It’s a little-known fact that the majority of pro gamers adopt a claw grip on their gaming mouse while competing.
If you haven’t heard that term, it’s a particular type of grip where the player’s hand curls over the top of the mouse to form a C shape, with the front of the C resting on the two main clicks.
Searching the internet for a reason for this coughs up a barrel of answers that mainly have to do with performance benefits.
The most common reason is that the claw grip gives players a balance between speed and accuracy, allowing them to make long swipes at speed but also to make precise micro movements.
But is that really what’s going on here? Do the other two grip types — the common palm and fingertip grips — just not make the cut for competition? Or is the answer something more outlandish, like esports gamers are just so unbelievably tense that their hands seize up to resemble Dr. Claw’s hand from Inspector Gadget?
In a claw grip the player’s hand arcs up over the top of the mouse to form a C shape.
Dreamstime: lurii Golub
To shed some light on this topic, I sought the advice of pro gamers from the multi-award-winning esports team Team Liquid.
First up I ask Quake World Champion, Rapha (Shane Hendrixson) from the U.S. for his insights. He says adopting a claw grip gives players a feeling of readiness for action.
“I think this mainly has to do with people feeling a bit more focused and homed in on what they’re doing. Like, look at the example of trying to play with a controller when playing a console on the couch and how you’re playing when you’re slouching compared to when you’re sat up straight and maybe even leaning in a bit closer to the TV,” says Rapha.
How you perform with a particular grip type does come into play though, admits Rapha. Players that can’t get the right moves off in a palm or fingertip grip will gravitate to a claw grip naturally, he says.
“People might not use the palm/fingertip grip if they don’t feel like they have complete control of their mouse when tracking and whipping it around. It comes down to personal preference,” says Rapha.
Rapha’s not entirely a claw gripper. He uses what he calls an “in-between grip” — a cross between a claw and a palm grip. He’s a believer that comfort plays a big part of performance — you must be relaxed, but you’ve also got to have the right mouse, he explains.
“For me it comes down to how it feels in my hand; I ask, does my hand, palm, and pinky area feel supported? That’s why I tend to favor ergonomic mice more than I used to when I was younger, to help prevent potential RSI issues,” says Rapha.
So, what kind of mouse best suits a claw grip? The Alienware Pro Wireless, which Team Liquid players recently got to try out, is one option. It has a medium height that allows you to comfortably curl your hand over the top. It also has main buttons that stretch back into the mouse’s body so that you can trigger them from further back where your fingers will naturally fall.
Ideally, you’ll want to avoid mice with perforated backs — they just won’t feel comfortable on your fingertips in a claw grip. To browse a list of some of the best mice for a claw grip, you might also want to read our PCWorld list of the best gaming mice.
Tried a claw grip and it’s just not for you? Don’t sweat it — all is not lost! It’s reassuring to know that there are some elite players that buck the trend, finding a lot of success with the other grip types.
One player is Team Liquid’s nAts, aka Ayaz Akhmetshin, who hails from Russia. He swears by a humble palm grip for his Valorant matches.
“I think a fingertip grip allows you to do small movements more precisely, but with the palm grip you can do bigger movements easier and faster,” he says.
“Comfort is the most important thing when choosing a mouse grip. I’m a palm grip player with my full hand on the table. I just got used to it,” he says.
