Grip friction tape

[NMShooter]

I've got to get a better grip. I've got aluminum grips on a couple of my pistols and they're too slick, pretty but slick. I know a lot of shooters use skate board friction tape, but before I order anything I'd like to hear from those of you who have added this to your pistol grips, how it worked out, where you bought it etc. I've got pretty tough hands so I'm not worried about it giving me problems there. I want to apply it to the front and rear straps, and on the off hand grip especially. Thanks

[twowheels]

I got some at home depot and have it on a bunch of my pistols including many of my CZs.  Works like a charm.  I'm sure you could score a roll mail order if you don't want to go into a store. 

[Boris_LA]

I find skateboard tape too agressive for my hands and much prefer GT-5000 grip tape. Bought from Amazon. I also use factory rubber grips on all my CZs. Strips GT-5000 on the front and the back.

[RoverSig]

I have had great success using 3M "safety walk and ladder tread tape," such as this example:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/3M-2-in-x-15-ft-Safety-Walk-Step-and-Ladder-Tread-Tape-7635NA/100132176

You can find this at Home Depot, Lowe's, ACE Hardware, etc., or by mail order.   This is similar to "skater tape" but perhaps a bit less aggressive and, I believe, cheaper to buy in this format.

I cut out the size pieces I want -- typically, to place on a smooth front strap -- to help me get a better grip on the pistol.   It is abrasive but not too much so.  A 15 foot roll of it goes a really long way. 

[M1A4ME]

I put skateboard tape on the front of my wife's satin nickel CZ75 Compact (it was really slick) till we got the newer rubber grip panels for it.  After that the tape wasn't needed.

I know you have the pretty aluminum grips on it but it you're having issues holding/gripping the pistol maybe you could better use different grips. 

I see folks here share pictures of their pistols with a slip on rubber sleeve that improves "traction" between skin and pistol frame/grips panels.  If you find you don't like them they aren't too hard to remove.

[tdogg]

Are you deadset on aluminum grips?  If you want a better grip then LOK bogies are the ticket.  I prefer the standard profile but they sell a thin, standard, and palmswell variant in the Bogie grip.  They are aggressive but work well.

https://lokgrips.com/cz-gun-grips/cz-75/standard/bogies

Cheers,
Toby

[NMShooter]

Thanks for the replies. Think I'll go to the hardware store and get some friction tape and go from there. Lok grips is a good alternative, I have a couple of pistols with those grips.

[mrvip27]

Lok Bogies or Silicon Carbide treatment 

[gmar]

Other than cost, is there an advantage of the grip tape over something like the talon grip that’s made for your specific gun?

[dbarn]

Recently I had Jason make a set of grips for my SP-01 Tactical that have just been outstanding. I ordered the LOK palm swell bogies Shadow 2 cut (thin at the top) in extra thickness of .40" (next level of thickness). I requested that the grips be as aggressive as possible.

Jason stated that with the extra thickness he could make the holes deeper (per request) creating a very aggressive grip. Holy cow if you did not have calluses before, you will now. I absolutely love them and he's now working on an identical set for my SP-01 Shadow Orange. 

[recoilguy]

as cheap as grip tape or skateboard tape or step tape is and as easy as it is to put on and then take off
you should just try it.

I have it (step and ladder grip) on every gun I own now. I have used skateboard tape I stole from my kids backpack before.

It all works great and helps a lot and can be placed exactly where your hand requires it to be on the frame.

LOK grips are very nice and helpful as well add a strip or 2 of tape and your hand will not unless you want it too.

RCG

[woodsracer1]

I have used Talon Grips on a couple of my Polymer guns and it works good and easy to modify

[RoverSig]

Other than cost, is there an advantage of the grip tape over something like the talon grip that’s made for your specific gun?

Talon Grips is known for making grip material that is cut specifically for particular pistols, to cover grip and frame areas that need better grippiness, and they are good at that.  With their pre-cut material, it is easy to apply correctly. 

The surface of the Talon material is pretty grippy.  Some of the tread tape/safety tape is probably rougher or grippier so you might find it works better than the Talon tape in specific applications.  But you would have to make it fit the actual grip by cutting it specifically for the pistol in question. 

Skater tape/tread tape is ideal (and cheaper) for use if you want it to cover those locations where it can easily be cut to fit, such as relatively flat areas.   For me, it is ideal for use on front straps on CZ's.  It would be harder to fit it to areas where there are compound curves.

Link below shows a piece of tread tape on the front strap of a CZ-75BD - this is the perfect application for it -- easy to fit and get just right.   The smaller piece on the back strap was a little harder to fit correctly (because of the curve).  The thin G-10 grips are from LOK.

https://imgur.com/a/NAxhKt3