Look, I've just made...

[Atak Kat]

That does suck. I heard many reports they will send replacements, but didn't hear only like-for-like. I would prefer leather as well.

I understand the procedure to completely remove the grips is quite in-depth. I think the front half comes off fairly simply, but the back half needs quite a bit of disassembly to get it off.

I have been considering to just get some leather myself and give a go at applying it directly over the alcantara. But I think it would need glue or something that could damage the alcantara. Mine are still in good condition, so I don't want to damage the alcantara. Just leather on top instead.

What I did do (still an experiment) was use vinyl wrap (picture here again, I think I posted it quite some time ago already). Each grip was one piece and with a bit of heat and stretching it went on quite well. I put extra thin strips around the edges just to give some extra strength and limit the possibility of any curling or peeling. So far they've held up quite well without any sign of wear. The grips are quite nice because the alcantara is still underneath, so even though it's not leather, they still have a bit of flex to them. So far, they've worked well and have a decent amount of grip. No slipperiness from sweat or anything so far. However, longest time in use has been about 30 minutes, so I just can't say if it's a good solution for longer/endurance use.

In case you're annoyed with the thumb wheels 'looseness', try to put a rubber o-ring between the knob and the body. It's not perfect, but it does add some friction to the thumb wheels turning and less chance of bumping them.

[Sum Dixon-Ear]

The disassembly is what deterred me from swapping the grips straight away.. I think it's quite fiddly with a screw or two that are less than obvious to remove at the rear.

Once I finally take off these old ones I think I will try to get a professional vehicle upholsterer to re-cover them with perforated leather and some thin foam backing.

It would be much easier if a range of replacement grips were available from Fanatec though.

[BigDad]

That does suck. I heard many reports they will send replacements, but didn't hear only like-for-like. I would prefer leather as well.

I understand the procedure to completely remove the grips is quite in-depth. I think the front half comes off fairly simply, but the back half needs quite a bit of disassembly to get it off.

I have been considering to just get some leather myself and give a go at applying it directly over the alcantara. But I think it would need glue or something that could damage the alcantara. Mine are still in good condition, so I don't want to damage the alcantara. Just leather on top instead.

What I did do (still an experiment) was use vinyl wrap (picture here again, I think I posted it quite some time ago already). Each grip was one piece and with a bit of heat and stretching it went on quite well. I put extra thin strips around the edges just to give some extra strength and limit the possibility of any curling or peeling. So far they've held up quite well without any sign of wear. The grips are quite nice because the alcantara is still underneath, so even though it's not leather, they still have a bit of flex to them. So far, they've worked well and have a decent amount of grip. No slipperiness from sweat or anything so far. However, longest time in use has been about 30 minutes, so I just can't say if it's a good solution for longer/endurance use.

In case you're annoyed with the thumb wheels 'looseness', try to put a rubber o-ring between the knob and the body. It's not perfect, but it does add some friction to the thumb wheels turning and less chance of bumping them.

I really like my Alcantara but would like to try leather also, maybe have a spare of each to make it like a new wheel from time to time by just swapping the grips. I do it all the time with my Universal HUB swapping from rims leather to suade and its easy and quick. But my formula v2 grips are getting old now and been thinking about leather grips.
With community pressure i wonder if Fanatec will bend?