Buttendz Twirl88 Stick Grip Review
Buttendz Twirl88 Stick Grip Review
Buttendz has recently launched their Twirl88 hockey stick grip grip, a successor to their popular Twirl line. Working with NHL All-Star and Blackhawks superstar Patrick Kane, they looked to produce a grip with a texture most similar to a twirled tape job. Those who read our last blog about hockey grips will be familiar with my tastes (read here for an introductory review on hockey grip products).
The resulting Twirl 88 grip feels like the love-child of Tacki-Mac’s Pro Kane Command Grip and Buttendz grip products, resulting in a texture I adore combined with the puck-feel and pass-dampening properties Buttendz are known for.
First Impressions
The new formulation of Buttendz feels more durable, but has a bit more flexibility. The grips slid on with ease and took barely a few seconds. This was a huge plus, as the thicker material they had previously used on the 2nd batch of the original Twirl grips were very difficult to flex and took a fair amount of work to get over the top of the stick. As with their Fusion grip, the Twirl 88 slid on fairly easily with a bit of twisting work and settled in once I had it in place.
Take a few passes and coasting around our end in warm-ups, the Buttendz grip held up magnificently and felt just as comfortable and natural as the previous Buttendz grips I’ve used. The grip once again provided a tactile texture to improve the hold you have in your palms, but with a smoother twirl pattern and a smaller knob at the top. With a smoother texture, it seemed more likely to improve the lifespan of your glove palms by reducing the friction and movement during stickhandling. Again, this is exactly why "regular" hockey stick tape is inferior to a Buttendz stick grip as you just won't get the feel and benefits of the Twirl88 with regular, cloth tape.
Long-term Game Use
Having had these on my sticks for almost a month now, I couldn’t be happier. The Kane Command Grip was my favourite stick grip pattern, and I was somewhat reluctant to change over to Buttendz’ original Twirl grips, as much as I loved the puck feel and control they provided. The Twirl 88 is possibly the perfect grip for me, and has its technologies have translated to better performance on the ice. Hot passes have become easier to receive; stickhandling feels responsive, but fluid; and I’ve now got such a death grip on my top hand that even the hardest slash couldn’t rid me of my stick.
Having now installed one on every game stick I use, they have held up well and are pretty resistant to wear-and-tear. I’ve tested the grip out on a brand new pair of CCM 4-Roll Pro Stocks with the notoriously delicate digital palms, and the palms still look and feel brand-new after a month of use alongside the Buttendz.
Final Thoughts
Buttendz has really come up with a winning formula with their new Twirl88 stick grip. With more and more players making the shift over to stick grips for their top hands, I like that there’s now arguably a grip and pattern for everyone. We've also seen the Buttendz Twirl88 launch more colours, as the classic white grip will make it much easier to convince even more players to change it up. The final verdict: a solid product, and one that I’m ecstatic to be using.
Tips and Advice
- Be generous with the spray – you want to use around a half of the bottle of adhesive lubricant.
- Use the spray on both the inside of the grip and your stick knob! This will make it a lot easier to slide on.
- Work quick! Slide the opening over the top of the stick, and use a twisting motion to get it slid down. Don’t just try to yank it on, you’ll stretch it out and it won’t work!
The hockey stick accessory revolution is here! Looking forward to having more of you veteran players make the switch and enjoy the immense benefits of the Buttendz .
Cheers!
Jeremy
Blogger, Max-Performance Sports
