Alien Pros Badminton Grip -X- Dry Review

This review will focus on the X-Dry badminton grip from the Alien Pros range. In the interests of transparency, Shuttlesmash is currently a member of Alien Pros affiliate program. However, this will not impact the below review, during which I will give my honest opinion of the product. 

Note that X-Dry and X-Dry plus are the same with the exception of the more elaborate designs on the Plus grips. Alien Pros could make this a little clearer as having them under separate headings does seem to imply a difference between the two.

Who Are Alien Pros?

Before we get onto the review, you might be curious as to who Alien Pros are. I mentioned them previously in my article about the different types of badminton grips.

Alien Pros is a Hong Kong based company providing an alternative approach to racket grips. Most of the racket grips available on the market vary very little in design. Alien Pros are breaking this trend with a variety of eye-catching designs which stand out from the traditionally plain badminton grips that currently dominate the market.

The Product

The Alien Pros X-Dry badminton grip is advertised as below by Alien Pros:

“Alien Pros X-Dry overgrips are made of highly absorbent, cushioning material that works especially well in keeping your racket/handle dry. Featuring 100% instant sweat absorption, the X-Dry overgrips are your best friend when playing in hot, humid weather, or if you are a heavy sweater. The X-Dry also material provides a smooth, comfortable leather-like feel that makes a soft, comfortable grip.” – Alien Pro Website

Packaging

There’s nothing spectacular about its packaging; the plastic is clear and shows off the vibrant grip design within. I wasn’t expecting anything more than this. Some grips come as they are without any outer packaging so this gives a little more of a premium feel.

On the back is a quick guide on how to grip the racket handle. This is a welcome addition, particularly if you’re new to applying over grip.

I would argue that, given that an eco-friendly approach to badminton grips is part of their business strategy, perhaps selling the grip in a plastic package is not the best option. If Alien Pros wants to be consistent, I feel this should be changed.

The Grip: X-Dry

Included with the grip is the sticky tape to secure it at the top of the handle. I was pleasantly surprised that both ends of the grip were tapered, with a sticky tack at each end. So if you use the whole grip, you don’t have to cut away any excess, simply stick it to the top of the handle and apply the sticky tape. 

Most grips on the market are designed with only one tapered end; this is applied to the bottom of the racket handle. What inevitably ends up happening is that you have to cut away excess grip when you reach the top of the handle so that the tape can be applied neatly around it. It’s not a major inconvenience, but can be annoying if you’re anything like me and have no artistic ability, so the end result looks pretty clumsy! 

 I have been playing with this grip for a total of about 8 hours over the course of last week, which I feel is adequate to give a detailed review on it.

Comfort

There is a nice, spongy feel to the grip. For comparison, I have the same racket gripped with a Yonex overgrip. What I noticed is that the Alien Pros X-Dry grip is noticeably thicker than the Yonex one, but not so much that it impacts the feel of the racket in your hand. Sometimes, overgrips can be so thin that you need to double up on them. In this regard, I feel that the X-Dry grip is at the perfect thickness for playing comfort – not too thin, and not too thick.

As for its advertised ‘leather-like feel,’ I’m not sure the grip feels like leather as such. However, it is certainly spongy enough to provide a good level of comfort when being held.

Tackiness

When I first applied the grip it felt so smooth that I was worried that it wouldn’t be as tacky when I started to play. However, it was no problem on the court. The racket felt secure in my hand, even when held loosely for those delicate touches at the net. Of course, we expect a newly gripped racket to feel ‘fresh’ (still tacky), so perhaps this is not so surprising. Nevertheless, I felt like I had good control of the racket whilst I was playing.

Sweat Absorption

I sweat so much that I change my shirt about four or five times in a two-hour session. In England. So for me, an absorbent grip is absolutely necessary. This is where the grip really lives up to its name. Even after hours of playing, the grip still seems dry as a bone. This is pretty unusual for me because most grips feel at least damp after I’ve finished a session, even with a new grip. No such issue with the X-Dry. 

Conclusion

The X-Dry is great for those who may require a highly absorbent and comfortable grip.  The design on the grip still looks great after 8 hours of playing. I feared the sweat from my hands would smudge the design somehow, but given how dry the grip has been through my time playing, I had no need to worry!  I am sure that at some point this dry effect might wear off and I will update this post if and when that occurs. Overall, I highly recommend this Grip.

Discount Code

As part of Shuttlesmash’s partnership with Alien Pros, I am very happy to be able to offer a discount code to those looking to purchase any of Alien Pros merchandise. Simply follow the steps below:

1. Visit Alien Pros at https://alien-pros.shop/collections/badminton
2. Choose the products you wish to purchase
3. At checkout enter “shuttlesmash” as the discount code to receive 15% off!