Egrips Review Updated

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Product Requirements:
Device:
Reviewed for Palm Zire 71 and Innopocket Aluminum case for Zire 71 – available for just about anything!
Also reviewed for Tungsten T|3

One of the few complaints about the Zire 71 that is almost universal among users is that its casing is very slippery to hold.

Enter Egrips. Egrips are custom made for many different electronic devices, including the Zire 71. Made from a very “grippy” rubber, Egrips use a special adhesive that is easily removable if you want to take them off or change them for a different design.

The website description is: “Egrips is comprised of an adhesive backed graphic design or color (the possibilities are endless!) covered with a clear rubber layer that grips on virtually any surface.”

I was contacted last week by Fred Antonini who asked me if I wanted to review the 4th generation eGrips they were just releasing. I told him I would be thrilled to as I was very impressed by the 3rd generation ones and was anxious to see what changes had been made. I personally didn’t think that Fred and Cheryl could have done that much to improve eGrips as they were pretty darn good IMO to begin with. Was I wrong.

They come in many different styles for many different devices. (I chose plain vanilla silver) In fact, the website states that if you can’t find your device, contact them and they’ll see what they can do.

I have used 3m grip tape for years on my Rhinoskin cases and when I first received my Innopocket case, that was the first thing I added. While functional, the grip tape was not very attractive. So when I first read about the Egrips I was immediately intrigued. I sent off my $9.95 US and waited patiently for my custom made Egrips to arrive.

egrips1

When the package arrived, I anxiously opened it up and carefully read the directions before applying. Nicely packaged, the Egrips were nicer than I had expected. Egrips thoughtfully even provided a small alcohol wipe to clean the surface of your device before applying.

egrips7  egrips2

egrips8

New Packaging! New design for Z71!

They still include the alcohol wipe, and the package is basically the same, but the eGrips are now on heavier plastic that you peel them off of. The Zire 71 cut out has been completely re-designed to fit the Z71 much better The side grips are much wider and the back piece is thinner.

I carefully applied them to both my Zire 71 and my Innopocket aluminum case. I used the smooth surface on the Zire 71 and the rough surface on the case. The smooth surface Egrips are .017 inches thick and the dimpled surface Egrips are .022 inches thick. While not as slippery as the Zire 71 case itself, the Innopocket case could sure benefit from the Egrips as well.

eGrips no longer offers the smooth surface, they only offer the dimpled surface – BUT – the 4th generation dimpled eGrips are now the same thickness as the smooth surfaced 3rd generation ones – .017 inches thick. It is a difference you can definitely feel. Much improved!

Once applied they added a sense of security when holding my devices that was amazing! They not only make them easier to securely hold, but when you place them on a surface they don’t slide around at all! This will really enhance the safety of your device both when you are holding it and if / when you put it on desk or table.

egrips3 egrips4 egrips11

New 4th gen design next to old 3rd gen design

This would also be a very useful feature if you applied these to a cell phone. It would keep it from sliding around on the dash, or the seat or a table as well as when you hold it.

egrips5

Fred Antonini and Cheryl Marshall are the owners of Flexible Innovations, the makers of Egrips, and they are very nice people. Not only did they send me the samples shown above after I had purchased my original set of Egrips, but they included a ‘generic’ sampler for use on any device.

I applied this generic sparkly Egrip to my GameboyAdvance SP. Very sharp! Thanks Fred and Cheryl! I love it!

egrips6

I would like to state on record that the Egrips product is probably one of the most useful items I have ever purchased for my Palm PDA, and now consider it an essential add-on to my PDA accessories right alongside a custom stylus and a hard case.

Highly, highly recommended.

The 4th generation eGrips are now much more durable utilizing a better adhesive to keep the bonded film together longer. While I had no problems with my 3rd generation eGips – I can see how this would benefit the longevity of the product. The 4th gen eGrips fit much better inside the Innopocket case of my Zire71, they slip easier into the case and yet are still there to provide a firm grip whenever I remove the Z71 from the Innopocket.

egrips10
closeup of thinner version of dimpled eGrips, 4th generation

As I have upgraded to a Tungsten T3 and “inherited” my Z71 to my wife, Fred and Cheryl sent me a very nice 4th gen set of eGrips for my T3 as well.

The design has also been changed on the T3 eGrips, providing better side panels than the older cut-outs did. The Tungsten T3 is a very slippery metal and the eGrips have made my T3 feel *much* more secure in my hands than it did before.

egrips12
4th generation eGrips on Tungsten T3

Just before finishing this update to the review – Fred sent me another note with some great information – “

we actually lowered our prices in that now Dimpled is standard and colors/graphics other than Black or Silver are only $1 more (with the exception of the Treo 600 selective Black back/Silver sides for $3 more).”

As an added value, eGrips also supports the GetBack program. Once you receive a GetBack sticker, you can remove a small space on the back of the main panel of the eGrips and the GetBack sticker will fit perfectly in the space that is left behind. A GetBack information card is included in the package for every eGrips.

egrips9
Closeup of the GetBack space provide for in the 4th gen eGrips.

The 4th generation eGrips have actually done what I thought impossible, improve upon a stellar product. I cannot stress more strongly how essential I feel this product is to enhance the security of any electronic device you handle frequently. The feeling of security while holding any electronic object that is equipped with eGrips is unparalleled.

Price: $9.95 for smooth black or silver, add a
$1.00 for dimpled surface and another $1.00 if you choose a custom color. NEW PRICE $9.95 for standard dimpled black or silver, add $1.00 for other graphics except for Treo 600 with selective black/silver sides for $3.00 more.)

 

Product Information

Price:$9.95
Manufacturer:Egrips
Pros:
  • Well crafted and useful product.
  • Custom made for many devices.
  • Adds security to your PDA or case when held in your hand or set down.
  • Reasonably priced.
  • Great support from developers
  • Improved a stellar product by making it thinner, cheaper and more durable! You can't ask for more!
Cons:
  •  
  • None

27 thoughts on “Egrips Review Updated”




  1. Gadgeteer Comment Policy - Please read before commenting
  2. Very good product and a very good product review! 🙂

    The website is really awful! It looks half finished and tries to present itself in your language (probably because it “reads” wher your IP is from) but it really doesn’t work.
    Half english, half german and no real catalog.

    EGrips

    Too bad!

  3. How thick are the grips? would a device still fit in a case, i.e. would my 1945 still fit in my E&B case or my Handheld Planet slip case with these grips on the sides and back? Are the dimpled ones a lot thicker than the flat?

  4. Thank you for the kind compliments!

    The smooth surface Egrips are .017 inches thick and the dimpled surface Egrips are .022 inches thick

    The smooth surface ones while thinner, tend to be grippier. I have the thin ones on my wife’s Zire (I’ve now upgraded to the T3!:D ) and the Zire can slip slowly and carefully into the Innopocket case.

    I have already applied egrips to my T3 and they are wonderful!

    Dwayne Wilson

  5. Say, any word if they’ve got Egrips suitable for my GBA SP’s Rhinoskin? It’s a nice case, but I find it a tad slippery to hold at the bottom, especially if my hands get even a wee bit damp due to perspiration.

    Any suggestions as to colors that compliment silver? 😀

  6. Send ’em an email and they’ll tell you what will work!

    I would recommend using the standard GameBoy SP egrips. They make them specifically for the unit. Should work fine.

    Dwayne Wilson

  7. Here are pictures of my T3 with the egrips attached. I used the generics ones and cut them to fit.

    Dwayne Wilson

    Back view

  8. @ wilsondm2
    Looks good! I need to do that too. The t3 is too slippery.

    General question @ wilsondm2 and all others using Egrips:

    When you try to stuff the unit in your pocket (no matter which Palm unit) does it get stuck in the upper regions easier and is harder to press in your pockets than without the Egrips?
    I’m asking since I tend to shove the T into my pockets in Summer very often.
    I figure with the Egrips the unit would get stuck and be a hassle to get in your, say, jeans pocket…

    Any comments and real world experience?

  9. Well, I guess it would depend on whether your pants were 80’s tight or not!?! <grin>

    I sometimes put my T3 in my pants or in my shirt and it seems ok to me. But I guess if the pants were too tight it would rub the egrips off.

  10. I ordered the general purpose pack based upon what you wrote in the original review and the only quibble I had was there is now a logo on one of the bigger pieces that wasn’t on the set you reviewed, and also wasn’t shown at their website.

    I just get tired of all the branding on everything we buy nowdays, which is why I never would buy a case from Krussel or E&B (because of the big metal logo attached to the front).

    I emailed them and Fred and I had a nice discussion where he said he has to have the logo on them to protect his patent. I don’t know if that’s the case or not but I appreciated the reply.
    I prefer a low key look so I was really glad I had ordered the general purpose pack. At least I can cut off the logo part if I want.

    Glad to see your review has the updated pictures that show the logo. 🙂

  11. Currently, they’re on sale (the older egrips) for $3.33 each (min $9.99 per order) so I’m going to try them out.

    http://www.egripsclearance.com/catalog/default.php

    Just ordered mine today. But they say it’s going to take 3 weeks for delivery. 🙁 😮

    Thanks to Judie and this site for a great review since my decision is partly due to the review and of course, the clearance price.

  12. Based on the original review, I orded e-grips for my cellphone, T/T, and my laptop. I did get three sets in the mail, but two were substitutes as the colors/styles I ordered weren’t in stock. A handwritten note said that the actual ones I ordered would be sent when they arrived at no charge.

    Nice touch. But it’s been weeks now and never have received the original ones I ordered.

    The e-grips for the cellphone (SE T68i) are FANTASTIC. They fit perfectly and really hold it wherever I put it down. Unfortunately, it’s in a kind of electric disco blue gilt, which usually draws a few looks when I plonk it down on a conference room table.

    If you get what you ordered, you’ll be pleased with them.

    Leo

  13. Just got my egrips in the mail today. Wow. It only took a week. I was quite surprised since they did say 3 weeks for delivery. The egrips are very nice. I got what I ordered in the colors I ordered.

    The egrips are very nice. They’re very easy to apply and if you make a mistake, you can easily re-apply and it sticks well. It sticks surprisingly well, considering that the adhesive doesn’t seem to be that “sticky”. I feel okay knowing that I can easily remove them if I ever need to without worrying about the gummy residue left behind.

    My only complaint is that the egrip for the Zire 71 tends to cover up the entire back of the unit, including the serial sticker area. I would have liked if they had done a cut out for that area like they did for a portion of the area where the actual serial number would be. I ended up cutting up my egrip because I have my BoomerangIt sticker on the back of my Zire 71 and didn’t want to cover that up.

    Otherwise, it’s working good. I love being able to hold my Zire 71 securely now without worrying that it’ll slip off my hand.

  14. There’s a disclaimer on the egrips site that says:

    ITEMS SOLD ON THIS WEBSITE HAVE AN EXPECTED LIMITED DURABILITY OF 3-8 WEEKS

    I don’t think I’ll bother.

    Doug

  15. I read that before I ordered but I bought anyway because my Tungsten T2 is so slippery I felt I had to do something. I tried to help the egrips last by not doing things that would cause the two layers to separate from each other, like forcing the PDA into a tight fitting case, etc.

    Even with that, I noticed today that there is one corner that has started separating.

    I thought they would last a bit longer with some TLC, but then I got the old version. About a week after I got mine they came out with the newer version that is supposed to last longer. :\

  16. I agree with the comments on the lack of stickiness or durability of the older version egrips. Unfortunately, parts of my egrip has already come off and now, even the sticky adhesive part is coming off too. I might start thinking about possibly using fine sandpaper and filing parts where I will be holding my Zire 71 so that it isn’t so slippery. Well, that is, once I run out of my egrips.

    I think part of my problem is that I have my Zire 71 in the original Palm case and remove it and put it back frequently, which may cause rubbing and thus make the egrips easier to come off. Perhaps those who put them in a hard case may not have such a problem? Considering that I only paid $3.33 each for the clearance price, I really can’t be complaining.

  17. Hi there

    Can anybody direct my to a site where I can buy those strips?

    I really need them. But the official website is only partly finished, they don’t answer mails asking for support und the catalogue consists only of generic items.

    Help very much appreciated

    Daniel

  18. I finally got through to Fred Antonini who was VERY helpful and responsive. He offered me payment through Paypal. That’s what I did. Now, I’m awaiting delivery.

    Greets

    Daniel

  19. Just got some egrips (wrapback for the Treo 600) in the mail today and whoa– they are awesome!

    Since the 4th gen grips have been out for awhile. Does anyone know how long I can expect them to last (aside from the 8 week disclaimer, of course)?

  20. Sure. My recommendation is to get the generic ones rather than the one specific for your device and cut small pieces where you normally hold the Palm. That way, you can maximize the length of time between getting replacements. They will come off after time.

    The other alternative is to get the Flexiskin type covers that you fit over the Palm that will give you a better grip.

    I’m pretty satisfied with my egrips. They work.

  21. In my search to find a retailer for e grips, google led me to this review. I was pleased to find the mfg’s site as well as reading others thoughts here. I got my first e grip universal kit at Radio Shack a few years ago for my Dell Axim X51v. I later bought 3more kits for a variety of devices. I only had two pieces come lose, and I am happy to say I am ordering more today. It would be nice to find them locally.

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