Taylor Xtreme Grip Review | Is The Taylor Xtreme Grip Any Good?

Lawn bowl brands have become increasingly experimental over the past 5 years. Pushing new ideas and innovations on their latest models. Some of the best features to come out of this period is the introduction of the embedded grip.

Originally brought in by Aero on all of their models, all major brands now have a similar offering.

Taylor brought their version to market in 2020, with their new “Xtreme Grip”. But how does it stack up against others on the market? Is it any good, and would it benefit you?

What is the Extreme grip

Firstly, lets take a look at what the Xtreme Grip is.

The Xtreme Grip is an embedded grip option. This means that a channel is cut from the shoulder of the bowl and the grip pattern is placed deeper into the bowl.

In the image below you can see just how deep this ridge goes. The channel cut is deeper than any embedded grip I have used, or seen.

Another feature of this style of grip is the oblong shape to the dimples.

The use of oblongs instead of the traditional circles is that there are more dimples on the bowl, making it easier to find a spot for your fingers to go. This is especially beneficial to bowlers who like to have their fingertips on one of the dimples.

The Xtreme Grip comes as standard on all new Taylor Aces. Most other brands have embedded grips as an optional extra, however for Taylor’s most popular model they are offering it with this premium grip for no additional cost.

But what if you don’t want the Ace model? Not to worry, you can get the Xtreme Grip on any new set of bowls.

Pros

So what are the benefits of the Xtreme Grip?

As with all embedded grips, the bowl feels smaller in your hand. This is because your fingers are deeper into the bowl, giving it the feel of a much smaller bowl.

This is great for anyone who struggles with controlling their bowl through their delivery action.

Another great benefit is the dimples within the embedded grip. The use of oblong dimples means they are able to squeeze more in. This means there are more resting places for your fingertips when you come to hold the bowl.

Even the dimples themselves feel deeper than your average grip. Again, this gives more surface area for your fingers to grip onto.

Cons

My main issue with the Xtreme Grip is that you are limited to where you place your fingers. The deep ridge of the embedded grip means that you have to have your fingers inline with the shoulder of the bowl.

This isn’t great for those who have a grip where their fingers come slightly across the surface of the bowl.

What models is Xtreme Grip available on?

The Xtreme Grip can be added to any new set of Taylor bowls when you buy directly from Taylor. The Xtreme Grip now comes as standard on any new set of Taylor Aces, but are an optional extra for any other bowl in the range.

How much is Xtreme Grip?

The Xtreme Grip is free for new purchases of the Taylor Ace, but you will have to contact Taylor directly for a quote if you want it added to any other bowl in the range.

Bottom Line

If you are in the market for a new set of bowls, then you can’t go too far wrong with a set of Taylor Aces with the Xtreme Grip.

Is the Xtreme Grip any good? Yes, The Xtreme Grip is one (if not the) best embedded grips available on the market today.

The deep grips may put some bowlers off- especially if you hold the bowl across the running surface – but if you have used other embedded grips from other brands then you will feel right at home here.