Comfort grip vs standard chrome handle ratchets

[Wrenchin95]

Just curious what your go to ratchets are and which handle is preferred

 

[Shane6377]

Always chrome handle. I don't care for comfort grips. They are bulky, get dirty and break.


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[Philbert]

Each as pros and cons. Chrome is much easier to clean and durable. Comfort grips are ready on the hand and don't feel as cold or hot as chrome can. I have both and use both.

 

[Squankum]

Small, round chrome will never be my bag, baby. My hands are too big.

 

[eyeball]

I am in the chrome handle camp... durable and easy to clean up when the job is done.

Chrome handles also slip into a cheater pipe easily when necessary.

 

[BarryWells]

Big and coarsely knurled. Proto(stylishly),SK and Wright come to mind.
If I want something soft and squishy it'll be ...................

 

[jkesselr]

Chrome is my preference, but I do have some soft and some hard handle variants too.

 

[richfinn]

Chrome, less maintenance

 

[bob15]

Prefer chrome.

 

[Sam'sAutoParts]

Hard handle is my favorite but I have some of each. I like the hard handle because they are easier to clean, but thicker then chrome and easier to grip with gloves.

 

[BK13]

Chrome, and I really like the shape Wright puts on their ratchet handle...

 

[bwringer]

I hate soft handles; seems like they get degraded by various fluids and inevitably turn slippery and/or sticky. And the bulky handles always seem to get in the way at some point.

I also hate that slippery super-shiny thick Strap-On style chrome the tool polishers love so much. Knurling is best, but harder to find.

I also love that matte or "pebbled" finish found on a lot of old USA Craftsman stuff. Fantastic for getting a good grip.

The one exception is the "composite" or plastic coated ratchets from Harbor Freight. I really like mine because it's quite often handy to have a (mostly) non-conductive, non-scratch ratchet.

In practice, I buy and use the tools I need, and handle type isn't a major consideration. It's mostly price/quality and availability.

 

[unslow1]

I have both but make sure I use a chrome when dealing with brake fluid or something really greasy.

 

[VinceG]

I like S/O hard handle. I have some comfort grip as I get older I like them more. I also have chrome handles. Chrome **** outside in the cold.

 

[Stooge]

All of my current ratchets, with the exception of an old hard handled 1/4 Mac, are all just chrome. I've tried a few hard handles over the yrs but never ended up keeping them, nothing specific I don't like about them, just prefer a chrome handle.

 

[Monte]

Chrome for the summer, comfort grip for the winter

 

[Dave455]

Generally chrome. Probably the best all round.

An alternative are the older style Snap On ‘comfort’ grips that used the same hard handles as the screwdrivers. Great for roto ratchets where you might need to twist the handle, fine in cold conditions, but easy to wipe clean

I can’t work with the soft grips. They get greasy, then pick up grit, and are almost impossible to clean! Maybe if you use your ratchet for ‘electronic assembly’ or suchlike, they might work!

Some comfort grips are better than others. Hazet, for example, are made of a relatively firm material that you can wipe off.

 

[JRC3]

I don't use a ratchet enough to need some bulky comfortable handle, that's what air and battery ratchets and impacts are for.


But I guess a nice comfy rubber handle would be nice for rotating tires on a Honda Ridgeline. LOL

 

[Sugarfryz]

I see the obvious advantages for regular chrome grip, but as a mechanic after using tools all day sometimes my hands really hurt and cramp up. Especially near my palms, they’ll swell up bad, for that I usually go with comfort grip. Only problem is if you need a cheater chances are you’re breaking the handle.

 

[oldwino]

I have both but rarely grab the chrome anymore. The comfort grip does take a beating but I just find it easier on the hands

 

[lardy1]

I never owned a comfort grip in my life until recently. I bought a Carlyle flex and I really like that ratchet. But knurled handles are my preference.

 

[plinker]

99% of the time chrome handle. The 1% is a Matco 3/8 12" locking flex plastic handle ratchet (1st gen 60 tooth). Has a hard plastic handle, round with a coulpe flat-ish spots, rather nice overall. This has been my go to 3/8 ratchet

I have a few soft grip ratchets (S-O & Matco) that I inherited, but dont really use much.

 

[M6erfan]

What about knurled? Knurled is my preference. Composite is nice too.

 

[toolmutt]

I have a mix of chrome and hard handle. I use both, especially chrome if the task is very dirty just for the easier cleanup. I don't really care for the soft.

 

[Yarpo]

Chrome, no doubt. I dont hate comfort grips, I just prefer chrome. My main issue is even if you clean them they end up beat up and slimey and they add needless bulk to the handle.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

Always chrome handle. I don't care for comfort grips. They are bulky, get dirty and break.


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Yup. Unless I worked outdoors in the cold, I see basically no reason to have comfy grips.

 

[JR 42]

I like comfort grips on roto ratchets for spinning them like nut drivers, and chrome on everything else. I need to pick up a hard handle ratchet some day though- I've never really used one before.

 

[csargents1546]

I'm sorry, what was the question. Got distracted by the op picture!

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

 

[Noworries]

It's my belief that the "comfort grip" was just some marketing guy's idea to sell you another ratchet...old school all steel for me

 

[Kent_B]

Chrome, preferably knurled.

 

[mbshop]

Had both. Used them depending on the situation. But mostly used chrome.

 

[81turbota]

I have some of all varieties - chrome, hard and soft handle. While the soft grips are comfortable they get dirty fast like everyone else says.

I prefer hard handle, I use chrome in very dirty jobs or if space dictates.

 

[BrandoJames]

I bought my first soft-handle ratchet last year--a Titan 3/8" 18 inch flex. The soft grip is already grimy. I haven't attempted to clean the grip yet. Read one post here that dish washing liquid is a good cleaner for soft grips?

 

[mudflap]

SK knurled is my all time favorite..i also like the CM RP..just too bad it never had a good ratchet on the other end. But also like the Carlyle grip. I guess anything but thin slippery chrome.

 

[WI-tractor-Dr]

Snap-On hard handles for me, they aren’t so cold when using outside, they are easy to clean and comfortable in the hand. I do have some SO chrome handles but I don’t like how slippery they are when covered with oil. I also have some SO comfort grips which work nice but are not very oil resistant which causes them to get a greasy feel which I don’t care for.

 

[Al Borland]

I am in the chrome handle camp... durable and easy to clean up when the job is done.

Chrome handles also slip into a cheater pipe easily when necessary.

Chrome also doesn't shatter when dropped (thrown, hurled ?) from a manlift.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

SK knurled is my all time favorite..i also like the CM RP..just too bad it never had a good ratchet on the other end. But also like the Carlyle grip. I guess anything but thin slippery chrome.

Something just works with those SK round heads. I like them a lot, even if there's times the head simply isn't going to fit somewhere. My flex head 3/8 is my go-to, love that ratchet with the dual-tooth upgrade.

 

[eaglefan1]

I have both. When working on most parts of my bike, always soft handle. My bike is blacked out and the soft handle helps not scratching anything. Same thing when working on friends bikes. Anything involving fluids, hard handle. Obviously Im not doing this work for a living.

 

[OGJordan]

I like the idea of comfort grip, but can't stand how dirty they look