Tested Dirt Bike Products - Diamond Spider Slimline SLX Grips - Experts on Dirtbikes at Dirt Rider Magazine

Gel or similar soft-style grips divide the Dirt Rider staff like that wall in Berlin used to—it's a love/hate relationship. The minority here loves them, while the rest would rather grab a porcupine than wrap their paws around a gel grip. The latest offering from Spider is the Slimline SLX, which bears a resemblance to the company's original M1 but has a smaller outside diameter. Compared with the very soft, almost squishy M1, the SLX has a firmer compound, yet is still noticeably more giving than most soft grips. We mounted a set on our trusty KTM 525 for some testing traversing hills and ravines. Installation was a standard affair, with glue, safety wire and punching out the ends to fit the hand guards; then we were ready to tackle the trails.So how did they perform? Probably better than the M1—despite less tackiness than on the M1, the SLX's smaller diameter meant holding on was not an issue. Our hands fared about the same—not much of a noticeable drop in callous abuse, but vibration-absorbing material seemed to have made it a less-painful experience than with a standard waffle-patterned grip. We never endured arm-pump or hand fatigue, despite a couple of death-grip episodes while sliding the big Katoom down some steep, sandy and slippery hills. For riders who have avoided gel grips because of their larger size, this might be the answer. Even staff members who usually resist riding with similar grips were impressed with the SLX's feel. They still yearned for the standard ridges to hold on better but were willing to ride with these grips again. Usually such soft material disintegrates in short order with heavy usage. However, the SLX appears to be more durable than the M1 or other soft/gel grips we've previously tried. They have now survived several days of work with hardly any wear—after a wash they are nearly new again.So who will like these? Just about anyone who suffers from arm-pump on a regular basis, doesn't enjoy shredding their palms or simply wants more hand comfort on long rides. The $16.95 set comes in eight colors to match just about any bike.DR Tested: 8.5Diamond Spider: 949/395-4747; www.spidergrips.com