With Pull-Up Handles, you decide whichever way you place your grip. There are several good reasons why you might want a set of Pull-Up Handles. One reason could be that you want a neutral-grip option when your Pull-Up Bar has only a straight top bar. Another reason would be to introduce a rotation during the movement, which isn’t possible with rigid top bars or with attached neutral-grip bars. Finally, you might want to use them as gym handles to replace existing ones or create a grip where there wasn’t one. We’ll review the 4 best Pull-Up Handles to determine which you need.
You can also watch my Best Pull-Up Handles review on YouTube:
🔑 Key Takeaways
- Pull-up Handles should allow you to perform neutral-grip exercises, add rotation to your exercises, and serve as gym handles.
- The best Pull-Up Handles are the Kensui Swissies V2 with the Rotators. They are comfortable, suitable for large hands, handle everything from neutral grip to rotation, and fit a myriad of other gym equipment.
- If you just want a grip that adds rotation, the Bullbar grips are the simplest and most budget-friendly option.
- For use as neutral grips, the Kensui Swissies V1 is more stable than its newer V2 brother, but does allow for rotation and is less viable as gym handles.
Pull-Up Handles
There are a bunch of gym handles and Pull-Up Handles, but most of them do the exact same thing. There is also very little difference in quality and price between them. This makes reviewing the best Pull-Up Handles both simple and complicated. It’s simple in that most choices you can make won’t let you down. It’s also complicated because we want to find the best combination, which becomes more difficult when margins are small.
One standout product is the Kensui Swissies V2 with the “Rotators”. This is because the combination of these two provides both neutral and rotating handles at once. It’s important to note that I mean specifically the Kensui Swissies V2, not the V1.
The shape of the grips makes them compatible with many Pull-up Bars. The notch where the bar rests is rubberised to avoid damaging your Calisthenics Equipment. The handles are also rubberised and knurled for a good grip. They feel nice in the hand, and the rubber is of a harder kind, so it won’t squish too much. The grip area is open and has enough room for larger hands as well.
The rotators are simply short straps that loop around the Pull-Up Bar, allowing you to rotate your forearms during the exercise. It’s a very simple, cost-effective solution that works.
You can also use the Kensui Swissies V2 as gym handles, hooking them onto your barbell for a neutral-grip lift. Two lugs (for the rotators) allow carabiners to be attached, for instance, to hook them onto various gym equipment.
The only “downside” to this combination is that it’s the most expensive one. But we’re talking maybe 10 euros more expensive than the other products. I would just fork out that money if you plan to use these grips more than occasionally.
Rotating Pull-Up Handles
If you only want or need rotating Pull-Up Handles, the differences between your choices become even more minor. All of them feature a simple handle with a short strap that can twist, allowing rotation. In this case, since these grips won’t be used for any other exercises, I advise going with the cheapest option. That option would be the Bullbard Pull-Up Handles. These are very simple wooden grips with a strap. The wooden grip feels nice, but the downside is that the strap goes between your fingers.
An alternative is the Kensui 360 Grips. These Pull-Up Handles are superior to the Bullbar version in every way, but they cost more and fully enclose your hand. They fit my hands just right, but if yours are any bigger (and my hands are not particularly big nor burly), the Kensui 360 Grips might be too small.
Neutral Grip Pull-Up Handles
Neutral-grip pull-ups are important for developing upper-arm strength. Many Pull-Up Bars do not come with neutral-grip handles, so getting an extra set of Pull-Up Handles is a quick and cost-effective way to add this option. If that is the only thing you want from your Pull-Up Handles, the Kensui Swissies V1 are your best option.
Unlike the Kensui Swissies V2, the V1 is only suitable as a neutral-grip add-on to your bar. They don’t have lugs and can’t rotate. However, they fit more tightly around the top bar and with less wiggle room, the Kensui Swissies V1 are the more stable platform for your neutral-grip exercises. This tighter fit also means the Kensui Swissies V1 is only suitable for top bars up to 32mm.
For the rest, they feel just like the V2. That makes the Kensui Swissies V1 less versatile, but technically better at just being neutral grips. The Kensui Swissies V1 are also cheaper.
Gym Handles
All of these Pull-Up Handles can be used as Gym Handles. However, the variety of equipment and contraptions you find in the gym means we can’t recommend a single pair of handles for everything. With a little imagination, all of them can be used, though. If a diverse use-case if what you’re after, the Kensui Swissies V2 are again a solid option.
Pricing Overview of the Best Pull-Up Handles
Here is a full overview of the best Pull-Up Handles and our CWW10 discount price:
| Pull-Up Handles | Regular Price | CWW10 Discount Price (est.) |
| Kensui Swissies V2 | €35 | €31,50 |
| Swissies Rotators | €7,- | €6,30 |
| Kensui Swissies V1 | €29,- | €26,10 |
| Bullbar Pull-Up Handles | €25,95 | €26,96 |
| Kensui 360 Grips | €29,- | €26,10 |
Conclusions About the Best Pull-Up Handles
Pull-Up Handles should allow you to do three things: add a neutral grip to your top bar, add rotation to your pull-ups, and, last but least, be useful as gym handles.
The one product that does all of this very well is the Kensui Swissies V2. You get everything you can expect from handles, and it does it all well. The grips themselves also feel nice and are large and open enough for bigger hands.
If you only want or need your handles to do one specific thing, then an alternative to the Kensui Swissies V2 is the Bullbar Handles for rotation and the Kensui Swissies V1 for neutral grips. The Bullbars are by far the cheapest option, and if you’re on a budget in this price category, this is the most cost-effective product. It can also do neutral-grip exercises and be used as gym handles.
The Kensui Swissies V1 are the superior neutral-grip option but lack utility as gym handles because they will only fit bars up to 32mm. For only a little more (in cost), you can get the Kensui Swissies V2, which does everything the V1 and the Bullbars do, but more.
If you want your own set of Pull-Up Handles, be sure to use the code CWW10 for an additional 10% off on your purchase.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Best Pull-Up Handles
Here are a few more frequently asked questions about the best Pull-Up Handles:
Which handles to use for pull-ups?
The best pull-up handles for pull-ups are the Kensui Swissies V2. These can be attached to any bar for a neutral grip. If you also get the rotator straps, you can also do rotating pull-ups.
Should you use grips for pull-ups?
You use grips like pull-up handles for pull-ups only some of the time. These handles give you a neutral grip option and/or the option to make rotating movements with your forearm while doing pull-ups. These movements activate other muscles in your arms and shoulders, but should be in addition to regular pull-ups and chin-ups.
