Zenith #3

[Evan Raftopoulos]

Just got this 130 pound Zenith 3 from Matt and I was surprised that I was able to close it right away. My goal gripper is my CoC 2.5 which is not rated but feels much harder to close than this. I noticed the max rating of CoC 2.5 by CPW is 132 pounds, so I expect that mine is up there. Is it common for the Zenith grippers to feel easier to close pound to pound comparison with other grippers? Do the smooth handles make that much difference? Just wondering.

[JoshW]

You must have a demon 2.5 if you can easily close a 130 rated gripper but not a 2.5!!

Solid close though

[Sam Radford]

With my Zenith #3 I just find the handles too chunky to get a proper set. Saying that I was surprised I could close mine in comparison to my #2.5. Mine are not rated but against my SM #130, they feel just slightly weaker.

[David_wigren]

I'm no expert on grippers. But I think maybe the different shapes of the grippers will throw in some extra variables that make the numbers hard to compare between a Zenith and a regular gripper. It could be that you can only really compare the RGC rating of a Zenith gripper to another Zenith gripper. I know this is the case for steel bending where you can only compare rated bars of the exact same length. Even if it took the exact same weight to bend a 5" bar to 30 degs, a 7" bar rated to the same exact weight will still feel a TON harder.

BTW good close!

Edited April 28, 2015 by David_wigren

[Tom Scibelli]

I believe the rgc is not measured from the same spot on the handles for the zenith as it is for normal grippers (I think he takes the measurement in the middle of the handles) so it give it a higher rgc than it actually is.

[Tank Andrade]

bigger spring makes the close feel way different plus thicker handles

[cemery]

Great close ! On the next vid, don't point the camera at a light source like that window, it screws up the vid. Have the light above or behind you.

[Cannon]

bigger spring makes the close feel way different plus thicker handles

^ this in addition to the comment about how we rate them. We wanted them to fall in better with our ratings acting as a buying guide. At the end of the handle the Z3 went under 100#. We felt the middle have a better indication of how they feel in the hand. Like the Z4 Juha felt was "about 180" and that's what you get the way we rate them.

Number aside, it is a different feel though for sure.

[Evan Raftopoulos]

Thanks guys!

. At the end of the handle the Z3 went under 100#. We felt the middle have a better indication of how they feel in the hand. Like the Z4 Juha felt was "about 180" and that's what you get the way we rate them.

.

@cannon, you just killed my pride man, I initially thought the rating was from the end of the handle lol

[Cannon]

Hah, well that's the whole point though. It's not from the end of the handle, but we also don't feel it should be. If you're only closing 95# grippers you should not expect to close a Z3. Generally you need to be in the 120 range because that's what a Z3 feels like.

[Cannon]

In other words, zenith ratings are most comparable to other Zeniths. But we wanted them to have some correlation to standard grippers for the purpose of ratings acting like a buying guide.

[Squeezus]

Hah, well that's the whole point though. It's not from the end of the handle, but we also don't feel it should be. If you're only closing 95# grippers you should not expect to close a Z3. Generally you need to be in the 120 range because that's what a Z3 feels like.

Man, that almost makes me glad that I didn't get one. I would have expected the Z3 to feel like a slick version of my 128# #2.5. I will have to see if someone has one for me to crush at NAGSC before I totally make up my mind.

[Evan Raftopoulos]

I really like the zenith grippers, they feel good in my hands and they add variability to gripper training. What I don't like is that there are not many levels. My Z3 is rated 130 and my Z4 212. That's a huge gap. I wish there was something in between or pre rated zeniths.