Abstract: A friction grip for the handles of bats, rackets and the like which has a permanent tacky feel increasing in tackiness as the hands of a user heat up and perspire is provided by coating the handle with a composition having a synthetic rubber base, an anti oxidant such as zinc oxide, a hydrocarbon tackifier such as rosin, a thickener and anti-slip material such as flocked silica, a blend of slow and fast evaporating solvents, and a defoamer. The grip has an open pore surface, and is permanently bonded to the handle by a mere drying of the composition. The bat or racket handle is preferably composed of metal, such as magnesium, and coated with a plastics base paint providing a barrier between the grip material and the metal body.