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Best Battle Ropes

Updated March 2023
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Pros
Cons
Best of the Best
Profect Sports Battle Ropes with Anchor Kit
Profect Sports
Battle Ropes with Anchor Kit
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Upgraded Design
Bottom Line

Popular in the CrossFit community, these ropes are a favorite for their moded grips.

Pros

This rope is coated with weatherproof, waterproof material for indoor or outdoor training. Includes a stainless steel anchor kit with corrosion-resistant carabiners. Comes in 2 diameters and 3 lengths.

Cons

Occasional quality issues with the ropes and carabiners.

Best Bang for the Buck
Yes4All Strength Training Fitness Rope
Yes4All
Strength Training Fitness Rope
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Great for Beginners
Bottom Line

Yes4All's battle rope for exercise is the ideal way for beginners to start their home exercise routine at their own pace.

Pros

An affordable way to work out your whole body at home or at the gym. Available in 6 different sizes from 30-50 feet and 1.5-2 inches around. The poly dacron material keeps it under 15 pounds but fully flexible. Comes with a tactical sleeve. Heat-shrink grips keep your hands comfortable with or without gloves

Cons

It might not withstand especially intense workouts well.

EliteSRS 30-Foot Battle Rope Kit
EliteSRS
30-Foot Battle Rope Kit
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The Total Package
Bottom Line

A full kit for anchoring the battle rope is included with this 30-foot product with extra-long handles.

Pros

Ships with plenty of extras that make it a good value, including a carabiner and anchor straps. Each end of the rope has a 10-inch handle that gives you a good grip. Can withstand the elements without fraying. This battle rope is available in 7 different colors and multiple lengths and diameters.

Cons

Stiff style of rope that may take a while to break in for certain types of exercise.

Garage Fit Poly Dacron Battle Ropes
Garage Fit
Poly Dacron Battle Ropes
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Avoid Rope Burn
Bottom Line

Exercise at home with a rugged battle rope made of high-quality material that withstands intense workouts.

Pros

Can be used indoors and out. It's a 3-strand rope that withstands common wear and tear. You can grip this rope without gloves without worrying about rope burn and other discomforts. It's easy to roll up and store in the included sleeve without taking up much space.

Cons

Some find discrepancies with the pictures.

Power Guidance Battle Rope w/ Anchor
Power Guidance
Battle Rope w/ Anchor
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Simple yet Solid
Bottom Line

Whether you're at home, outside, or at your gym, this option goes with you and won't wear down quickly.

Pros

The double-layer protective cover protects it longer than you'll expect. It's 1.5" wide but offers resistance for a good workout. Designed to roll out, use, and roll back up with minimal effort when you're in a hurry. Great for all levels of fitness enthusiasts, from beginners to full-blown experts.

Cons

Some find it a little too thin or a little too stiff, depending on their needs.

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BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. About BestReviews  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers.About BestReviews 
HOW WE TESTED

We recommend these products based on an intensive research process that's designed to cut through the noise and find the top products in this space. Guided by experts, we spend hours looking into the factors that matter, to bring you these selections.

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Buying guide for Best battle ropes

Staying on top of the fitness game takes dedication and the grit to push through your physical and mental limits. Battle ropes entered the scene a few years ago, and they’ve taken the fitness world by storm. They do for arms what the treadmill does for legs. Endurance, stamina, and strength can all be built with this single piece of equipment.

But where do you start? How long and thick should the rope be, and what extras should you look for? If you’re asking yourself these questions, you’ve come to the right place.

We’ve dug deep to bring you the all-inclusive info you need to make a smart purchasing decision.

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Avoid anchoring the rope to anything with a sharp or rough edge. The rope is still a rope, after all, and a sharp edge can slice right through it, especially when you’re moving the rope during exercises.

Key considerations

Indoor vs. outdoor

Where you plan to use the rope can definitely help narrow down your choices. Ropes made of synthetic fibers like nylon, polypropylene, poly Dacron, and Dacron do well both inside and outdoors. Battle ropes made of natural fiber like plant-based manila can shed small bits of fiber as they hit the floor or ground. While that's fine outside, you may not want your garage or exercise room littered with “hairs.”

Rope diameter and weight

Battle ropes come in two diameters — 1.5 inches and 2 inches. The right diameter for you depends, in part, upon your goals. If you're looking to create well-defined muscles through intense cardio workouts, a 1.5-inch rope would be the best choice. These narrower, lighter ropes are used to focus on ramping up the heart rate, speed, and dexterity. They're also easier to hold, especially for those with smaller hands. Two-inch ropes are heavier and take a stronger grip. Therefore, they’re better for building muscle mass and bulking up the forearms, arms, shoulders, and upper back.

Rope length

Ropes are available in different lengths to accommodate each available space. The ideal distance for creating constructive movement with the greatest number of exercises is 50 feet. That's the total length of the rope so when it's attached to an anchor point you need at least 25 feet of available space. Don't worry if you don't have that much space in your backyard, garage, or exercise area. Battle ropes are also found in 30 and 40-foot lengths. You get the maximum benefit from the longest rope you can fit in your space, so measure carefully.

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Expert Tip
When using a battle rope, add some variety by swinging the rope with both hands together for 15 seconds. Then, switch to an alternating motion with the right hand first followed by the left, going as fast as possible for 15 seconds. Repeat for the desired length of time.
BestReviews Fitness Expert

Features

Anchor method and accessories

The battle rope will need to be anchored at its midpoint. Whatever you attach to the rope should be solid and immovable even when a decent amount of force is applied. Some ropes include an anchor strap that allows you to attach the rope to an additional piece of exercise equipment, in-ground basketball hoop, or another sturdy object. Other ropes boast a wall anchor and screws, which can be attached in an exercise room, garage, or to an outside building like a shed. Ropes that do not feature any anchor method or accessories will still have to be attached or looped around something. Before buying, know where and how you’ll use the rope to make sure you have all the necessary hardware.

Handles and grip support

Half the battle with these ropes, especially the 5-centimeter versions, is hanging on. Your hand and forearm strength will be seriously tested. The ends of some ropes have a plastic shrink-wrapped cover while others also boast a plastic end cover. Designed for enhanced durability, both of these extras can help you maintain your grip even when your hands start to get sweaty. There are a few models that feature a separate handle piece with a handlebar, though this is not a common design. These usually are included as part of a kit and can also be used for other strengthening exercises besides those normally done with battle ropes such as pull-ups, butterfly presses, and shoulder dips.

Expert Tip
For even more core muscle recruitment, try swinging the rope with both hands together while kneeling with both knees on top of a Bosu ball.
BestReviews Fitness Expert

Protective sleeves

Ready to take your workout outside? A battle rope with a protective, water-resistant sleeve should be on your list. These sleeves do more than protect the rope from moisture, mildew, and mold; they also prevent excessive wear and tear.

Exercise kit

Sometimes a battle rope is incorporated as part of a larger exercise kit. The kits may include exercise bands, extra anchor points, or free weights. Some of these sets are designed to use the battle rope in unconventional ways. Multiple wall anchors, for example, allow you to string the rope for use with additional upper body exercises.

Materials

Battle ropes can be made of either synthetic or natural materials. Synthetics include nylon, polypropylene, Dacron, and poly Dacron, while with natural fibers you're looking at various plant-based options like manila. Both are durable, though natural fibers are biodegradable and synthetic fibers aren’t. As previously mentioned, some natural fibers tend to shed while synthetics don't.

Colors

Ropes are created in a variety of colors from natural to black, blue, green, and alternating color schemes. The color has no bearing on the performance of the rope itself. However, if you’ll be using the rope outside, you might want to consider a darker color to hide grass or dirt stains.

Expert Tip
While performing battle rope exercises with your arms, keep your shoulder blades back and down, your chest up, and your chin tucked in to promote optimum posture while preventing neck and shoulder pain.
BestReviews Fitness Expert

Instruction video and booklet

Battle ropes that include a workout DVD or instruction booklet give you a jump start on your workout. You can do far more with these ropes than you may realize, and these extras can help you quickly move past the basics.

Price

Inexpensive

30-foot, 1.5-inch diameter battle ropes start at $22. The longer and thicker the rope, the more expensive they become. Ropes at this entry-level price don't usually include an anchor strap or wall anchor. However, they may feature a small sleeve at the midpoint to prevent wear, and a plastic shrink wrap handle on each end of the rope.

Mid-range

Once you move into the $25 to $50 range, you'll find battle ropes with wall anchors, anchor straps, and protective sleeves. There are also longer 40 and 50-foot 1.5-inch diameter ropes, and 30-foot 2-inch diameter ropes at this price. Between $50 and $100, you’ll find ropes with protective sleeves, anchor straps and wall anchors, along with various handles and end caps.

Expensive

Battle ropes can sell well over $100, though their features and materials don’t vary much from the lower-priced models.

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Did you know?
You can measure the intensity of your workout by counting your waves per minute. Once you’ve reached 120 to 150 waves per minute, you should be warm and engaged. Try to get into a good rhythm and maintain it for longer and longer lengths of time.
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Tips

  • Battle ropes can be used in a number of different ways. With the right hardware, they can be attached to the ceiling and used as a climbing rope. However, if you need to build up your strength before reaching these heights, there are a number of different pulling exercises designed to prepare you. Check out the numerous online workouts, YouTube videos, and DVDs created to showcase all that battle ropes have to offer.
  • If you're ready to test your forearm strength, fold the handle over to double the size of the rope you have to hold. This challenge will increase both your hand and forearm strength.
  • You can make your workout more difficult by changing your distance from the anchor point. You should start with some slack, but the closer you get to the anchor point, the more difficult it is to start and maintain the rope’s movement.
Gripping too tight can limit the effectiveness of your workout.
Maintain a strong but relaxed grip on the rope. If you hold it too tightly, your whole upper body can tense up, which limits your movements and doesn’t allow you to reap the full benefits of your battle rope workout.

FAQ

Q: If I don’t have enough room for a long rope, can I make up for the loss of distance?

A: Not everyone has 25 feet of space waiting for a battle rope. While that's the ideal length, you can make up for it with a shorter, thicker rope. A 30-foot 2-inch diameter rope can provide a workout that’s similar to that of a 50-foot 1.5-inch diameter rope. Keep in mind that the shorter the length the less fluid your movements will feel.

Q: Are there many exercises I can do with a battle rope?

A: There are far more than many people realize. Most of the time you think of holding an end of the rope in each hand and moving them up and down to create a wave. That's certainly a great way to build muscle, but it's not the only way. You can wind the rope around a pole and pull it until the entire length is clear. This can also be done from the front and side as well as low and high. You can also check out partner exercises that go beyond a tug of war. Your best bet is to go online and search for a variety of exercises these ropes have to offer.

Q: Are battle ropes weighted or is it only the weight of the rope itself that acts as resistance?

A:  Battle ropes are weighted to increase resistance. Of course, thicker ropes are heavier than thin ones. And, if your rope gets wet, the weight will increase substantially.

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