Forum Member Reviews: Lamkin Sonar+ Black Grips

“Comfort. Connection. Power.”

These are the three words Lamkin Golf features when you check out the Sonar+ Black grips. Lamkin’s Genesis material using Fingerprint Technology produces a surprisingly simple and classic-looking black grip, with minimal silver highlights.  This refined texture and unique Genesis material create a long-lasting grip with “enhanced feel and strong connection that truly feels like no other.”

Does the Lamkin Sonar+ Black grip take comfort, connection and power to the next level? Read on to see what our testers discovered. 

Selection Process

Our Forum staff handpicked four testers for the Sonar+ Black grips. Testers selected the size they preferred and received a full set of Sonar+ Black Grips from Lamkin.  

Would these grips stand up to their current gamers?

Insights from Testers

Initial Impressions and First Look

Overall initial impressions were solid. Testers noted how great the semi-glossy black finish of the grips looked in person and noted that they felt great in-hand and had high expectations for them after installation.

Reesedw was “impressed with the look and feel right out of the box. These grips look amazing and felt super sticky when I took the plastic off.”

Srooch2: “In-hand, these things are stunning! They do have an almost gloss finish on them but not to the point of being distracting, just enough to make them look high end.”  He also noted the Fingerprint Technology “is subtle and blends in with the rest of the grip and are almost invisible when you hold the club at address.”

FightingScot82: “They feel like an adequate thickness and softness to touch.”  However, he did express some concern that the grip would not hold up well to his strong grip, questioning how long the Fingerprint Technology would last.  

TheProfessor02: “Lamkin has really hit the mark with these; if the out-of-the-box feel lasts through the testing period, I would be quite impressed with the product they have created.” Shortly after installing the grips,he made some practice swings under “multiple scenarios from full swings to short-game shots including from the bunker. I am thoroughly impressed.”

Look and Feel

With initial impressions out of the way, it was time to look a little closer at the grips and handle them with a focus on their overall aesthetics and feel from the Sonar+ design.  Our testers didn’t quite agree on how much the reduced taper profile actually thickened the lower hand.

According to Reesedw, “these grips feel amazing.” However, he did knock the grip because he “did not feel as though there was less taper. I am guessing that for someone to know if that was true (they) would (have) be to be involved in the design. I simply did not feel it was noticeable enough for that to really be a selling point.”  

Srooch2: “I couldn’t find one grip better than these in the feel department, even the Winn Dri Tac wrap grip which was always my favorite feeling grip lost to these.”  He noted the Lamkin Sonar+ Black grips “have a firm yet soft feel. The fingerprint tech almost acts like a cord while the soft material feels like it sticks to your hand. It is very unique and I think there is something there that can improve a lot of golfers’ stranglehold on their clubs while not having to go full corded grip.”

TheProfessor02 found the Sonar+ Black “grip feels ever so slightly thicker than a normal standard grip” which is the opposite of what Reesedw felt. He also mentioned the grip “feels thicker at the bottom with a taperless design style. I find the taperless design shines the most with specialty high-speed swings such as punch-outs, forced shot shaping and extreme uneven lies. The tack and traction on these things is no joke.”

On-Course Results

After getting first impressions and installing the grips, it was time for the real work to begin. Our four testers took the Lamkin Sonar+ Black grips out on the course to see how well they stood up to summer heat and humidity.

Reesedw: “These grips beg to be swung hard, they do give the feel I was looking for.”  This was under normal golfing conditions.  When the course got wet he did find “these grips turned slick when wet.”

Srooch2 ran into the most moisture-related issues “due to my copious amounts of sweat which caused the grips to act like a bar of soap in my hands.”  However, he did note that his “circumstance is extreme and shouldn’t be necessarily used for you, the consumer, to judge the grips’ performance.” When the heat and humidity subsided, he enjoyed the comfort, performance and tackiness of the Sonar+ Black grips.

TheProfessor02: “The grips feel great throughout the round, even when playing in the heat and getting some mild sweat on my hands. I also have not seen any signs of wear or needed to clean them in 5+ rounds. I expect these grips to hold up well over the duration of the season.”

Miscellaneous Thoughts

As our testers started to wrap up their sixweek testing period, we asked them if they had any opinions on the grips or apects they would like to see in the future from doing this test.

Reesedw: “I would recommend these grips to anyone who doesn’t play in the wet very much. To me, the tackiness I felt when installing along with the pattern I thought the grips would play well in all conditions.” Unfortunately, he found “wet is where these grips leave a little bit to be desired.” 

Wet Conditions

Srooch2 wanted to comment about his struggles with moisture management during the test. “The truth is, no grip performs perfect when conditions are that bad for me, yes, corded grips seem to perform the best and softer grips less so, but they all have issues when covered in oily, gross sweat. I was using them, once in the late evening on my property while the sun was setting and the humidity had dropped substantially. I was able to go out with my wedge and hit a bucket of balls on less than full swing shots and I was able to feel all these grips had to offer and I loved it. The swing felt effortless and in complete control. This was due to the grip alone.” This left him still feeling good about the grips, especially for the early and late season.

Feel

TheProfessor02 enjoys the feel of the Lamkin Sonar+ Black grip. “The harder you squeeze the grip, the firmer it feels, but the outermost layer still feels soft to the touch especially around the green on half-shots. I find this extremely pleasant as I like a softer grip, but I don’t like it when a grip is so soft my hands squish into it and I lose any sense or feel for the club.”

The Final Verdict

It was a mixed bag of results for the Sonar+ Black grip. Some testers are keeping them on, others are looking for a change. Our testers felt it was important to note that most of the issues they faced were more the result of the golfer than the grip. For the target market, all testers felt the grips performed really well and offered a confidence-inspiring connection to the club in most conditions.

Summary Quotes

Our four Lamkin Sonar+ Black testers summarized their reviews as follows:

“Lamkin makes great golf grips, the Sonar Blacks are no exception. I give these grips a 90/100 based solely on my experience in rain, with sweaty hands, and the fact i do not feel they have less taper than standard grips, or at least not noticeably.” – Reesedw

“For now am taking these grips off…. for the moment. I am going to let the humidity drop and revisit them in the fall. For all I know these could be a seasonal grip for me, they have the same exact specs as my gamers and the brief time I got to experience their potential left me wanting more …  So in closing, do I recommend these grips to you? Yes, absolutely yes! Try them, you will be pleasantly surprised at the unique feel and responsiveness of the grips.”  – Srooch2

“After playing a few rounds and getting some range sessions in, I have to say that I really, really like these grips. I came into this with almost no grip brand allegiance but these are pretty nice. I love the tackiness. It’s not quite enough to make me play without a glove but I can totally see a gloveless player liking these grips. I also love the squeeze factor and sponginess.” – FightingScot82

“I absolutely love these grips and would recommend them as something to try out for anyone of any skill level on the market for new grips. For me the price is more than fair and I have been especially pleased with them since they’ve gone in the bag.” – TheProfessor02

Want to read the full reviews? Go here:  Forum Member Reviews: Lamkin Sonar+ Black Grips

What is Forum Member Testing?

MyGolfSpy offers all its community members a unique opportunity to test, review and keep a variety of different golf equipment, apps, apparel and more. Successful candidates are selected by Forum staff. 

Members who are selected interact, engage and write a review on the specific product while enjoying the fun of trying new gear!

Member testing is vital because it gets gear in the hands of you, the golfer. Our members give honest feedback on how any product or service works for a variety of handicaps and abilities to ensure our readers are even more informed when making purchasing decisions. 

To learn more about how testers are selected, head here: Want to be a forum tester?