I am having trouble with the "lack of grip" idea. I have always ridden 20-23 mm tires and never felt low grip except early in a rain storm when the streets were super slick from floating oil. With road tires though you have to stay on the road. Sand, dirt, gravel are just not friendly to a road wheel. Sure lots of guys do this all the time, but I don't think they realize that they are using bike handling skills that not everyone possesses. It just come naturally to some folks. Anyway, my advice is stay on good roads, and even with 23s you will never feel a lack of grip.
Once thing to remember if you should find yourself on loose surface roads or paths is to gear way DOWN. You don't want to be in a high gear with a road bike on a loose surface.