Sheldon’s Corner – How To Choose The Best Speed Rope For Double Unders
“What’s the best jump rope for CrossFit and double unders?”
It’s an important question, and one I see people struggle with all the time. I recently read an article by Matt Hopkins who is a former national champion competitive speed jumper who regularly teaches CrossFit double under seminars. He’s also a jump rope coach to numerous speed jumping national champions and a world record holder. In his article he breaks down the 6 best speed ropes and the pros/cons of each. It’s a great read and perfect for helping you decide which rope to buy. Check it out below…
This article is intended as a comprehensive review of the top six jump ropes on the market for CrossFit based on my experience using the ropes, seeing them in action, and gathering feedback from the athletes using them.
While I highlight differences in the ropes in the review below, the truth is each one of these ropes would be an excellent option and the biggest differences aren’t necessarily in performance, but in price and preference. That said, I used the following seven criteria to judge each rope:
- Weight of the handles: CrossFit athletes know it’s the arms that wear out first when jumping, not the legs. When the arms fatigue you start to miss. The handles, therefore, must be light weight.
- Track record: Is the jump rope being used at the highest levels of competition by the top competitors?
- Function: The rope must turn smooth and fast, and have a good, comfortable grip that doesn’t slip when you sweat.
- Versatility: Can it be used by athletes of various ability levels? Can it be used indoors or outdoors? The ability of the jump rope to accept various sizes, types and weights of cables is key here. Heavier cables may be more appropriate for intermediate jumpers while expert jumpers use thinner cables. There are also some cables that can be used outdoors on hard surfaces.
- Ease of resizing: When you get your rope, can you size it perfectly for your needs? Jump ropes that are too long will slow you down, and jump ropes that are too short will cause misses. Ease of adjusting to your optimum size “out of the box” is important.
- Cable quality: Nylon coating is much tougher and lasts longer the vinyl coatings. We also find that USA made cable is superior in durability, and kinks less easily, than cable made overseas.
- Cost
ELITE Surge 2.0 Speed Rope
An incredibly versatile CrossFit rope by EliteSRS that has become popular for speed and double unders at competitions, with competitive jumpers using to get up to seven jumps a second. Handles feature a patented ball bearing system that make it very efficient and smooth spinning.
Specs:
- Weight: 3.4 oz
- Handles: Machine cut aluminum handles with a foam grip. Attach to the cable at a 90-degree angle. Dual ball bearings in each handle.
- Cable: USA made. Cable comes at 10 feet in length and is easy to adjust with a cable cutter and Phillips screwdriver.
Pros: The thin handles allow for fine motor control and precision while turning the rope, and dual ball bearing system gives it an extremely balanced feel. Comes with a two year warranty on the handles, which easily accept different weighted cables (from super thin uncoated 1/16 inch cable for competitions to a thick 4 mm PVC cord for beginners). Very durable.
Cons: We have heard that even with the foam grip, the handles can become slick when you sweat. Some people are also surprised by the small/thin handles, which can take getting used to. Won’t do crossing moves well.
Price: $29.99 – website (also sold at discount as part of a CrossFit Kit)
RPM Speed Rope 3.0
Summary: The RPM Speed Rope is a very reliable rope with heavy duty handles and a track record of very fast speeds at competitions. Advanced speed jumpers working out indoors will find it goes as quick as they want.
Specs:
- Weight: 3.6 oz
- Handles: Metal handles are about 5.5 inches in length and very tough. The top piece of the handle rotates on an anchor disc.
- Cable: All ropes come with a super long 12’ bare wire cable. USA made cable.
Pros: The hollow metal handles have a nice feel in the hand and feature a knurl grip that won’t slip while you jump. Cable length is easy to resize. Comes standard with faster bare cable for advanced jumpers, but you have the option to purchase with coated cable for training. Eight different colored handles are available. For a $10 extra fee you can have the handles engraved.
Cons: Competition jumpers have complained of receiving blisters after long periods of practicing from the rough grip. Very pricey for a jump rope!
Price: $52.95 – website
Ultra Light Speed Rope
Summary: The “ultra light” version of the most common/popular cable speed rope design on the market. Handles attach to the rope at a 90-degree angle to prevent breakage and kinking with the high, repeated torque of double unders. A simple, proven design (commonly seen in speed jumping and CrossFit games competitions) that is also the lightest speed rope we’ve found.
Specs:
- Weight: 2.4 oz
- Handles: 5″ long. Designed with an unbreakable polymer plastic dowel.
- Cable: Uses a standard 3/32″ coated USA made cable that can be adjusted with cable cutters and a Phillips screw driver.
Pros: Lightest speed rope on the market. It produces a smooth turn and can reach speeds to 6-7 turns a second. The cable and handles can each be customized with the color of you choice (8 different options). The “ultra” light weight means less arm fatigue. Easy to adjust cable lengths and swap out cable styles. Cable made in the USA.
Cons: The light-weight handles can take a little bit to get used to if you’re used to heavier or bigger grips. Handles are a smooth plastic, which means they could benefit from some grip tape if you want them to stay in your hands when you’re sweating.
Price: $9.99 – website
SR-1 Rogue Bearing Speed Rope
Summary: This model rope is characterized by it’s swivel tip ball-bearing heads, which make it more forgiving if your hands get out of alignment when jumping. A good “entry” rope for anyone new to speed ropes and double unders. This design is quite prevalent, and varieties of this same rope are made by many jump rope manufacturers. Used regularly in competitions.
Specs:
- Weight: 3.68 oz
- Handles: Articulating swivel bearing. 6.75″ long with a tapered end for sure grip. 4 high-grade metal ball bearings in nylon resin handles.
- Cable: 3/32″ coated cable that can be easily adjusted with a cable cutter and a small Phillips screwdriver. Comes at 10 foot length.
Pros: Metal articulating eye at the end allows the cable to change angles while jumping. Ultra-durable nylon resin handles. Easy to adjust length. Addition of extra ball bearing in each handle (2 vs 1 in each handle) promotes faster turning of the rope.
Cons: This SR-1’s biggest fault is that it does not accept different weighted cables, which limits its versatility. Handles can become slick when you sweat (but the tapered end helps mitigate slipping – add handle grip tape for extra grip). We’ve also had one come apart on us where the swivel tip attaches to the handle, and many reviewers have struggled with the same issue.
Price: $21.95 – website
HIT 360° Speed Rope
Summary: A new style of speed rope that we’ve fallen in “like with.” The swivel tip ball bearing head is “forgiving” if your hands aren’t always in the perfect position during doubles. Goes fast, but also can be used for freestyle workouts. It’s brand new, and we haven’t seen in competition yet.
Specs:
- Weight: 3.7 oz
- Handles: 5.9″ aluminum handles with swivel bearing heads
- Rope: 10ft PVC coated cable
Pros: Swivel-tip head allows the cable to change angles while jumping. Thin, knurl grip aluminium handles will last forever. Easy to adjust length. Thin handles fine control. Dual ball bearing in each handle (2 vs 1 in each handle) promotes faster turning of the rope.
Cons: We’re not sure how long swivel tip heads will last (the design hasn’t been around long enough to get good “durability” reviews). The PVC coated cable is not as durable as nylon coated cable. The knurl grip could benefit from some grip tapefor comfort in the handle (expect blisters if you’re hands aren’t calloused up already).
Price: $14.99 – website
Rx Jump Rope
Summary: The “heavy-duty” CrossFit jump rope. Incredibly smooth turning with the largest handles of any jump rope we reviewed and heavy cable options for jumpers who want more resistance. This is another commonly seen rope in CrossFit gyms, with seemingly endless options for customization, but it is not a great option for competition because of its size.
Specs:
- Weight: 6 oz
- Handles: 6 inches long and 1 inch in diameter. Ergonomic shape. Comes pre-wrapped in grip tape of your choice.
- Cable: Comes is a variety of weights. Vinyl coated. Not adjustable.
Pros: Very fast and has perhaps the smoothest spinning handle of all the ropes we reviewed (handles have a multi-directional swivel axis bearing system that produce a near frictionless rotation). We like this rope because of all of the color choices of the cable and handles. The best thing going for the Rx ropes is that you can order different weighted (USA made) cables to help in matching your jumping ability. Grippy ergonomic handles won’t slip when you sweat.
Cons: Pricy. The biggest issue is the handle size, which actually hinders some of the fine motor control in the hands that’s useful for speed jumping. The rope length is not adjustable (if the size you order doesn’t fit, order a cable replacement for $9). Cable is coated with vinyl, which is less durable than nylon coating.
Price: $42.95 – website
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