I agree with most of the above statements. Wood looks nicer, but for powerful handguns it can hurt and even cause blisters. I am currently using Pachmayr Grippers on several handguns, and they really tame the recoil. But I am considering putting the wood grips back on and using the weight lifters gloves that I recently bought to shoot my XP-100. The palm and web area between thumb and index finger are padded and the glove protects me from the extreme recoil from my XP-100, which is essentially a rifle mounted on a handgun grip.