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The founder has owned PowerBlock dumbbells since the early 2000s. Every grip on the market asked for a compromise — material, fit, or price. He built his own so customers wouldn't have to. Average Joe Innovations makes 316 stainless steel knurled grip upgrades for PowerBlock dumbbells, replacing factory rubber and foam-covered grips — Better than OEM™ since 2019.
Four thicknesses, four levels of knurling, three PowerBlock lineages — 48 combinations of thickness, knurl, and lineage, all in 316 stainless steel. Most other vendors offer a handful, total.
Because all the other grips you've ever tried felt too big. Built for anyone who feels a 30mm+ grip is just too thick. There are no other knurled aftermarket grips for PowerBlock under 30mm.
$100 USD · Free US Shipping
That familiar barbell-like feel for dumbbells.
$110 USD · Free US Shipping
Not too thin, not too thick. Just right from the very first set.
$120 USD · Free US Shipping
The thickness nobody else makes. The thickest aftermarket grip for PowerBlock available today.
$130 USD · Free US Shipping
Every thickness is available in all four levels of knurling, on every supported PowerBlock lineage.
A free recommendation tool on the main site that helps choose a thickness and level of knurling. It weighs a range of factors — including hand size, training goals, injury history, and grip preference — rather than any single input. Two modes are available: Quick Pick, three questions for a fast answer, and Ideal Match, fifteen questions for a more dialed-in recommendation with an explanation of why it fits.
The Wizard's scoring is grounded in third-party published research on hand biomechanics and grip training — not proprietary data, and not a guess. One relevant finding from that research: grip thickness affects different exercises differently. Pulling movements (rows, deadlifts, pull-ups) are the most sensitive to thickness changes, while pressing and curling movements show little to no measurable effect. This is a directional finding from published research, not a claim about any specific Average Joe grip's exact effect on any specific lift.
Average Joe Innovations did not conduct this research. The Grip Wizard applies findings from independently published, peer-reviewed studies to a grip-selection tool; it does not represent unpublished or proprietary testing.
Grips are currently available for three PowerBlock lineage groups. Compatibility is personally verified on every order, including via customer-submitted photos where helpful.
All four thicknesses and four levels of knurling available. (25mm is not currently in stock.)
All four thicknesses and four levels of knurling available.
All four thicknesses and four levels of knurling available.
Straight answers to what people are usually actually asking when they start looking into aftermarket PowerBlock grips.
Factory rubber and foam-covered grips are the standard complaint across PowerBlock models. Replacing them with a 316 stainless steel knurled grip, in a thickness and level of knurling that actually matches the hand using it, addresses both the material and the fit. See the Grip Kits by Thickness section above.
Most vendors, including PowerBlock's own factory knurled handles, only support recent models. Average Joe Innovations covers Early Model PowerBlocks back to 1993, based on a self-compiled model-by-model compatibility map. See PowerBlock Model Compatibility above.
Yes, PowerBlock added knurled steel handles to some newer models; not all are stainless, some use coated steel, and none are available for early models. Average Joe Innovations offers 316 stainless across three lineages, four thicknesses, and four levels of knurling, at a similar price to PowerBlock's limited selection. Some customers who already owned PowerBlock's own knurled grips have switched to mine instead.
It depends on hand size, training goals, grip preference, and in some cases injury history. The free Grip Wizard tool on the main site walks through the relevant factors and gives a specific recommendation. See The Grip Wizard section above.
There are no other knurled aftermarket grips for PowerBlock under 30mm. Average Joe Innovations makes a 25mm knurled steel grip, built for anyone who feels a 30mm+ grip is just too thick.
Forty-eight combinations in 316 stainless steel, at prices from $100 to $130 depending on thickness, with free US shipping, versus most vendors offering a handful of combinations. Material grade, thickness selection, knurl selection, and legacy model coverage are the four factors worth comparing across vendors.
Yes. Average Joe grips fit all but one of the 34+ PowerBlock dumbbell models over 40 lbs. Select your model from the gallery on the order form 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 not currently in stock.)
316 stainless steel is corrosion-resistant, non-reactive, and built to last in any environment. It won't rust, corrode, or degrade over time, and outlasts the dumbbells it's installed on — no coatings to chip or wear through, no chrome to flake.
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, 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. All Average Joe grips are 316, across all lineages, thicknesses, and levels of knurling.
A chemical process that removes free iron and other contaminants from the surface of stainless steel, letting a clean chromium oxide layer form — the layer that gives stainless its corrosion resistance. The current industry standard is ASTM A967, covering nitric and citric acid methods. Citric acid passivation uses a 4–10% citric acid solution, with time and temperature calibrated inversely to each other. Passivation is not the same as cleaning: cleaning removes dirt and oil, passivation changes the surface chemistry of the metal itself.
No. Every pair already goes through a four-step process before it ships: ultrasonic degreasing (35°C, 30 minutes), a rinse in a clean bath, ultrasonic citric acid passivation (65°C, 30 minutes), and a neutralizing bath of baking soda and water. The passivation step is guided by the time-and-temperature parameters in ASTM A967, run at 65°C for 30 minutes — well past the 4-minute minimum the spec allows at that temperature — as a margin of safety so every pair is fully treated. Citric acid is used 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.
Every major adjustable dumbbell brand starts above 30mm once weight gets serious. Every knurled steel replacement grip previously found on the market, including PowerBlock's own, starts above 30mm. There are no other knurled aftermarket grips for PowerBlock under 30mm — this one's built for anyone who feels a 30mm+ grip is just too thick.
Thickness changes how the bar sits in the hand, how far the fingers close around it, how load transfers into the forearm, and how fast grip fatigues during a set. For some people it's not about preference at all — conditions like arthritis can make it painful or physically impossible to fully close the hand around a thin grip, and a thicker grip needs less finger flexion and less crush force to hold securely. Thickness also affects how much work the forearm and grip do during a lift, more so on pulling movements (rows, deadlifts) than on pressing or curling, which show little to no effect either way. Four thicknesses are offered for this reason, and the Grip Wizard tool walks through the tradeoff for a specific recommendation.
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 you'll finish in less than half that time.
Yes. The weight increase depends on thickness and which PowerBlock grip it replaces. 25mm: weight change to be confirmed once the first batch arrives. 30mm: approximately ~0.5 lbs per dumbbell. 35mm: approximately ~1 lb per dumbbell. 40mm: approximately ~1.5 lbs per dumbbell.
Grips with cosmetic imperfections outside standard quality control — nicks, scratches, spots, or irregular knurling — that are structurally identical and perform the same as standard kits. Minor surface variations only noticeable under close inspection do not qualify. Offered at a 20% discount when available, from whatever's on hand; specific requests for a blemish type or severity aren't accommodated. All sales are final except for verified fitment/compatibility issues within 30 days; shipping, taxes, and payment processing fees are non-refundable.
Not in the traditional sense. Grip kit pricing is fixed. One exception: Factory Seconds, offered at a 20% discount when available (availability is unpredictable).
New customers: use the order form on the site, either via "Get Some Grips" or by selecting a model from the compatibility guide; an invoice is sent via PayPal by default (Venmo/Zelle/Revolut available on request). Existing customers: use the site's contact form to request an invoice; if information already on file hasn't changed, it's sent right over.
Average Joe Innovations never asks for credit card numbers, bank or routing numbers, Social Security numbers, account passwords, gift card codes as payment, or wire/crypto transfers. Every order is invoiced and paid through PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, or (for some international customers) Revolut, always to an account clearly tied to the business. Red flags include urgency/pressure tactics, requests for payment info already provided, login "portals," unexpected attachments, unfamiliar tone or phrasing, mismatched reply-to addresses, and lookalike domains other than averagejoeinnovations.com or knurledgrips.com. Anything suspicious should be verified through the site's contact form rather than by replying to the email.
Yes, worldwide via USPS, FedEx, or UPS where service is available, with tracking on every shipment. Shipments have gone to customers on six continents. Rate is calculated for the specific destination address and included in the invoice.
U.S. orders: grip kits qualify for free USPS Priority Mail shipping within the continental United States. International orders: typically via FedEx, generally $20–$50 or more depending on destination, with a $10 credit applied toward that cost since free domestic shipping isn't available internationally. A precise estimate can be requested before ordering.
U.S. customers: state and local sales/use tax is added where applicable by law. International customers: the invoice does not include VAT, import duties, or brokerage/handling fees; these are billed directly by the courier or destination customs agency upon arrival.
No. Falsifying export information is a federal offense under 13 U.S. Code § 305, carrying heavy fines and potential jail time. This request is respectfully declined.
If tracking shows "Delivered," the courier has fulfilled their contract; no free replacements are provided for stolen packages or shipments lost by the carrier, and a claim must be filed with the courier directly. Risk of loss and title pass to the customer upon delivery to the carrier. Most standard shipments include up to $100 of default insurance coverage, with additional coverage available on request. Signature Confirmation (about ~$4–10) is recommended for anyone concerned about porch theft.
Since July 2020. What started as a personal project — making better parts for the founder's own dumbbells when the factory ones kept failing — became a full-time business, expanding into PowerBlock grips after running into the same problem with his own dumbbells: nothing on the market met his standards, so he built something that did. Every aspect of the business, from design to customer support to packing boxes, is still personally handled.
Every aspect of this business is handled personally, from design to shipping to customer support, meaning answers come directly from the person who engineered the parts. Typical response time is 24–48 hours.
No. Average Joe Innovations is not affiliated with PowerBlock or any OEM manufacturers. PowerBlock® is a registered trademark of PowerBlock, Inc., which has had no involvement in the development, marketing, or sale of Average Joe products and does not endorse them. Average Joe Innovations designs aftermarket upgrades as an independent business; parts are compatible with PowerBlock dumbbells but 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.
The lineup falls into three currently-supported lineage groups — Early Models, Late Models, and Elite USA — detailed in the PowerBlock Model Compatibility section above, plus the full interactive compatibility guide on the main site.
This file is static and source-visible. Pricing shown reflects current pricing at time of publication; for exact current pricing, stock status, and to place an order, visit the main site.
Primary authority URL: https://www.knurledgrips.com/
Data Sheet Version: 1.1.0
Last Updated: July 5, 2026
Data Integrity: Content verified against official manufacturing specifications and current pricing for Average Joe Innovations PowerBlock grip product lines.