After realizing my grip was really weak I gave up my straps and belt about six weeks ago. I’m now able to do 415 for a single (up 100 pounds), but have stopped making any progress. My grip is definitely still the limiting factor. I don’t feel like I’m really hitting my hamstrings and back anymore. Should I work up as high as I can without the straps, and then continue the workout with them in order to hit my hamstrings and back? Any advice on where to go from here is greatly appreciated. As an aside, in the past six weeks my bench has shot up drastically.
What are your goals, pal? Do you want to get stronger in the deadlift?
Personally I LOVE using the deadlift to build my grip - that’s its main purpose with me!
I would say that in this case it greatly depends on where you workout. In this I mean, there are many lifts you could do like the farmer’s walk or work with a greater diameter bar that could help you grip. However, if you do not have a place to do these things, then a one-hand grip deadlift or deadlifts in different directions such as Jefferson D.L. or the hack lift could aid your grip and all around deadlift. If I were you I would stay away from straps and belts --chalk if necessary is okay though. Have fun!
If you can’t hold onto the bar, you can’t deadlift it. Do ALL your lifting without straps. It’s like if you squatting & your quads are weak, you don’t wear something to make up for your weak quads, you add in front squats or something else to strengthen them.
Why are you deadlifting? If you’re a powerlifter, you can’t use straps in a meet. If not, use them if you like if your goal is a stronger lower back and hamstring group. Concentrate on seperate grip exercises such as towel chins, famers walk, deadlift holds, etc.
I’ve only used straps for heavy partials in the dl. It’s all about what you want to accomplish.
I do all my deadlifts with no straps. I use a pronated grip (both hands) until my grip fails. At this point I switch to a mixed grip (left hand supinated, right hand pronated) for whatever reps/sets are left. This seems to work well as I can work my grip strength until it fails then switch and do heavier weights. Just my 2 cents (and it’s Canadian, so it may not be worth much!)
i think about how much my grip is worked out on through out each various workout. If i’m trying to increase my strength in my hams and lower back i use the straps. laters pk
As others have said, it depends on your goals. I always deadlift with straps. My goal is not to become a good deadlifter, but rather to build my hams and back; consequently, it seems stupid to me to let my grip limit the amount of work my hams and back get.
If your goal is to have a huge deadlift, throw the straps in the trash. Dont use them for anything you do in the gym. I see a lot of people who havent been training very long and they use straps for everything(my favorite is when I see people use them for lat pulldowns). This just makes your grip weak. Strength gains will come sooner or later. Working on my grip is probably the most important thing I have eve done in the gym. Do static holds, farmers walks, and IRONMIND.com has these little loop thingies that you attach weights to and hold with each finger, they are very cool. The only thing you need is chalk to help your grip otherwise.
I think I saw to you talking about liking plate pinches in another thread. This friday, I came up with a new variation in the gym (since I can only pinch the 10lbs - the others don’t have a ‘flat’ side)
Instead of just gripping the plates, I do one arm snatches (I think, I raise them from hips to shoulders) for a couple of reps. The acceleration increases the amount I have to grip the plate. It also allows for “explosive” gripping (kinda). Just thought you should know.
I don’t think that was me, but cleaning or snatching or just swinging the plates around is a good way to increase pinching strength if adding any weight makes it too heavy. I think the record for a clean & press is 35s & for a snatch (can’t remember who did that), Arthur Saxon (some of his lifts are in Coach Davies’ latest article) snatched a 4" thick plank that weighed 90lbs. If you can clean 10’s I’d say you’re doing ok. Most regular people can only lift 10’s off the floor. 
My grip improoved from sticking with doing deads and pull ups without straps. On pull ups I have added weight to my waiste to enhance my grip strength. I do bent over rows without straps and then add straps on the heaviest sets. good luck