It’s been two years since the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles were released, and if you’re like everyone I know that bought a PS4, then your Dualshock 4 (DS4) controller thumb sticks have probably needed some TLC. Specifically, I am talking about the skin that covers the thumb sticks, which is notorious for tearing or ripping off completely.
During Do You Even Game Bro’s prenatal stages playing Destiny there were several of us that had been affected by the poor craftsmanship of the Japanese electronics company. As I own three controllers I couldn’t comprehend the seriousness of their situation. But then it happened, a small tear in the rubbery skin that covers the DS4. Having heard about friends’ controllers being almost unusable due to the skin coming completely off I decided to act fast, and I bought some grips off eBay for about $8AUD. Initially, I was impressed with the hardened knobs, but after extensive use I realised that not only were these new grips cracking, they were also hurting my thumbs (don’t you call me soft).
Now I’d heard about Grip-ITs through social media groups, but being a tightass I went for the cheaper and clearly inferior product first, so in July I bit the bullet and bought some Grip-iTs for myself and the DYEGB team; they were most definitely worth it. You’re probably wondering why it’s taken me so long to write about them, well, I wanted to put them through rigorous testing before I gave them mine and DYEGB’s stamp of approval.
The Grip-iTs in action
For those of you that don’t know what Grip-iTs are, let me tell you. Grip-iTs originated in America and are little rubber covers that go over the top of PlayStation or Xbox controller thumb sticks to improve the gripping of them, especially if the thumb stick rubber has already become damaged. Grip-iTs are now available locally here in Australia, which makes them much more accessible than before.
Over the past few months I have been using the Grip-iTs and I have played a range of games in order to test the resilience of the grips. Everything from nail-biting encounters in FIFA, intense shootouts in Destiny, running for my life from the Volatiles in Dying Light and auditioning for the next Fast and the Furious in Need for Speed, the Grip-iTs held up their end of the bargain.
Not once did the grips dislodge themselves from my controllers due to my vigorous thumb action, nor have they shown any signs of tearing. This is super impressive considering the amount of time I spend playing PlayStation.
The other impressive feature of the Grip-iTs was that no matter how sweaty my thumbs became, I rarely had an issue with slipping off the thumb sticks – something I cannot say for the standard thumb sticks on the DS4. Because of this, those crucial season defining FIFA matches were much more intense. This was also a factor while playing shooters; I felt I had better movement as my thumbs weren’t sliding off the sticks every six seconds.
The Grip-iT flavours
Would I recommend the Grip-iTs? I most certainly would. In fact I’ve become so accustomed to them that I don’t use a controller without them. They come in a range of colours (black, blue, green, purple etc.) so you can pimp your thumb sticks to suit your style, and you can score yourself a four pack for just $13.75 AUD with free delivery. They make a great little stocking filler for Christmas or you could also give them as a Kris Kringle gift or birthday present.
At the end of the day, they are a great little accessory that enhances your gaming, purely because, not only do they improve your handling, but they also serve as peace of mind – no longer do you have to worry about the skin around your thumb sticks tearing.
If you wish to get your thumbs on some Grip-iTs, click here to head to Grip-iTs Australian site and store. Your thumbs and thumbsticks will thank you for it.
Despite a childhood playing survival horrors, point and clicks and beat ’em ups, these days Zach tries to convince people that Homefront: The Revolution is a good game while pining for a sequel to The Order: 1886 and a live-action Treasure Planet film. Carlton, Burnley FC & SJ Sharks fan. Get around him on Twitter @tightinthejorts
