I designed these wristbands myself, in collaboration with GORNATION, after wanting to make something for the calisthenics community for years. The Cru Edition carries the Chidori PL design I created a while back, now printed on a wristband built for training, not just for looking good. Does a wristband actually help your planche and front lever, or is it just merchandise with my name on it? In this review I cover the design, the fit during holds, and the pricing and bundle options GORNATION built around it. By the end you will know whether these are worth adding to your training kit.
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The Wristbands Cru Edition
I designed the Cru Edition myself, in collaboration with GORNATION, and opening the first pair still felt personal. This is the Chidori PL design I created years ago, finally printed on something you can actually wear in training. The fit surprised me the first time I put them on. There is no extra pressure on the wrist when I go into a front lever, and freestyle transitions feel just as clean. That matters more than it sounds, because most wrist supports either do nothing or squeeze so hard you forget why you put them on.
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | Wristbands Cru Edition |
| Design | Chidori PL emblem, white and red colorway |
| Collaboration | Daniel Hristov x GORNATION |
| Price | 15 euros |
| Availability | Limited run of 500 pieces |
Who it is for: beginner, intermediate, advanced, and elite athletes who want wrist support that does not get in the way during holds and freestyle movement.
Key Takeaway
A wristband only earns a place in your kit if it stays put without adding pressure. That is the one thing I tested for through planche, front lever, and freestyle transitions before deciding these were worth putting my name on.
Design and Fit for Planche and Front Lever Work
The white and red combination is simple, and I like that it stayed simple. Red is the color I associate with competing, so putting it on the wristband was not an accident.
On the wrist itself, I found the band pretty stable through planche and front lever work, which is where most wrist wraps let me down. In competition I get stressed about my wrists shifting during a routine, riding up or sliding down mid-hold.
I wrap them across in a specific way to add even more stability, though that comes down to personal preference more than a rule. Planche and front lever both load the wrist into deep extension, so any band that stays put without adding pressure is doing its job.
Who it is for: anyone who has felt a wrist wrap creep or loosen mid-set and wants one less thing to think about during a hold.
Pricing and Bundle Options
GORNATION set this up with four ways to buy, and I think the bundles are worth understanding before you pick one. You can get the wristbands on their own, or paired with a piece of equipment I actually train with.
| Bundle | Includes |
|---|---|
| Wristbands only | Cru Edition wristbands |
| Rings bundle | Workout rings + wristbands |
| Parallettes bundle | Metal parallettes + wristbands |
| Static bar bundle | Static bar + wristbands |
My personal favorite is the parallettes bundle, but that is because parallettes already sit at the center of my own planche and lever work, not because the wristbands change depending on which bundle you pick. The wristbands themselves are identical across every option.
Who it is for: people who are already planning to buy rings, parallettes, or a static bar and want the wristbands added at the same time instead of ordering twice.
Which One Should You Buy
If you already train planche, front lever, or freestyle and you have felt a wrist wrap slide during a hold, the wristbands alone solve that problem without asking you to buy anything else. If you are still building your home setup, pairing them with the static bar or the metal parallettes makes more sense, since you get equipment you will use every session plus the wrist support in one order. I would not buy a bundle just to get a discount on the wristbands. Buy the bundle because you need the equipment inside it. The wristbands are the same product either way, so let your training setup decide the bundle, not the other way around.
Wrist support is one small piece of a much bigger picture. If you want someone looking at your full training, not just your wrist, I coach individually through online coaching.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Hristov x GORNATION Wristbands
What is the Hristov x GORNATION Wristbands Cru Edition?
It is a wristband I designed with GORNATION, carrying my Chidori PL emblem in a white and red colorway. It is built to support the wrist during holds like planche and front lever without adding extra pressure.
How much do the wristbands cost?
The wristbands are priced at 15 euros when bought on their own.
Are the wristbands limited edition?
Yes. This run was limited to 500 pieces.
Can I buy the wristbands in a bundle?
Yes. GORNATION offered three bundles alongside the standalone option: rings plus wristbands, metal parallettes plus wristbands, and static bar plus wristbands.
Do the wristbands help with planche and front lever training?
In my own training I found the fit stable through both holds, with no extra pressure on the wrist. Planche and front lever both put the wrist into deep extension, so a band that stays in place without squeezing is what you want.
Who are these wristbands for?
Beginner, intermediate, advanced, and elite athletes. The design is the same for everyone, it is really a matter of whether you want the wrist support and like the look.
Daniel Hristov is a four-time calisthenics world champion and coach. He shares the exact methods he uses to train his own athletes.
More about Daniel →