 straps that might run you upward of $50. We included some straps from both ends of the price range as well as those in between, so no matter your needs or budget, we’ve got you covered.
How Much Do Lifting Straps Cost?
Lifting straps generally fall within a narrow price range of around $10 to $30. There are some exceptions that can cost more, such as specialty straps made for lifting axles in strongman or metal hook straps. Those are outliers and still won’t run more than $50, for the most part.
Best Overall Lifting Straps
Gymreapers Lifting Straps
$16.99
Most Durable Lifting Straps
Manimal Infinity Lifting Straps
$25
Best Lifting Straps for the Money
Gymreapers Lifting Straps
$16.99
Best Powerlifting Lifting Straps
Rogue Fitness...
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But there are many types of lifting straps on the market, so finding the right one for your needs can be a daunting task. If you’re a weightlifter, you’ll likely prefer a quick-release strap that comes off the bar easily if you need to bail on a lift. Conversely, strongman competitors usually prefer figure 8 straps that won’t come off the bar even if their grip gives out. So we did the heavy lifting (literally) to find the best types of straps for a variety of training styles, budgets, and scenarios. However you like to lift, there’s a set of straps on this list for you.
Our Picks for the Best Lifting Straps of 2023
Best Overall Lifting Straps
The best lifting straps need to provide a mixture of security, versatility, and durability. Having the confidence to pull heavy and build those glutes without worrying about a slip from your lifting straps is a great advantage to have when working on a PR.
Gymreapers Lifting Straps
These lifting straps from Gymreapers offer the combination of security and comfort that lifters want without being too invasive. At 18 inches long, these straps can wrap around the bar a couple of times to provide extra security, so you know your bar or dumbbell isn’t going anywhere once you’re strapped in. You can just grip it and rip it. Plus, the thin neoprene padding provides just enough cushion to help prevent the straps from digging into your skin or bruising your wrist.
Gymreapers Lifting Straps
Gymreapers Lifting Straps provide the security and comfort that many lifters desire at an affordable price. These 18 inch straps are available in nine different colors. You can rely on these straps for shrugs, deadlifts, cleans, or heavy dumbbell rows.
If you’re not a fan of padding, Gymreapers offers options that don’t include padding on the wrist. The Gymreapers Lifting Straps are made from a durable combination of neoprene and cotton, and they offer a lifetime replacement guarantee.
Specs
Style: Lasso
Material: Cotton/Neoprene
Length: 18 inches
Padding: Yes
Price: $16.99
Color Options: Black, Black/Red, Desert Tan, Military Green, Navy, Pink, Gray, Red
Pros
The 18-inch length can wrap around the bar enough to provide a solid amount of grip security, even on fat bars.
The slim layer of neoprene padding around the wrist can help prevent skin pinching or abrasion during heavy lifts.
Gymgoers who prefer to have a bit of color variety will like that these straps come in nine color options including black, green, and pink.
Cons
The 18-inch length might be too short for lifters with big wrists or those who want a more secure grip.
If you need more security for, say, long-distance farmer carries, you should look for something more secure, like a figure 8 strap.
Weightlifters should look for something more quick-release (like a closed-loop strap), since they may have to bail quickly on lifts.
These lifting straps from Gymreapers are an excellent choice for both beginners and advanced lifters. They’re relatively inexpensive, don’t have a learning curve to use (like Olympic lifting straps or figure 8 straps), and offer a measure of comfort, thanks to the neoprene wrist padding (which is optional). The heavy-duty construction can also satisfy experienced lifters who don’t want to buy a new set every few months.
Most Durable Lifting Straps
Many folks purchasing gym equipment want a product that will last them a long time, getting them a good return for their money spent. When selecting the most durable lifting straps, we took into consideration not only how the straps are made, but also the material they’re made from.
Manimal Infinity Lifting Straps
Heavy pulls like hang cleans and deadlifts can put a lot of stress on lifting straps, especially when you use a bar that has moderate to intense knurling. Rubbing the straps consistently against knurling can damage and weaken lifting straps, which is why we’re fans of the durably poly-nylon mix used in these straps from Manimal. Their 24-inch length — which is about six inches longer than the standard pair — also contributes to the durability of these straps. The extra length means you can loop the strap around the bar more and distribute the weight more than you would with, say, an 18-inch strap.
Manimal Infinity Lifting Straps
These one-and-a-half-inch wide and 24-ince long three millimeter neoprene lifting straps provide padding to the wrists. They are made with a poly-nylon mix for better durability.
On the comfort side, these straps also feature three-millimeter neoprene padding around the wrist to help increase comfort and prevent pinching of the skin and bruising. Plus, the clear Left/Right labeling helps you keep the straps straight as you break them in to conform to your left and right wrists. Manimal offers a lifetime warranty, so if you do manage to break them, you’re covered.
Specs
Style: Lasso
Material: Poly-nylon/Neoprene
Length: 24 inches
Padding: Yes
Price: $25
Color Options: Black
Pros
Durable poly-nylon material and a lifetime warranty help these straps live up to the Infinity name.
Left/Right labeling on each strap helps you know which strap is which as you break them in.
The 24-inch length provides extra grip security during heavy lifts.
Cons
The extra-long strap may be too bulky or unnecessary for people with small hands.
These aren’t the most expensive straps on the market, but there definitely are cheaper alternatives.
Manimal set out to make the most durable pair of lifting straps on the market, and they did a solid job of it. The material is meant to last, and the longer length of these straps helps to distribute the weight being held on the straps. And if they do beak, you’re covered by the lifetime warranty.
Best Lifting Straps for the Money
Are you on a budget and need a cost-efficient pair of lifting straps? Gymreapers offers a high-quality, reasonably priced option without sacrificing quality.
Gymreapers Lifting Straps
There are cheaper lifting straps on the market, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find a set that will outperform this set from Gymreapers. Costing under $20, these 18-inch straps are long enough to provide grip security, and the double-stitched cotton is built to last. And while the construction alone is worth the price and then some, Gymreapers also allows you to customize the straps, which is something that you rarely see in straps in this price range.
Gymreapers Lifting Straps
Gymreapers Lifting Straps provide the security and comfort that many lifters desire at an affordable price. These 18 inch straps are available in nine different colors. You can rely on these straps for shrugs, deadlifts, cleans, or heavy dumbbell rows.
You can get them unpadded or you can add neoprene wrist pads if you’re craving more comfort. Plus, there are eight color options for you to choose from if you’d like to color-coordinate your gym kit. They also come with a lifetime replacement guarantee, which means you’ll only have to pay for one pair. Ever.
Specs
Style: Lasso
Material: Cotton/Neoprene
Length: 18 inches
Padding: Yes
Price: $16.99
Color Options: Black, Black/Red, Desert Tan, Military Green, Navy, Pink, Gray, Red
Pros
The price is right for the budget shopper.
The nine color options let you customize your pair to some degree.
A lifetime replacement guarantee means you’ll never have to buy another pair.
Cons
Strongman athletes who want to really lock in to the bar should look at something more secure, like figure eight straps.
If you sweat through the cotton material, these straps take a long time to dry.
Gymreapers Lifting Straps are not just a great choice for an athlete on a budget, but a great choice for athletes in general. It has durable double-stitching, a generous strap length, and several color and padding options, all for under $20. Plus, the lifetime guarantee means you’ll never have to buy another pair.
Best Lifting Straps for Powerlifting
Powerlifting is a simple sport — you’re there to bench press, squat, and deadlift as much weight as you can. Which is why the best powerlifting lifting straps need to be extremely secure when fixed to loaded barbells, durable enough to withstand multiple heavy sessions of barbell training, and simple enough to use when your central nervous system is fried.
Rogue Fitness Ohio Straps
This strap comes in a 20-inch length, allowing a little extra room for those with larger wrists, like powerlifters, to get the most out of these lifting straps. Plus, that extra length adds more surface area to the bar, providing a more secure grip for those 10-second one-rep-max deadlift attempts. Also, the lasso design, while extremely secure, instantly lets go as soon as you open your hands, so if your deadlift goes south, you can drop the bar without it pulling you to the floor.
Rogue Fitness Ohio Straps
This lifting strap is designed with a cotton build and offers additional padding to limit wrist friction and discomfort. These are great for deadlifts as well as accessory movements like shrugs and rows.
Thanks to the heavy-duty cotton webbing and reinforced stitching, these straps are also made to be durable for your heavy deadlift and barbell row sessions. There’s no neoprene wrist padding in these straps, so lifters with sensitive skin might feel some pinching or bruising.
Specs
Style: Lasso
Material: Cotton
Length: 15 inches
Padding: No
Price: $16.99
Color Options: Black
Pros
A 20-inch length provides added grip security for heavy lifts.
The lasso design allows you to instantly let go of the bar so you can drop the weight with ease.
The reinforced stitching and edges add the durability they’ll need for repeatedly pulling heavy weight.
Cons
There is no neoprene cushioning, so you’ll be at risk for some skin pinching or bruising around the wrist.
If you’re doing sustained movements like farmer carries, you might want to look at a more secure strap, like a figure 8.
Most powerlifters like their gear to do one thing: help them move more weight. That’s why we love the Rogue Ohio Lifting Straps — they’re simple, effective and durable, thanks to the grippy, quick-release lasso style and heavily reinforced material.
Read our full review of the Rogue Ohio Cotton Straps.
Best Lifting Straps for Deadlifting
If you’re looking to really strengthen your posterior chain with heavy deadlifts, you don’t want your grip to stop you. And figure 8 lifting straps, like this pair from Gymreapers are the perfect choice — they will lock you to the bar and won’t let go until you finish your lift.
Gymreapers Figure 8 Lifting Straps
A common component in many powerlifting programs is an overloaded deadlift, one in which you perform reps of weight that your grip normally wouldn’t let you do. In these sets, you want an extremely secure strap, like the Gymreapers Figure 8 Lifting Straps, which pretty much tie your wrists to the bar. Here’s how it works: Each loop of the figure 8 goes around your wrist, with the bar resting in the area where the material crosses over itself, locking you to the bar until you remove the straps. These straps almost totally remove your grip from the equation, so you can focus on larger muscle groups and bang out more reps than grip strength might allow.
Gymreapers Figure 8 Lifting Straps
If you intend to pull some massive weights, then you need massive support, and these Figure 8 Straps from Gymreapers are designed to provide just that. With heavy-duty cross stitching and thick cotton webbing, these are meant to stand up to the heaviest and hardest of workouts.
These have a weight capacity of over 1,000 pounds, so unless you’re Thor or Eddie Hall, you won’t outgrow these anytime soon. This high capacity is thanks to the heavy-duty cross stitching and 1/4-inch thick cotton webbing, which provide an unholy amount of support. They also come in three sizes to accommodate any type of bar you might be lifting on and most any wrist size. These straps are also backed by Gymreapers’ lifetime replacement guarantee, so if you do somehow manage to pop one of them, Gymreapers will send you a new pair.
Specs
Style: Figure 8
Material: Cotton
Length: N/A
Padding: No
Price: $28
Color Options: Black, Green, Khaki, Red
Pros
The figure 8 design literally ties you to the bar. Even if you let go, these grips won’t.
Thick cotton webbing and heavy-duty cross-stitching give these straps a weight capacity that you aren’t likely to outgrow.
There’s no padding with these, but the 1.4-inch-thick cotton does add some cushioning.
Cons
There is no quick release on these. When the bar goes down, you go with it, so Oly lifters should look for a different kind of strap.
Overuse of these can lead to a lack of grip strength, which may come back to haunt you in competitions where straps aren’t allowed.
The figure 8 style of strap has become increasingly popular over the past few years due in part to competitors like Eddie Hall using this style of strap to break the 500-kilogram deadlift barrier. Though not for everyone, these straps are a solid choice for people who want to be absolutely certain that the bar isn’t leaving their hands once they’re strapped in.
Best Lifting Straps For Bodybuilding
Bodybuilding often entails long workouts and lots of high-rep sets to help facilitate muscle growth. If you don’t want these sets to be limited by your grip endurance, a solid, comfortable pair of lifting straps, like these ones from Harbinger, are essential.
Harbinger Cotton Padded Lifting Straps
Since bodybuilding workouts tend to be longer than other kinds of training, a good set of lifting straps need to be comfortable as well as supportive. The Harbinder Cotton Padded lifting straps are a great choice here, thanks to the NeoTek neoprene cushioning and the reliable lasso-style design. We’ve used these for years, and the straps have proven to be comfortable for everything from banging out high-rep sets of dumbbell rows to sets of trap bar shrugs to failure.
Harbinger Cotton Padded Lifting Strap
A cotton lifting strap that provides additional padding for the wrists to reduce friction. These 21.5-inch lifting straps have extended length to give more grip on the bar and extra stitching to prevent frays. These affordable straps are great for beginners and advanced lifters alike.
The thicker padding adds a comfort that you won’t find in other lifting straps, and the 1.5-inch width provides a strong grip, helping stave of fatigue during long sets. Plus, the lasso style releases as soon as you let go, so when you’re done with your set, you can drop your weight quickly and start resting up for your next movement.
Specs
Style: Lasso
Material: Cotton/Neoprene
Length: 21.5 inches
Padding: Yes
Price: $9.89
Color Options: Black, Camo, Flag, Merlot, Pink, Skulls
Pros
The thick neoprene cushioning is perfect for lifters who regularly perform long workouts.
These straps are 21.5 inches long, which provides more surface contact and better grip than shorter straps.
The lasso design provides a quick release.
Cons
The longer strap may be too much material for movements with limited grip space, like kettlebell farmer carries.
If you’re doing Olympic lifts where you need an instant release, these may not let go fast enough.
These lifting straps from Harbinger are reasonably priced and offer solid security that should be more than enough for the average gymgoer. Plus, the NeoTek padding offers an extra layer of protection and comfort on the wrist for those long bodybuilding workouts.
Read our full review of the Harbinger Cotton Padded Lifting Straps.
Best Lifting Straps for Weightlifting
Weightlifters have a unique set of needs when looking for lifting straps. They need something that is both very secure (so they’ll stay attached to the bar during the high acceleration forces involved in snatches and cleans) but also straps that come off very quickly if they need to dump the bar. These close-loop straps from Gymreapers fit the bill.
Gymreapers Olympic Lifting Straps
Since cleans, jerks, and snatches require moving weight quickly and explosively, weightlifting lifting straps need to release instantaneously if something goes wrong during a lift. Gymreapers Olympic Lifting Straps are designed specifically for this purpose, thanks to the closed-loop design. This design doesn’t wrap around the bar as many times as a lasso-style strap, so the second you let go, the bar is out of your hands.
Gymreapers Olympic Lifting Straps
These tear-drop shaped lifting straps are great for cleans and snatches because they are reinforced with triple stitching along the seams. The soft cotton fabric allows for more comfort while lifting heavy.
The shorter design is also ideal for weightlifters because it leaves less material between the bar and your hands, so you don’t have to adjust your technique or grip in any way. It also means you won’t achieve as secure a grip with these straps, but for lifts like clean & jerks and snatches, grip strength comes secondary to explosive strength.
Specs
Style: Closed Loop
Material: Cotton
Length: N/A
Padding: No
Price: $14.99
Color Options: Black, Military Green, Navy, and Red
Pros
The 8.5-inch strap length leaves less material between your hands and the bar, so you won’t need to alter your grip.
Closed-loop straps provide an instant release, so you can bail on a lift without the bar pulling you to the floor.
Who Shouldn’t Buy Gymreapers Olympic Lifting Straps
People who want a strap for lifts other than Olympic should look at a more secure lifting strap, like a lasso-style strap.
There’s no padding, so if you have sensitive skin, you may feel pinching or experience bruising around the wrist.
The closed-loop style of Gymreapers Olympic Lifting Straps is ideal for weightlifters because it provides a measure of grip security but, more importantly, releases instantly when they need to. Plus, the shorter length means you won’t have to adjust your grip or technique when practicing high-skill movements like snatches or cleans.
Most Secure Lifting Straps
When thinking about the most secure lifting straps, there are a lot of considerations — style, materials, stitching, and durability. Thanks in part to its lock-in design, Gymreapers Figure 8 Lifting Straps check all of these boxes, making it the most secure lifting strap we’ve seen.
Gymreapers Figure 8 Lifting Straps
These Gymreaper Figure 8 straps are designed specifically for deadlifting, rowing, and strongman-style pulling. The strap is made with heavy layered canvas cotton and contains extra padding along the wrists, along with double stitching throughout to handle heavy weight. But what really makes this the most secure lifting strap is the figure 8 design, which basically handcuffs your hands to the bar for the duration of your lift.
Gymreapers Figure 8 Lifting Straps
If you intend to pull some massive weights, then you need massive support, and these Figure 8 Straps from Gymreapers are designed to provide just that. With heavy-duty cross stitching and thick cotton webbing, these are meant to stand up to the heaviest and hardest of workouts.
This design allows you to feel incredibly secure to the bar and gives no chance of slippage due to grip. You can physically let go of the bar and still remain tied to your lift, and this is what makes Gymreapers Figure 8 lifting straps our favorite choice for most secure lifting straps. Plus, the straps have a weight capacity of over 1,000 pounds, thanks to the 1/4 inch thick cotton webbing and heavy-duty cross stitching, so you’ll probably break before they do.
Specs
Style: Figure 8
Material: Cotton
Length: N/A
Padding: No
Price: $28
Color Options: Black, Green, Khaki, Red
Pros
There are three sizes available, so you can adjust for bigger wrists or axle and thick bar work.
The figure 8 style provides a maximum amount of security during deadlift sessions.
If you’re looking for a high weight capacity of 1,000, these straps are for you.
Who Shouldn’t Buy Gymreapers Figure 8 Lifting Straps
These lock you to the bar — if you do any lifting where you need to drop the weights quickly, these aren’t for you.
Grip strength is taken out of the equation with these straps. If you want a stronger grip, you’ll want to use these sparingly, if at all.
If you do lots of different kinds of lifting, you’ll want something more versatile, like a loop-style strap.
Figure 8 style straps aren’t for everyone, and we don’t recommend them for beginners. But if you’re looking for a secure strap that’s ideal for heavy deadlift training or strongman work like farmer carries and holds, this is the strap for you.
[Related: 3 Partial Range Of Motion Lifts To Boost Your Powerlifting Game]
Benefits of Lifting Straps
The main reason for using a strap is to support your grip. A strap enables an athlete to hold more weight than their normal grip can handle, which can be ideal for working larger muscle groups like the posterior chain. For a weightlifter, a strap is often used when performing heavier clean pulls and snatches. Powerlifters will usually utilize straps when they’re working to overload their muscles and nervous system or for accessory work when their grip may be fatigued.
Benefits of Lifting Straps
Lifting straps can be used for a variety of reasons in strength training by multiple types of athletes. The main reason for using a strap is to support grip. A strap enables an athlete to hold more weight than their normal grip can handle. For a weightlifter, a strap is often used when performing heavier pulls and snatches. Powerlifters will usually utilize straps when they’re working to overload their muscles and nervous system or for accessory work when their grip may be fatigued.
Image via Shutterstock / Maridav
Strongman-style training will utilize straps in a similar manner to powerlifting. The end goals are usually to strengthen and overload the body when the grip is fatigued. Whether you’re a serious athlete or a recreational lifter, straps can be a great tool to utilize in a well-thought-out program. They’re a lifting accessory that doesn’t require a ton of gym bag space and can come in handy when there’s still work to do, but your grip is shot.
How We Chose the Best Lifting Straps
With so many different kinds of lifting straps available, we had a lot of digging to do. We considered style, durability, and price when deciding which straps were our favorites.
Style of Lifting Strap
There are many different styles of lifting straps. These include single-loop, which is commonly used for weightlifting; lasso, which is the most common style and a jack-of-all-trades strap; and figure 8, which is commonly used in strongman and high-level powerlifting. Since many customers have different needs when it comes to lifting straps, we included a variety of these types on this list to help suit them all.
Materials and Durability
There are also different types of materials that can be used to manufacture lifting straps, such as cotton, nylon, leather, and other poly-mix materials. The materials have a big impact on the durability of a lifting strap. The most common material for lifting straps to be made of is cotton and nylon, but in years past, they were made from all sorts of materials, such as leather and suede. Now there are more synthetic fibers that are available to make lifting straps extremely strong and durable (like polyester blends and reinforced or cross-stitched cotton).
Image via Shutterstock / Chayantorn Tongmorn
Durability is another major factor in how we decide the best lifting straps, as we want to show you products we know will last a while and get you a good return for your money. Durability not only refers to how long the strap will last you — which depends on how often you use the straps, as well — but it refers to the amount of weight the straps are designed to hold safely. A heavy-duty lifting strap can hold over 1,000 pounds, and some straps, like figure 8 straps, have held over 1,200 pounds (like in the silver dollar deadlift world record). This is due to their design, reinforced stitching, and material layering.
Price
Price is also an important consideration since we want to ensure we’re highlighting products that offer good value. It may not be quite as large a consideration with lifting straps as it is with other products that can get quite pricey (such as lifting belts and shoes), but getting a good product for your hard-earned money is something that everyone wants. Lifting straps can range from under $10 bargain-bin straps to a pair of heavy-duty figure 8 straps that might run you upward of $50. We included some straps from both ends of the price range as well as those in between, so no matter your needs or budget, we’ve got you covered.
How Much Do Lifting Straps Cost?
Lifting straps generally fall within a narrow price range of around $10 to $30. There are some exceptions that can cost more, such as specialty straps made for lifting axles in strongman or metal hook straps. Those are outliers and still won’t run more than $50, for the most part.
Best Overall Lifting Straps
Gymreapers Lifting Straps
$16.99
Most Durable Lifting Straps
Manimal Infinity Lifting Straps
$25
Best Lifting Straps for the Money
Gymreapers Lifting Straps
$16.99
Best Powerlifting Lifting Straps
Rogue Fitness Ohio Straps
$15
Best Lifting Straps for Deadlifting
Gymreapers Figure 8 Lifting Straps
$28
Best Lifting Straps for Bodybuilding
Harbinger Cotton Padded Lifting Straps
$9.99
Best Weightlifting Lifting Straps
Gymreapers Olympic Lifting Straps
$14.99
Most Secure Lifting Straps
Gymreapers Figure 8 Lifting Straps
$28
The straps on this list tend to fall within the normal range of prices and may even skew a bit toward the lower end of the price range. Since straps are relatively inexpensive and take up very little space, it’s a good idea to keep a pair in your gym bag so that, should you or a friend need them, you’ll have them on hand.
How to Pick the Best Lifting Straps
Whether you’re looking for your first pair of lifting straps or you’re an advanced lifter looking to boost your training, there are some considerations to keep in mind when making your investment. Here are a few of the important ones.
Primary Use
When considering which lifting straps to buy, the major factor to consider is what you’ll primarily be using them for. If you compete in weightlifting, you likely won’t have a use for figure 8 straps. Conversely, if you’re a strongman competitor, you probably don’t need weightlifting straps. Figuring out what type of lifting you prefer to do and envisioning how you’ll be using the lifting straps will help narrow down which type to get.
Image via Shutterstock / Parilov
That said, if you like to do a variety of lifting styles, or if you’re still trying to figure out what you like to do, it may be a good idea to experiment and try out different styles of straps. We have a few different pairs in our gym bags ourselves — weightlifting straps for dumbbell work since they’re quick and easy to use, figure 8 straps for heavy deadlifts and rows, and even a pair of regular lasso-style straps for everything in between.
Frequency of Use
When thinking about buying a pair of lifting straps, how often you plan to use them can have a large impact on which ones you buy. If you’re looking for straps you can use every day for multiple sessions, you may want to consider a pair with some added wrist padding to prevent discomfort from repeated use. Maybe you only want to use the straps for max effort days. Then you’ll want to look for a pair that can handle quite a bit of weight and remain secure — like a figure 8 strap. Whatever you plan on using them for, know that durability varies with lifting straps, and keep that in mind when looking for your next purchase.
Budget
Your budget is something to consider when looking for any piece of gym equipment. It may not come into play quite as much with lifting straps as they are lower in cost than most other pieces of equipment, but it’s still a consideration. Why spend more than you have to for a pair of lifting straps when a cheaper pair will meet your needs just fine? This is where the other two points are helpful — if you know your primary use and the durability that you need, it will be much easier to figure out the right straps for you within your budget.
Main Types of Straps
As with any other type of lifting gear, there are a few different types of lifting straps to choose from. The best type of strap for you will depend largely on the type of lifting you perform and your goals in the gym.
Image via Barbend
There are three common types of straps, and they include single-loop, lasso, and figure 8. Each has different attributes that will benefit a strength athlete in different scenarios.
Lasso
This strap is your classic jack-of-all-trades strap, and you’ll typically see this strap in Globo gyms and in bodybuilding-style training. This strap is highly versatile – it can be used for everything from deadlifting to lifts like pull-ups and lat pull-downs. This style strap is great for newer lifters because it’s easy to use and can be useful in most varieties of lifting. For these same reasons, it’s also a great strap for the general lifter or CrossFitter who does a bit of everything.
Single-Loop
This strap is often considered the best for Olympic lifting. This is the best strap when you need a quick release in lifting — like in the snatch and clean & jerk. Straps like the Attitude Nation Single-Loop strap were designed by Olympic lifter Jon North for Olympic lifters.
The tradeoff here is that it’s shorter than a lasso-style strap, so it doesn’t provide as much grip security. It can be used as an all-purpose strap, but if you require more grip assistance, you’re better off going with a lasso-style strap.
Figure 8
This style strap is the least versatile, but most secure, thanks to the figure 8 strap design, which locks your hands to the bar, making grip strength all but irrelevant. This strap is ideal when performing maximal pulling lifts such as the deadlift and other strongman-type pulls.
This style strap doesn’t have a quick release, so it’s never recommended for power movements or occasions when dumping the bar may be required. These straps are often made with a lot of material and reinforcement, as they’re designed for holding maximal loads.
Types of Material
There are multiple types of strap material. The most common three are cotton, leather, and nylon. Each strap material will have a different feeling to it. What material people use comes down to personal preference, but reinforced cotton is the most common and has attributes that make it ideal for the majority of lifters. Nylon and leather are also used in lifting straps as well but have some downsides.
Cotton
Cotton is the most commonly used form of material in a lifting strap. This material absorbs sweat best out of the three, and the thicker the cotton, the better the sweat absorption. Most cotton straps require a few lifts to break in, and through all of our strap reviews, the average cotton strap takes about three to four good sweaty gym sessions to break in.
Softer kinds of cotton take a little less time to break in, and this strap takes about 2 to 3 lifts to feel comfortable. It’s worth noting that the softer the material — while comfortable on the wrist — the more the strap seemed to stretch with heavy lifts.
In some cotton straps, there’s added padding for comfort, like the Gymreapers Lifting Straps. The added foam pad is utilized to take the stress off the top of the wrist during heavy lifts. We found the added pad made a strap instantly more comfortable but took away from some of the sweat absorption other cotton straps offer.
[Related: The Best Foods And Supplements For Fighting Inflammation]
Nylon
Nylon is another common form of strap material. This material generally offers a smooth feeling on the wrist but can produce a little chafing when breaking in. Nylon can also be slicker, especially when it comes in contact with sweat, which is why it’s not as common as cotton in lifting straps.
Image via Shutterstock / Chayantorn Tongmorn
This is because this material isn’t ideal for absorbing sweat; in fact, in our tests, a majority of the nylon straps moved on the wrists when getting progressively more sweaty. Someone using this style strap for a WOD or any other style of high-intensity training with lots of reps may experience difficulty with maintaining an optimal strap placement.
Leather
This material is the least common of the three and is usually used due to personal preference. The feeling of leather on the skin is much different than the above two – once it’s broken in, many feel that leather is the most comfortable material.
But when it comes to sweat, leather doesn’t absorb moisture well. In the middle of a sweaty workout, the leather straps we tried actually moved on the wrist and had to be tightened multiple times. One cool thing about leather is how it maintains shape when heavy loads are placed on it — it snaps back and barely shows stress.
Final Word
Lifting straps are a great tool that can allow you to increase the amount of weight you can lift without worrying about losing your grip on the barbell or dumbbell. Used judiciously, lifting straps can be a helpful piece of equipment to empower you to maximize your lifting while still waiting for certain muscle groups to catch up to the rest.
With so many styles of straps on the market, finding the perfect fit can be intimidating. The best way to start when selecting your perfect strap is to consider your training styles, goals, and personal preferences. Once you know how you want to use them, consider factors like bar security, value, and versatility to help you dial in exactly what you want. Once you’ve made all your considerations, allow this list to guide you to find the perfect fit.
FAQs
When should I use lifting straps?The answer to that question is going to be different for everyone. If you’re a powerlifter, then you’ll likely only use them during your off-season training since they’re not allowed in competition, or when you have a grip-heavy session such as one with rows, shrugs, deadlifts, and heavy dumbbell rows in the same workout. If you’re a strongman competitor, then you can usually use them whenever you like since straps are generally allowed in competition. For everyone else, you can use them when you feel it’s necessary — just be sure not to use them as a crutch for poor grip strength, as grip is an important aspect of overall strength.
What are the best lifting straps?The best lifting straps for you will depend largely on the type of lifting you’re doing. Strongman competitors usually prefer figure 8 straps, weightlifters like quick-release straps, and so on. For a versatile and well-constructed pair of straps that we’re big fans of right now, we recommend the Gymreapers Lifting Straps.
How much do lifting straps cost?Lifting straps are one of the more inexpensive pieces of lifting equipment that you’ll encounter. While the world of strength training can become quite expensive rather quickly, lifting straps generally run between $10 for a basic pair to around $30 for a really solid pair. Specialty straps can cost more, but we’ve not seen a pair of lifting straps fetch more than $50.
Lifting straps hurt my wrist — am I doing something wrong?If using lifting straps hurts your wrists or causes a sensation that your hand is being ripped from your arm, then you may be weaning them too far down on the wrist and need to move them up over the bone that sticks out from the wrist. Wearing them too far down onto the wrist can cause the hand to be pulled from the wrist, and create a sensation of your hand being dislocated. If lifting straps hurt because of bruising or irritation of the skin, then looking into a pair with some padding on the inside may help reduce the irritation.
Should I use lifting straps or lifting hooks?Lifting hooks were more popular in the old school days of lifting. They’ve largely fallen out of popularity since they were unreliable and prone to breaking and bending, rendering them useless after just a session or two. The design of lifting hooks also caused additional pain from pulling on the wrist and they were known for slipping and sliding when in use with heavy weights as well. Overall, lifting straps are better functionally, and generally cheaper than lifting hooks.
At first glance, lifting straps are fairly simple tools; they’re thin strips of cotton or nylon that connect your wrists to a barbell to help you hold on to heavier weight for longer periods of time. And while they may seem like a crutch, lifting straps can be extremely helpful for building strength, allowing you to push your larger muscles (like your quads or posterior chain) without being limited by your grip strength.
But there are many types of lifting straps on the market, so finding the right one for your needs can be a daunting task. If you’re a weightlifter, you’ll likely prefer a quick-release strap that comes off the bar easily if you need to bail on a lift. Conversely, strongman competitors usually prefer figure 8 straps that won’t come off the bar even if their grip gives out. So we did the heavy lifting (literally) to find the best types of straps for a variety of training styles, budgets, and scenarios. However you like to lift, there’s a set of straps on this list for you.
Our Picks for the Best Lifting Straps of 2023
Best Overall Lifting Straps
The best lifting straps need to provide a mixture of security, versatility, and durability. Having the confidence to pull heavy and build those glutes without worrying about a slip from your lifting straps is a great advantage to have when working on a PR.
Gymreapers Lifting Straps
These lifting straps from Gymreapers offer the combination of security and comfort that lifters want without being too invasive. At 18 inches long, these straps can wrap around the bar a couple of times to provide extra security, so you know your bar or dumbbell isn’t going anywhere once you’re strapped in. You can just grip it and rip it. Plus, the thin neoprene padding provides just enough cushion to help prevent the straps from digging into your skin or bruising your wrist.
Gymreapers Lifting Straps
Gymreapers Lifting Straps provide the security and comfort that many lifters desire at an affordable price. These 18 inch straps are available in nine different colors. You can rely on these straps for shrugs, deadlifts, cleans, or heavy dumbbell rows.
If you’re not a fan of padding, Gymreapers offers options that don’t include padding on the wrist. The Gymreapers Lifting Straps are made from a durable combination of neoprene and cotton, and they offer a lifetime replacement guarantee.
Specs
- Style: Lasso
- Material: Cotton/Neoprene
- Length: 18 inches
- Padding: Yes
- Price: $16.99
- Color Options: Black, Black/Red, Desert Tan, Military Green, Navy, Pink, Gray, Red
- The 18-inch length can wrap around the bar enough to provide a solid amount of grip security, even on fat bars.
- The slim layer of neoprene padding around the wrist can help prevent skin pinching or abrasion during heavy lifts.
- Gymgoers who prefer to have a bit of color variety will like that these straps come in nine color options including black, green, and pink.
- The 18-inch length might be too short for lifters with big wrists or those who want a more secure grip.
- If you need more security for, say, long-distance farmer carries, you should look for something more secure, like a figure 8 strap.
- Weightlifters should look for something more quick-release (like a closed-loop strap), since they may have to bail quickly on lifts.
Most Durable Lifting Straps
Many folks purchasing gym equipment want a product that will last them a long time, getting them a good return for their money spent. When selecting the most durable lifting straps, we took into consideration not only how the straps are made, but also the material they’re made from.
Manimal Infinity Lifting Straps
Heavy pulls like hang cleans and deadlifts can put a lot of stress on lifting straps, especially when you use a bar that has moderate to intense knurling. Rubbing the straps consistently against knurling can damage and weaken lifting straps, which is why we’re fans of the durably poly-nylon mix used in these straps from Manimal. Their 24-inch length — which is about six inches longer than the standard pair — also contributes to the durability of these straps. The extra length means you can loop the strap around the bar more and distribute the weight more than you would with, say, an 18-inch strap.
Manimal Infinity Lifting Straps
These one-and-a-half-inch wide and 24-ince long three millimeter neoprene lifting straps provide padding to the wrists. They are made with a poly-nylon mix for better durability.
On the comfort side, these straps also feature three-millimeter neoprene padding around the wrist to help increase comfort and prevent pinching of the skin and bruising. Plus, the clear Left/Right labeling helps you keep the straps straight as you break them in to conform to your left and right wrists. Manimal offers a lifetime warranty, so if you do manage to break them, you’re covered.
Specs
- Style: Lasso
- Material: Poly-nylon/Neoprene
- Length: 24 inches
- Padding: Yes
- Price: $25
- Color Options: Black
- Durable poly-nylon material and a lifetime warranty help these straps live up to the Infinity name.
- Left/Right labeling on each strap helps you know which strap is which as you break them in.
- The 24-inch length provides extra grip security during heavy lifts.
- The extra-long strap may be too bulky or unnecessary for people with small hands.
- These aren’t the most expensive straps on the market, but there definitely are cheaper alternatives.
Best Lifting Straps for the Money
Are you on a budget and need a cost-efficient pair of lifting straps? Gymreapers offers a high-quality, reasonably priced option without sacrificing quality.
Gymreapers Lifting Straps
There are cheaper lifting straps on the market, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find a set that will outperform this set from Gymreapers. Costing under $20, these 18-inch straps are long enough to provide grip security, and the double-stitched cotton is built to last. And while the construction alone is worth the price and then some, Gymreapers also allows you to customize the straps, which is something that you rarely see in straps in this price range.
Gymreapers Lifting Straps
Gymreapers Lifting Straps provide the security and comfort that many lifters desire at an affordable price. These 18 inch straps are available in nine different colors. You can rely on these straps for shrugs, deadlifts, cleans, or heavy dumbbell rows.
You can get them unpadded or you can add neoprene wrist pads if you’re craving more comfort. Plus, there are eight color options for you to choose from if you’d like to color-coordinate your gym kit. They also come with a lifetime replacement guarantee, which means you’ll only have to pay for one pair. Ever.
Specs
- Style: Lasso
- Material: Cotton/Neoprene
- Length: 18 inches
- Padding: Yes
- Price: $16.99
- Color Options: Black, Black/Red, Desert Tan, Military Green, Navy, Pink, Gray, Red
- The price is right for the budget shopper.
- The nine color options let you customize your pair to some degree.
- A lifetime replacement guarantee means you’ll never have to buy another pair.
- Strongman athletes who want to really lock in to the bar should look at something more secure, like figure eight straps.
- If you sweat through the cotton material, these straps take a long time to dry.
Best Lifting Straps for Powerlifting
Powerlifting is a simple sport — you’re there to bench press, squat, and deadlift as much weight as you can. Which is why the best powerlifting lifting straps need to be extremely secure when fixed to loaded barbells, durable enough to withstand multiple heavy sessions of barbell training, and simple enough to use when your central nervous system is fried.
Rogue Fitness Ohio Straps
This strap comes in a 20-inch length, allowing a little extra room for those with larger wrists, like powerlifters, to get the most out of these lifting straps. Plus, that extra length adds more surface area to the bar, providing a more secure grip for those 10-second one-rep-max deadlift attempts. Also, the lasso design, while extremely secure, instantly lets go as soon as you open your hands, so if your deadlift goes south, you can drop the bar without it pulling you to the floor.
Rogue Fitness Ohio Straps
This lifting strap is designed with a cotton build and offers additional padding to limit wrist friction and discomfort. These are great for deadlifts as well as accessory movements like shrugs and rows.
Thanks to the heavy-duty cotton webbing and reinforced stitching, these straps are also made to be durable for your heavy deadlift and barbell row sessions. There’s no neoprene wrist padding in these straps, so lifters with sensitive skin might feel some pinching or bruising.
Specs
- Style: Lasso
- Material: Cotton
- Length: 15 inches
- Padding: No
- Price: $16.99
- Color Options: Black
- A 20-inch length provides added grip security for heavy lifts.
- The lasso design allows you to instantly let go of the bar so you can drop the weight with ease.
- The reinforced stitching and edges add the durability they’ll need for repeatedly pulling heavy weight.
- There is no neoprene cushioning, so you’ll be at risk for some skin pinching or bruising around the wrist.
- If you’re doing sustained movements like farmer carries, you might want to look at a more secure strap, like a figure 8.
Read our full review of the Rogue Ohio Cotton Straps.
Best Lifting Straps for Deadlifting
If you’re looking to really strengthen your posterior chain with heavy deadlifts, you don’t want your grip to stop you. And figure 8 lifting straps, like this pair from Gymreapers are the perfect choice — they will lock you to the bar and won’t let go until you finish your lift.
Gymreapers Figure 8 Lifting Straps
A common component in many powerlifting programs is an overloaded deadlift, one in which you perform reps of weight that your grip normally wouldn’t let you do. In these sets, you want an extremely secure strap, like the Gymreapers Figure 8 Lifting Straps, which pretty much tie your wrists to the bar. Here’s how it works: Each loop of the figure 8 goes around your wrist, with the bar resting in the area where the material crosses over itself, locking you to the bar until you remove the straps. These straps almost totally remove your grip from the equation, so you can focus on larger muscle groups and bang out more reps than grip strength might allow.
Gymreapers Figure 8 Lifting Straps
If you intend to pull some massive weights, then you need massive support, and these Figure 8 Straps from Gymreapers are designed to provide just that. With heavy-duty cross stitching and thick cotton webbing, these are meant to stand up to the heaviest and hardest of workouts.
These have a weight capacity of over 1,000 pounds, so unless you’re Thor or Eddie Hall, you won’t outgrow these anytime soon. This high capacity is thanks to the heavy-duty cross stitching and 1/4-inch thick cotton webbing, which provide an unholy amount of support. They also come in three sizes to accommodate any type of bar you might be lifting on and most any wrist size. These straps are also backed by Gymreapers’ lifetime replacement guarantee, so if you do somehow manage to pop one of them, Gymreapers will send you a new pair.
Specs
- Style: Figure 8
- Material: Cotton
- Length: N/A
- Padding: No
- Price: $28
- Color Options: Black, Green, Khaki, Red
- The figure 8 design literally ties you to the bar. Even if you let go, these grips won’t.
- Thick cotton webbing and heavy-duty cross-stitching give these straps a weight capacity that you aren’t likely to outgrow.
- There’s no padding with these, but the 1.4-inch-thick cotton does add some cushioning.
- There is no quick release on these. When the bar goes down, you go with it, so Oly lifters should look for a different kind of strap.
- Overuse of these can lead to a lack of grip strength, which may come back to haunt you in competitions where straps aren’t allowed.
Best Lifting Straps For Bodybuilding
Bodybuilding often entails long workouts and lots of high-rep sets to help facilitate muscle growth. If you don’t want these sets to be limited by your grip endurance, a solid, comfortable pair of lifting straps, like these ones from Harbinger, are essential.
Harbinger Cotton Padded Lifting Straps
Since bodybuilding workouts tend to be longer than other kinds of training, a good set of lifting straps need to be comfortable as well as supportive. The Harbinder Cotton Padded lifting straps are a great choice here, thanks to the NeoTek neoprene cushioning and the reliable lasso-style design. We’ve used these for years, and the straps have proven to be comfortable for everything from banging out high-rep sets of dumbbell rows to sets of trap bar shrugs to failure.
Harbinger Cotton Padded Lifting Strap
A cotton lifting strap that provides additional padding for the wrists to reduce friction. These 21.5-inch lifting straps have extended length to give more grip on the bar and extra stitching to prevent frays. These affordable straps are great for beginners and advanced lifters alike.
The thicker padding adds a comfort that you won’t find in other lifting straps, and the 1.5-inch width provides a strong grip, helping stave of fatigue during long sets. Plus, the lasso style releases as soon as you let go, so when you’re done with your set, you can drop your weight quickly and start resting up for your next movement.
Specs
- Style: Lasso
- Material: Cotton/Neoprene
- Length: 21.5 inches
- Padding: Yes
- Price: $9.89
- Color Options: Black, Camo, Flag, Merlot, Pink, Skulls
- The thick neoprene cushioning is perfect for lifters who regularly perform long workouts.
- These straps are 21.5 inches long, which provides more surface contact and better grip than shorter straps.
- The lasso design provides a quick release.
- The longer strap may be too much material for movements with limited grip space, like kettlebell farmer carries.
- If you’re doing Olympic lifts where you need an instant release, these may not let go fast enough.
Read our full review of the Harbinger Cotton Padded Lifting Straps.
Best Lifting Straps for Weightlifting
Weightlifters have a unique set of needs when looking for lifting straps. They need something that is both very secure (so they’ll stay attached to the bar during the high acceleration forces involved in snatches and cleans) but also straps that come off very quickly if they need to dump the bar. These close-loop straps from Gymreapers fit the bill.
Gymreapers Olympic Lifting Straps
Since cleans, jerks, and snatches require moving weight quickly and explosively, weightlifting lifting straps need to release instantaneously if something goes wrong during a lift. Gymreapers Olympic Lifting Straps are designed specifically for this purpose, thanks to the closed-loop design. This design doesn’t wrap around the bar as many times as a lasso-style strap, so the second you let go, the bar is out of your hands.
Gymreapers Olympic Lifting Straps
These tear-drop shaped lifting straps are great for cleans and snatches because they are reinforced with triple stitching along the seams. The soft cotton fabric allows for more comfort while lifting heavy.
The shorter design is also ideal for weightlifters because it leaves less material between the bar and your hands, so you don’t have to adjust your technique or grip in any way. It also means you won’t achieve as secure a grip with these straps, but for lifts like clean & jerks and snatches, grip strength comes secondary to explosive strength.
Specs
- Style: Closed Loop
- Material: Cotton
- Length: N/A
- Padding: No
- Price: $14.99
- Color Options: Black, Military Green, Navy, and Red
- The 8.5-inch strap length leaves less material between your hands and the bar, so you won’t need to alter your grip.
- Closed-loop straps provide an instant release, so you can bail on a lift without the bar pulling you to the floor.
- People who want a strap for lifts other than Olympic should look at a more secure lifting strap, like a lasso-style strap.
- There’s no padding, so if you have sensitive skin, you may feel pinching or experience bruising around the wrist.
Most Secure Lifting Straps
When thinking about the most secure lifting straps, there are a lot of considerations — style, materials, stitching, and durability. Thanks in part to its lock-in design, Gymreapers Figure 8 Lifting Straps check all of these boxes, making it the most secure lifting strap we’ve seen.
Gymreapers Figure 8 Lifting Straps
These Gymreaper Figure 8 straps are designed specifically for deadlifting, rowing, and strongman-style pulling. The strap is made with heavy layered canvas cotton and contains extra padding along the wrists, along with double stitching throughout to handle heavy weight. But what really makes this the most secure lifting strap is the figure 8 design, which basically handcuffs your hands to the bar for the duration of your lift.
Gymreapers Figure 8 Lifting Straps
If you intend to pull some massive weights, then you need massive support, and these Figure 8 Straps from Gymreapers are designed to provide just that. With heavy-duty cross stitching and thick cotton webbing, these are meant to stand up to the heaviest and hardest of workouts.
This design allows you to feel incredibly secure to the bar and gives no chance of slippage due to grip. You can physically let go of the bar and still remain tied to your lift, and this is what makes Gymreapers Figure 8 lifting straps our favorite choice for most secure lifting straps. Plus, the straps have a weight capacity of over 1,000 pounds, thanks to the 1/4 inch thick cotton webbing and heavy-duty cross stitching, so you’ll probably break before they do.
Specs
- Style: Figure 8
- Material: Cotton
- Length: N/A
- Padding: No
- Price: $28
- Color Options: Black, Green, Khaki, Red
- There are three sizes available, so you can adjust for bigger wrists or axle and thick bar work.
- The figure 8 style provides a maximum amount of security during deadlift sessions.
- If you’re looking for a high weight capacity of 1,000, these straps are for you.
- These lock you to the bar — if you do any lifting where you need to drop the weights quickly, these aren’t for you.
- Grip strength is taken out of the equation with these straps. If you want a stronger grip, you’ll want to use these sparingly, if at all.
- If you do lots of different kinds of lifting, you’ll want something more versatile, like a loop-style strap.
[Related: 3 Partial Range Of Motion Lifts To Boost Your Powerlifting Game]
Benefits of Lifting Straps
The main reason for using a strap is to support your grip. A strap enables an athlete to hold more weight than their normal grip can handle, which can be ideal for working larger muscle groups like the posterior chain. For a weightlifter, a strap is often used when performing heavier clean pulls and snatches. Powerlifters will usually utilize straps when they’re working to overload their muscles and nervous system or for accessory work when their grip may be fatigued.
Benefits of Lifting Straps
Lifting straps can be used for a variety of reasons in strength training by multiple types of athletes. The main reason for using a strap is to support grip. A strap enables an athlete to hold more weight than their normal grip can handle. For a weightlifter, a strap is often used when performing heavier pulls and snatches. Powerlifters will usually utilize straps when they’re working to overload their muscles and nervous system or for accessory work when their grip may be fatigued.
Strongman-style training will utilize straps in a similar manner to powerlifting. The end goals are usually to strengthen and overload the body when the grip is fatigued. Whether you’re a serious athlete or a recreational lifter, straps can be a great tool to utilize in a well-thought-out program. They’re a lifting accessory that doesn’t require a ton of gym bag space and can come in handy when there’s still work to do, but your grip is shot.
How We Chose the Best Lifting Straps
With so many different kinds of lifting straps available, we had a lot of digging to do. We considered style, durability, and price when deciding which straps were our favorites.
Style of Lifting Strap
There are many different styles of lifting straps. These include single-loop, which is commonly used for weightlifting; lasso, which is the most common style and a jack-of-all-trades strap; and figure 8, which is commonly used in strongman and high-level powerlifting. Since many customers have different needs when it comes to lifting straps, we included a variety of these types on this list to help suit them all.
Materials and Durability
There are also different types of materials that can be used to manufacture lifting straps, such as cotton, nylon, leather, and other poly-mix materials. The materials have a big impact on the durability of a lifting strap. The most common material for lifting straps to be made of is cotton and nylon, but in years past, they were made from all sorts of materials, such as leather and suede. Now there are more synthetic fibers that are available to make lifting straps extremely strong and durable (like polyester blends and reinforced or cross-stitched cotton).
Durability is another major factor in how we decide the best lifting straps, as we want to show you products we know will last a while and get you a good return for your money. Durability not only refers to how long the strap will last you — which depends on how often you use the straps, as well — but it refers to the amount of weight the straps are designed to hold safely. A heavy-duty lifting strap can hold over 1,000 pounds, and some straps, like figure 8 straps, have held over 1,200 pounds (like in the silver dollar deadlift world record). This is due to their design, reinforced stitching, and material layering.
Price
Price is also an important consideration since we want to ensure we’re highlighting products that offer good value. It may not be quite as large a consideration with lifting straps as it is with other products that can get quite pricey (such as lifting belts and shoes), but getting a good product for your hard-earned money is something that everyone wants. Lifting straps can range from under $10 bargain-bin straps to a pair of heavy-duty figure 8 straps that might run you upward of $50. We included some straps from both ends of the price range as well as those in between, so no matter your needs or budget, we’ve got you covered.
How Much Do Lifting Straps Cost?
Lifting straps generally fall within a narrow price range of around $10 to $30. There are some exceptions that can cost more, such as specialty straps made for lifting axles in strongman or metal hook straps. Those are outliers and still won’t run more than $50, for the most part.
Best Overall Lifting Straps
Gymreapers Lifting Straps
$16.99
Most Durable Lifting Straps
Manimal Infinity Lifting Straps
$25
Best Lifting Straps for the Money
Gymreapers Lifting Straps
$16.99
Best Powerlifting Lifting Straps
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