I was distant from our hobby/industry for a few years, but did anyone complain that Hypalon for available in place of BRICK HARD EVA was a reasonable
substitute? total different process to fit grips!! Now I have to find a solution for a partially installed new EVA GRIP!! Any help?

"It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble.It's what you know for sure that just ain't so." Mark Twain
John in Wethersfield, CT

Hypalon is very durable but somewhat soft compared to even the average EVA grip firmness. It's also quite heavy, compared. Just depends on the rod type and usage you plan.


...........

Batson calls their hypalon substitute, Battlelon EPSM. More ecologically friendly to make.

In regard to the partially installed grip, there isn't much you can do other than cut it off and start again. Hopefully it slid far enough that you do not need to clean dried adhesive off of the blank.

If you tie some heavy braided line to a couple sections of dowel rod, you will have a 'saw' that will cut through the EVA and not damage the blank underneath.

When it comes to EVA, the ID will stretch to about 1.25-1.5 times the original ID when sliding into place. You can either choose an appropriate sized ID or ream to fit. Personally, I ream to fit. As a hobby builder, it provides a chance to work on technique and allows me to keep some materials on hand. Since I like to dry fit all of my grips to be sure that I'm happy with the dimensions before final glue up, I usually ream until I can make the dry fit happen. Otherwise, ream until you can get the grip within several inches of its final position, and you will be good to go.

CRB's XHD Hypalon has been available for a few years - Its very similar to the Hypalon of years past

Straight Grips: [mudhole.com]
Foregrips: [mudhole.com]

Regards.
Team Mud Hole Custom Tackle
Web: [www.mudhole.com]
Email: sales@mudhole.com
Toll Free Phone #: 1-866-790-RODS (7637)

Stay Connected with us:
FaceBook: [www.facebook.com]
YouTube: [www.youtube.com]
Instagram: [www.instagram.com]
Tik Tok: Tik Tok: [www.tiktok.com]
Twitter: @mudholetackle

For my heavy saltwater rods, I prefer Hypalon for its durability. Eva will retain dents while Hypalon will generally not retain dents.

Is hypalon shaped the same way as EVA? I remember reading somewhere that it doesn’t take to sanding like EVA does.

I sand hypalon all the time. Not much different than EVA which is somewhat firmer. I use drywall sanding screens and finish off with fine sandpaper to get a smooth finish.