Cork grips Vs. Foam Grips

[Hooksetter]

Just wondering what everybody prefers and why. All my fishing rods have cork grips and I have no complaints but I have noticed alot of the newer rods have the foam grips. Those of you that have them, how do they compare to cork? Comfort, longevity, easy to hold on to etc.

The only foam grips I have fished with was when I was a kid. My dad used a Combo that had a Zebco 33 reel on a pistol grip Ugly Stik rod. I did not like those, but they have probably been improved alot. At least I hope.

Willie

[A Lee]

I recently started fishing with the Bass Pro Carbonlite series of rods with foam grips and love them. I still use cork on all of my Crankin rods but have switched to the Carbonlite with foam grips for all of my flippin/pitchin and my spinning rods. I have noticed the foam is much lighter than the cork and actually is more tacky when it is raining. I also noticed the foam doesn't break down like some cork grips can.

[Cy]

Foam has become popular lately for a couple of reason that I know of...

1.  Foam is lighter then cork and everyone is paying a lot of attention how light their rods are these days.
2.  Foam is a lot cheaper then cork...cork prices have really gone up in the last several years...especially for good quality cork.
3.  I think foam is easier to work with, from a rod builder perspective and it holds up probably better then cork.

I don't think that foam looks as good as cork does.  It is harder to give foam custom look, like you can cork.

I like to fish with both, I don't think I have a strong preference either way.  Both work well for me.

Cy

[Waterfoul]

I like what Cy said.

I also have several of both and don't really have a preference.  I do think the foam might be a bit grippier when wet though.

[LennyB]

I remember back in the early 80's I bought a few Shimano Samurai rods that had foam grips. Back then there was a foam fad also but it soon died out. The foam grips were hard to keep clean over a period of time and eventually lost their softness. I like cork better myself. To me it just feels better and lasts the test of time. Just my take.

[matt]

I like my foam grips....but either works for me.Long as it doesn't have a fore grip,another personal preference of mine. 

[fiker]

I've always wondered if foam could possibly be able to transmit vibrations as well as cork.  Usually the denser the substance, the better it is at transmission.  My guess is that the same qualities that might make foam more comfortable in the hand, would also cause it to be less sensitive.

So, I've just assumed that for those rods and techniques requiring a lot of "feel" would be better suited to cork handles.

This is all an hypothesis on my part.  With the high price of quality rods, I have not tested my hypothesis, I just use all cork.

[thedude]

depends on the type of foam. Some eva is very dense and firm, some is very soft. Density at a molecular level is what is going to transmit vibrations more effectively. Depending on the quality of foam/density of faom or cork you get - either one could be better.

However, common sense would say that your hand is typically in direct contact with the reel seat, the reel itself or even the blank at all times - all these points would transmit vibrations significantly higher than the best cork or eva.

In other words, pick the grip that feels best and has direct access to feel the blank. If you're stuck with a spinning rod where the blank doesn't come through the seat - find one with no foregrip or at a minimum, make sure the manufacturer using high-density foam arbors to mount the seat to the blank (hint: not many do).

the most sensitive grips you can get now are high-density foam covered in a carbon fiber skin. They are a pain to make!