Grips surface types

If you want to feel the position of the racquet in your hand (for example, you rely on feeling the bevels when you switch from a backhand tennis grip to a forehand tennis grip), a smooth surface is your best bet, followed by perforated, embossed, and ribbed. But if your biggest worry is racquet slippage, reverse the order. Here are the benefits of each.

Smooth: The no-frills version - no bumps, ridges, or treads. This high-feel, low-cushioning option is preferred by most pros. Perforated: This one's for heavy sweaters. It has hundreds of pinholes in the outer layer that channel sweat to the more absorbent layers underneath.

Embossed: It's close to perforated, but instead of pinholes, the embossed grip has a tire-tread pattern. It won't absorb as much sweat, but it will move it away from your hand (in much the same way that radial tires keep a car from slipping on wet, twisting roads).

Ribbed: This is the most secure of the tennis handle grips because it has corkscrew-shaped ridges in which to place your fingers. It's especially good for players suffering from arthritis and for those who have difficulty maintaining a firm grip.