Best Lifting Straps 2026: Lasso, Figure-8 and Hooks

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Tuesday night, back day, ten weeks out from her first local show. Her lats still have three good reps in them on the last heavy set of barbell rows, but her fingers are opening and the bar is starting to roll. She sets it down, wraps a pair of worn cotton straps around the bar, and finishes the set the way her back wanted to. That’s what the best lifting straps are for: they take grip out of the equation on pulling work so the muscle you’re training does the work. Below are six real straps, hooks and grips sold in 2026, how lasso, figure-8 and hook designs differ, and when each one makes sense.

Prices change often. The prices below are what we saw at the maker or a major retailer in October 2026; check the current price before you buy.

Our top picks

Lifting straps compared

Product	Type	Material	Key feature	About (Oct 2026)
Gymreapers Lifting Wrist Straps	Lasso	Cotton, neoprene pad	18 in long, wraps most handles	$15
Harbinger Padded Cotton	Lasso	Cotton, NeoTek pad	21.5 in long, 1.5 in wide	$12
Iron Bull Figure 8	Figure-8	Cotton web	1/4 in thick, 3 sizes	$25
SBD Figure 8	Figure-8	Kevlar-reinforced webbing	Tightens as the bar loads	$50
Harbinger Lifting Hooks	Hook	Metal, neoprene cuff	Adjustable hook position	$37
Versa Gripps PRO	Grip pad	No-slip grip material, foam	Let go to drop the bar	$80

The best lifting straps for 2026

1. Gymreapers Lifting Wrist Straps: best overall

These are the classic lasso straps you’ll see on half the benches in any bodybuilding gym: a loop goes around your wrist, the tail wraps around the bar, and you twist the bar to cinch it tight. Gymreapers uses 18-inch heavy cotton webbing with neoprene padding where the strap sits on the wrist. Lasso straps work on barbells, dumbbells, cable handles and machine grips, which is why they’re the most useful single strap for back and trap work. About $15.

• Good: cheap, works on almost any handle, and quick to release by untwisting.
• Watch out: takes a few seconds to wrap each set; cotton wears out with heavy use.
• Best for: rows, pulldowns, shrugs, rack pulls and dumbbell work.

Check the Gymreapers lifting straps price on Amazon

2. Harbinger Padded Cotton Lifting Straps: best budget

Harbinger’s padded straps are the same lasso design for a few dollars less. They’re 21.5 inches long, longer than many straps, so you can wrap a thick dumbbell handle more than once, and 1.5 inches wide to spread the load across the bar. A NeoTek cushion sits between the strap and your wrist. The pair weighs just over 2 ounces, so they disappear into a gym bag. About $12.

• Good: lowest price here; extra length for thick handles.
• Watch out: the long tail can be fiddly on a thin barbell until you get the wrap down.
• Best for: a first pair, or a spare pair for the car.

Check the Harbinger padded lifting straps price on Amazon

3. Iron Bull Strength Figure 8 Straps: best figure-8 for deadlifts

A figure-8 strap is one loop folded into an 8: one end goes over your hand, the middle goes under the bar, and the other end comes back over your hand. Nothing to wrap, and the bar is effectively tied to your wrists. Iron Bull’s version is a 1.5-inch wide, 1/4-inch thick cotton web with double stitching, and it comes in three sizes based on wrist measurement (there’s a chart in the listing photos). That makes it popular for heavy deadlifts, rack pulls and shrugs, where the weight is high and you set the bar down rather than drop it. About $25.

• Good: very secure; fast to put on once you know how.
• Watch out: you can’t let go quickly; sizing matters, so measure your wrist first.
• Best for: the heaviest pulls of the week: deadlifts, rack pulls, heavy shrugs.

Check the Iron Bull figure 8 straps price on Amazon

4. SBD Figure 8 Lifting Straps: best premium figure-8

SBD makes powerlifting equipment, and its figure-8 strap is the upmarket choice here. SBD says the webbing has Kevlar filament woven into spun fibers, stronger than standard nylon straps while keeping a soft, cotton-like feel. The strap sits flat against the base of the hand and tightens on the wrist as the bar loads. They’re made in Sheffield, England. SBD’s size guide: measure from the base of your palm to the gap between your middle and ring fingers, add half your wrist width, and go one size up if you’ll use them on an axle bar. About $50.

• Good: tough webbing; clear sizing method.
• Watch out: twice the price of the Iron Bull for the same basic design.
• Best for: lifters who pull heavy every week and want one pair to last.

Check the SBD figure 8 straps price on Amazon

5. Harbinger Lifting Hooks: best hooks

Hooks skip the wrapping completely: a padded cuff goes around your wrist and a metal hook sits in front of your palm, so the bar hangs on the hook instead of your fingers. Harbinger’s hooks are extra wide to fit most bars, have a coating to bite the bar, a neoprene wrist cuff, and an adjustable hook position for different hand sizes. Because you just slide them under the handle, many bodybuilders like hooks for high-rep back work, pulldowns and shrugs where you’d otherwise spend half your rest wrapping straps. About $37.

• Good: fastest on and off; nothing to wrap between sets.
• Watch out: your fingers barely work, so the bar can shift; less secure than a strap on very heavy, explosive pulls.
• Best for: pulldowns, cable rows, shrugs and machine work.

Check the Harbinger lifting hooks price on Amazon

6. Versa Gripps PRO: best quick-release grip

Versa Gripps are a different idea: a wrist cuff with a flap of grippy material that folds over the bar under your fingers. You still close your hand, but the material does much of the holding, and when you open your hand the bar comes free. Versa Gripps says they’re handcrafted in the USA (since 1998), with built-in arch support and an extended grip that covers the palm. They come in four sizes by wrist circumference, from XSmall (5–6 in) to XL (8 in and up). At about $80, they cost more than every strap here put together.

• Good: no wrapping, easy release, works on bars, dumbbells and cables.
• Watch out: price; you need to measure your wrist to pick the size.
• Best for: high-volume back training and lifters who want to drop the bar quickly.

Check the Versa Gripps PRO price on Amazon

How to choose lifting straps (and wrist straps for deadlifts)

• Lasso for everything, figure-8 for the heaviest pulls. Lasso straps fit any handle and let go when you untwist. Figure-8 straps lock you to the bar, which is great for heavy deadlifts and shrugs but means you can’t bail quickly.
• Hooks and grip pads save time. For high-rep cable and machine work, hooks or Versa Gripps beat wrapping straps 20 times a session.
• Material: cotton is soft, grips the bar well and is cheap; nylon is smoother and thinner, and some lifters find it slips more; Kevlar-reinforced and leather straps cost more and are built to last. Padding at the wrist makes heavy sets more comfortable.
• Size and length: figure-8 straps and grip pads are sized by wrist or hand measurements, so measure before ordering. For lasso straps, a longer tail wraps thick dumbbells more easily.
• Don’t strap everything. Keep warm-ups and some lighter sets strapless so your grip keeps up. Never use figure-8 straps for cleans, snatches or any lift where you may need to drop the bar.
• Check the rules if you compete in lifting. Bodybuilding shows are judged on stage, so straps are purely a training tool. In powerlifting, straps aren’t on the IPF’s list of allowed equipment, so train some deadlifts with chalk only.

Straps are one small piece of the kit. Our bodybuilding gear guide covers belts, wraps, bags and show-day items, the bodybuilding section has training, rules and show-day pages, and the bodybuilding injuries page explains common elbow, shoulder and back problems. If your wrists bother you on pressing days, see our wrist wraps guide, and find more posts in the bodybuilding blog.

Lifting strap questions

Are lifting straps cheating?

Not in bodybuilding. The goal is to train the back, traps or hamstrings, and straps let them keep working after your hands tire. Grip still matters, so keep some strapless pulling and some direct grip work in your week.

Lasso or figure-8 straps for deadlifts?

Both work. Figure-8 straps are more secure and quicker to set, so many lifters keep them for their heaviest deadlifts and rack pulls. Lasso straps are easier to release and more versatile, so they’re the better single pair if you also want them for rows and dumbbell work.

Are lifting hooks as good as straps?

For pulldowns, cable rows and shrugs, many lifters prefer them because they’re so quick. For very heavy barbell pulls, a strap holds the bar more securely, because a hook only supports it from below.

Can you use straps in a powerlifting meet?

Not at IPF meets (in the US, Powerlifting America follows IPF rules): straps aren’t on the list of allowed personal equipment, and chalk is the grip aid. Other federations write their own rules, so check before you enter.

Should teenagers use lifting straps?

Straps can wait until technique is solid and the weights are genuinely heavy; a young lifter’s grip usually grows with the rest of the body. Let the coach decide. Our youth bodybuilding page covers safe starting points.

What if my wrist or elbow hurts when I use straps?

Check the fit first: padding under the strap, the right size for figure-8s, and the strap not cinched over a bony spot. If pain stays, or you felt a pop at the elbow, stop and see a sports medicine doctor, physical therapist or athletic trainer.