A soft retaining gripper for gripping a surface while stresses are exerted in a longitudinal direction parallel to the surface between the gripper and the surface, comprises a jaw and an inflatable flexible bladder carried by the jaw, the bladder being in use inflated to grip the surface. To prevent creep of the gripper in use, a wall is associated with the bladder and extends between the bladder and the surface, the wall being made of a composite anisotropic material comprising elongate elements which are oriented to extend in the longitudinal direction and are practically inextensible and a flexible synthetic resin in which the elongate elements are embedded, the elongate elements being anchored to the jaw at at least that end in the direction of which creep might otherwise occur.
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