After years of jumping rope, I’ve finally created a comprehensive list of the best jump ropes available in 2021. Whether you’re looking to freestyle jump rope, jump rope to lose weight, or find the perfect jump rope for you child, it’s all here.
While I only use a select couple from this list, I’ve personally tried and tested each one of these jump ropes.
If you decide to do some additional research online, you’ll find that each one of these ropes have hundreds of reviews and are regarded as some of best made and most durable jump ropes available.
To select the right jump rope for you, you’ll want to first determine what you’ll be using it for.
For example, if you’re looking to lose wight or build muscle, a weighted jump rope would probably suit you best. Or, if you’re looking to practice more advanced jump rope moves like crossovers and double-unders, a freestyle jump is your best bet.
I’ve outlined the areas in which each of these jump ropes perform the best. Make sure to review each rope carefully before making your selection.
1. Rush Athletics “Money Rope”
Category: Best Freestyle Jump Rope
One of the best jump ropes today, and the jump rope I use most often, is the speed rope from Rush Athletics, also known as the “Money Rope”. This rope is perfect for nearly any skill level and is made specifically for freestyle jumping.
The rope itself is one size fits all and can be adjusted for any height in seconds. The long, lightweight handles make it easy to control and transition from one trick to the next. And, the cable is made from PVC vinyl, making it one of the more durable jump ropes.
Lastly, the price for this jump rope is next to unbeatable. I have yet to find a rope of this quality for a better price.
Rated Performance:
Freestyle: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Speed: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ease of use: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Price: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Key Decision-Making Factors:
The first, and most important, thing you’ll want to look for in a freestyle jump rope is the material the rope or cable is made of. The best freestyle jump rope cables are going to have some flexibility to them (stay away from wire cable). They should also be tangle-free (avoid cloth rope).
The second thing to look for is the design and weight of the handles. Ideally, longer handles will provide more control when performing freestyle movements. Also, light-weight handles are better as they won’t inhibit speed.
Benefits & Drawbacks:
Benefits:
- Adjustable, one size fits all
- Long, lightweight handles
- Tangle-free PVC cable
Drawbacks:
- Not as fast as a wire cable
- Not weighted
2. Crossrope Weighted Jump Rope Set
Category: Best Jump Rope Set (Weighted & Speed)
The second jump rope on this list is the Weighed Jump Rope Set by Crossrope. Their jump rope is probably the single most popular jump rope in the world, and for good reason.
It’s the only jump rope that allows you to switch from a speed rope to a weighted rope, in seconds.
With this set you get two different cables, a speed cable and a weighted cable, making it incredibly versatile. If you’re looking to practice new jump rope tricks, strap on the speed cable. If you’re looking get more muscle engagement, strap on the weighted cable.
The only major drawback is the price. You really need to look at this as an investment…
The jump rope from Crossrope is one of the most expensive ropes available. However, for what you get, and for the quality and durability of the set, it’s worth the investment.
Rated Performance:
Freestyle: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Speed: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ease of use: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Price: ⭐⭐
Key Decision-Making Factors:
When buying a jump rope set the number one thing you want to look for is versatility. Ideally, the set you go with should provide a solution for every jump rope scenario.
For example, it should have a light-weight cable for speed jumping. It should have long enough handles and ball bearings for freestyle jumping. And, if possible, it should include a weighted cable for when you’re looking to increase the intensity of your jump rope workouts.
Additionally, given you’ll likely be spending a bit more, the product should be of high quality. Last thing you want to do is buy a jump rope and all the necessary accessories and find yourself needing to replace it a year later.
Benefits & Drawbacks:
Benefits:
- 2-in-1 (speed rope and weighted rope)
- Latest and greatest in jump rope technology
- Patented handles (swap cables in seconds)
Drawbacks:
- Expensive
3. Epitomie’s Sonic Boom M2 Speed Rope
Category: Best Seed Rope
This one was a tough choice, there are a lot of great speed ropes out there. However, the M2 Sonic Boom Speed Rope from Epitomie is above the rest.
There are two things, in particular, that make this jump the best jump rope for speed jumping.
The first is the polymer coated cable. When it comes to speed, cables and wires typically perform better than PVC or plastic. The cable they use, which is coated in polymer, enables you to jump as fast as you can rotate the rope.
The second thing that makes this rope stand out for speed jumping is its 360 degrees ball bearing system. Ball bearings are what enable you to spin the rope fast and without it getting tangled.
They way this rope handles, you can tell it was created with the highest quality and materials.
The rope comes with two 10ft cables, and they’re adjustable, which is one of my favorite things about this rope. Their patent-pending, auto-locking system allows you to adjust your cable in seconds.
Definitely a great choice if you’re looking for a speed rope.
Rated Performance:
Freestyle: ⭐⭐⭐
Speed: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ease of use: ⭐⭐⭐
Price: ⭐⭐⭐
Key Decision-Making Factors:
When purchasing a speed rope, the number one thing you want to look for is the material the cable is made from. A good speed rope needs to do one thing, rotate quickly. You’re only able to achieve this kind of speed with a wire cable.
Wire cables can be covered or coated in a variety of materials, but the cable itself should be made from wire or metal. This is what will enable you to get lightning-fast rotations.
The second key decision-making factor to be aware of is the system that enables the cable to rotate. There are a variety of different designs that connect the cable to the handles, not all are created equal when it comes to speed jumping.
Ball bearings, a common system connecting the cable to the handles, is ideal for this kind of jumping.
Benefits & Drawbacks:
4. Elite SRS Muay Thai Jump Rope
Category: Best Weighted Jump Rope
The Elite SRS Muay Thai Jump Rope is another rope I keep in my gym bag. When I’m not using the Money Rope, this is my go-to. It’s the absolute best weighted jump rope available.
It’s also the same rope I learned how to jump rope with.
While there’s nothing fancy about this jump rope, it delivers one of the best jump rope workouts. The rope weights about 1.5 pounds which is the perfect weight for engaging your shoulders and back muscles. It also requires slightly greater activation of the muscles in your lower body.
Another benefit from the Muay Thai Jump Rope is how easy it is to learn with. The added weight enables you to feel the rope as it rotates your body and helps you time your jumps.
It also hurts like a b@#$h if you hit your toes with it, requiring you to learn fast.
The only drawback from purchasing this rope is its lack of versatility. Once you get good with your rope, you’ll likely want to practice some more advanced moves, like crossovers. Unfortunately, this isn’t the best rope to do that with.
Rated Performance:
Freestyle: ⭐
Speed: ⭐⭐
Ease of use: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Price: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Key Decision-Making Factors:
When looking for a solid weighted jump rope there’s only a couple things you should be looking for, and maybe one thing you should avoid.
The primary reason for using a weighted jump rope is to put additional stress on your muscles which helps increase muscle fatigue and burns more calories. So, the first thing you want to ensure is the rope has enough weight to do that.
A rope that weighs about 1.5 – 2 pounds is usually a good weight. This ensures you’ll get the added benefit of muscle fatigue, while still being light enough to jump rope for an extended period of time.
Second, it’s best if majority of the weight comes from the rope as opposed to the handles. This allows for smoother rotations and is much easier to find your rhythm and timing.
Lastly, you want to avoid weighted jump ropes that use cloth (or a similar material). My preference has always been a heavy PVC cable.
Benefits & Drawbacks:
Benefits:
- Great jump rope workout
- Easy to learn how to jump rope with
- Extremely durable
Drawbacks:
- Lacks versatility
5. Soft Beaded Kids Jump Rope
Category: Best Jump Rope for Kids
The Soft Beaded Jump Rope from BuyJumpRopes is hands-down the best rope available for children. It’s also a great jump rope to learn how to jump rope with, especially for kids.
The rope is made with soft flexible beads that won’t hurt your child should the trip over the rope or smack their feet with it. The beads are also made from non-toxic material, making it extra safe for your little ones.
The ropes are available in a variety of different lengths and colors, too, making it easy to find the perfect one for your child.
These jump ropes made from solid rubber beads and a strong nylon cord, making them some of the most durable jump ropes available. They are perfect for skipping indoors and outdoors.
And they’re incredibly affordable!
Rated Performance:
Freestyle: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Speed: ⭐⭐⭐
Ease of use: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Price: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Key Decision-Making Factors:
When it comes to buying a jump rope for your child, there are a variety of things you’ll want to consider. The material the rope is made of, and the size are the most important.
It’s usually best to get your child a beaded rope, for many reasons. A beaded jump rope provides some feedback for children when jumping. The sound of the beads hitting the pavement gives them a queue as to when to jump.
Beaded jump ropes are also slightly heavier than a wire or cable jump rope, for example, which helps them rotate the rope around their body easier.
The size of their jump rope is also important. Making sure the rope isn’t too long, or too short, will greatly increase their chance of learning. It’s also going to make it significantly more enjoyable, because they’ll have more success.
Benefits & Drawbacks:
Benefits:
- Soft rubber beads to prevent injury
- Made from non-toxic material
- Great jump rope to learn with
Drawbacks:
- Come in non-adjustable, fixed sizes
6. Signature Beaded Double Dutch Jump Rope
Category: Best Double Dutch Jump Rope
If you’re looking for a solid Double Dutch jump rope, there’s not better place to shop than BuyJumpRopes. There jump ropes are made locally, by hand.
The owner, Matt Hopkins, created this brand over 20 years ago and is based here in the United States (Wenatchee, WA). Matt is a former competitive jumper and jump rope coach.
His Signature Beaded Double Dutch Jump Rope is perfect for both novice and advanced jumpers.
The rope is made from shatterproof beads, and it comes with two ropes, both 14ft long, which is long enough to enable 3-4 people to jump at the same time. The durability of these ropes makes them perfect for both indoor and outdoor use.
These ropes come in a variety of different colors and can even be customized using different colors, logos, and lengths.
Rated Performance:
Freestyle: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Speed: ⭐⭐⭐
Ease of use: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Price: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Key Decision-Making Factors:
Selecting the right Double Dutch jump rope is fairly simple, there’s not much that goes into a great rope for Double Dutch. That said, it’s important to consider the material the rope is made of and the length.
Double Dutch is often played outside, likely on concrete, so it’s important you get a rope that is durable and will hold up over time. Shatterproof beads, like the Signature Beaded rope from BuyJumpRopes has, are perfect for this.
In addition to the material, making sure you get the right length is critical for the jumper’s success.
Depending on how many people will be jumping will determine how long of a rope you’ll need. These ropes are 14ft which is usually sufficient for 3-4 jumpers. If there are fewer jumpers, you could get away with a slightly shorter rope.
However, I wouldn’t recommend going shorter than 12ft.
Look at our Jump Rope Length article for more details.
Benefits & Drawbacks:
Benefits:
- Long enough for multiple jumpers
- Shatterproof beads
- Locally made
Drawbacks:
- Only comes in one length (14ft)
7. Rogue Licorice Jump Rope
Category: Best Budget Jump Rope
If you’re looking to find a solid jump rope, while also trying to save a few bucks, look no further than Rouge’s Licorice Jump Rope. For the price, there’s no better option.
This jump rope is made from a light-weight PVC cable, making it a solid rope for freestyle jumping. And, while it’s not the most ideal rope for speed jumping, performing quick rotations and double-unders is absolutely doable.
Rouge, if you’re not familiar, has been around for over 15 years and is based here out of the United States. Their entire suite of products are well designed and made to last.
These ropes, specifically, come in 4 different sizes and colors. Nothing fancy here, just a solid jump rope for a great price.
Perfect for someone who is just getting started and not sure how often they’ll be jumping rope.
Rated Performance:
Freestyle: ⭐⭐⭐
Speed: ⭐⭐⭐
Ease of use: ⭐⭐⭐
Price: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Key Decision-Making Factors:
When looking for a solid budget jump rope, there are a couple key decision-making factors you’ll want to consider, in addition to price.
My suggestion would be to try and find a jump rope made locally. Not only will a jump rope made here in the United States be of great quality, but the additional cost to import a foreign jump rope can sometimes end up costing the customer more.
Additionally, I’d recommend finding a jump rope that uses a PVC cord and plastic handles. Anything that uses wire and metal cable, or steel handles, is likely going to cost you a bit more.
PVC cord and plastic handles make a great first jump rope, and they’re inexpensive.
Lastly, do your homework. Check the reviews and see what other people are saying before you buy that $4 jump rope..
Benefits & Drawbacks:
Benefits:
- Low cost
- Great jump rope for a beginner
- Locally made
Drawbacks:
- Lacks versatility
How to Size Your Jump Rope
The length of your jump rope has a big impact on your ability to be successful.
A jump rope that’s too long will be difficult to find any consistency with. It will make finding your rhythm challenging and increase the likelihood of the rope getting tangled.
Alternatively, a jump rope that is too short will make it difficult to clear the rope with each jump. You’re much more likely to trip over the rope when your jump rope isn’t long enough.
The ideal length of your jump rope depends on your height. It also depends on what you’re looking to do with your jump rope.
For example, freestyle jumping requires a rope that is slightly longer than if you’re planning on speed jumping. To perform certain moves and tricks, like you do in freestyle jumping, you need more slack.
With speed jumping, the goal is to get as many rotations in as short amount of time as possible. A shorter rope is going to be ideal for this.
That said, for majority of us it’s not critical that we think about this, but rather make sure the rope is sized properly for our height.
Look at the following chart to get an idea of what that length is for you.
How you go about sizing your rope depends on the type of jump rope you have.
One of the reasons the Money Rope is my favorite jump rope is because its adjustable. I’m able to make adjustments to the size in seconds depending on what I plan to do with the rope.
Other ropes, require you to manually size them before you jump, using wire cutters and a screwdriver. These are usually ropes that utilize older technology. They are a hassle and unnecessary.
And finally, certain ropes come in fixed sizes, like the Muay Thai Jump Rope. When purchasing these, it’s important you order the right jump rope because there’s nothing you can do once you receive the rope.
For these kind of jump ropes, refer to the chart above.
We have an entire article dedicated to helping you pick and size your jump rope. I won’t spend time going over that here, but if you’re interested here’s the link.
How To Size Your Jump Rope Properly
Related Questions
What are the benefits of using a weighted jump rope?
Using a weighted jump rope provides many benefits that a speed rope does not. The muscle engagement you get from a weighted jump rope is significantly greater than what you get from a speed rope. The additional muscle activation increases the number of calories you burn and helps build lean muscle.
A weighed jump rope is often easier to learn how to jump rope with, too.
The additional weight from the rope makes it much easier to time your jumps and find your rhythm. The extra weight also provides additional momentum which helps rotate the rope around your body.
If you’re considering getting a weighted jump rope, check out the following article.
5 Benefits of a Weighted Jump Rope
What are the best jump rope apps?
If you haven’t used a jump rope app during your workouts before, you might consider it.
There are a variety of great jump rope apps for both the Android and iPhone. Jumpro Jump (by Marco Sinacore) and The Jump Rope Tricktionary (by Dylan Plummer) are two of the best jump rope apps for Android. And Jump Rope Workout (by Underlogic) and Jump Rope Master (by Keason Chen) are two of the best apps for iPhone.
The great thing about using a jump rope app is the ability to track your progress.
They say, “that which is measured, improves” …which could not be truer. And it’s apparent when using an app.
With a jump rope app you’re able to set goals, track your progress, compete with yourself, and help hold yourself accountable. Download one today and give it a shot.