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Lifting straps tie your hands to the bar so heavy pulls stop when your back or legs give out, not your grip. This page is for lifters whose deadlifts, rows or shrugs end with the bar sliding out of their hands: how to put lasso and figure 8 straps on, what the research says straps add, which lifts they help and which they don’t, and how lasso, hook and figure 8 styles compare. Our three picks follow.
Harbinger’s padded cotton straps are the comfortable default for most lifters. Gymreapers’ heavy-duty straps are the heavy-duty pick with a direct bar feel, and COFOF’s leather hook-style straps suit lifters who want fast setup and a firmer bar connection.
Our Selection Criteria
A strap is webbing, stitching and padding, so we judged those: reinforced stitching, webbing that grips knurling, and padding that stays put. We favored brand-verified listings over the category’s many clones, and picked across the three genuinely different constructions — padded lasso, heavy-duty classic lasso, and leather hook — because construction, not brand, is the real choice.
1. Best Overall (Padded): Harbinger Padded Cotton Lifting Straps
Harbinger Padded Cotton Lifting Straps
Harbinger
- NeoTek wrist cushioning — the comfort benchmark
- 21.5-inch cotton webbing wraps any bar
- The default recommendation for most lifters
Why we picked it: Harbinger’s padded straps work for a simple reason: the cushioned wrist section removes the dig that makes lifters abandon straps, and the cotton webbing grips knurling without shredding hands. Trade-offs: padding adds a little bulk between wrist and bar, which lifters chasing the most direct bar feel sometimes skip — that is the Gymreapers’ lane.
2. Best Heavy-Duty: Gymreapers Lifting Wrist Straps
Gymreapers Lifting Wrist Straps
Gymreapers
- Reinforced stitching built for max-effort pulls
- Heavy-duty webbing for deadlifts, rows and shrugs
- Direct bar feel with minimal padding bulk
- Neoprene wrist backing without the full cushion
Why we picked it: The Gymreapers straps are built for heavy pulling: dense webbing and reinforced stitching, with just enough neoprene at the wrist to be civilised. The same brand makes the leather pick in our lifting belts guide. Trade-offs: less cushioning than the Harbinger — lifters with sensitive wrists or high-rep programs may prefer the padding; strength-focused lifters rarely miss it.
3. Best Leather / Hook Style: COFOF Leather Lifting Straps with Hooks
COFOF Leather Lifting Straps with Hooks
COFOF
- Double-layer leather with padded neoprene wrist
- Hook design sets on the bar in seconds
- Firm, repeatable bar connection
- Suits pulls, rows and shrugs with fast transitions
Why we picked it: Hook-style straps trade the lasso’s wrap ritual for speed: set the hook, grip, pull. COFOF’s double-layer leather version suits lifters — especially those with smaller hands — who find wrapping fiddly. Trade-offs stated plainly: hooks change the movement’s feel and put more load through the strap than your hand, so they build the least grip of the three styles; and leather wants occasional conditioning in a dry garage.
Specs at a Glance
| Pick | Brand | Construction | Best for | Feel | See price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best Overall (Padded) | Harbinger | Padded cotton lasso | Most lifters | Max comfort | Check price |
| Best Heavy-Duty | Gymreapers | Heavy-duty lasso | Heavy pulls | Direct bar feel | Check price |
| Best Leather / Hook Style | COFOF | Leather + hooks | Fast setup, smaller hands | Least grip demand | Check price |
What Actually Matters
Learn the when before the which. Straps belong on the heavy sets of pulls, rows, and shrugs where grip fails before the target muscles — not on warm-ups, and not on everything. Keeping lighter sets strapless preserves the grip training your deadlift will eventually need. (The same logic applies to belts.)
Lasso versus hook is the real choice. Lasso straps (both lead picks) wrap the bar — secure, adjustable, and they still let your hand do some work. Hooks set faster and demand the least grip. Figure-8 straps, a third style used in strongman, lock you to the bar entirely — secure, but you cannot bail; know that before buying them.
Stitching is the failure point. A strap is webbing plus stitches, and only the stitches fail suddenly. Box-stitched, reinforced junctions are the insurance; retire any strap with visible stitch damage — discovering it mid-pull is the wrong time.
Cotton, nylon and leather age differently. Cotton grips knurling gently and softens with use; nylon is harsher and near-indestructible; leather molds to the bar and wants occasional conditioning. All three work — buy by feel preference, not durability myths.
How do you use lifting straps?
Lasso straps (the most common style):
- Feed the tail through the sewn loop to make a cuff. Slide your hand through so the tail hangs from the palm side, running down past your thumb.
- Cinch the cuff around the wrist, just above the wrist crease. Too low and it slides onto the hand; too high and it pulls on the forearm.
- Grip position first: set your hands where you would grip the bar normally.
- Lay the tail under the bar, then bring it up and over the bar toward you, wrapping in the opposite direction to your fingers so the strap tightens as the bar pulls down.
- Roll the bar toward you to take up the slack. One and a half to two wraps is enough; more just puts the bar further from your palm.
- Grip the bar over the strap and pull. Your hand should still squeeze; the strap catches what your grip can’t hold.
To release, open your hand and unroll the bar. With lasso straps you can still drop the bar quickly, which is why they are the safe default.
Figure 8 straps: put your hand through one loop, pass the other loop under the bar and back up, and push the same hand through it too. The bar now sits in the bottom of the 8 and your hand holds it there. Setup is fast, but you cannot open your hand and let go; read the comparison below before using them.
Hook straps: fasten the wrist cuff, set the hook over the bar and close your hand around the bar and hook.
How do lifting straps work, and how much do they add?
The strap transfers part of the load from your fingers to your wrist, so grip stops being the limit. The research shows a clear effect on heavy deadlifts and little effect where grip was not the limit to begin with:
| Study | What was measured | Finding |
|---|---|---|
| J Strength Cond Res, 2020 (20 men) | Deadlift 1RM | 177.0 kg with straps vs 160.6 kg without |
| J Strength Cond Res, 2015 (11 men) | 3 sets to failure at 90% 1RM | 20–28% more force with straps; authors concluded the target muscles did more work |
| Trahey et al., J Strength Cond Res, 2023 (10 women) | 3 sets to failure at 80% 1RM | More reps with straps, smaller loss of grip strength, no change in bar speed |
| Sports Biomechanics, 2021 (12 men) | Lat pulldown 1RM, reps, lat activity | 1RM 96.5 kg with straps vs 96.6 kg without; reps and lat activity no different |
A 2026 review in the International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance summed it up: straps can raise maximal strength and how secure your grip feels, but there is no consistent benefit on every pulling exercise, and no study yet shows that training with straps builds more muscle or strength over months. The takeaway: straps let you load or extend sets where grip fails first, and do little where it doesn’t.
When should you use lifting straps?
Use them where grip is the weak link and the target muscle is not yet tired; leave them off where your hands keep up or where you might need to let go fast.
| Exercise | Straps? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Heavy deadlifts, rack pulls (top sets) | Often | Load outruns grip; the 2020 study shows a 1RM gap of about 16 kg |
| Romanian deadlifts, heavy rows, shrugs | Yes, for working sets | Long time under tension tires the grip before the back or hamstrings |
| Lat pulldowns, pull-ups | Optional | The 2021 study found no difference in 1RM, reps or lat activity |
| Warm-ups and lighter sets | No | Free grip training; keeps your hands ready for strapless pulls |
| Snatch and clean pulls | Lasso only | You must be able to release the bar if a lift goes wrong |
A simple rule: pull strapless until your grip starts slipping, then strap up for the remaining heavy sets. Use chalk before straps – it fixes sweat-slip and still trains the hands.
How to choose lifting straps: length, material and padding
- Length: a lasso strap needs enough tail to go round the bar about one and a half to two times. The Harbinger pick’s 21.5-inch webbing covers a standard bar comfortably; much longer tails just bunch up and push the bar away from your palm.
- Material: cotton grips knurling gently and softens with use; nylon is slicker and harsher on the hands but very hard-wearing; leather moulds to the bar and wants occasional conditioning if stored in a dry garage.
- Padding: a neoprene pad under the cuff stops the strap digging into the wrist on heavy shrugs and rack pulls. Lifters who want the most direct feel of the bar go thinner.
- Stitching: look for box-stitched, reinforced junctions where the loop meets the tail, and retire any strap with torn stitches before it fails mid-pull.
Lasso vs hook vs figure 8 lifting straps: which style?
| Style | Setup | Can you let go fast? | Grip still working | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lasso | Wrap and roll, a few seconds | Yes | Most | All-round default: deadlifts, rows, shrugs, Olympic pulls |
| Hook | Fastest; hook over the bar | Yes | Least | Machine and dumbbell work, fast transitions, lifters who find wrapping fiddly |
| Figure 8 | Fast once learned | No | Very little | Maximal deadlifts, heavy shrugs and holds where the bar will not need dumping |
Figure 8 safety: because the bar is locked to your hands, a figure 8 strap turns a missed rep into one you can’t bail out of. Do not use them for cleans, snatches or anything overhead, and practise setting the bar down under control before trying a max. Lasso straps keep an escape route and still make your hands squeeze, which is why they are the sensible first pair. Hooks take the most work away from your hands, so pair them with some strapless grip work.
Bottom Line: Which Should You Buy?
Most lifters: the Harbinger padded. The comfortable default with cushioned wrists.
Heavy deadlifts and rows: the Gymreapers. Dense webbing with the direct bar feel.
Fast setup or fiddly-wrap haters: the COFOF leather hooks. Seconds to set — at the cost of grip training.
Ready to buy?
Jump straight to our picks on Amazon — check the current price at click-through.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best lifting straps in 2026?
Short answer: the Harbinger Padded Cotton. Its case: neoTek wrist cushioning — the comfort benchmark. Gymreapers Lifting Wrist is the alternative worth comparing, with COFOF Leather Lifting Straps as the best leather / hook style. All picks were verified on their live listings; availability moves, so check before you buy.
Do lifting straps weaken your grip?
Straps used on everything outsource grip work your forearms would otherwise get; straps reserved for the heavy sets where grip is the limiter mostly add back-training volume you were missing. The fix is programming, not avoidance: keep warm-ups and lighter sets strapless.
How do I put on lasso lifting straps?
Thread the tail through the loop to form a cuff around each wrist with the tail exiting palm-side, lay the tail over the bar away from you, then roll the bar toward you to wrap the slack under and around. Cinch by rotating your hand. It feels clumsy for exactly two sessions.
Straps or chalk — which should I get first?
Chalk first: it fixes sweat-slip on every lift and builds grip rather than bypassing it. Straps come second, for the point where even chalked grip fails before your back does. Many pullers use both.
Are straps allowed in powerlifting competitions?
Not on the competition lifts — the deadlift is tested with bare grip (belt and chalk allowed). That is precisely why competitors train some pulls strapless. Straps remain standard in training everywhere, and in strongman events they are often permitted.
Do lifting straps increase how much you can deadlift?
Usually, if grip is your limit. In a 2020 study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 20 men deadlifted 177.0 kg with straps versus 160.6 kg without. A 2023 study of 10 trained women found more reps at 80% of max with straps. The extra load comes from removing the grip limit, so it does not count toward a strapless competition total.
Should you use straps on lat pulldowns?
It makes little difference for most lifters. A 2021 study in Sports Biomechanics found lat pulldown one-rep max was 96.5 kg with straps and 96.6 kg without, with no change in reps to failure or lat muscle activity. Use them if your hands genuinely give out first on high-rep sets; otherwise train the grip.
Are figure 8 lifting straps safe?
They are safe for lifts where you never need to drop the bar quickly, such as heavy deadlifts, shrugs and static holds, once you have practised the setup. They are unsafe for cleans, snatches and overhead work because you cannot release the bar if a rep goes wrong. Lasso straps are the safer first choice.
Do lifting straps build muscle faster?
No study shows that yet. A 2026 review in the International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance found straps can raise maximal strength and grip security, but no consistent effect across pulling exercises and no evidence of better long-term training results. Their practical use is letting you finish heavy sets that your grip would otherwise end.
Sources
- PubMed — The Use of Lifting Straps Alters the Entire Load-Velocity Profile During the Deadlift Exercise (J Strength Cond Res, 2020)
- PubMed — Kinematics and Kinetics of Multiple Sets Using Lifting Straps During Deadlift Training (J Strength Cond Res, 2015)
- PubMed — Trahey et al., The Effect of Lifting Straps on Deadlift Performance in Females (J Strength Cond Res, 2023)
- PubMed — Effects of lifting straps on maximal strength, repetitions and muscle activation in the lat pull-down (Sports Biomech, 2021)
- PubMed — Martins et al., Are Lifting Straps a Game Changer for Resistance Training or an Overrated Tool? (Int J Sports Physiol Perform, 2026)
How We Research
Picks are researched and written by Mike Callahan based on manufacturer specifications, current Amazon listings, and patterns across verified owner reviews — particularly the negative ones. We are not a testing lab and do not claim to be; our full standard is in the editorial policy. Specifications and included accessories vary by listing, so confirm current details at the retailer before buying.
Note: Strap listings are heavily cloned; both lead picks are long-running brand-verified listings, and the leather pick’s brand was confirmed on its product page. Verified on the live listings August 6, 2026.