I'm buidling a rod right now and I just installed a 5" real cork foregrip. The rod is only 9' and i did finish the butt end with a small piece of cork behind the reel seat and the rest with 1/16th" cork tape. I hear ya with the wear on the hand.
I have an interesting trick that I don't think anyone else has tried yet and I think it suits the true wading types better than cork tape
Its kinda the best of both worlds and was a tweak on advice i was given to produce a G. Loomis grip.
Stick with a real cork foregrip but wrap the butt end once with cork tape, then go over it with that heavy duty textured tape you can get at Home Depot. Now that stuff is rough and will wear your hands down fast so....
.... the trick is to add a piece electrical shrink tube over it. Makes it smoother than cork tape but a little more texture than real cork and its very easily changed. Should weigh less than two wraps of cork tape too.
Still might not solve your problem if you have girlie hands
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