Quick answer: a replacement grip is the base wrap on the handle itself — thicker, tackier, built to last months. An overgrip is a thin layer wrapped on top of it — cheap, disposable, built to be swapped every few sessions. Most regular players use both together.
What is a replacement grip?
This is what comes on the racket from the factory. It sits directly on the handle, is roughly 1.5–1.8mm thick, and is designed to give the underlying comfort and tack that your hand feels through everything else. Replacement grips wear out unevenly — shiny patches, thinning, or a slick feel that no longer absorbs sweat — because they are not meant to be changed often.
What is an overgrip?
An overgrip is a thin (0.5–0.7mm) tacky wrap you apply on top of the replacement grip. It is cheap, sold in packs of 3–30, and exists purely to be replaced constantly — most club players change theirs every 1–4 weeks, more often in summer or if they sweat heavily.
Why use both?
- Cost: overgrips cost a fraction of a replacement grip, so it is far cheaper to bin a damp, worn overgrip weekly than to strip the whole handle back down.
- Feel: the replacement grip underneath keeps its shape and cushioning far longer than any surface layer would alone.
- Hygiene: a fresh overgrip every few sessions keeps the racket feeling clean without disturbing the base layer.
When do you actually need a replacement grip?
Change the replacement grip itself when: it has visible tears or bald patches, it has gone hard and slick no matter how many overgrips you have added on top, or you want to change your grip size (adding a replacement grip is the only way to meaningfully bulk up a handle — an overgrip alone adds only about 1/16 inch). Most regular players replace it once or twice a year; occasional players can go two to three years.
How to tell which one you are buying
Packaging is the easiest tell: replacement grips are sold individually or in twin packs and specify a grip size (e.g. Grip 2, 3, 4). Overgrips are sold in multipacks, do not list a handle size, and are marketed by tackiness, thickness or dry/sweat-resistant feel (Yonex Super Grap, Wilson Pro Overgrip, Babolat VS Grip and similar).
Our recommendation
Fit one quality replacement grip when your handle first needs attention, then keep a multipack of overgrips on hand and change them little and often. It is the cheapest, simplest way to keep a racket feeling new between restrings.