Introduction
Normally I'm a 1.14 Dunlop Gator Grip user, but I thought I'd give these Tortex ones a try. For reference, I’m using these with electric guitars that are usually stringed with Ernie Ball Power Slinky 11-48s.
These don’t slip
Although they are not the Gator grips, they’re definitely not slippery either. I’ve not had one of these slip out of my hand yet. The texture of the picks provides enough grip to keep these firmly clamped between your fingers. I imagine that the rigidity of the 1.14 thickness also helps here, but I have not played <1mm picks recently enough to really confirm that.
Size and shape
These come with a rounded tip, and I prefer that to a more pointy pick. Other than that obvious characteristic, the Tortex picks feel marginally larger in my hand than the Gator Grips. And even though both are supposed to be 1.14mm thick, the Tortex feels slightly thinner. Part of this may have to do with the fact that the Tortex picks have a perfectly flat surface, whereas the Gators have a slight curve. I personally prefer the latter.
Durability
This is where the Tortexes clearly win for me. I cannot quite quantify this, but after using several of the Tortex picks, the tips appear to show less wear from string contact than the Gators do. I would still not be able to reuse the same one too many times, but the Tortex picks should last you a bit longer.
To summarise:
Positive
* Durability
* Textured surface prevents slipping
* Rigidity of the pick
Negative
* None really.
If I had to mention one thing, I'd say the slightly flat and slightly larger surface than Dunlop's Gators, but this is just personal preference.
