An Honest Review of the Kimony KGT109 Badminton Grip

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RATING CATEGORYSCORE
Overall Rating3.8 out of 5.0
Comfort Rating4.3 out of 5.0
Durability Rating2.5 out of 5.0
Feel Rating4.5 out of 5.0
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Welcome to yet another honest product review. Today, I will be reviewing the Kimony KGT109. For all my other reviews, check out the badminton equipment page.

As you may notice, this isn’t a Yonex grip, but rather a Kimony one! Kimony, also known as Kimoni, is a Japanese badminton brand that isn’t nearly as well known as Yonex is, but still makes some nice products such as grips.

It’s important to note that the following review is being written after playing only one 2-hour session with the grip. I am also a player who sweats more than the average badminton player. So take those factors into consideration when reading on with the review.

Now, let’s dive right into it!

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Product Overview:

CATEGORYSTATISTICS (METRIC)STATISTICS (IMPERIAL)
Dimensions29 mm x 1050 mm1.14 in x 41.34 in
Thickness0.5 mm and 3.1 mm0.02 in and 0.12 in
MaterialPolyurethane Fiber (Perforated
Weight

The Kimony KGT109 was a grip that my dad gave me a while back (maybe 1 or 2 years back) and I decided to take it for a spin. Unlike the other grips reviewed so far, this type of grip is considered a “spiral” grip, which means that it has ridges on the grip that help you indicate where to place your fingers. The ridges can make a big difference in your control and gameplay that you might not realize until you actually try it for yourself. I’ll explain more in the sections below about comfort and feeling.

Kimony KGT109 Wrapped, Front
Kimony KGT109 Wrapping, Front
Kimony KGT109 Wrapped, Back
Kimony KGT109 Wrapping, Back

The Kimony KGT109 came in a singly wrapped plastic packaging. This makes them more expensive than other grips that are sold with multiple grips in a single package, but are usually around the same price, like the popular Yonex Super Grap which is known for its good value. I did a full, honest review of the Yonex Super Grap as well which would be worth checking out if you’re looking for a solid, more budget friendly option.

New Kimony KGT109 Grip
Kimony KGT109, New
Kimony KGT109 Grip Tape
Kimony Grip Tape

Inside the grip package was the grip itself and a Kimony branded grip tape, which is used to secure the grip to the racket. Pretty standard stuff. Notice though that the grip has some perforated holes along it, which lets the grip “breathe” more and makes it feel softer since it becomes better at absorbing impact from the additional buffer space.

Kimony KGT109 Grip Underside
KGT109 Grip Underside

Looking at the grip specifications itself, you may have noticed, there are 2 values of thickness for the grip. This is precisely because of the ridges that the spiral grip has! The picture on the right highlights the thinner and thicker parts of the grip that are used to create the ridges.

The thinner part is 0.5 mm (.02 in) while the thicker part is 3.1 mm (0.12 in). While the thicker part is only 2.6 mm thicker, you can definitely feel a difference! These tiny details in the grips are what can enhance your badminton experience to be how you want it to be.

After wrapping up my racket, this is what it looked like – all brand new with spirals around the racket handle. It’s very clear that the ridges are very noticeable and that you’re supposed to put your fingers between the ridges.

Kimony KGT109 Wrapped on Racket
KGT109 Grip, New – wrapped on a racket

My initial impressions of the grip, before playing with it, was that it was a little bit sticky and also quite soft. However, after my 2 hour session, the grip was no longer sticky but still stayed soft.

Furthermore, when I wrapped my racket handle with the grip, there was plenty left over so I actually ended up cutting part of it off so that I could tape it down. That means you don’t have to worry about the grip length – it’s definitely more than you need to cover your racket handle!

Overall, I would give the Kimony KGT109 a rating of 3.8 out of 5.0. Read on to find out exactly why.

Comfort

Comfort Rating: 4.3 out of 5.0 

I define comfort as a state of physical ease and freedom from pain or constraint. What I am looking for from a comfort aspect is if the product provides a pleasant gripping experience. From the sensation of holding the grip to the degree the grip makes the game play more enjoyable. 

The Kimony KGT109 was actually very nice and comfortable to play with. The grip was soft and the ridges really helped to physically keep my fingers in place and not slip away from my racket. The ridges also give that extra texture that feels nice when you move your fingers around it. I can see this as a feature that some players may dislike though. I personally enjoy the added texture.

Overall, I really enjoyed how comfortable the grip was to play with, but I did take away some points due to 2 reasons. For one, it does start off a little bit sticky or tacky, which some players may not like. It does go away in time, but takes a little bit of playing in order to get there. While grips may be designed to be sticky to help the player, it doesn’t make it more comfortable.

The second reason is because of how the ridges constrain your finger placement. Don’t get me wrong, I actually really like the ridges, but from my definition of how comfort is freedom from pain or constraint, I have to dock some points here. The ridges give some great placeholders for where to place your fingers, but it can also be awkward if you want to place your fingers onto where the ridge itself is. You’re, in a sense, kind of locked into certain portions of your grip to place your fingers. Other flat grips don’t have this issue.

While I was playing though, the above issue never really crossed my mind. My fingers would naturally go into the placeholders without having to think about it. The shots I executed felt completely fine from the places that I held the racket from. However, if you want full control of where you place your fingers on your racket handle, this grip (or any other spiral grip) might not be for you.

Durability

Durability Rating: 2.5 out of 5.0

I define durability as the ability to withstand wear, pressure, and damage. From a durability standpoint, I am looking for the grip product to remain intact and retain the same feel and quality as if it were newly applied.

Kimony KGT109 Wrapped, After 2 Hours #1
KGT109 Grip After 2 Hours, Side 1

Kimony KGT109 Wrapped, After 2 Hours #2
KGT109 Grip After 2 Hours, Side 2

After the 2-hour test playing session, the Kimony KGT109 had some pretty visible wear and tear. One portion near the base of my grip had material peeling off heavily. The other side had a minor spot as well.

I wouldn’t say that my 2-hour session was particularly vigorous, so I expected the grip to be in a better state. Despite that, I do think that it’s still playable for a couple more sessions. It might get a bit rougher every time the material starts peeling off though, so I’d probably change it pretty quickly once it gets too rough. I expect it to last 4 more sessions for a total of 5 sessions.

Keep in mind though that this grip was probably 1 to 2 years old at this point, which could affect its durability. I have noticed that newer grips tend to have better durability while older grips have a tendency to peel off pretty quickly.

Feel

Feel Rating: 4.5 out of 5.0

I define feel as how well a player is able to maintain control over their shots by means of handling their racket. This involves how the grip aids the transmission of subtle movements from the player’s hand to the racket.

Feel is where the Kimony KGT109 really shines. For me, the ridges made it extremely easy to turn the handle and keep control of my racket. My hand never slipped because the grooves of the grip kept my fingers in place easily. I’d have to intentionally loosen my grip enough for my fingers to move elsewhere.

Twisting and turning my racket with the grip was also quite easy as the material is pretty easy to get traction with. I found you can actually just push off the ridges to get your racket to turn faster and easier, which is not available with flat grips. So overall, I didn’t really have a problem getting my racket head facing the direction I wanted it to.

While I enjoy the ridges of the KGT109, I do think that some may not like the texture or may not be used to it. There’s a little bit of getting used to before you can play at your best. I would still say that it’s worth a shot to try out though.

Critical Thoughts About the Kimony KGT109

  1. If you have thicker fingers, you may have to be a bit more careful when you wrap your racket so that the ridges aren’t as close together. You don’t want the ridges such that you don’t have space to put your fingers between them – that would defeat the purpose of them.
  2. The material started to peel off after a 2 hour session, which is not really good. The grip felt great during that time, but it isn’t that good of a value if you want to save money as you’d have to change the grip pretty often for an optimal experience.

Conclusion

The Kimony KGT109 is a really great grip in terms of comfort and feel. However, it lacks in durability. It also comes in a pack of 1 whereas some other grips come in packs of 3 or 5 for the same price and therefore give better value.

I really enjoyed playing with this grip and will use it a couple more times. I like the ridges quite a bit and the softness of the material make it great to control my racket while also being comfortable for my hands.

RATING CATEGORYSCORE
Overall Rating3.8 out of 5.0
Comfort Rating4.3 out of 5.0
Durability Rating2.5 out of 5.0
Feel Rating4.5 out of 5.0

I would recommend this for intermediate to advanced players who are not bothered by changing grips every couple of sessions. 

If you’ve tried out the Kimony KGT109 and want to share your thoughts, feel free to comment below or email me at: b4dmintonbites@gmail.com
Also, if there is particular product you would like me to review, don’t hesitate to let me know.


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One comment

  1. Hi this is not an authentic product. It says the name “Kimoni” on it which is fake.

    Please review an original Kimony product. Packaging is quite different. Kimony stated in yellow on the top of the packaging.

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