Star Sidewinder Grips?

[AZGolfNut2]

10 hours ago, Ger21 said:

Just noticed that the orange grips cost 25% more than the other colors ($9.99 vs $7.99). They were the same price when I bought my last batch.

Yeah the color changed a little too, they now call them "neon orange" (and also "neon pink"). So maybe the price increase has to do with a change in the raw materials for the neon colors. 

[golfschnell]

I think Star would have a real winner of a grip if they made their reduced taper tour wrap with sidewinder “S” indentations vs the existing smooth surface with very shallow round indentations. 

Edited October 28, 2023 by golfschnell

[rbpwrx]

13 hours ago, golfschnell said:

I think Star would have a real winner of a grip if they made their reduced taper tour wrap with sidewinder “S” indentations vs the existing smooth surface with very shallow round indentations. 

I actually love their Tour Taper just as it is. I go back-and-forth between that and Sidewinder, although I wish they made a midsize TT. The Classic Wrap is also excellent, I favor it on my wedges.

 

Edited October 28, 2023 by rbpwrx

[Phebus]

I’ve never installed grips with air before, but I’m planning on placing an order for the Sidewinder grips before the discount on the black grips ends.

The question I have is whether to order the install air gun, or is it just as easy to install with a standard air gun just pushed on the grip end opening? 

[rbpwrx]

19 minutes ago, Phebus said:

I’ve never installed grips with air before, but I’m planning on placing an order for the Sidewinder grips before the discount on the black grips ends.

The question I have is whether to order the install air gun, or is it just as easy to install with a standard air gun just pushed on the grip end opening? 

You can certainly do it without their gun, I did it for many years, just using a narrow spray nozzle, but the gun does make it easier. I'm glad I have one now.

[absoludicrous]

I picked up an air hose attachment kit at harbor freight for cheap. You can plug that into the end of the grip and basically do the same thing. 
 

I also have the Pure tool, which is basically the same thing but different color as the Star tool and it doesn’t do anything different. You just need something that you can shove into the end of the grip to send the air down the inside of the grip. 
 

Just be careful with how much air you shoot as it could balloon and stretch out the grip (if you plan to reuse it later). Some have used skinny PVC or cardboard tubes to help it from getting too big. Someone on here used a bamboo sushi roller too. You don’t need it if you’re experienced and the grip is not too tightly attached to the shaft. But those are mainly for removal. For installing it, you don’t need much air to get the grip large enough to slide down the shaft. 
 

Thanks for the tips on the sales. I’m picking some up for the Black Friday sale (hopefully). I wanted to take advantage of the Halloween sale, but I’m not gonna be around to receive any packages. I’m glad to hear last year’s BF sales were cheaper. 

[azgreg]

How does the size of the Sidewinder grips installed with air compare with other grips that are installed with double sided tape?

 

[Phebus]

I ended up just ordering the nozzle only and I’ll install it on one of the air guns I already own. Since I’m new to using air to install grips, if it makes it easier I’m all for it. 
azgreg, I’ll compare the finished size of the midsize tour velvet grips I have now that were put on with grip tape to the finished size of the midsize Sidewinders put on with one wrap of blue painters tape and let you know how they compare. 

[Phebus]

One more question for those that play the Sidewinder's. Do they have a similar taper as a GP Tour Velvet, or are they more uniform? I currently play the Tour Velvet with two extra wraps on my lower hand and was wondering if I should install the Sidewinder's the same to get the same feel. 
Thanks

[Godfather]

9 hours ago, Phebus said:

One more question for those that play the Sidewinder's. Do they have a similar taper as a GP Tour Velvet, or are they more uniform? I currently play the Tour Velvet with two extra wraps on my lower hand and was wondering if I should install the Sidewinder's the same to get the same feel. 
Thanks

I feel the lower hand is a little thicker than GP tour velvet. YMMV. The nice thing is you can just blow it off and build it up as you see fit without worrying about grip tape and solvent. 

[rbpwrx]

1 minute ago, Godfather said:

I feel the lower hand is a little thicker than GP tour velvet. YMMV. The nice thing is you can just blow it off and build it up as you see fit without worrying about grip tape and solvent. 

I play one wrap on the upper hand, and four wraps on the lower. Works fine on the sidewinders, and every other star grip, blowing them on and off.

[AZGolfNut2]

2 hours ago, Godfather said:

I feel the lower hand is a little thicker than GP tour velvet. YMMV. The nice thing is you can just blow it off and build it up as you see fit without worrying about grip tape and solvent. 

I agree, it has just slightly less taper than the GPTV. Maybe 1-2 wraps thicker on the lower hand. A Sidewinder+4 (+4 wraps thicker on the lower hand) would be an amazing grip! 

[Ger21]

I play the undersized, built up to +3 on the lower hand.

[AZGolfNut2]

On 10/28/2023 at 10:57 AM, azgreg said:

How does the size of the Sidewinder grips installed with air compare with other grips that are installed with double sided tape?

 

 

I've seen it mentioned that if they are installed on a bare shaft, meaning not over old tape or a single layer of one-sided tape, that they will be about .01" (1/100th of an inch) thinner since a wrap of tape is about 5 mils (.005") thick. I doubt most people are sensitive enough to notice that subtle of a difference, since it's about 30% less than the thickness of a single layer of build-up tape (which is usually 0.15"). 

[CactusGolf]

Kind of a longshot question, but as a long time user of Pure Pro and Arcoos tags, I've found that my tags pop out fairly regularly from the Pure grips since the butt end is so "gummy".  Is the butt end of the Star grips a bit more solid where tags can screw in tighter?

[rbpwrx]

1 hour ago, CactusGolf said:

Kind of a longshot question, but as a long time user of Pure Pro and Arcoos tags, I've found that my tags pop out fairly regularly from the Pure grips since the butt end is so "gummy".  Is the butt end of the Star grips a bit more solid where tags can screw in tighter?

No idea what tags are, but the star grips are not gummy at all, nice and dry and tight. Just the right amount of a firm rubbery feel.

 

Edited October 30, 2023 by rbpwrx

[Ger21]

24 minutes ago, CactusGolf said:

I've found that my tags pop out fairly regularly from the Pure grips since the butt end is so "gummy"

Never used Pure or Arcos, but yes, the butt of Star grips are on the soft side. I would expect them to be the same as Pure, since Pure grips were based on Star grips, from what I've heard.

[Phebus]

16 hours ago, AZGolfNut2 said:

I agree, it has just slightly less taper than the GPTV. Maybe 1-2 wraps thicker on the lower hand. A Sidewinder+4 (+4 wraps thicker on the lower hand) would be an amazing grip! 

I’m using two wraps with the GP Tour Velvets, so if that’s the case I’ll just try the Sidewinders without any extra. 

[rbpwrx]

5 hours ago, Phebus said:

I’m using two wraps with the GP Tour Velvets, so if that’s the case I’ll just try the Sidewinders without any extra. 

I think they are actually pretty similar. I would try the same taping, and see how it goes.

[AZGolfNut2]

On 10/28/2023 at 9:12 AM, absoludicrous said:

I also have the Pure tool, which is basically the same thing but different color as the Star tool and it doesn’t do anything different. You just need something that you can shove into the end of the grip to send the air down the inside of the grip. 

 

I have both the Pure and Star installation guns, and I think the Star gun is substantially better. On the Star tool, the little nipple part inside the nozzle that goes into the end of the grip forms a better seal so you don't get any air leaking out the hole like you do with the Pure nozzle, and the gun also has a trigger with a longer "pull" which allows me to modulate the air flow better. I have also broken a few Pure nozzles over the years because if you drop the tool it'll snap off where it attaches to the gun because the entire thing is flimsy plastic, while the Star nozzle uses a metal connector piece which is far more durable. 

[Paintman]

Some inside baseball about Star. I recently inquired if they plan to make something like a Pure DTX grip. Star emailed me back and said they are working on an aggressive textured grip for next year !

I like that grip in Chicago area humidity & rain. Plus sweating too much.

[absoludicrous]

7 hours ago, AZGolfNut2 said:

 

I have both the Pure and Star installation guns, and I think the Star gun is substantially better. On the Star tool, the little nipple part inside the nozzle that goes into the end of the grip forms a better seal so you don't get any air leaking out the hole like you do with the Pure nozzle, and the gun also has a trigger with a longer "pull" which allows me to modulate the air flow better. I have also broken a few Pure nozzles over the years because if you drop the tool it'll snap off where it attaches to the gun because the entire thing is flimsy plastic, while the Star nozzle uses a metal connector piece which is far more durable. 

I don’t actually own the Star tool, but was just going off of the looks. I believe you since you own both.
 

I don’t have the issue with the nozzle on the Pure tool, but do agree that it looks like it can be fragile if dropped. I still think that these tools aren’t really necessary for blowing on and off the grips.

 

I saw that Star was giving it away with some kits. If they were to give it for free, I would definitely take it. I don’t think I would pay for one if I already had something else that could do the same. 

[AZGolfNut2]

20 hours ago, absoludicrous said:

I saw that Star was giving it away with some kits. If they were to give it for free, I would definitely take it. I don’t think I would pay for one if I already had something else that could do the same. 

 

Yeah you get the gun w/nozzle for free with a $100 purchase, which is basically a full set of 12-13 grips. They also sell just the nozzle for just $15, which is a lot better than the $40 or $30 for the Pure or Star gun assembly, and you can install it on any threaded air tool. 

Edited November 3, 2023 by AZGolfNut2

[AZGolfNut2]

Just got this email about their Black Friday sale. I wonder if this is it, or if they'll also be doing a % off discount actually on Black Friday like last year? 

 

[Ger21]

8 hours ago, AZGolfNut2 said:

. I wonder if this is it, or if they'll also be doing a % off discount actually on Black Friday like last year? 

Last year they had I think 30% on Black Friday, and 50% on Cyber Monday? I'm hoping they do similar this year.

[AZGolfNut2]

1 hour ago, Ger21 said:

Last year they had I think 30% on Black Friday, and 50% on Cyber Monday? I'm hoping they do similar this year.

 

I think it was 30% for BF & 35% for CM last year

[absoludicrous]

Thanks for the details. I got that email too but figured I should wait for BF. I will wait for CM instead. 

[dufferaaron]

For those with midsize, how do they compare to the Tour Velvet midsize? I heard they were a little smaller even with the tape.

[AZGolfNut2]

3 hours ago, dufferaaron said:

For those with midsize, how do they compare to the Tour Velvet midsize? I heard they were a little smaller even with the tape.

 

The midsize feels pretty much like a true midsize to me. And I don't think tape/no tape is going to make much of a difference for most people. Most OEM's use paper-thin grip tape which is 3-5 mils thick, and that is about 1/128th of an inch (there is 1/16th inch between grip sizes, for reference). 

[rbpwrx]

17 hours ago, dufferaaron said:

For those with midsize, how do they compare to the Tour Velvet midsize? I heard they were a little smaller even with the tape.

I agree, about the same size as a GP midsize. I like three extra wraps of tape on the lower hand myself, which brings it to about an MCC +4.