IronMindZenith Gripper: The Digital Fitness Gripper

I first posted the following review on July 9, 2014. Recently, Amazon changed the ASIN (product code) for this unit, and my review disappeared from this listing.___________________________________________________________(a) These are pricey, so be sure you know what you are getting into before ordering.(b) First a few words about my background, needs, and expectations. I'm not a body builder; I'm a wimp. I spend most of my day in front of the computer. Way too many co-workers have been coming down with carpal tunnel syndrome and arthritis, and I'm getting worried. I'm not interested in developing an iron-fisted grip, in being able to strangle an assailant with one hand. I'm interested primarily in maintaining flexibility and secondarily in increasing flexibility and increasing strength. For that I need a gripper that I can do multiple reps of full-stroke squeezes. I'm not interested in grippers designed for a single squeeze-and-hold. Thanks to helpful reviews, I steered clear of the ironman grippers with rough knurled metal handles that will tear your skin or build up callusses. I also stayed away from cheap plastic handles that snap.(c) These units are obviously pricey to produce. The handles are machined from solid aluminum. The machining is first rate. The handles are torpedo-shaped with well-rounded edges. They have a satin finish with just the right purchase (surface texture to keep them from being slippery). Each handle has a single finger groove, which also keeps your hands from slipping. The brand name is engraved in the finger groove and the model number is engraved on the butts of the handles. The engraving is also finished so as not to leave any sharp edges or burrs. This level of attention is pricey.(d) I have a medium hand (Men's 7-1/2 glove size), and the fit of the handles is perfect. If you have large hands, you may have a problem wrapping four fingers around one handle. If you have short fingers, you may have problems spanning both handles. But for me, the fit is spot on.(e) These are variable resistance units: The closer you squeeze the handles together, the greater the resistance; so keep that in mind if you want to do full-stroke reps.(f) I first bought the weakest model (Agility). It has very little resistance until fully squeezed. Right off the bat, I could easily do 20 reps with each hand, and squeeze and hold for 30 sec; no problems.(g) So then I ordered the next two models (Trainer and No. 1). There is a big jump here. I can close the Trainer only about half-way, and the No. 1 only about a quarter-way. I would recommend that the manufacturer either increase the resistance on the Agility or add a unit in between the Agility and the Trainer. I'll see how long it takes for me to build up enough strength to do reps with the Trainer. I personally don't see myself needing anything stronger than a No. 1 ever. One reviewer said he fully squeezed a No. 3 right from the start. Strong dude.(h) You can save some money by ordering a set of 3 direct from the manufacturer. Check shipping charges carefully, though; they are high. But do that only if you've tried out someone else's units to make sure they fit and to determine what strength levels you should order.Update (9/1/2014): I have been exercising with these units twice a day with the following regimen for each hand: Agility (20 full-stroke reps handles down, 20 full-stroke reps handles up); Trainer (10 increasing partial strokes handles down,10 increasing partial strokes handles up); No. 1 (5 increasing partial strokes handles down, 5 increasing partial strokes handles up). I can now (with effort, but without pain) complete full-stroke reps with the Trainer (10 with handles down, 10 with handles up, on right hand and on left hand). I can close the No. 1 about half-way now, 5 times in a row.Update (11/27/2014): With the Trainer, I can now complete 20 full-stoke reps handles down and 20 full-stroke reps handles up, both right and left hands. With the No. 1, I can still close it only about half way (10 partial reps handles down, 10 partial reps handles up, both right and left hands).

Awesome build quality. They feel really nice in your hand. The perfect gripper for those who do not want to get blisters and callouses all over their hands. If you're into the heavier grippers, you will find the #1 and the #2 are great for warm-up sets.How difficult are they vs regular COC grippers? Its hard to compare them because what really makes these grippers a challenge is the fact that their silky-smooth surface and wider starting position kind of force you into taking the no-set close approach.Here is my take:-The trainer is very easy and could be closed by most people who have never used grippers.-The 1 is somewhere between the sport and the trainer -still very easy (If you have never used grippers buy this one first)-If you can close the Zenith 2 you would be able to close the COC #1-#1.5Now it gets much harder...-I'm able to do ~4reps with the coc #2 and Gillingham #5 and am about 2-3mm away from closing the COC 2.5 and the Gillingham #6, yet can barely just touch the handles on the Zenith #3 for one rep! This is where you notice how much the smooth surface of the Zenith adds to the challenge in a huge way.-The Zenith #4 is a massive step up from the Zenith #3. It feels impossible to me. Don't even bother buying this one unless you can close the 3 or 3.5 (my best guess) ...or in the event that you just want a really cool looking paper weight for your desk

I bought the Zenith Agility model (the weakest model) because I wanted a gripper that I could use to rehab after a golf wrist injury. At that time, even firm handshakes were hurting me so I definitely did not want to work with the more challenging Zenith models. I thought I'd try the Agility, hoping that it would be easy on the wrist but with just enough tension to provide some benefit. It was perfect. It is also a beautifully constructed gripper, with much attention to detail (even the coiled spring was treated with some type of rust inhibitor).I would emphasize that the Agility model is for someone whose hand grip is presently weak or whose hand might have a problem with pain. There are 6 levels of Zenith hand grippers (from weakest to strongest). With 6 levels, you would have to expect the first level to be pretty weak. It IS pretty weak! Depending on your situation, it might be the right one for you. If you are the "no pain, no gain" type, you might want to move on to other Zenith levels. If you buy the Agility, however, you can always get a good workout by doing more reps. It just takes a little more time to knock out the reps. This particular gripper is for a select audience; not for everybody. Hope this helps.