The best jump ropes you can buy

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The best jump ropes you can buy
  • The best jump ropes are built to last, come with plenty of extras, include replacement parts, and are backed up with a lifetime warranty.
  • The WOD Nation Speed Jump Rope has all of these benefits as well as a smooth bearing system and a cable long enough to accommodate even the tallest athletes.
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Forget about the bulky, plastic segmented jump ropes you were forced to use in junior high gym class. Today's jump ropes are precisely engineered to cut through the air with the slightest flick of your wrists. Tangling is also virtually unheard of. The best jump ropes feature a coated steel cable that is attached to comfortable, lightweight handles with ball bearings that allow for seamless rotation of the "rope."

You will likely have to adjust the length of your jump rope to match your height. Start by standing on the middle of the rope with your foot. Then, adjust the length so that the handles are at your armpits. From there, test out the rope and decide if you want it to be shorter or longer. Once you have a length you are comfortable with, we recommend using a wire cutter to clip off the ends of the cable so you don't have annoying and unnecessary lengths of cable hanging off the ends.

We combed through ratings and reviews from beginners and experts to find the best jump ropes. Based on proven performance, affordability, durable design, and the trustworthiness of the manufacturer, we chose five jump ropes that were the best in various categories.

Here are the best jump ropes you can buy in 2019:

Updated on 05/29/2019 by Malarie Gokey: Updated prices and formatting.

Keep scrolling to check out our top picks.

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Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the Insider Picks team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners. We frequently receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising sales team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at insiderpicks@businessinsider.com.

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The best overall

The best overall
When speed and long-lasting performance are your main concerns, the WOD Nation Speed Jump Rope is your best option.

The WOD Nation Speed Jump Rope comes with an extra cable, replacement hardware, and a nylon drawstring carrying bag. The cable is 2.5 millimeters thick and is made of coated steel. It comes at a length of 11 feet, which you can easily adjust. The handles are 6.75 inches long and are made of a nylon resin that tapers at the end for a better grip.

This speed rope uses a patented four-metal ball bearing system in the handles. There is a bearing on the tip of each handle to hold the cable and another bearing in each handle for smooth rotations. This model is currently available in nine colors, including black, grey, purple, and orange.

WOD Nation says the jump rope comes with a "100% lifetime guarantee," but we were unable to find the specifics of this policy. On its website, WOD does state that it does not offer exchanges or refunds if fourteen days have passed since your purchase. Of course, if you order through Amazon, you get 30 days.

Several fitness experts have worked out with the WOD Nation jump rope, and their opinions are almost universally positive. Box Junkies liked that it was built to last and is resistant to tangling or losing its shape. WeWeight rated this item highly because of the fast rotation, efficient movement, and lightweight, easy to grip handles. However, they also found it was hard to use on grass. Dark Iron Fitness ranked the WOD Nation jump rope as the best speed rope.

The WOD Nation Speed Jump Rope has nearly 2,000 five-star reviews on Amazon. For the most part, buyers liked that the cord was able to slice through the air quickly to make double and triple unders easier. Buyers were also happy that this product comes with an extra cord, screws, attachments, and the bag to carry everything in. The only negative we found was that when you use this jump rope on concrete, the thin nylon coating of the cable may start to scrape off.

Pros: Comes with an extra cable, smooth bearing system for speed work

Cons: Susceptible to wear when used on hard surfaces

Buy the WOD Nation Speed Jump Rope on Amazon for $17.93

The best budget

The best budget
If you are on a budget and want to buy a jump rope for yourself or a big group, the 321 Strong Plastic Fitness Jump Rope is the way to go.

As with many of the top jump ropes these days, the 321 Strong Plastic Fitness Jump Rope comes with a spare cable, carrying bag, and extra hardware. The cable is made of braided steel wire and coated with PVC and is eleven feet long, which makes it suitable for people up to seven feet tall.

321 Strong also provides an ebook with the rope. This model comes in seven colors, including black, purple, pink, and blue. The manufacturer also offers a 100% lifetime warranty and satisfaction guarantee.

Fittous included the 321 Strong jump rope among its best ropes for CrossFit because of the comfortable six-inch handles, durability, and the eleven-foot adjustable cable. The reviewers do caution that the cable may be too lightweight for beginners. Herstylecode ranked this model as one of the top ten best jump ropes because of the fast speeds attained by the rope. Comparabit also has this rope in its top ten list because it is tough enough for hardcore workouts yet easy to use.

Reviewers of the 321 Strong jump rope on Amazon gave it four or five stars 88% of the time. An interesting comment in several of the reviews is that the owner of 321 Strong contacted buyers after they received their item in order to see if they have any questions or concerns. Buyers were impressed with this level of customer service. They also liked that the rope came with a carrying bag and a spare cable.

The only complaint we found was that the rope hurts if you hit yourself in the head with it. To avoid this, make sure you adjust the length properly.

Pros: Exceptional customer service, affordable price

Cons: May not be ideal for beginners

Buy the 321 Strong Plastic Fitness Jump Rope on Amazon for $9.99
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The best for beginners

The best for beginners
The Fitskuad Jump Rope comes with a lot of extras that are ideal for someone just getting started with jump rope workouts.

Much like our top pick, the Fitskuad Jump Rope comes with an extra cable, additional attachments, and a carrying bag. It also comes with a free ebook titled "The Secret to Mastering Double Unders" for people new to jumping rope. The cable is ten feet long and coated with a PVC sleeve for durability. Meanwhile, the handles are six inches long and feature comfortable foam grips.

Fitskuad has a lifetime warranty on this jump rope. The company will send you a new unit if there is ever a problem with yours for any reason.

Kick Ass Home Gym ranked the Fitskuad Jump Rope among the best jump ropes for CrossFit double unders because it has long handles with foam grips, the cable is coated with durable PVC, and it comes with a double ball bearing system. However, the rope lost points because the screws are not very secure. KO Boxing Gloves also listed this model among its best CrossFit jump ropes due to its high performance and high quality. The reviewers do recommend that you check the screws periodically to make sure they are not loose.

Around 84% of the reviews of the Fitskuad Jump Rope on Amazon are for five stars. Buyers liked the sleek look of the handles and cable, the light yet durable feel, and that it is easy enough for beginners to use while still presenting the opportunity for challenging experienced rope jumpers.

The biggest concern brought up in the reviews was with the screws that keep the cable attached to the handles. Buyers advise that you check the screws before each workout to make sure they are tight.

Pros: Durable coated cable and long, comfortable handles

Cons: The screws may not stay tightened

Buy the Fitskuad Jump Rope on Amazon for $19.99

The best for double unders

The best for double unders
The Survival and Cross Jump Rope was designed for speed with its right-angle ball bearing construction and lightweight handles.

The Survival and Cross Jump Rope is the one I own. I bought it ten months ago to get a good cardio workout when Mother Nature made running or cycling unbearable. When I ordered it, I was a little surprised that Survival and Cross reached out to me multiple times to provide me with various resources to improve my workouts. It was a $10 jump rope for goodness sake! I didn't use any of the resources, but it was a nice touch for users starting from scratch.

The Survival and Cross rope does not come with an extra cable, but it does come with extra hardware, a carrying bag, and plenty of online manuals and ebooks. The cable is ten feet long (good for people up to about 6'4" tall), and the handles are five inches long.

MaxFitness+ rated the Survival and Cross Jump Rope highly because it is a durable and well-balanced rope that people of all ages can benefit from. The reviewer didn't like that the piece connecting the rope to the bearings is made out of plastic and may break. Fit & Me ranked this model among the best jump ropes for CrossFit because of the right-angle ball bearing design and affordability. It lost points because the reviewer found the handles were too short and light. And, Dark Iron Fitness liked the lifetime guarantee that came with the rope.

The Survival and Cross Jump Rope has nearly 4,000 five-star reviews on Amazon. For the most part, users found the design to be excellent for double and triple unders, thanks to the right angle of the cable to the handle. Buyers were also impressed with how Survival and Cross contacted them once their rope arrived to offer them pointers and to say they were available for questions. The only complaints were that the handles were a bit short, and one reviewer experienced a broken handle.

The only issue I've had with the rope is that the bearings don't move smoothly all of the time. This has caused the cable to wrap around a handle while I'm jumping, eventually forcing me to stop and unravel it.

Pros: Excellent ball bearing system for speed

Cons: Handles may be too short, history of handles breaking

Buy the Survival and Cross Jump Rope on Amazon for $10
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The best for hand comfort

The best for hand comfort
If you have experienced hand pain or blisters from long jump rope workouts, consider the ergonomically-designed King Athletic Jump Rope.

The King Athletic Jump Rope comes with an adjustable cable or durable leather rope that is 9'4" long, which is ideal for people up to 6'2" tall. There are also two types of handles: standard PVC (on the Cable rope) and ergonomic foam handles. This rope comes with two ebooks that focus on jumping techniques and nutritional tips. King Athletic also offers a "200% return on investment guarantee." If you have an issue with their product, they will refund your money and send you a new rope.

BestSeekers featured the King Athletic Jump Rope on its list of the best jump ropes because of its comfortable foam handles, adjustable length, and responsive customer service. Top10Perfect rated it the second Best Jump Rope because of the fast ball-bearing handles designed for speed skip training. And, Home Fitness Arena appreciated the easy adjustability, heavier feel, instruction manual, and firm, cushioned handles. However, the reviewers caution that beginners might have a hard time getting used to this speed rope.

More than 1,400 of the reviewers of the King Athletic Jump Rope on Amazon gave it four or five stars. Buyers enjoyed how the handles for this model felt good in their hands. There were also several comments about how fast the rope moves and how easy it is to perform crossovers with it. One buyer did comment on how it is disappointing that the extra cable does not feed into the handles like the original cable does.

Pros: Cushioned handles, heavy-duty leather rope available

Cons: There is a bit of a learning curve with this rope

Buy the King Athletic Jump Rope on Amazon for $14.97
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