The best skipping ropes aren’t what they used to be, they can now become a staple in your home gym. As tech has become more advanced, so have the skipping ropes we practice with. Nowadays, there are rope solutions for all purposes; as a good fitness all-rounder, there are skipping ropes for beginners and those more suited for the advanced. You then get activity-specific skipping ropes for CrossFit, boxing, and cardio fitness, skipping ropes designed specifically for indoors, digital skipping ropes that track your progress, and even skipping ropes that don’t even have a rope. How on earth does that even work?
The best skipping ropes, at a glance:
• Best skipping rope for fitness: Beast Rope by Beast Gear - View now on Amazon
• Best skipping rope for beginners: The Dope Rope 2.0 - View now on Dope Ropes
• Best skipping rope for speed and experience: Beat Rope Fire by Beast Bear - View now on Amazon
Most ropes are still super lightweight, perfect for packing in your gym bag (along with your gym towel, resistance band, and a spare pair of running tights), so you'll always have one on the go.
With 2024 on the horizon, there's no better time to invest in the best skipping ropes to elevate your workout routine. Look for ropes with adjustable length, ergonomic handles and durable materials to ensure a comfortable and efficient workout experience. Luckily, we've shortlisted the best skipping ropes for every type of workout.
What should I look for in a skipping rope?
Due to the vast differences and specific benefits of skipping ropes, there are a few factors to consider before purchasing the right one for you:
Experience level: Are you an experienced or beginner at skipping?
Purpose and benefits: What are you going to use this skipping rope for? This will affect the material and type with options including basic, speed, weighted, and beaded.
Is it for a full-body workout? In this case, a more heavy-duty weighted rope is key.
Looking to build conditioning skills? Buy a skipping rope that puts speed as a priority.
How long should a skipping rope be?
This is the basic rule of thumb when buying a skipping rope:
• Buy a rope length of 7ft if you are up to 4’ 10”
• Buy a rope length of 8ft if you are 4’ 11” to 5’ 4”
• Buy a rope length of 9ft if you are 5’5” to 5’11”
• Buy a rope length of 10ft if you are 6’0” to 6’6”
• Buy a rope length of 11ft if you are 6’ 7”
SHOP: The best skipping ropes
Best skipping rope for fitness
Overall, the best skipping rope for fitness is the Beast Rope by Beast Gear. It's great for speed skipping (with its ball bearing system), conditioning, and fat loss, which means if you intend on doing CrossFit, boxing, MMA, HIIT, Interval Training and Double Unders, this is the one for you.
With more than 12,000 ratings, the Beast Rope is known for being strong, lightweight, durable, and flexible. There is a protective coating on the flexible steel wire which means the rope doesn't bend or tangle and it also comes with a compact carry bag (and free spare parts) to allow for neat storage.
Pros
- Flexible 3m braided steel cable that adjusts to any length
- Perfectly weighted, non-slip, high-strength plastic handles for grip
- 360-degree handle for a more controlled workout
Cons
- One reviewer found the handles were heavier than other skipping ropes they'd used before
| Rope length: | 3 metres |
| Rope diameter: | 2.5mm |
| Adjustable: | Yes |
| Weight: | 50g |
| Material: | Braided steel cable with high strength plastic handles |
| Suitability: | High speed workouts and beginners |
- Customer review: "A fast , sturdy, easily adjustable jump rope, with a decent bag. Doesn’t tangle easily which is a bonus. Well worth the money."
Best skipping rope for beginners
doperopes.co.uk
The best skipping rope for beginners is the Dope Rope 2.0 – Cardio Fitness Jump Rope. Coming in six stylish colours, the skipping rope is ideal for all experience levels, especially entry-level skippers who want to try skipping out as a form of cardio.
It's got unbreakable handles and a 5mm PVC cord with a string core, giving the rope enough weight for feel and feedback. As expected, the beginner's rope is thicker than the average speed rope but less than a weighted or beaded rope.
Pros
- Short handles made of low-density polyethylene, which are contoured to fit your hand for grip
- Stretch and kink-resistant PVC cord
- Available in many different colours
Cons
- May show marks due to the colour of the rope
| Rope length: | 3 metres |
| Rope diameter: | 5mm |
| Adjustable: | Yes |
| Weight: | 100g |
| Material: | PVC cord with a nylon string core and low-density polyethylene handles |
| Suitability: | Beginners, cardio fitness, boxers |
- Customer review: "I love my Dope Ropes, I’m only around a month into my skipping journey, but love these ropes, they are lightweight, colourful and easy to size to your own needs. I’m really enjoying getting back to this childhood sport!"
Best skipping rope for speed and experience
The best skipping rope for speed and experience is the Beast Rope Fire. It's ideal for advanced jumpers who want to use it as a speed rope, for box skipping, CrossFit, MMA, HIIT, Strength Training and Double Unders. Being fast, strong, lightweight, robust, flexible, and enduring, the adjustable rope gives you speed, momentum, and efficient rotations. The advanced ball-bearing mechanism is also hidden in the handles, meaning it spins even faster than the original and is perfect for all those tricks.
It's not designed for pavement or abrasive surfaces and comes with a carry bag.
Pros
- Added ball bearings in the handles, making the rope spin faster than the original
- Comes with a carry bag for easy portability
- Adjustable to suit anyone
Cons
- Mainly used for CrossFit, boxing and martial arts
| Rope length: | 3m |
| Rope diameter: | 2-2.5mm |
| Adjustable: | Yes |
| Weight: | 59g |
| Material: | Braided steel cable with high strength plastic handles |
| Suitability: | High speed workouts and experienced fitness fans |
- Customer review: "Rope comes with a spare rope, spare rubber anglets, and (most surprisingly positive) a tarmac protector so the rope is not damaged with outside use. Adjustability is easy and the quality feels top notch. Be weary though as this is a thin laminated metal rope, every mistake hurts, not recommended for beginners."
Best weighted skipping rope
www.decathlon.co.uk
The best-weighted skipping rope is the Decathlon Domyos Weighted Skipping Rope. With two 80g removable weights, you can double up on your cardio with strength training.
Coming in light grey, the PVC rope is adjustable and has an ergonomic grip and abrasion resistance (meaning it is designed for indoor use on tiled or wood floors). It also has a good rolling efficiency through its bearing system for training at moderate speeds. The Decathlon Coach app also gives you free workouts and a two-year warranty.
Pros
- Foam handles to improve grip
- Adjustable so the rope can be the perfect length for everyone
- Comes with two 150g removable weights to weight training sessions
Cons
- Indoor use only
| Rope length: | N/A |
| Rope diameter: | N/A |
| Adjustable: | Yes |
| Weight: | 160g |
| Material: | PVC rope with iron-weight discs and foam handles |
| Suitability: | Cardio and strength training |
- Customer review: "Had used skipping ropes without weighted handles previously. I feel the weights in this Domyos rope create extra ballast and feel better in the hand. Additionally, the arms are given a work out.
Best CrossFit skipping rope
The best CrossFit skipping rope is the BODYMATE Premium Skipping Rope with non-slip handles. The 3m lightweight rope is equipped with ball bearings which means a fast, smooth 360-degree rotation and a durable, long-lasting skipping rope. The non-slip handles give the skipping rope a firm grip, and the design allows you to insert additional weights (not included). The steel cable has a protective cover for outdoor use and caps to prevent the end of the ropes from fraying. There are also handy screws at each end, making it easily adjustable.
Pros
- Non-slip ergonomic handles for a firm grip
- Includes rope protectors for outdoor use
- Also includes two ropes, so if one breaks, you have another spare
Cons
- Quite thin and light if you're wanting a heavy rope
| Rope length: | 3m |
| Rope diameter: | 3.4mm |
| Adjustable: | Yes |
| Weight: | 18g |
| Material: | Premium steel cable with a protective coating |
| Suitability: | CrossFit, HIIT, cardio, functional, and core training |
- Customer review: "Great rope, hopefully help in shedding a few pounds. Even better that it comes with a spare cable and parts and all contained in a handy bag."
Best skipping rope for boxing
The best skipping rope for boxing is the Gritin Skipping Rope, a speed jumping rope with a soft memory foam handle. The tangle-free rope has more than 32,000 reviews. You can easily adjust the 3m rope and it comes with spare adjustment buckles.
It's made of high-tensile steel wire and coated with powerful PVC material, which makes the rope more durable and resistant. It can keep a stable rhythm of skipping even after a prolonged amount of exercise. Compact and lightweight, there is also a premium 360 swivel rapid ball bearing to ensure a smooth and effortless spin.
Pros
- Memory foam handles for comfort
- Made of high tensile steel wire and coated with powerful PVC for durability
- Built-in 360-degree swivel ball bearing to ensure a smooth spin
Cons
- Spongy texture of the handles may not be ideal for those who prefer a harder grip on their rope
| Rope length: | 3 metres |
| Rope diameter: | N/A |
| Adjustable: | Yes |
| Weight: | N/A |
| Material: | PVC coated steel cable with memory foam handles |
| Suitability: | Speed, boxing, all skill levels |
- Customer review: "Great rope! Skipping has been a major part of my work out for 21 years but finding a good rope was hard! I had a Nike rope for 15 years but the handles are now falling apart, so I took a punt on this! It’s the best rope I have ever used! Great quality, the rope flies nice and is a nice weight and length, it also needed no adjustment for me at 5’11 tall! I'm actually going to buy a spare in case they stop making them (like Nike did). Highly recommend."
Best cardio skipping rope
The best cardio skipping rope is this EliteSRS Thick Beaded Fitness Jump Rope. Coming in black or white, it comes with a comfortable and unbreakable 8" foam grip handle. Also known as a segmented jump rope, this indoor and outdoor rope is associated with rhythmic jumping (due to the noise the beads make when they hit the ground).
The extra thick beads add weight and wind resistance to maximize the burning of calories. Very different to speed ropes, this beaded rope will encourage better posture and rope control, before migrating to lighter jump ropes to refine skills with ease. The long rope can be easily shortened by simply unthreading the beads from the handle end.
Pros
- Features unique 'heavy beads' to intensify your workouts
- Perfect for individuals of all fitness levels
- Adjustable to fit all athletes - remove beads as required
Cons
- Some reviewers found that removing the beads to shorten length wasn't an easy task
| Rope length: | 2.9 metres |
| Rope diameter: | 2.5cm |
| Adjustable: | Yes |
| Weight: | N/A |
| Material: | Plastic beads with foam handles |
| Suitability: | Jump rope posture and control |
- Customer review: "Great weight and easily adjustable. The rope is durable with very comfortable handles. My previous Jump rope from another brand snapped in half. I don't see that occurring with this rope ever!"
Best tangle-free skipping rope
If you're after something truly unique, check out the CyberDyer weighted Ropeless Jump Rope. Tangle-free, the CrossFit skipping rope is great for endurance training, boxing, MMA and is suitable for the kids.
For more intense workouts, you have the option to add weight-bearing iron blocks, and the rope length is adjustable. Suitable for all experience levels, you'll never struggle with a skipping rope again.
Pros
- Rope-cordless design for smooth exercises
- Cushioned memory foam handles with odour-resistant and sweat-absorbent properties
- Built-in 30g weight for added intensity
Cons
- Might need additional tightening
| Rope length: | 24cm |
| Rope diameter: | Not specified |
| Adjustable: | Yes |
| Weight: | 170g |
| Material: | EVA memory foam handles |
| Suitability: | Endurance training and cardio fitness for adults and kids |
- Customer review: "Exactly what I was after and cheaper than official rope being used by the work out I'm following. After first use the rope/ball bit shot off and thought it was broken but just needed to be screwed back on so ensure on first use that the bits are securely tightened."
Skipping rope FAQs:
How to adjust a skipping rope
All the skipping ropes included above are easily adjustable. And, to determine whether the skipping rope is a good fit for you, simply step in the middle of the rope and pull the rope up towards your shoulders. The cables of the skipping rope (not the handles) should reach your armpits. Sometimes you might need to trim the excess wire with wire cutters, but if this were the case, there will be instructions included to guide you through the process.
Is skipping better than running?
Skipping has been found to burn more calories than running, making it more efficient as a choice of exercise but less efficient travel-wise. Therefore, it is good to combine both skipping and running to burn calories and allow your body some rest time. Experience level and technique can also play a part in this efficiency.
Skipping is lower impact than running (or jogging) if done properly, however, beginners tend to jump higher than necessary. In terms of HIIT, there has been a direct parallel between skipping and faster fat loss results (abs and trunk muscles). Hence why you should keep your core tight while skipping so you can target and tone those specific areas.
Is it okay to skip every day?
It is always best to skip in moderation and allow your body a break. In saying that, it is okay to skip a small amount every day ensuring you have a decent skill level and overall physical health. Start slowly and listen to your body to prevent any injuries from occurring. A little skipping practice a day (in short, high-intensity interval sets) has also been found to help burn calories and build muscle mass over time.
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How many calories does skipping rope burn?
It has been said that you can burn 10 calories by skipping for just one minute. Therefore, to apply this to a practical workout, you can burn between 300-450 calories by skipping for 30 minutes. This of course depends on what you do throughout the day and your weight, but that number of calories is about the same as eating a double bacon cheeseburger.
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What are the benefits of skipping?
Being an excellent fast fat-burning activity, skipping certainly has its benefits. Here are five of the main reasons you should get started today:
Skipping is a great cardio exercise to improve your overall health and mental health (reducing the risk of heart disease, strokes, anxiety, and depression).
By calming the body and muscles, skipping can improve concentration, coordination, and flexibility.
By increasing your stamina, regular skipping can reduce fatigue.
By encouraging blood circulation and breathing, skipping can improve your pulmonary function.
With HIIT, skipping can help you to lose weight and decrease your whole-body fat (especially belly fat). As well as, strengthen the abdominal muscles and increase bone density.
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Emily Farquhar is the Business Development Executive for Bauer Media and produces commercial and branded content for What's The Best, Heat, Closer, Grazia, and more across beauty, tech, and lifestyle.
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