The Best Jump Ropes For Crossfit in 2020 – Detailed Guide With Product Reviews

Jumping rope is one of the most well-rounded CrossFit exercises that is often overlooked even by professional athletes. Still, whether you stopped doing it in 3rd grade or are still casually including it in your workout, finding the best jump ropes for CrossFit should definitely be on your to-do list.

In this guide, we will go over some of the top jump ropes for double unders and see how they stack up against each other. Furthermore, we will discuss the various aspects that make a jump rope good and then go through the features that you need to pay attention to when buying one.

P2 Sport & Fitness Double Under Speed Jump Rope

Our Rating: (5/5)

The P2 Double Under Speed Jump Rope is one of the best price-to-value deals out there if you’re looking for a durable fast rope. Despite coming with a 2.5mm fast 10 ft fast rope, you also get a 3.4 mm heavier rope (again 10 ft) for more strength-oriented workouts.

The handles feature a unique bearing design which also has a rope hook which allows you to easily adjust the length of the rope. While the cables themself aren’t really up to the task if you’re jumping on asphalt, you get a free silicone cable protector that is can be replaced by P2 if you damage it.

The handles have a little weight to them and are perfectly padded for additional grip while working out. As a whole, all the materials here have a premium feel to them and you get everything you need from a jump rope at a bargain price. If you’re a beginner that is looking for something that will stick with you along your journey, this is the right model for you.

Crossrope Get Lean Weighted Jump Rope Set

Our Rating: (4.5/5)

The Crossrope Get Lean is one of the top models if you’re into CrossFit and want something super comfortable and adjustable. It has elegant slim handles which add to the comfort and ease-of-use. The handles are connected to the ropes via a fast-clip mechanism. That fast-clip connector allows you to change between the two cables that you get with this jump rope. One of the rope is weighted and the other one isn’t. The weighted one is 1/4 pounds, while the lighter one is 1/2 lb. They are both very durable and can be used on rougher surfaces such as asphalt.

The jump rope comes in four sizes – S, M, L, and XL. The S is for people up to 5’3″, the M for up to 5’85”, L for up to 6’1.5″, and the XL is for people as tall as 6’9″. There is also a Crossrope app that comes with this rope which you can download on your smartphone and browse countless of jump rope workouts geared towards different goals such as strength, cardio, weight loss, and others. The only major downside to this rope is that it is extremely expensive compared to other models. Still, you get two ropes here plus a 2-year warranty on the handles and the clip-on mechanism.

Survival and Cross Jump Rope

Our Rating: (4.5/5)

The Survival and Cross Jump Rope is one of the best budget deals if you aren’t after all the bells and whistles. The spinning mechanisms here are regular, there are no bearings, the handles aren’t aluminum nor they are padded. The rope is light and fairly durable. As a whole, everything is exactly how you need it if you want a good long-lasting fast rope. While it is indeed geared more towards beginners, it is also good for intermediates that are looking for a casual rope that won’t break on the first workout outside.

The ropes are lightweight and are therefore perfect for fast-paced workouts. They are also very durable making them ideal for workouts on rough surfaces. While the handles could use some padding, they are still fairly light and easy to grab.

The best thing about this rope is that it comes with a lifetime warranty. This means that whatever happens to your rope, you get a new one back for free. Honestly, apart from the lack of a few premium features, this jump role is almost a perfect all-rounder and all that for a very low price.

WOD Nation Speed Jump Rope

Our Rating: (4.5/5)

The WOD Nation Speed Jump Rope is the fastest rope on this list. It is also a great deal for your money if you look for something small and lightweight. The handles here are super compact which is great if you don’t want a bulky handle but some people might find them a bit too small. The way the ropes are connected to the handles isn’t vie a ball bearing but it is fairly reliable on the long-run. What I don’t like is that in order to change the length of the ropes you will need a wire cutter.

In terms of accessories, all you get here is a carrying bag but I won’t complain since most other models don’t even give you that. Still, for the money, everything here is on-point.

X Picsil Anna Aluminium Jump Rope

Our Rating: (4.5/5)

One of the more well-built models on this list is the X Picsil Anna Aluminum Jump Rope. If you are willing to pay slightly more for a premium jump rope this is the right model for you. It has aluminum handles and silver-threaded cable which is 2mm thick. The whole rope is designed with speed in mind, even though the handles have a little weight to them.

There are bearings on the spinning mechanisms, which means that you can really go fast here, making double unders really easy even for a beginner. The rope can be adjusted via a key that you get with your jump rope. You also get a travel bag with your order. The only downsides that I found here are that there isn’t any lifetime warranty as with other (cheaper) models and you aren’t getting a second rope. Still, to be fair, the silver cable here is pretty long-lasting.

Bear KompleX Aluminum Speed Jump Rope

Our Rating: (4.5/5)

Lastly, I wanted to give you a fairly budget alternative to all the premium models. The bear KompleX Aluminum Speed Jump Rope has all the bells and whistles its more expensive competitors do. It has aluminum handles, steel cables with a silicone coating, and super fast ball-bearing spinning mechanisms that let you have fine control over the speed. Still, this rope is primarily geared towards cardio and strength training since its thicker and heavier than most other speed ropes.

Unlike other premium ropes, you get a money-back guarantee here making the purchase a little safer if you don’t like it. On top of that, you are also getting a second cable and a carrying bag.

Crossfit Jump Ropes Buyer’s Guide

Jump ropes are becoming more and more widely used in various sports nowadays. However, they are still dominating the CrossFit scene mainly due to their diverse nature and their ability to train your whole body at the same time. Whether you want to learn how to continuously do double unders or just want to get in shape, jump ropes are a solid stationary alternative. What’s even better is they can be used virtually anywhere you have a flat surface and a little space to yourself.

Before we jump to their features, let’s check out the different types of jump ropes and showcase the strong sides of each of them…

Types of Jump Ropes

There are three main types of jump ropes, each of them designed for a specific training purpose. Those are:

• Beaded Jump Ropes – Beaded jump ropes are most commonly used in schools and kindergartners since they are brights, vibrant, and colorful. They are also much harder to tangle and are slightly heavier than the speed jump ropes. The beads also contribute to the sound the rope does when it hits the ground, adding to the rhythm of the exercise.
• Weighted Jump Ropes – Weighted jump ropes are the best ones for CrossFit and for advanced users. As their name suggests, they are much heavier than the other two types and are ideal for burning more calories. They typically come in weight options ranging from 0.5 to 6 pounds. As a rule of thumb, the more weight you add the more you will exercise your upper body parts during the workout. Their major downside, however, is that they are typically more expensive than the standard jump ropes.
• Speed Jump Ropes – Speed jump ropes are the most common type of rope used by beginners and advanced athletes alike. While they won’t give you the workout of your life similar to the weighted ones, they are an excellent all-rounder to take anywhere with you. They are very light, easy to work with, and great for your cardio and footwork. They are also the best option if you want to train double unders and are also cheaper compared to the other two kinds. Their main disadvantage is that they tangle much easier the weighted and beaded jump ropes.

Nowadays we see the emerging of a fourth kind – the ropeless jump rope. It features similar handle construction but instead of a long connected rope, it has two very short ropes with ball-like weights attached at their ends. That still allows you to spin the same amount of weight but you won’t get your legs caught in the rope or won’t be limited by the space you’re training in. They are still quite new to the market and users are still sceptical about them. These ropes are also very expensive.

Learn how to properly jump rope by following my tips and instructions on this article!

Jump Rope Features

At first, it will be quite confusing that an item as simple as a jump rope can have so many variations and so many features to judge it by. Nevertheless, with more people realizing the benefits of jump ropes, more and more companies chime in to build their own models. That creates a healthy level of competition that inspires research and development efforts towards the perfect jump rope. And while the perfect rope is subjective and personal to everyone’s different needs, there are some universal features that we can base a model upon. These are:

Type

As we already discussed, there are three main types of jump ropes with a fourth one becoming more and more popular with each year. Simply put, if you want an agile rope that will keep your cardio in check, opt for a speed rope. If you want a proper workout for your upper muscles as well, opt for weighted ropes. The weight of those jump ropes can be either in their ropes or their handles, but we will discuss that further down in the respective chapters.

Rope properties

There are three things that you should look for when it comes to the rope – its material, the length, and thickness.

The materials used for ropes are really diverse. You can have steel, PVC, leather, silicone, or beaded ropes. Furthermore, the leather and steel ones can have a coating on top which is either silicone or plastic, making them more resistant to hard and rough surfaces such as asphalt. Steel ropes are the fastest even when they’re coated but they tend to last less than leather ones. Silicone ropes are the cheapest alternative and they also handle stretching quite well. Steel, PVC, and leather, on the other hand, can hardly be stretched.

When it comes to weight and thickness there is one rule to follow – the lighter the rope the faster it will be. That being said, if you want to go for thicker heavier ropes, don’t expect much speed from them. These aren’t ideal for double unders. Lighter thinner ropes are perfect for speed training but are often more fragile and not ideal for rough outdoor surfaces. Typically, speed ropes (light and thin) are around 2.5 ounces while the standard ropes are more than 3.5 ounces.

The cables can also be interchangeable which is definitely a feature that you want to have if you want to use your jump rope for multiple types of workouts. Strength training, cardio, and double unders typically require different rope weight and lengths, so being able to change between two or three types of ropes is a great benefit. However, it typically bulks up the price, so make sure you stay within your budget.

Handles

Handles the other most important feature of a jump rope. Depending on your needs, you might look for weighted or regular handles. Weighted ones are typically made out of aluminum and have weights inside them. Some premium models even have adjustable weights. That will allow you to adjust your jump rope according to the gains you want to have. Another thing to look for in weights is their padding. Nothing is worse than an uncomfortable handle, so look for ones with anti-slip coatings or padding.

The part that connects the handle to the rope is called a rotating mechanism. Let’s talk about those now…

Rotating Mechanisms

There are two types of rotating mechanisms – one with ball bearings and the others that have the rope going straight in the handle with no rotating mechanism. If you go for a ball bearing model, the more expensive it is the better the mechanism will be. Those are typically built to last quite a lot of spins and are easier to use for beginners. Non-mechanism jump ropes are also quite long-lasting but aren’t as good as the ball-bearing ones when it comes to spinning the rope very fast.

Resizing

If you share your jump rope with other people, make sure it is resizable. The thing with sizing your rope is that different people will need different clearance from their heads. For instance, beginners are recommended to have more than 10 inches of clearance between the rope and their head. Intermediates need around 6 inches, while experts can work with as little as 1 inch of clearance. How easy is the rope to resize is a vital feature if you plan on growing with it and not change it along the way.

Durability

When you get a jump rope you’d ideally want it to be able to withstand anything you throw at it. That includes rough surfaces, the gym backpack, moisture, and dust. The durability also includes the quality of the ball bearings inside the rotating mechanisms. The more expensive the rope is, the better its bearings and durability are and the more it will last you before you need to replace any of its components.

Weight

We already went through weight in a couple of different chapters of this guide but let’s sum things up. With jump ropes, you can have both the handles and the rope weighted. Typically, jump ropes can weigh anywhere between 0.4 and 6 pounds, making the quite diverse in this aspect. The heavier the rope, the more you will need to work to spin it meaning more results and better upper-body training. If you’re going for double unders, however, choose a speed rope that is lighter and thinner.

With weighted jump ropes, you should consider warming up your joints, mostly the shoulder and hand ones due to the added difficulty of the weight. Even if jump ropes are also a good way to warm up your body, some basic stretching is needed if you’re about to go all in. Learn how to properly warm-up for various types of workouts by going to my detailed article on the topic!

Sensors and app compatibility

This is a feature that only the most advanced and expensive models have. The sensors are typically located in the jump rope’s handles and they typically connect with your smartphone via Bluetooth to send information about speed, spins, time, and other measures.

Some jump ropes can also have LEDs built into their cables to give you a better orientation where the rope is.

Price

All the additional features, options such as interchangeable ropes, and other extras typically bulk up the price of the jump rope greatly. While they are all nice to have, make sure you pay attention to the price in order to not go over your pre-determined budget.

Advantages of using jump ropes

The number of advantages of jumping rope are endless compared to other limiting exercises. The only other types of workouts that can work your whole body out are typically more complex and involve more than 1 position and exercise. Cycling is the closest you can get to jump rope in terms of all-round performance from a single exercise. Still, cycling requires much more expensive gear, no matter if its a stationary bike or a road one. With that in mind, let’s list the benefits a single jump rope routine gives you:

While jumping rope is typically an aerobic exercise, you can easily make it anaerobic by pushing its limits a bit. Find out more about the differences between aerobic and anaerobic exercises by clicking here. Now, let’s answer some common questions regarding that topic!

Frequently Asked Questions

Which jump rope is used in CrossFit Games?

The typical jump rope we see in the CrossFit games is the Rogue Pro Jump Rope. It features a heavy 5.5mm cable which is also coated. The handles weigh 1lb each and further add to the weight of the whole jump rope, thus making it ideal for high-intensity workouts.

What is the best type of jump rope?

This heavily depends on your needs. If you want to get the most out of your workout, a speed rope or a weighted rope will be your best choice. A braided rope is good if you want to learn how to properly do it and follow a certain rhythm.

Why do boxers jump rope?

One of the main reasons boxers (and other martial artists) prefer to jump rope is due to body coordination benefits. Apart from that, the footwork we gain by jumping rope is unmatched to any other type of exercise. Perhaps only the agility ladders match the footwork practice a jump rope gives you.

Do weighted jump ropes build muscle?

Yes, the more weight a jump rope has to its rope and handles, the more upper body strength you will build. This is primarily valid for your shoulders, forearms, and wrists.

Final Words

Choosing between the best jump ropes for CrossFit isn’t going to be the easiest task, mainly because there are numerous models out there all seem similar in their features. Still, if you pay attention to their rope materials, strength, handles, weights, and rotating mechanisms, you will find that there is a variety that only someone who’s aware of these features can find.