Lifting straps, gloves and chalk all help with grip, but they do different jobs: chalk keeps your hands dry, gloves protect your skin, and straps hold the bar for you when your grip gives out before your back and legs do. For heavy deadlifts, rows and shrugs, straps make the biggest difference. For sweaty hands, chalk is the simplest fix. Gloves are mainly about comfort, and they can make the bar feel thicker. Here is how each one works, when to use it and what we stock in Australia.
Straps vs gloves vs chalk at a glance
| Lifting straps | Lifting gloves | Chalk | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it does | Ties your hand to the bar so grip is no longer the limit | Puts padding between your palm and the bar | Dries sweat so your hand does not slip |
| Best for | Heavy or high-rep pulls: deadlifts, rows, shrugs, pulldowns | Comfort on machines and dumbbells, sensitive skin | Sweaty hands, deadlifts, pull-ups, kettlebells |
| Helps you hold more weight? | Yes, the most | No, and they can make the bar feel thicker | A little, mostly by stopping slips |
| Downside | Grip gets less work if you use them for everything | Can reduce feel for the bar | Messy, and some gyms limit loose chalk |
| Allowed in IPF powerlifting meets? | No | No | Yes |
| From | $14.95 | Not sold online | $39.95 |
Prices are at the time of writing. The powerlifting row is based on the IPF Technical Rulebook, which allows magnesium carbonate (chalk) on your hands but does not list straps or gloves as permitted equipment. If you compete, always check your own federation's current rules.
Lifting straps: for heavy pulls
Straps are the most effective grip aid because they take your grip out of the equation. Research backs this up. In a 2021 study of 16 trained men doing 4 sets of 4 deadlifts at 80% of their best, using straps meant faster bar speed, less grip fatigue and lower perceived effort. A 2023 study in 10 trained women found straps let them do more reps at 80% of their best, with less loss of grip strength and no drop in bar speed.
When straps help
- Heavy deadlifts and rack pulls, where your back and legs can lift more than your hands can hold.
- Rows, shrugs and pulldowns, where grip fatigue ends high-rep sets early.
- Weighted pull-ups, to keep the focus on your lats.
When to skip them
- Warm-ups and lighter sets, where your grip can cope.
- Pressing, such as bench or overhead press. Straps are for pulling. For pressing, wrist wraps ($14.95 each) support the wrist instead.
- Olympic lifts, unless a coach has shown you how to use them safely.
- If you compete in powerlifting, train some heavy deadlifts without them.
How to wrap a loop strap
- Put your hand through the loop so the tail runs across your palm towards your thumb.
- Place your hand on the bar and wrap the tail under and around the bar, away from you.
- Roll the bar towards you to tighten the strap, so the bar is pinned against your palm.
- Grip the bar as normal on top of the strap, then lift. To let go, open your hand and unroll the bar.
Our best-selling straps are the loop-style Lifting Straps by Heavy Duty at $19.95. If you want our own brand, the cotton Lifting Straps by Supps247 are $14.95 a pair, with a soft inner lining, and the Heavy Duty Lifting Wrist Straps by Supps247 are $14.95 a pair, made from cotton webbing with reinforced stitching.
Lifting gloves: for comfort, not grip strength
Gloves put a layer of padding between your palm and the bar or handle. Many lifters like them because they reduce rubbing on the skin, which can help with blisters and torn calluses, and they feel nicer on knurled handles and cold dumbbells.
The trade-off is grip. There is little research on gym gloves specifically, but studies on work gloves show that wearing gloves can reduce maximum grip strength compared with a bare hand. The extra layer also makes the bar feel thicker, which makes heavy pulls harder to hold. So gloves suit machine work, dumbbells and lighter sessions more than a heavy deadlift. We do not sell gloves online at the moment, so ask your local store what they have.
Chalk: for sweaty hands
Gym chalk is magnesium carbonate. It dries sweat on your palms so your hands are less likely to slip, which is why climbers, gymnasts and lifters use it.
The research comes mostly from rock climbing, and it is mixed. A 2012 study found chalk increased friction between climbers' fingers and the rock, while an earlier 2001 study found it reduced friction on dry rock. In the gym, most lifters find it helps most when their hands sweat, on deadlifts, pull-ups and kettlebell work.
We stock Ultimate Grip Pro, a magnesium carbonate chalk in a 200 g resealable pouch, at $39.95. Use a small amount and wipe the bar after your set. Some gyms do not allow loose chalk, so check first. Browse the chalk range for current options.
Which grip aid should you use?
- Your grip fails before your back on heavy pulls: straps, for your heaviest or highest-rep sets only.
- The bar slips because your hands sweat: chalk first. It keeps your grip working.
- Your hands get sore or torn: gloves for machine and dumbbell work, or chalk plus looking after your calluses.
- You compete in powerlifting: chalk only, and do most of your deadlift training without straps.
Whichever you choose, keep training your grip. Do your warm-ups and first working set with bare hands or chalk, save straps for your heaviest sets, and add farmer's carries or dead hangs once a week. For a full program to use them in, see our workout plans.
Our verdict
If you only buy one grip aid, make it a pair of lifting straps. They make the biggest difference to how much you can pull, and studies back them up. Add chalk if sweaty hands are your problem, and pick gloves only if comfort matters more to you than maximum grip.
Browse all lifting straps and gym accessories. New to the gym? Read our top 10 supplements for gym beginners.
Shop the products in this guide
Lifting Straps by Heavy Duty$19.95
Lifting Straps by Supps247$14.95
Heavy Duty Lifting Wrist Straps by Supps247$14.95
Ultimate Grip Pro Chalk 200 g$39.95
Browse all lifting straps, chalk and gym accessories.
FAQs
Are lifting straps cheating?
No. Straps let your back and legs keep training when your grip fails first, which is why many strong lifters use them for heavy pulling sets. Studies on deadlifts found straps reduced grip fatigue and let people do more reps. Just keep some strap-free work in your program, such as warm-ups and lighter sets, so your grip keeps getting stronger too.
Do lifting straps weaken your grip?
Only if you use them for everything. If straps replace all of your grip work, your grip gets less training. Use them for your heaviest or highest-rep pulling sets, and do your warm-ups and at least one working set with bare hands or chalk. Adding farmer's carries or dead hangs once a week also helps.
Are gloves or chalk better for deadlifts?
Chalk is usually the better choice. It dries sweat so your hand is less likely to slip, while gloves add a layer between your hand and the bar, which can make it feel thicker and harder to hold. For very heavy sets where grip is the limit, straps help more than either. Gloves suit machine and dumbbell work better.
Are straps, gloves and chalk allowed in powerlifting?
Under the IPF Technical Rulebook, magnesium carbonate (chalk) is allowed on your hands, but straps and gloves are not on the list of permitted equipment, so you cannot use them on the platform. Other federations and strongman events have their own rules, so check the current rulebook for your competition before you train around it.
Can I use chalk at any gym?
Not always. Some gyms do not allow loose chalk because of the mess, while others allow it in certain areas or only allow liquid chalk. Ask your gym before you bring it. If chalk is allowed, use a small amount, keep it in a sealed pouch or bowl, and wipe the bar and handles after your set.
Sources: Jukic and colleagues (2021), lifting straps during the deadlift; Trahey and colleagues (2023), lifting straps and deadlift performance in women; Amca and colleagues (2012), chalk and finger friction in climbing; Li and colleagues (2001), chalk in rock climbing; Ramadan (2017), protective gloves and grip strength; IPF Technical Rulebook (2026); product labels and brand nutrition panels, checked October 2026.
Order online with Australia-wide delivery, free on orders of $99.99 or more, with Afterpay available at checkout. You can also use click and collect at a store that offers it, or visit a Supps247 store in Melbourne, regional Victoria or Brisbane to compare products in person. Members can use our member price match on full-priced items.
Prices and stock were checked on 29 October 2026 and can change at any time. Always read the label and follow the directions for use. If you have a medical condition, are pregnant or take regular medication, check with your doctor first.
