Overview
I recently got my hands on (quite literally) the newest product from CompuExpert, Grip it!. Grip it! is an analog stick cover for the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. The promise of the product is to get better control providing comfort and slip prevention. When I play a game, I play for hours at a time usually, so I know all about the problem of comfort and grip with the Xbox 360’s curved inward analog scheme. The main question I had for Grip it! was if it was just a gimmick or does it actually work. Now after many hours of usage, I can give my final answer. For this test I used an Xbox 360 and couple of other controllers for various systems..
Appearance
When you first get the product, the bright colors from the package are visually appealing and I’m sure will make for an easy sale for anyone in need of the accessory. Inside the clever packaging is 4 small covers, 2 black and 2 blue with the frog hand-print logo on each. The appearance isn’t really what matters with Grip it! though, so let’s move on to the next topic.
Application
Applying Grip it! can be a chore for the 360’s analog. The rubber seemed to not want to stretch over it at first. Once I flipped it inside-out, it was easy to simply fold over the analog stick. Once it’s on there it is quite easy to remove if you need to add it to any other controllers and overall once you learn not to fight with it, Grip It! applies quite easily. Once it is applied it does not slip whatsoever and will stay firmly in place. This also applied with perfection to the Gamecube and Playstation controller analog.
Feel
This category is very important as the comfort factor is what this product is all about. I played for hours with a few fighting games and other games with Grip It! attached. I must say I was very impressed as these covers were extremely comfortable and did seem to make things feel more precise which is very important with many games. I have used some covers in the past that actually can be horribly sticky and bulky. This was not the case for these though. The longer I played I soon forgot the Grip-It! covers were even on the controller. The Xbox 360’s analog has a dip in the top which can be it can be easy to slip up on certain commands due to this minor problem, and Grip It eliminated this making it feel full and still remaining comfortable. The Gamecube experience was probably my favorite though as I have never cared for the ripple design on the analog and this option made the stick feel like a whole new experience.
Final Thoughts
Grip It! brought a simple idea of analog covers and truly changed my opinion of the product that I’ve always found to be more of a pain and hassle. The fit is snug and goes on simple for the most part to each analog and I love that older controllers can be used as well. The rubber is also soft and doesn’t cause your fingers to get hot or sweaty allowing for many hours of gameplay you may get to add without discomfort. Like I mentioned, I also felt like Grip It! completely reformed the 360 analog scheme, making it feel more complete and precise with small movements. My true recommendation is for the 3rd party controllers which have the hard and stiff feel to the analog sticks which this product can completely transform the comfort level for instantly. Overall, I am happy I gave this product the time of day as I think I will be adding Grip-It! to all of my other controllers as well. At a price of only $4.99 at many retailers everywhere, these analog grips are perfectly priced to enhance any gamer’s overall experience.
With everything said, I give Grip It!
