The Uncompromising Grip™

Yes. Average Joe grips fit all but one of the 34+ PowerBlock dumbbell models over 40 lbs. This does not include PowerBlock models under 40 lbs or the Personal Plus. Select your model from the gallery for a match; photos are optional if extra confirmation is wanted, not required.

Yes. PowerBlock added knurled steel handles for some of their newer models. Some of their grips are stainless steel, others are not. If you own an early model, PowerBlock doesn't make a knurled option for you at all.

Average Joe offers more thicknesses and more knurls for more models. All 316 stainless, at a similar price to PowerBlock's limited selection.

Some customers already had PowerBlock's own knurled grips and switched to mine anyway — usually for a thickness or knurl option PowerBlock doesn't make.

Forty-eight. Most other vendors offer a handful, total.

(25mm early-model grips are in the lineup but currently available via pre-order only, arriving late July.)

316 stainless steel is corrosion-resistant, non-reactive, and built to last in any environment—garage, basement, humid climate, doesn't matter. It won't rust, won't corrode, won't degrade over time.

I chose it because I wanted grips that would outlast the dumbbells they're installed on. No coatings to chip or wear through over time. No chrome to flake. Just solid, clean metal that feels right, looks great, and stays that way.

Both are stainless. The difference is molybdenum. 316 has it, 304 doesn't. Molybdenum improves resistance to chloride corrosion — the kind sweat causes over time. It's the same reason 316 shows up on boat hardware and surgical instruments.

304 isn't bad steel. It's just not built for the amount of sweat a gym handle sees, set after set, year after year. My grips are 316, no exceptions.

No. Every pair already goes through a four-step process before it ships:

1. Degrease — ultrasonic bath, 35°C, 30 minutes
2. Rinse in a clean bath
3. Passivate — ultrasonic bath, 65°C, 30 minutes
4. Neutralize — clean bath with baking soda and water

The passivation step is guided by the time-and-temperature parameters in ASTM A967 — I run mine at 65°C for 30 minutes, well past the 4-minute minimum the spec allows at that temperature. It's a margin of safety, so every pair gets thoroughly cleaned and treated before it reaches you.

I use citric acid instead of nitric because it does the job without the environmental and handling hazards. Most shops making dumbbell grips aren't working in stainless to begin with, and the ones that are don't necessarily passivate it — it adds time and cost, and it's an easy step to skip if nobody's checking.

Passivation is a chemical process that removes free iron and other contaminants from the surface of stainless steel. That lets a clean layer of chromium oxide form — the layer that actually gives stainless its corrosion resistance.

The current industry standard is ASTM A967. It covers two acid methods: nitric, the older approach, and citric, a newer one that's less hazardous to work with and dispose of. Under A967, citric acid passivation uses a 4–10% citric acid solution, with time and temperature working against each other — hotter bath, shorter time; cooler bath, longer time.

Passivation isn't the same as cleaning. Cleaning removes dirt and oil off the surface. Passivation changes the surface chemistry of the metal itself.

Because almost nobody bothers making them.

Look at how the major dumbbell brands handle grip thickness. Fixed hex dumbbells from Rogue, REP Fitness, and York all use 25mm or 28mm handles — but only on their lightest weights, typically under 15–20 lbs. The moment the weight gets serious, they jump straight to 34–35mm.

Adjustable dumbbells are no better. PowerBlock, Bowflex, and every other major adjustable dumbbell brand on the market starts at 30mm or above. No exceptions.

Aftermarket? I looked. Every knurled replacement grip on the market — from PowerBlock's own offering to every independent maker I could find — starts above 30mm.

I made the 25mm grip because I got tired of the industry treating thinner grips as an afterthought. It's built for anyone who feels a 30mm+ grip is just too thick.

Thickness changes how the bar sits in your hand — how far your fingers close around it, how the load transfers into your forearm, how fast your grip fatigues during a set. Too thick and your forearm works harder before you even get to the exercise. Too thin and you lose contact and control.

For some people, thickness isn't about preference at all. Conditions like arthritis can make it painful or physically impossible to fully close your hand around a thin grip. A thicker grip needs less finger flexion and less crush force to hold securely — that's a real benefit for anyone dealing with joint pain in the hands.

That benefit isn't the whole picture, though. Thickness also affects how much work your forearm and grip do during the lift itself, and that effect isn't the same for every exercise. It shows up most on pulling movements — rows, deadlifts, anything where you're gripping against a pulling load. Pressing and curling barely change either way. So if you've got joint pain and you're leaning toward a thicker grip, it's worth thinking about which movements you'll use it for. My Grip Wizard walks through that tradeoff and points you to the right thickness for your hands and your training.

It's not just about need, either — plenty of customers choose a thicker grip on purpose to challenge their grip strength, or a thinner one for more control. Preference counts as much as biomechanics.

That's why I make four thicknesses instead of one. Pick the one that works best for you.

If you can use Allen (hex key) and Torx wrenches, you can install these grips. Most models only require a single Allen wrench. Some models require a couple of Allens or a Torx.

Give yourself an hour, but chances are excellent that you'll finish in less than half that time.

I provide thorough installation videos. No guesswork, no surprises.

Yes. The weight increase depends on which thickness you choose and which PowerBlock grip it will replace:

• 25mm grips: Weight change to be confirmed once the first batch arrives
• 30mm grips: Add approximately ~0.5 lbs per dumbbell
• 35mm grips: Add approximately ~1 lb per dumbbell
• 40mm grips: Add approximately ~1.5 lbs per dumbbell

You may see one of five badges while building your order:

Factory Sec.

Cosmetic imperfections that fall outside my standard quality control — things like nicks, scratches, or irregular knurling. The grips are structurally identical and perform the same; they just aren’t pretty enough to ship as a standard kit. You’ll get a 20% discount on any factory seconds included in your invoice. See the Factory Seconds FAQ below.

Sold Out

This combination is currently out of stock. You can still select it and use the “Notify Me” option that appears — I’ll reach out the moment it’s available again.

Want This?

This option is under consideration but hasn’t been committed to yet. If there’s enough interest, I’ll move forward with it. Selecting it puts you on a notification list — no obligation, no payment, no guarantee. If it makes it into production, you’ll be the first to know. If it doesn’t, I’ll let you know that too.

Coming Soon / Preorder

Coming Soon and Preorder both mean the same thing: manufactured and already on the way, just not sitting on my shelf yet. The difference is whether you can act on it right now.

• Coming Soon — In transit, but not yet open for orders. Leave your email and I’ll notify you the moment it’s ready to order.
• Preorder — In transit and open for orders now. Place your order with a deposit to lock in today’s price — the remaining balance is due once it arrives and ships.

Factory seconds grips are functionally identical to all of my grips but may have cosmetic imperfections — nicks, spots/stains, irregular knurling, etc. — that fall outside my standard quality control. What constitutes a factory second is determined solely by my quality control standards, and that determination is final.

Minor surface variations that are only noticeable under close inspection — such as minor tooling marks — do not constitute factory seconds and are characteristic of hand-finished metal components.

The Trade-off: You get a 20% discount in exchange for these blemishes. These grips are structurally sound and provide the same performance and feel as all of my grips. The imperfections are purely surface-level and do not compromise the integrity of the hardware.

The Terms & Conditions:

• All factory seconds sales are final. Please consider the cosmetic blemishes before ordering.
• Returns: Accepted within 30 days only for verified fitment/compatibility issues.
• Non-Refundable: Shipping, taxes, and payment processing fees are non-refundable for any reason.
• No Special Requests: Factory seconds are offered as-is from whatever’s on hand — I don’t have the bandwidth to sort or search for a specific blemish type, size, or severity. That’s part of why they’re discounted.

Not in the traditional sense. Grip kit pricing is what it is, and I'm confident it's the right price for what you're getting.

That said, there is one exception worth knowing about:

Factory Seconds — Occasionally I encounter grips with cosmetic imperfections that fall outside my standard quality control. Structurally identical, perform the same — they just might have nicks, dings, or irregular knurling that doesn’t meet my standard. When available, factory seconds are offered at a 20% discount. Availability is unpredictable. If you’d like to be notified when they’re available, sign up for my email newsletter.

Outside of that situation, the price is the price.

New Customers: Click "Get Some Grips" or select any model from the compatibility guide to fill out the order form. I'll review your request and email you an invoice through PayPal (or Venmo/Zelle/Revolut if you prefer—just mention that in the form).

Existing Customers: Use the Ask Joe contact form to let me know what you need. If your info is already in my system and hasn't changed, I'll send the invoice right over.

Email spoofing is a real thing. Scammers can fake the “from” address on an email to make it look like it came from me when it didn’t. Here’s how to protect yourself.

I will never ask you for:

• Your credit card number, CVV, or expiration date
• Your bank account or routing numbers
• Your Social Security number
• Account passwords for anything
• Gift card codes as payment
• Wire transfers, crypto, or payments to names you don’t recognize

How I actually handle payments: Every order is invoiced/paid through PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, or (for some international customers) Revolut. That’s the whole list. Payment always goes to an account clearly tied to Average Joe Innovations. I don’t take card info over email, I don’t take it over the phone, and there is no Average Joe “payment portal” you have to log into. If an email is pushing you toward any other payment method, it isn’t from me.

Red flags that an email isn’t really from me:

• Urgency or pressure (“pay within 2 hours or your order is cancelled”)
• Requests for payment info you already provided
• Links to login pages or “portals” you have to sign into
• Unexpected attachments, especially .html, or .exe files
• Grammar, tone, or phrasing that doesn’t sound like how I normally write
• A reply-to address that’s different from the from address
• A lookalike domain — anything other than averagejoeinnovations.com or knurledgrips.com (watch for missing letters, extra hyphens, or different endings like .net or .co)

If you get something sketchy: don’t click links, don’t open attachments, and don’t reply with any personal or payment info. Let me know through my Ask Joe contact form and I’ll confirm whether it actually came from me. When in doubt, reach out through the contact form on this site rather than hitting reply on the suspicious email — that way you know for sure who you’re talking to.

Your trust is important to me. If anything ever feels off, ask me directly.

Yes. I ship worldwide via USPS, FedEx and UPS, provided service is available to your location. Every shipment is trackable. I've sent kits to customers on 6 continents.

When you submit your order form, I'll calculate the best current rate for your specific address and include it in the invoice.

U.S. Orders: Grip kits qualify for free USPS shipping within the continental United States. If you have a specific courier preference (or one to avoid), let me know in your order request and I'll do my best to accommodate within reason.

International Orders: FedEx is currently the most reliable and affordable option for most overseas shipments, usually ranging from $20–$50+ depending on destination. Contact me for a precise quote before ordering if you'd like to confirm the cost.

U.S. Customers: State and local sales/use tax will be added to your invoice when and where applicable by law.

International Customers: Your invoice does not include VAT, import duties, or brokerage/handling fees. You are responsible for paying these fees to the courier and/or your country's customs agency when the package arrives. They will contact you directly for payment.

Please keep this in mind so you aren't taken by surprise when your package clears customs.

No. Falsifying export information is a federal offense under 13 U.S. Code § 305, carrying heavy fines and potential jail time. I value my business (and my freedom) too much to take that risk. I respectfully ask that you do not request this. Thank you for understanding.

If the tracking shows 'Delivered,' the courier has fulfilled their contract. I do not provide free replacements for stolen packages or shipments lost by the carrier. You will need to file a claim with the courier directly.

Risk of loss and title for all products pass to the customer upon my delivery to the carrier. By paying your invoice, you acknowledge and accept all risk for packages lost in transit or stolen after delivery.

Most standard shipments include up to $100 of insurance coverage by default. If your order value is higher and you'd like full insurance coverage, please request it on your order form and I'll provide a quote for the additional cost.

My recommendation: If you're concerned about porch pirates or neighborhood theft, spend the additional ~$4–10 for Signature Confirmation. You can request this on your order form. It's the cheapest protection you can buy to ensure the package actually makes it into your hands.

Since July 2020. What started as a personal project — making better parts for my own dumbbells when the factory ones kept failing — turned into a full-time commitment to building better aftermarket upgrades. I expanded into PowerBlock grips because I ran into the same problem with my own dumbbells — nothing on the market met my standards, so I built something that did.

I still personally handle every aspect of the business, from design to customer support to packing boxes. I'm still just an Average Joe who believes that if you invest in your health, that equipment should last.

I handle every aspect of this business personally, from design to shipping and customer support. This means you get answers directly from the person who engineered the parts, not a chatbot or a call center script.

I typically respond within 24–48 hours. If it takes a little longer, it's because I'm in the shop getting orders out the door. If you haven't heard back after 48 hours, feel free to follow up—I want to make sure your message doesn't get lost in the shuffle.

If you signed up and didn't get a confirmation email (or got one and didn't click it), you're not actually subscribed yet. Submitting your email is step one — there's a second step where you confirm it through a link sent to your inbox. Until that's confirmed, no newsletters can go out to you, by design. It's a spam-prevention requirement on the platform I use, not something I can override or do manually on my end.

If you signed up a while back and never saw a confirmation email, check your spam or promotions folder — it's a common reason these get missed. If you still can't find it, the simplest fix is to sign up again at the bottom of this page, then watch for the confirmation email right after.

No. Average Joe Innovations is not affiliated with PowerBlock or any OEM manufacturers. PowerBlock® is a registered trademark of PowerBlock, Inc. These companies have had no involvement in the development, marketing, or sale of Average Joe products, which are not endorsed by them.

I design aftermarket upgrades as an independent business. My parts are compatible with PowerBlock dumbbells, but they are not made by, approved by, or sold by PowerBlock.

Yes. All Average Joe grip kits are backed by a 30-day guarantee and a Limited Lifetime Warranty.

See the 30-Day Guarantee and Limited Lifetime Warranty policies for full details.