The Gymreapers Figure 8 Lifting Straps eliminate the wrap-and-loop ritual of traditional straps, using a pre-formed nylon figure-8 loop that your hand slides into and locks under load for instant, bomb-proof grip on deadlifts, rack pulls, and strongman work. You do not wrap. You do not cinch. You drop your hand through, grab the bar, and the strap takes over. This is the deadlift-specific answer for lifters whose grip fails before their back does.
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Safety Disclaimer: Figure-8 straps lock your grip onto the bar. In an emergency, you cannot let go. Use only on exercises where a failed rep allows you to drop the bar safely (deadlifts, rack pulls, shrugs). Never use figure-8 straps on overhead presses, bench press, or any movement where the bar could pin you.
The Specs: Heavy-Duty Nylon, Figure-8 Design, One-Size-Fits-Most
The Gymreapers Figure 8 Lifting Straps are built from heavy-duty nylon webbing with reinforced stitching at every stress point, designed to handle the heaviest pulls a lifter can produce. The figure-8 loop is pre-sewn, meaning there is no buckle, no velcro, and no adjustment mechanism. You either fit the loop or you do not.
- Material: Thick nylon webbing with doubled-over reinforced stitching at the wrist loop and the bar-contact section. No padding, no foam. Nylon does not stretch under load the way cotton can, which matters when the bar is bending.
- Design: A pre-sewn figure-8 loop. Your hand goes through one loop, and the other loop wraps around the bar. When you pull, tension locks the strap tight around both the wrist and the bar simultaneously. No wrapping, no cinching, no second guessing.
- Fit: One size, intended to fit most wrist sizes. The wrist loop measures roughly 4 to 5 inches in circumference when relaxed, stretching snugly around the wrist under load. If you have very large wrists or plan to wear wrist wraps underneath, check the fit before committing.
- Color Options: Available in black, camo, and a few accent colors. Gymreapers branding is subtle and embossed rather than printed, which means it does not peel.
- Pair: Sold as a pair, one strap per hand. You use them together on bilateral pulls or individually for single-arm work like dumbbell rows or trap-bar deadlifts.
The figure-8 analogy: Traditional straps are like tying your shoes — wrap, cross, loop, pull. Figure-8 straps are like slip-on boots. You step in and go. The second you load the bar, everything locks. The second you set the bar down, you are free.
Who Needs Figure-8 Straps, and Who Should Stick with Traditional Straps
Figure-8 straps are a specialized tool for a specific kind of lifter. They are not an upgrade for everyone. Find your row.
- The Deadlift-Focused Powerlifter: Your grip is the limiting factor in your pull. Your back and legs can handle 600, but your fingers give out at 500. Figure-8 straps bypass grip entirely. The bar goes where your posterior chain takes it. For lifters chasing proven strategies to build strength and mass, removing the grip bottleneck is step one.
- The Strongman Athlete: Events like deadlift for reps, axle bar, frame carries, and farmer’s walks punish grip endurance. Figure-8 straps let you focus on moving the implement rather than fighting to hold it. Performance-focused athletes love these for max-load sessions where grip is never the intended training variable.
- The High-Volume Puller: Doing 5 sets of heavy rack pulls or snatch-grip deadlifts? Traditional straps eat time between sets with wrapping and unwrapping. Figure-8 straps are in-and-out in one second flat. Speed between sets adds up. For anyone running a training periodization block with heavy volume, seconds per set compound across weeks.
- The Lifter with Hand or Finger Issues: Arthritis, tendonitis, or previous hand injuries that make gripping painful. Figure-8 straps transfer the load to the wrist, bypassing the fingers entirely. Combined with proper arm and wrist recovery strategies, they let injured lifters keep pulling.
You should skip figure-8 straps if:
- You still need grip training: Figure-8 straps are a bypass, not a training tool. If your grip is weak and you want to fix it, train it directly. Forearm development and grip work belong in your program long before you reach for straps as a crutch.
- You do overhead or bench work: Figure-8 straps are dangerous for overhead pressing and bench press. A failed rep means you are attached to the bar with no way to bail. Traditional straps or bare hands are the safer call here.
- You prefer the feel of traditional straps: Some lifters never adjust to the locked-in sensation of figure-8 straps. You cannot loosen your grip mid-pull. You cannot readjust. That psychological comfort matters more than most people admit.
- You compete in tested powerlifting federations: Many federations ban figure-8 straps in competition. Train your raw grip and maximize your power output without relying on gear you cannot use on the platform.
Pros and Cons: The Honest Breakdown
The Advantages
- Instant setup: Drop hand through loop, grab bar, pull. No wrapping. No fumbling. Seconds saved between every set.
- Bomb-proof connection: The figure-8 self-tightens under load. It does not slip. It does not loosen mid-rep. The strap and the bar become one assembly.
- No grip fatigue: Zero finger recruitment needed. Your hands are essentially hooks. The posterior chain does all the work. This is a game-changer for smarter muscle workouts where grip was the weak link.
- Durable nylon construction: Gymreapers uses heavy stitching and thick webbing. These outlast multiple pairs of cotton or polyester straps.
- Great for single-arm work: Dumbbell rows, one-arm deadlifts, suitcase carries. The figure-8 locks in and stays put regardless of hand position.
The Trade-offs
- No emergency release: You cannot let go of the bar mid-rep. If something goes wrong, you are attached until you safely lower the weight. Not for benching or pressing. Ever.
- One-size limitation: No adjustability. If the wrist loop is too loose or too tight for your anatomy, you are out of luck.
- Less versatile than traditional straps: Traditional straps work for rows, pulldowns, curls, and presses. Figure-8 straps work for pulling movements only.
- Not competition-legal in most feds: If you train specifically for tested powerlifting meets, you will need to track your raw grip progress without assistance.
- Learning curve on release: After a heavy set, the straps can tension-lock. You sometimes have to twist your wrist or shift the bar angle to get free.
The Field: Figure-8 vs. Traditional vs. Cobra vs. Hook Grip
Figure-8 straps are one option in a wider grip-assistance ecosystem. Here is how the major categories stack up against each other.
| Strap Type | Setup Time | Grip Bypass | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Figure-8 (Gymreapers) | 1 second | Total | Deadlift, strongman, heavy singles |
| Traditional Cotton/Nylon Straps | 5-10 seconds | Partial | General pulling, rows, pulldowns, beginner-friendly |
| Cobra / Lock-Jaw Straps | 3-5 seconds | Moderate | Quick-release deadlift work |
| Hook Grip (no straps) | 0 seconds | None (painful) | Olympic lifting, competition-ready |
| Chalk Only (no straps) | 0 seconds | None | Light to moderate pulling, grip training |
The Gymreapers figure-8 wins on speed and security, loses on versatility and safety in pressing movements. Traditional straps are the all-rounder. Hook grip is the competition standard for Olympic lifters. Pick based on what you actually pull, not what looks cool.
The ugly truth about grip: Figure-8 straps do not train your grip. They eliminate it. If you are a competitive powerlifter whose deadlift is 700+ pounds and grip is the only bottleneck, these are a godsend. If you are pulling 315 and your hands give out, you need dedicated grip and forearm training, not a bypass device. Build the foundation first. Add the straps later.
FAQ
- Are Gymreapers Figure 8 straps safe for deadlifts?
- Yes, for deadlifts, rack pulls, shrugs, and similar exercises where you can safely drop the bar at the bottom. Never use them for bench press, overhead press, or incline movements. If you fail a rep on a deadlift, you let go of the bar and step back. With figure-8 straps, you are already attached. On deadlifts, the bar falls forward and clears your legs. On bench press, you are trapped. Proper recovery tools will not save you from a bad equipment choice.
- Do these work for dumbbell rows and farmer’s carries?
- Yes. The figure-8 loop works on any implement you can get the strap around — barbells, dumbbells, trap bars, axle bars, and handles. For single-arm walking farmer’s carries, the strap eliminates grip fatigue so you can focus on core stability and loaded locomotion.
- Can I wear wrist wraps underneath figure-8 straps?
- Possibly, but the fit gets tight. The wrist loop is a fixed size. If you wrap your wrists first, the figure-8 may not slide on or may sit too high on the forearm. Test the setup before a heavy session. For lifters working on building bigger, stronger arms, the wrist-wrap-plus-strap combo can crowd valuable real estate.
- How do I get them off after a heavy set?
- After you set the bar down, tension releases. Sometimes the nylon locks and you need to rotate your wrist toward your thumb (externally rotate) to break the friction. A quick flick of the wrist and the loop loosens. It becomes second nature after two or three sessions.
- Do figure-8 straps wear out?
- Yes, eventually. The nylon webbing and stitching are durable, but heavy use at extreme weights wears the bar-contact section over months or years. Check the webbing for fraying, especially where the strap contacts the knurling. The stitching around the wrist loop is the first to go. For post-pull recovery, consider fast-digesting protein and active recovery protocols to handle the systemic fatigue of heavy pulling.
- Should I use these on every pulling day?
- No. Reserve figure-8 straps for your heaviest working sets and max-effort pulls. Use your warm-up sets and lighter pulling work to train raw grip. Balance rest-day recovery and grip adaptation by rotating strapped and unstrapped sessions across your training week.
Final Verdict: The Specialized Tool for Lifters Who Have Outgrown Their Grip
The Gymreapers Figure 8 Lifting Straps are not a beginner’s accessory. They are the final answer for the lifter whose grip is the only thing standing between them and a heavier deadlift. The build quality is solid — thick nylon, reinforced stitching, no cheap velcro to fail. The figure-8 design delivers on its promise of instant engagement and zero-slip security. If you pull heavy and you want your grip to stop being the conversation, these are the tool.
But understand the limitation: You cannot press in these. You cannot bail easily. You are committing to every rep before it starts. Keep traditional straps in your bag for smarter, more versatile training sessions, and break these out when the bar needs to move and your hands need to shut up and hold on. Pair them with a quality post-workout protein to fuel the recovery from the heavy pulls these straps unlock.
Drop In. Grab. Pull. No Wrap. No Slip. No Excuses.
Gymreapers Figure 8 Lifting Straps. Heavy-duty nylon. Instant engagement. Built for deadlifts, strongman, and the heaviest pulls of your life. Your grip is no longer the bottleneck.
*Product specs and pricing subject to change. Verify on the live listing. Use figure-8 straps only for pulling exercises where you can safely drop the bar. Never for pressing movements.
The Lexicon: Figure 8 Lifting Strap Edition
- Figure-8 Loop
- A pre-sewn nylon loop in the shape of an ‘8.’ One loop goes around the wrist, the other wraps the bar. Under tension, the shape self-tightens. No knots, no velcro, no buckles.
- Grip Bypass
- The mechanical function of figure-8 straps that transfers the load from the fingers and palm to the wrist and forearm. The lifter’s hand becomes a passive connector rather than an active clamp.
- Self-Tightening
- As the bar is loaded, the figure-8 geometry pulls the wrist loop tighter and the bar loop tighter simultaneously. The heavier the pull, the tighter the connection. The opposite of traditional straps, which can loosen between reps.
- Bar-Contact Webbing
- The section of the strap that sits between the bar and the hand. On Gymreapers straps, this is reinforced nylon. Cheaper straps use cotton that frays against knurling. Nylon resists abrasion significantly longer.
- Knurling Wear
- The friction point where the strap rubs against the bar’s knurling. Aggressive knurling (Texas bar, Ohio Power Bar) will wear straps faster than passive knurling (bearing bars, chrome bars). Inspect your straps monthly if you pull on aggressive knurl.