If you are in a hurry and just want to find out what the best speed rope for cardio workouts is, then I’d recommend the WOD Nation Speed Rope as the best one.
Jumping rope is a phenomenal way to increase your cardiorespiratory fitness and overall conditioning.
Choosing the best speed rope to enhance your fitness level can take your health and workouts to a whole new level.
Below, we’ve compiled some things that may help you to make the best decision when deciding which speed rope is best for you.
Here are the top speed ropes we’ll be reviewing:
- Survival and Cross Jump Rope
- WOD Nation Speed Jump Rope
- Master of Muscle WOD Whipper Jump Rope
- Sonic Boom M2 High Speed Jump Rope
- Fitness Master Jump Rope
How to Choose the Best Speed Rope?
Your Budget
One of the first steps to choosing the best speed rope for you is to consider how much you are willing to spend.
There are speed ropes for less than $10 if you’re on a tight budget, which can be great if you’re someone who’s just getting started and not sure if you’re going to continue with this for the long-term.
However, you can also invest in a state of the art, higher-end speed rope.
They can cost anywhere from $25+ and generally have a few extra features like ergonomic handles and steel ball bearings to help the rope spin more smoothly.
Length
Most speed ropes are adjustable as long as you or a friend has a pair of wire cutters.
The proper length for you will depend on your height.
There are guides that you can check out online to give you an idea of how long or short to make the rope.
If the rope is too long it can be difficult to jump, as the cable can get caught and tend to drag.
Conversely, if it’s too short then you may not be able to jump without it catching on your feet between rotations.
Coated Wire Cable
When choosing the best speed rope, you’ll probably want it to rotate quickly and smoothly so that you can increase your speed as you master the skill.
A naked wire cable can be pretty painful if it hits your body, so the best speed rope will usually come with a thin coating to protect your skin and make the rope motion smoother.
A coated wire cable is generally more reliable and fast.
Handles
The other most important aspect of the best speed rope is the handles.
Some handles are made of plastic and may be fine if you’re looking for something simple.
You can also find silicone and steel handles, which tend to be more durable.
If you know that your workout is going to be intense and cause you to sweat, then you may want to look for handles that have a non-slip feature such as a silicone or resin-coated option.
Comfortable handles will make your workouts much more pleasant.
What Are the Benefits of Using Speed Ropes for Cardio Workouts?
Portable and Convenient
Using a speed rope to get your cardio in is one of the most convenient ways to stay consistent with your workouts.
They’re generally lightweight and easy to carry so it’s not a hassle to throw them into your gym bag, backpack, purse or even your briefcase.
You can take them with you while you travel or even carry them with you on a run and switch up your routine a bit.
Either way, speed ropes allow you to workout anywhere, and conveniently.
Build Great Calves
While jumping rope is a great overall leg workout that will also work your shoulders, forearms, and arms, it’s a great way to build fantastic calves.
Your calves are one of the primary muscles used for jumping.
If you’ve ever seen someone who jumps rope often, you’ll probably notice that they have very chiseled and well-shaped calves.
Improve Skills
Jumping rope is a functional exercise that’s effective for improving your cardiorespiratory fitness.
You can improve your balance, speed, agility, coordination, and capacity for endurance.
If you’re really adamant about getting the most out of your rope, then you can also learn tricks and other skills like double-unders, crisscrossing, and triple-unders.
Burn A Ton of Calories
You can get a really intense and quick workout in under 20 minutes using speed ropes for your cardio routine.
Since it requires you to jump and stay in pretty continuous motion, your heart rate will stay elevated for most of the workout to give you the best cardio results.
Cardio workouts tend to burn more calories at a time than resistance training workouts.
So, if you’re trying to lose weight but don’t have time to get to the gym everyday then this could be a good option for you to get better results.
Things to Look for in the Best Speed Rope
Handles
As mentioned above, you’ll have a variety of options for materials when it comes to handles, such as plastic, steel, and silicone coated.
Other aspects of good handles to look for would be the diameter of the handles, the length, and the weight.
This will largely depend on your hand size, forearm strength for gripping and personal preference.
Handles are usually around the same size for standard speed ropes and tend to be around 5-7in in length which should fit most hands comfortably.
Cable or Rope
The best type of cable for a speed rope will typically be a coated wire because it facilitates faster rotations, smoother motion, and more versatility for movements like tricks and advanced skills.
While the length plays a big role in how well the rope will work for you, most speed ropes are adjustable so that you can customize them to fit your height perfectly.
Speed ropes are usually made with cables, as they tend to move more quickly and are lighter than leather or plastic.
Bearings
Not all speed ropes are made with bearings.
So, it’s something that you may want to consider looking for if you want the best speed rope.
Bearings make the rotation of the rope more smooth, stable and secure.
Without bearings, the rope can fray around the handles and create snags or discomfort while jumping.
Steel bearings are probably one of the best options because they tend to create the most smooth and reliable cable rotation.
What’s the Best Way to Use a Speed Rope for Cardio?
Speed ropes can be used for warming up, a generally low-intensity activity or they can be used for earth-shattering cardio workouts that will make you drip puddles of sweat.
Best Speed Rope Roundup
Survival and Cross Jump Rope
The Survival and Cross Jump Rope is one of the most easily adjustable speed ropes.
It has 2 sliding screws and collars that lock the handles at a specific length along the cable.
Then you can cut the excess cable off or fold it up and wrap it with something in case you want to lengthen the rope at another time.
This rope is nice because you can change the length easily to suit a variety of heights.
It has 5in handles, and weighs about 2.8oz with a 10ft long cable. The cable is said to be “properly weighted” and shouldn’t tangle or twist during use.
It’s a steel cable that’s coated and connected to ball bearings that contribute to a smoother rotation and faster speeds while jumping.
The company encourages you to reach out to their support team if you are unhappy with your purchase for any reason.
They’ll quickly get another rope sent out to you at no cost.
Pros
- great customer service from the company, will send a new rope at no charge if there’s even a slight issue
- the company has a video tutorial on their website for how to customize the length easily
- smooth motion due to the really nice bearings and great materials on the rope itself
Cons
- plastic outer part may wear off with daily use
- handles may split open due to lack of durability
- end of the rope may pop out mid-jump which can be scary and hurt
WOD Nation Speed Jump Rope
The WOD Nation Speed Jump Rope has the most color options available. It’s also an adjustable and appropriate option for men, women, and children who like to jump rope and potentially do tricks.
The rope is stable, which makes it easy to recover from mess-ups while jumping or if the rope catches and your rotation gets interrupted.
The cable is 2.5mm thick and is about 10ft long. It’s resistant to kinks and made of steel covered in nylon.
One of the notable things about this rope is that it comes with a spare cable just in case the first one gets messed up and you need to switch it out.
This saves you the hassle of re-ordering another one and waiting for the returns process.
The handles are 6.75in long and have a tapered end that can help you to have a more secure grip. They’re made of ballistic nylon resin and are connected to smooth steel bearings.
WOD Nation uses a patented 4-bearing system with 2 bearings in the handle and 2 on the tips which hold the cable.
There’s a swivel bearing in the tip of the rope, which prevents the cable from losing speed and contributes to a better swing.
If you’re a beginner, this can be a helpful feature to help you get better momentum as you’re learning how to swing the rope efficiently.
WOD Nation offers a 100% satisfaction lifetime guarantee and customer support in case you have any issues.
This product comes with a carry bag that keeps the rope from getting knotted or bent in a locker or wrapped around things in your gym bag.
Pros
- smooth and very fast rope that makes double and triple-unders easier
- has enough weight to give your swings good momentum
- spare rope included just in case
Cons
- may come rolled up and never fully straighten out
- coating on rope wear off easily with daily use
- bearings may come loose often
Master of Muscle WOD Whipper Jump Rope
Master of Muscle WOD Whipper is a compact and lightweight jump rope.
It’s one of the most inexpensive speed ropes on the list but comes with a lot of features. There is a free ebook and carry bag included with your purchase.
It’s made with a wire cable that is kink-resistant and shouldn’t tangle or bend like some other PVC and leather ropes tend to do.
Unfortunately, this speed rope doesn’t have bearings.
However, it still spins quickly and has a 90-degree handle turn to help you gather momentum and jump with speed.
This product is adjustable, so you can customize it for your height by changing the length of the cable using the adjustable screws.
At 5.6oz, this is a pretty lightweight rope that is easy to carry with you while traveling or just to keep in your bag for a convenient workout anywhere.
Pros
- great customer service, quick responses and proactive
- fantastic quality and comes with replacement parts
- definitely helps you to do better double-unders
- comes with a line protector for the center of the rope to enhance durability
Cons
- wire under the coating may start to fray after heavy use (over a year)
- difficult to get the cable to uncoil after you first unpack it
- no bearings on the handles
Sonic Boom M2 High Speed Jump Rope
The Sonic Boom M2 High Speed Jump Rope is one of the more expensive items reviewed on this list.
However, it’s a quality product that offers a lot of features that you may look for in the best speed rope.
It has a 360-degree spin-ball bearing system that helps you to jump fast and have smooth rotations.
This is an important feature if you’re planning to improve your skill past just basic jumping at slower speeds.
There are silicone covered handles, which give you an anti-slip grip and make holding this rope a lot more comfortable even if you’re sweating.
The handles are about 6.6in which is a little longer than some other items we’ve mentioned.
This product comes with a carrying case and a free online training course which can be helpful for beginners.
It’s easy to adjust the length of this rope using the patent-pending screw-free self-locking design.
This is nice because you don’t have to worry about screws coming loose or losing any parts.
You’ll get 2 10ft cables that are made with steel and coated with a polymer.
The company also offers full refunds and a lifetime warranty and satisfaction guarantee to make sure that you’re happy with your product.
Pros
- very well-made, great quality materials and construction
- the self-locking function is helpful and feels more secure than other ropes
- ergonomic handles are really comfortable, good grip with a nice weight to them
Cons
- the wire may not be durable and break within first 100 jumps
- the coating may come off of wire around the handle while jumping which can fray the cable
- this rope might kink quickly
Fitness Master Jump Rope
The Fitness Master Jump Rope is made with a steel cord that’s coated in heavy-duty plastic, but is lightweight and made to enhance the speed of your jumping.
This product is suitable for people up to 6ft in height.
It comes with a carry case, complete instructions and an extra screw set in case you need to make any adjustments or lose some parts.
With an easily adjustable cable, you just need a pair of wire cutters to change the length of the rope to suit your specific height.
This speed rope has a unique handle design that differentiates it from the other products on the list.
The cable is covered in long-wear PVC and runs through the rods at the ends of the handles perpendicularly, rather than through the handle and running parallel as most ropes do.
These handles are easy to grip and have 90-degree smooth turning that helps you to swing the rope without friction or tangling.
Pros
- not cheaply made and has a surprising amount of quality for the price
- feels really strong and durable
- lightweight plastic handles are easy to hold onto
Cons
- ropes slide through the holes in the rod a lot and won’t stay in place
- the plastic around the cable starts to break off quickly which can fray the cable fast
- company is slow to respond
Final Thoughts
The winner of the product roundup is the WOD Nation Speed Rope because it has most of the features that you may want to look for when choosing the best speed rope.
It’s easily adjustable with a stable and reliable cable that makes it easy to jump smoothly.
The cable is pretty durable and long enough to suit most heights.
Plus, it comes with a spare cable that can be a really convenient feature as speed ropes tend to have wear and tear issues when used often, especially if you’re jumping on a hard or rough surface like cement.
It has long, resin-coated handles that are tapered for a more comfortable ergonomic and secure non-slip grip.
The steel 4-bearing swivel system is a phenomenal feature that allows for fast jumping and maneuverability without worrying about the cable getting snagged or interrupted.
WOD Nation also offers a 100% lifetime guarantee and customer support in case you aren’t happy with your product.
