VukGripz LLC makes American-made friction grip tape and performance gloves for athletes, a company born when former college and professional baseball player R.J. Vukovich improvised a bat grip with his father during his final week of college baseball. Developed and tested through Vukovich’s six-year professional career, the reusable, weather-resistant grip technology now serves athletes across eight sports. The Ohio-based business remains family-owned and operated, with Vukovich’s mother and other relatives helping run it.
Grip BoostGrip Boost began in 2012 when University of Maryland chemical-engineering PhDs teamed with former Terps and Baltimore Ravens tight end Matt Furstenburg to develop a gel that restores football gloves’ tackiness. The company now makes science-backed grip equipment for football, baseball, and golf, including its University of Maryland-developed glove gel and Boost Plus gloves. Its team combines sports experience with chemical-engineering expertise, and the company’s gloves meet SFIA specifications for NFHS, NOCSAE, and NCAA play.LINTHICUM HEIGHTS, MD
GRIPAD USA LLCBorn from three childhood friends’ refusal to wear conventional gym gloves, GRIPAD USA LLC develops patented lifting grips and fitness accessories designed to protect the hands while preserving a natural grip. The founders first made a prototype from a neoprene wetsuit in 2003 and formed the American company in January 2008; GRIPAD products now reach more than 35 countries. Its open, minimal-coverage design remains the signature idea behind the brand, which also partners with the National Breast Cancer Foundation.BROOKLYN, NY
Victus SportsFounded in a tiny garage in Blackwood, New Jersey, in 2012, Victus Sports makes baseball and softball bats and fielding gloves with a distinctly design-driven approach. The company has grown from that local start into a wood-bat manufacturer whose Pro Reserve models are used by MLB players, while still offering equipment for players at every level.KING OF PRUSSIA, PA
Frost Gear SportsFrost Gear Sports makes cold-weather performance gear for baseball and softball, a focus born from its founders’ determination to keep freezing temperatures from changing how athletes play. The company developed baseball’s first cold-weather throwing glove and builds its line around specialized gloves and apparel that help players train and compete through cold, wet conditions. Its cold-weather batting gloves are used by more than 100 professional athletes, while the company also serves players at youth, collegiate, and professional levels.FARMINGDALE, NY