The Best Jump Rope in 2025: Speed Ropes, Weighted Ropes, and Smart Ropes

The WOD Nation Double Under Speed Jump Rope is an all-time favorite among Garage Gym Reviews team members. Our editor Kate Meier has personally used this rope for five years and doesn’t have any complaints. 

Kate rated the handle 3 out of 5, saying, “I never had a problem with cracking or breaking, and I have definitely NOT taken great care of this rope. I throw it in my car, in a bag, on the floor, across the room during a double under tantrum, etc.”

Not only does the WOD Nation speed jump rope feature all of the necessary components of a good speed rope—ball bearings, uber-thin cable (2.5 millimeters), coated wire cable—but it’s durable, long-lasting, and costs just $20. That price point makes this rope an exceptional value before you even account for the fact that your purchase comes with two interchangeable cables and a carrying case. And it ships free with Amazon Prime! Really, what more could you ask for? 

Kate did have to switch the original cable out for the second one after three years, but she admits to the ultimate CrossFit sin of using her jump rope on abrasive surfaces like concrete. Doing this with any coated cable rope will eventually wear down the coating and expose the bare wire underneath. Still, for a coating to last three years is pretty impressive. 

Even after testing and using probably more than a dozen speed ropes, this is still Kate’s favorite, and it’s one of mine, too. I used the WOD Nation speed rope for a few years before switching to a Rogue Fitness SR-3, not because I needed to, but because I’m a gear junkie. 

“I love this rope,” says Kate. “It’s light and moves fast. Even after testing and using probably more than a dozen speed ropes, this is still my absolute favorite.”

It’s also affordable and earns 5 out of 5 stars for value.

The only complaint people seem to have about this rope is that the nuts holding the cable in place can come loose. Just tighten them with a small wrench. Also, you’ll probably need wire cutters to cut this rope to length, or at least some pretty strong kitchen shears. Other than these minor inconveniences, the WOD Nation Double Under Speed Rope is just about perfect and we think it’s the best value for most people. 

So, you want to learn how to do double-unders. Prepare yourself for weeks or months of hellish rage and torn up skin… Unless you invest in the CrossRope Get Lean Jump Rope Set, which might help you nail the rhythm a bit quicker and minimize welts. 

Garage Gym Reviews staff writer Anthony O’Reilly tested the CrossRope jump rope set and enjoyed his experience with the interchangeable ropes. The Get Lean set comes with a pair of handles and two cables: a 0.25-pound cable and a 0.5-pound cable. The cables are easily interchangeable thanks to CrossRope’s Fast Clip System. 

Anthony gave the handles a 4 out of 5 rating, saying, “I went back and forth on this one. The handles feel pretty nice, but they can be a bit too soft for my liking. It’s almost a bit too spongey for my taste.”

The reason this set is so good for learning double-unders is that the heavier cables provide a ton of feedback during jumping (meaning, you can feel where the cable is in the rotation while you’re jumping—not something you can really feel with speed ropes).   

As a beginner trying to learn double-unders, feedback is important because a new jumper needs to develop body awareness to know where their body is in relation to the cable. Without that awareness, you’ll never develop a consistent rhythm to master double-unders. 

The ceramic ball-bearing system in the handles helps, too. Anthony says the CrossRope handles have smooth-as-butter rotation. “Not an ad, just the truth,” he wrote in his testing notes, rating the workout experience 4 out of 5. 

The sizing was on-point, too, Anthony said. You can choose from four sizes (S, M, L, XL) and CrossRope provides a handy sizing chart for easy selection. 

Do not—I repeat, do not—buy this rope and start jumping if you have 1) never used a speed rope before or 2) want to start learning double-unders but haven’t tried yet. This rope will hurt like heck when you inevitably whip yourself with it, especially due to the bare steel cable.

But by all means, buy this rope if you are already proficient at speed jumping and/or double-unders and want to get even faster. The RPM Competition Rope offers next-level speed, thanks to the dual-axis rotation, which eliminates torque build-up in the handles. The oil-infused bushing system maximizes spin and power transfer, while the thin bare cable moves through air like a knife through butter. 

Honestly, a rope this fast could push a good double-under-er into triple-under territory. 

The durable aluminum handles feature full-length, mild knurling to assist with grip and earn a 5 out of 5 rating. They’re just 5.75 inches in length and quite thin in diameter. Anthony mentioned they felt small in his hands, but the knurling made up for it. The handles are constructed of aluminum, so they’re lightweight. 

The durability earns 3.5 out of 5, and Anthony said, “RPM says you shouldn’t use the bare cable on concrete, but I haven’t noticed much wear and tear on it at all.”

During testing, Anthony’s one big complaint about the RPM Comp Rope (and all other RPM ropes) is that the initial adjustment process is frustrating, and he gave the workout experience 2.5 out of 5 stars.

The set screws are tiny, and as someone with large hands, Anthony found the whole shebang to dampen the entire rope experience. Make sure you have a small screwdriver handy, or a friend with nimble fingers. 

As for the whipping thing, that’s just a fact you must be willing to accept with any bare wire rope, and if you choose that route, be ready to explain your welts to non-CrossFitting friends.

I’m a double-under fiend. I’m pretty sure it’s because it’s the only skill-based CrossFit movement I excel at (toes-to-bar, no. rope climbs, definitely not). Regardless, I love ‘em. By no means am I a pro, but I can consistently do sets of 50 and I had a pretty decent PR of 112. 

Then I got my hands on this rope and enjoyed a smooth PR of 137 double-unders. Was it the precision-machined aluminum handles? The oiled swivel ball-bearing system? The diamond knurling and tapered grip? The 2.4-millimeter speed cable? 

Whatever it is, the workout experience easily earns 5 out of 5 stars, though I’d give it 10 stars if I could.

All of these features come together to create a wildly fast yet durable and consistent rope, which is exactly what you need for CrossFit WODs, during which you move from double-unders to thrusters to box jumps to who knows what else. You need speed and you need consistency, and this rope will help you achieve both. 

The Rogue Fitness SR-2 3.0 is best for people who are already proficient at double-unders and want to get better. I wouldn’t recommend it for someone who’s just learning how jumping rope fits into CrossFit. That’s a recipe for welts and whip marks. 

I give the handles a strong 5 out of 5 rating. They’re made of super lightweight aluminum with about an inch and a half of knurling at the ends, and they feel nice in hand compared to plastic handles.

Like all Rogue SR series ropes, the SR-2 3.0 is a size-and-cut rope. It comes only in a 120-inch cable length, so you have to size it to your height and cut the rope accordingly. A pair of good scissors should do; I didn’t have any issues with fraying. Once you size the rope appropriately, retighten the screws, cut the excess off, and replace the end cap. The tiny screws are a bit frustrating to deal with, but that’s just the standard. If you have a small Phillips head screwdriver, you’ll be fine. 

Take care if you plan to pack this rope into any bags, as thin cables can easily warp. And, as always, use caution in outdoor settings. You’ll maximize longevity if you use it only on non-abrasive surfaces such as gym flooring. 

I always thought weighted jump ropes had weighted cables. Not this one. The Rogue Fitness PRO Jump Rope is a unique weighted rope because the majority of the weight lies in the handles, not the cable. 

The handles are constructed of stainless steel, weigh one pound each, and earn 5 out of 5 stars. That may not sound like a lot, but it’s quite a lot when you’re attempting to jump quickly. Apparently, CrossFit Games athletes used this rope at the 2016 Games and did double-unders with them. They are definitely superhuman because I maxed out at seven double-unders with this thing. 

Though thick, the handles have great grip because they’re fully knurled, with the exception of the tapered base. The knurling is extra helpful because of how heavy and thick the handles are. 

To give you an idea of just how big the handles are, they’re 25 millimeters in diameter—not much skinnier than an Olympic barbell (28.5 millimeters) and the same as the shaft of a 15-kilogram barbell such as the Rogue Bella Bar. Despite the diameter, the handles still have great spin thanks to the 360-degree swivel bearings. 

I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge this rope gave me. After a few sets of single-unders, I was winded, so I know the Rogue PRO would be a great rope for building strength and stamina. The cable itself isn’t super heavy, but is definitely heavier and thicker than a speed rope. In fact, it’s more than twice the thickness of the Rogue SR series ropes at 5.5 millimeters. 

The Rogue PRO is not adjustable, but it’s available in 5 fixed-length options (95 inches to 115 inches in 5-inch increments). Rogue provides a size chart to help you choose. I ordered the 105-inch rope, which is said to fit heights 5-foot-5 to 5-foot-9. I’m 5-foot-6 and the rope felt a little long. I was able to jump just fine, though, after a few reps. 

If you’re tired of counting your reps while jumping rope, consider a smart jump rope, which will count for you and provide a number of stats in addition. For example, the Tangram SmartRope app counts jumps, calories burned, and time elapsed. You can also set daily targets and track your jumping history. 

Aside from the smart features, the Tangram Smart Jump Rope Rookie is a pretty solid rope. It’s adjustable, but doesn’t require any cutting like most adjustable ropes. You simply thread it to your desired length through the handles. Anthony O’Reilly, a Garage Gym Reviews writer who tested this rope, said it worked for people of multiple heights and skill levels. 

The Rookie has plastic handles that work just fine. They’re 5 inches in length, which didn’t feel too small for Anthony thanks to the thicker width. He gave them 3 out of 5 stars, saying, “They’re plastic, so nothing special, but it also doesn’t feel like cheap plastic. I’m not worried about these breaking on me.”

The cable weighs 55 grams (1.9 ounces), so it’s nice and lightweight. Anthony was able to move it quite quickly and said he got into the groove with it faster than some other ropes he tested. It does get tangled quite easily though, despite being advertised as a tangle-free polypropylene cable. It’s anything but tangle-free when not in use, Anthony said, and it can get annoying. 

Overall, Anthony rated the workout experience a 4 out of 5, saying, “This is a jump rope for jumping rope and nothing else. You can get pretty fast with it, but you’re not going to do anything cool either, I’d recommend it for anyone trying to get a good cardio workout and wants to track their progress.”

However, the overall experience was enjoyable, and it’s pretty cool to just jump without counting, knowing you can later look to see your reps. I think it would be really fun to set a timer for, say, 20 minutes and complete as many reps as possible without having to focus on counting. 

For those who want a basic, durable jump rope with a comfortable grip and decent speed, the XYLSports Jump Rope is the one to get. It’s an Amazon’s Choice pick with over 2,000 positive reviews. 

In our testing, the verdict pretty much came down to this: Nothing special, nothing bad. It’s just a jump rope. This rope earns 5 out of 5 for value and only costs about $10, so it’s a great pick for anyone who wants to try their hand(s) at jumping rope but isn’t sure they’ll stick to it. 

Made of PVC, the cable is durable but easy to cut for adjustments. It’s lightweight but has some heft to it, so it will provide feedback as it moves through the air. This is helpful for people just learning to jump rope. 

Our tester gave the rope itself 3 out of 5 stars, saying, “It uses 5mm PVC rope – it’s light, but not meant for speed. Meant for more casual jumping or for beginners who won’t get hurt if they whip themselves.”

There’s no true rotation system—it’s really just a rope threaded through a handle—so the spin isn’t the smoothest. Still, even true beginners will have no problems rotating the rope. All in all, you can’t go wrong, because it’s a $10 jump rope that will probably last years.

Parents, if you want a run-of-the-mill, basic plastic jump rope for your little ones to use, the Rogue Licorice Rope is a good choice. There’s nothing special and nothing bad about this rope: It’s inexpensive, tangle-free, and gentle on the skin if it happens to make contact. 

Is it fast? No. But unless your child is the next Tia-Claire Toomey or Mat Fraser, does it really matter? Also no. 

I tried this rope and gave it 3 out of 5 stars for the workout experience. However, I’m used to faster jump ropes and found that this rope just felt a bit slow and clunky, and I couldn’t do a lot of speed work, but your child probably doesn’t need speed with their first rope.

Still, I was able to jump at decent speeds and even get in a few sets of 10 to 20 double-unders with the Licorice Rope. That’s saying a lot for something that doesn’t even have bearings or bushings. It’s just a PVC cord threaded through a PVC handle with a knot to keep it in place.

Because the cable is made of relatively thick (5 millimeters) PVC, it’ll withstand use on concrete or asphalt better than a thinner coated wire cable and earns 4 out of 5 for durability. PVC also holds up well to sunlight exposure, so no worries if your kiddo leaves their rope outside in the sun for a few days. 

Licorice Ropes weigh just over 3 ounces in total, and the handles have a small 0.6-inch diameter, which will be easy for kids to hold onto. They come in four different sizes (7, 8, 9, or 10 feet) and are color-coded for each length. With a price point of less than $9 each, you won’t be out much if your kid decides to destroy it, as kids do.

The Rogue Fitness SR-1F is a jump rope in the SR series designed in collaboration with Rich Froning, four-time CrossFit Games Champion. (P.S. Coop toured Rich’s barn gym and it’s pretty dang cool.) The SR-1F is similar to the rest of the SR series ropes, with a 2.4-millimeter coated wire cable and thin handles with bearing rotation. 

However, the SR-1F utilizes a polyurethane coating rather than nylon. Polyurethane is softer and more flexible, thus it doesn’t warp as easily or show as much coil if you plan on rolling it up. 

The handles feel great and earn a 4.5 out of 5. Our tester said, “These handles are pretty nifty. The body of the handle is made of textured nylon, which feels kind of like knurling on the SR-2 but softer because it’s not metal. Both parts of the handle are super grippy and sweat-resistant, which is hard to find in plastic handles.”

Rogue offers an 11-foot replacement cable for the Froning SR-1F, making it one of the best options for taller athletes. For anyone over 6 feet tall, the standard 10-foot cable may not be long enough. This sometimes depends on your jumping style, but if you want to play it safe, go with the 11-foot cable. 

The handles on the SR-1F are pretty nifty. The body of the handle is made of textured nylon, which feels kind of like knurling on the SR-2 but softer, because it’s not metal. The base of the handle is plastic with a TPE (thermoplastic elastomer—fancy word for rubber) overmold. Both parts of the handle are super grippy and sweat-resistant, which is hard to find in plastic handles. They’re 6.5 inches in length and 0.5 inches in diameter with a taper to 0.875 inches. 

I think $30 is a great price for this rope and an easy 5 out of 5 for value. Not only are you getting Rogue quality, but you’re getting a Froning-associated piece of equipment. Score. You will have to pay extra for the 11-foot replacement cable, making the total cost $40, which is still pretty good. 

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Looking for a butt-kicking? Get this rope. Not looking for a butt-kicking? Still get it, because ya probably need it. 

In all seriousness, if you are trying to increase your stamina or endurance, you need the RX Smart Gear Drag Rope. It’s called a drag rope for a reason. Kate Meier, our Garage Gym Reviews editor and the lucky duck who got to test this rope, dubbed it “best for kicking your butt.” 

RELATED: HIIT Treadmill Workout

The rope is thick and heavy to create a drag, which you will actually hear as the rope moves around you. It’s pretty cool (and frigging hard), according to Kate.  

There are no bearings or bushings to help with rotation on the Drag Rope: None. Just handles and a rope, which makes it wicked worse. It’s all up to you and your wrists. It takes serious effort to turn the rope, Kate says. 

Speaking of handles, Kate was impressed with the handles on this drag rope and gave them 4 out of 5 stars. She said, “The handles are pretty dope. Can’t find exact materials or measurements anywhere, but there is a criss-cross pattern on the handles that makes it easy to grab, even when your hands get sweaty.”

It’s not so much that it’s heavy (it weighs about 10 ounces all-in), it’s that it’s a braided, woven, polypropylene rope that sounds like you’re in a wind tunnel when jumping. Single-unders are hard enough with this, so major props to anyone who would dare do dubs. 

Using the Drag Rope will definitely give you a burn and leave you breathless. It’s kind of a fun way to make singles harder, and the workout experience earns 4 out of 5 stars.

A braided rope like this looks great, but it’s probably not the most durable. We wouldn’t recommend using it much outside because it’ll probably fray easily on rough cement. On the other hand, it would move through grass okay. 

If you’re a budget-minded folk, just skip over this part because you’re going to be sad you can’t enjoy this insanely luxurious jump rope after reading about all of its “Eff you, I’m rich” specs. If you have $150 to spend on a jump rope, carry on. 

The handles are made of “aerospace-grade aluminum” with meticulously placed rubber bands for grip, and earn 5 out of 5 stars. They feature a “pinch point” silhouette with diamond knurling for your fingertips.

Our tester said, “It really doesn’t get much more tricked out than this. It’s a jump rope, for goodness sake, but it feels like a museum-worthy artifact.”

In the EVO line of ropes, RX Smart Gear uses a patented dual-bearing swivel system. It’s smooth with a capital S. Our tester said she definitely noticed she didn’t need as much movement from her wrists to get and keep the rope moving and gave the workout experience 5 out of 5 stars.

The rope comes in its own beautiful zippered case with a sleeve for the rope and two spots for the handles. The handles come wrapped in mesh for protection.

Not only is it luxurious AF, but it’s customized out the yang. You can pick different weights based on where you are in your jumping game. Kate went with the Elite 2.6, which is for intermediate athletes. (She probably would have done fine with the Ultra 1.8, too, which is for advanced athletes). The choices range from 3.6 millimeters (“Buff”) to 1.3 millimeters (“Advanced+”), as well as two options for bare cables.

You also choose a cable length based on your height, and you pick your own color. RX Smart Gear provides a chart to help identify which cable to get. 

If you’re just looking for an inexpensive tool to use for home workouts, you can’t go wrong with this Degol skipping rope. It’s an adjustable jump rope with bearing rotation and a braided steel wire cable coated in durable PVC. It has 6-inch long handles with memory foam grips, so you’re basically getting the best of speed and comfort for a palatable $9 price point, which helps this rope earn 4 out of 5 stars for value. 

While we wouldn’t necessarily recommend this rope for someone trying to become a double-under wonder, we think it’s a great option for everyday, general fitness use. You could easily implement it in HIIT workouts, for endurance training, or for speed training. 

The Degol Ball Bearing Rope is a bestseller on Amazon with more than 30,000 five-star reviews. Anthony, our writer who tested this rope, wasn’t overly enthused—but repeatedly reminded us, “It’s a $9 rope, so…”. You can’t exactly expect steel-clad construction, but this rope will definitely do the trick for the average person just looking to jump rope for fun or general fitness. 

Anthony, our staff writer and product tester, found the memory foam grips to be slightly too soft for his liking, but sees the value for people who prioritize comfort over all else. He rated the handles 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Additionally, the bearings were decent, but certainly not the fastest he’s experienced. 

The Garage Gym Reviews consensus? For $9, you really can’t go wrong.

Ropeless jump ropes are—if you need any help guessing—jump ropes without a full cable. They’re also called cordless jump ropes. This type of rope is great for learning, as they’re obviously tangle-free and won’t give you any welts if you lose your rhythm. They’re good options for people who have low ceilings or limited space and don’t want to knock a house plant over or smash a lightbulb.   

So what’s the point of buying a cordless jump rope like the Benvo Weighted Cordless Jump Rope? These handles, with little balls on the end, can help you nail proper form when learning to jump rope or do double-unders without the risk of suffering welts all over your skin.

Because let’s be honest: cable-to-skin contact hurts. Especially with a speed rope. These rotational trainers feature woven nylon construction and have knots on the end that can be adjusted for length.

While this sounds great, the workout experience only earns 2 out of 5.

Our tester, Amanda Dvorak, ISSA-CPT, ISSA-CNC, says, “It felt like a child’s toy. I mean, it only costs like 13 bucks, so whatever, but I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone who’s actually looking for a good workout or a heavy jump rope.”

However, as a CrossFit coach, I love these trainers for scaled and adaptive athletes who are either still learning to jump rope, trying to perfect double-under form, or have physical limitations that don’t allow for the use of a regular jump rope. It’s also great for those who workout indoors with low ceilings.

The materials earn 3 out of 5 stars. It’s fine, nothing to write home about, but it gets the job done.

Keep in mind the Benvo cordless jump rope is weighted, but each handle contains a 3-ounce removable weight. I didn’t find it very heavy and would actually like to see this brand offer heavier options.