Boost Your Speed and Sculpt Your Body with the Best Jump Ropes on the Market, Recommended by Experts

A jump rope is the most bang-for-your-buck piece of fitness gear you can buy. That simple string not only creates killer cardio but builds monster calves, one of the most notoriously difficult muscles for guys to build. Science shows that the best jump ropes can make you a faster runner, a more explosive jumper, and a leaner dude. Add a little weight, and this exercise is a killer upper body workout, too.

Best of all, it’s inexpensive, space-saving, and most importantly, fun.

“It keeps the childlike spirit of exercise going,” says Garrett Jones, C.S.C.S., a personal trainer in Los Angeles who makes infectious jump rope dance videos on TikTok. “A lot of times, people feel like they get old, but that’s because they stopped doing the things they were doing when they were young—things like running, jumping, and playing. The combination of exercise, music, and dance with the jump rope has me obsessed.”

If you’re concerned that jumping might be tough on your aging joints, research suggests that skipping rope is actually easier on your lower limbs than running.

Of course, learning to jump rope can be frustrating—not to mention painful if you trip or slap yourself with the rope. But the right rope makes all the difference. To help you find the best option, we consulted Jones and two other experts for their advice on choosing the right type and length of rope for your level and goals, their tips for building a seriously sweaty skipping session, and 10 ropes that will make you a lean, mean jumping machine.

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Best Jump Ropes of 2025

• Best Beaded Rope for Beginners: Elite Jumps Beaded Jump Rope
• Best PVC Rope: BoxRope
• Best PVC Rope to Beat Up on Pavement: SportBit Adjustable Rope
• Best Wire Rope for Speed and Double-Unders: JumpNRope 1-Series
• Best Smart Jump Rope: Renpho Smart Jump Rope
• Best Interchangeable Weighted Ropes: Crossrope Get Strong Bundle
• Best Budget Weighted Rope: EliteSRS Muay Thai Rope
• Best Big, Heavy Rope: Renranring 3-Pound Rope
• Best Inexpensive Rope for Double-Unders: WODFitters Speed Rope
• Best Value Rope: Boomiboo Rope

Related: Patrick Schwarzenegger’s Three-Pronged Fitness Routine to Get Beach-Ready Is Simpler Than You’d Think

The 10 Best Jump Ropes of 2025

While Jones says that just about any rope will do for an effective workout, to help you find the best option, we’ve rounded up top picks that cater to different needs and skill levels.

Best Beaded Rope for Beginners: Elite Jumps Beaded Jump Rope

The Elite Jumps Beaded Jump Rope is Jones’ preferred beaded rope. The beads are heavy enough to provide good feedback while jumping, the handles are thin, and you can easily adjust the length. It’s available in white, black, and multicolor versions.

Best PVC Rope: BoxRope

The BoxRope is made of durable material that’s a little heavier than other PVC. This gives you more control, though it's still light enough to get moving quickly and use for double-unders. The rope is also anti-tangle, so it won’t get messed up in your bag, and it has grip tape to keep sweaty hands from slipping.

Best PVC Rope to Beat Up on Pavement: SportBit Adjustable Rope

If you’re going to be jumping on rough concrete and want the portability of a PVC rope, you’ll want an inexpensive option that can take a beating and be replaced without leaving a big dent in your wallet, like the SportBit. The rope is also easy to adjust—simply cut the rope—and has thin, lightweight handles.

Best Wire Rope for Speed and Double-Unders: JumpNRope 1-Series

JumpNRope products were designed by 5-time world jump rope world champion Molly Metz, and they’ve been Smith’s preferred speed rope handles for wire rope jumping for 15 years. The ends of the handles spin, Smith says, allowing for more speed, and the wire is held at an ideal angle for fast jumping. The wire will need to be replaced as it wears, but the handles will last.

Best Smart Jump Rope: Renpho Smart Jump Rope

Smart jump ropes connect to your smartphone via Bluetooth and use a mobile app to count jumps and provide stats about your workout—so you can zone out to music and feel the rhythm. Some of these ropes cost $100 or more. The Renpho Smart Rope gets the job done inexpensively, and with its on-handle LCD screen, you can check your jump progress during a break in your workout without taking out your phone.

Best Interchangeable Weighted Ropes: Crossrope Get Strong Bundle

Crossrope's Get Strong set comes with one- and two-pound ropes. They’re easy to clip on and off the handles and spin freely. Each rope is made of braided metal with a PVC coating. Be warned: Using these ropes on rough surfaces can wear through the coating faster, and the ropes will need to be replaced. This Crossrope set also comes with access to the company’s app, which includes multiple jump rope workouts.

Best Budget Weighted Rope: EliteSRS Muay Thai Rope

Many inexpensive weighted ropes have weighted handles, but that just makes your hands tired. EliteSRS’s Muay Thai Rope, like Crossrope’s, carries weight in the rope itself. This type of heavy jumping builds strength in the shoulders and grip, even though the rope weighs only 1.3 pounds. This rope is made with durable PVC, too.

Best Big, Heavy Rope: Renranring 3-Pound Rope

Challenging as they are to jump with, these big ropes are just fun. The Renranring 3-Pound Rope is great for a total-body workout, even when you’re jumping really slow. The handles don’t rotate, so you’ll really need to focus on moving your wrists. 

Best Inexpensive Rope for Double-Unders: WODFitters Speed Rope

If you’re ready for a super-light rope for double-unders, but your budget’s super-light, too, the WODFitters Speed Rope is perfect. The cable is coated, reducing kinks and tangles, and the handles are light and thin with a spinning mechanism for maximum speed. The rope also comes with a 60-day trial period.

Best Value Rope: Boomiboo Jump Rope

No nonsense and no big price tag. The Boomiboo Jump Rope is a PVC-coated wire rope with soft, spongy handles that’s easy to adjust. The handles are a little on the thicker side compared to others on this list, but they're well-cushioning and lightweight. The rope spins well with an internal ball-bearing system. This rope will tangle in your bag, so consider keeping it cinched with a large rubber band between uses.

Related: 10 Best Cardio Workouts for Weight Loss to Melt Body Fat

What to Consider When Buying a Jump Rope

No matter your level, experts agree that the most important aspect of any jump rope is its length. Too long, and you won’t be able to get a rhythm going. Too short, and you’ll trip on the rope again and again.

“Take your foot and step on the middle of the rope,” says C.J. Hammond, a personal trainer in Los Angeles who incorporates jumping rope and boxing with his NFL, college athlete, and high-level entertainer clientele. “The handles should come up to your armpits.”

If it’s too long, you can shorten the rope to make it fit this length. Too short? Find a longer one. Some other aspects and features to consider as you shop:

Your Experience Level

If you’re a beginning jumper, the experts say, start with a thicker rope. Thinner ropes can spin faster, but thicker ropes provide more feedback, Hammond says, helping you settle into a rhythm while jumping. Even a slightly weighted rope can be good when starting out, he says, since you’ll be forced to spin the rope a little slower.

Material

For beginners, Erica Smith, a jump rope coach with the Summerwind Skippers, a multiple national championship-winning competitive jump rope team, suggests using a beaded rope, which is made with one-inch plastic beads wrapped around a rope. These ropes are durable and easy to control. Jumpers of all levels can also use a PVC rope, which is made of flexible plastic and is available in multiple thicknesses. For his high-energy dances and tricks, Jones uses a 6mm PVC rope.

Other ropes, like Crossropes, are made with braided wire. If you’re jumping on concrete, the outside of this rope can wear away, and the wires can fray, so consider where you’ll jump. And for maximum speed, thin wires are best—though these ropes can tangle and hurt a lot if you whip yourself.

Handle Thickness

For ease of jumping, Jones suggests finding a jump rope with thin handles. This allows for more control and also allows your wrists to turn. Many beginning jumpers, he says, try to turn the rope while keeping their hands very still, but your wrists should actually be making circles as you jump. Lighter, thinner handles facilitate this wrist-turning.

Jumping Location

If you’re planning to travel with your rope, consider a plastic beaded or PVC rope. Some people have had trouble with metal ropes in their carry-on bags.

Related: After a Rare Diagnosis, This Man Found Strength in Fitness. Now, His Story Is Inspiring Others

Benefits of Jumping Rope

Jumping rope is portable, fun, and burns lots of calories. According to the Compendium of Physical Activities, a 185-pound guy who jumps rope for 10 minutes will burn 172 calories. If the same guy ran a mile in the same time, he’d burn just 137.

But it’s more than just a calorie torcher. Making jump rope a regular part of your cardio arsenal also has the following perks.

Helps You Become a Faster Runner

In a study from 2020, runners who replaced a five-minute “normal” warm-up with 10 minutes of jumping rope 2-4 times per week for 10 weeks improved their times in a 3km run more than those who stuck with the regular warm-up.

Improves Your Explosiveness

In a small study of male college students, jumping rope for 30 minutes, 3 times per week for 8 weeks improved performance in the standing long jump. These men could explode from a standstill better than before, thanks to all those little jumps.

Primes You for a More Intense Workout

While many exercisers warm up by plodding on an exercise bike while scrolling social media, jumping rope for a few minutes primes not just your body but your mind and nervous system, Hammond says.

Strengthens and Builds the Calves

Calf envy is real. According to Hammond, a session of rope skipping can supplement your calf raises because every jump is like an explosive bodyweight calf raise. Adding in a few weekly sessions of jump rope can help blow up those lower legs.

Related: The Muscle-Building Benefits of Creatine Aren't What They're Cracked up to Be, Bold New Research Suggests

Jump Rope FAQ

How many calories does jump rope burn?

It depends on your heart rate and body weight. According to the Compendium of Physical Activities, a 185-pound guy who jumps rope for 10 minutes will burn 172 calories. That’s based on METs, a ratio of how hard an activity is compared to resting. Jumping rope has a MET value of 11.

How long should I jump rope when I’m starting out?

“You don’t want to start with 10 minutes on your first session,” Hammond says, as your feet and calves will wind up sore. He suggests starting with 3-5 minutes per session and building up from there.

How can I do double-unders?

Double-unders are jumps where the rope passes under your feet twice on each jump. To do these, first get comfortable with single-under jumping, Smith says. Then, get a lighter rope so spinning the rope faster is easier. For her double-under workouts, Smith uses a thin wire rope.

What are some effective jump rope workouts for beginners?

Try these two:

Workout 1: Swing, swing, jump

For this session, set a timer for 5 minutes, and begin bouncing on your toes, Smith says. Swing the rope to the left of your body with both arms, then to the right of your body, then swing it in the center and jump over the rope. Continue in this way: Swing left, swing right, then jump. This helps develop the rhythm of jumping, she says, and can serve as a great warm-up.

Workout 2: One-to-one intervals

When you’re more comfortable jumping for an extended period, Jones says, jump for 30 seconds, then rest for 30 seconds. If that’s too hard, jump for 20 and rest for 40. Over time, try to increase the work and reduce the rest periods. Continue for 10 minutes.