Best Skipping Ropes in India - Reviews and Comparison 2021

Skipping ropes are of five types, and we will talk about all of them here.

• Fabric Rope

This is the rope that most of us must have used in our childhood. It generally has plastic handles and a fabric or nylon rope. They’re inexpensive and have very low quality. These are not the two reasons that a fabric rope is avoided for competition and speed workouts. This type of rope is also heavy and slow, which results in wasted energy. Moreover, these ropes are not recommended for athletes, boxing training or aerobic conditioning. 

A fabric rope should not be used outside on the wet ground, either, as it will absorb moisture, becoming even heavier.

• Plastic Beads Rope

The rope has plastic beads producing a show of colours and patterns, which makes it fun to use and watch. Plastic beads rope are usually used in competitions.

Plastic beads rope is considered best for beginners since the sound on the floor helps find the rhythm and cadence. Moreover, these ropes are very lightweight, providing more incredible muscular feedback and better grips to the beginner.

The only downside of this type of rope is that the plastic beads can break easier. 

• Leather Rope

Leather jump rope has been the boxer’s favourite as it helps in enhancing the coordination and speed of leg movement, which gives confidence in the ring where agility is crucial.

The leather rope usually has plastic or wooden handles and is faster than plastic and fabric ropes. Furthermore, leather ropes are made of organic material. Therefore, you should avoid using them outdoors or in areas exposed to moisture. 

• Plastic or PVC Rope

If you talk about popularity, no one can beat plastic or PVC ropes. These ropes vary significantly in price due to their quality, and you can get them anywhere between ₹350 - ₹5,000. Plastic ropes differ not only based on quality or price but also different finishes and colours.

Both beginners and advanced athletes can use this type of jumping rope. However, if you are after speed, don’t go for a plastic or PVC rope as the weight and thickness of the cable are usually not optimally balanced for speed.

On the positive side, these weight and thickness have the advantage that you can use this rope outdoors, on hard ground.

• Steel Cable Rope

If speed is what you need, go for this kind of rope. As the name suggests, this is made of steel and is quite popular among athletes who want to do double jumps as quickly as possible.

The adjustability factor is crucial due to various reasons.

1. Your favourite jumping rope will not always come in size suitable for you.

2. More than one family member might be using that rope.

3. You might use it throughout your growing years.

Adjustability factors help you in buying more than one rope and saving money. And today, in the market, most of the skipping rope comes with this feature.

A jump rope needs to be of appropriate length for your height.

To achieve the right length, step in the middle of the rope, pull it toward your shoulders so that the cables are close to your armpits. If your rope is adjustable, you can easily have a correct length rope.

Moreover, this feature is imperative if you are about to start with double under, then you'll constantly shorten the rope as your skill improves.

Last but not least, your cable will have wear and tear the more you jump. It's nice to have handles that make cable replacement and size adjustments easy. 

Weighted jump ropes are also available in the market. When it comes to this cable, you have to choose between adding weight to the cable or the handles. We recommend adding weight to the handles and using a thick cable because this combination is great for building speed, power and endurance at once. In fact, if done correctly, this type of jumping rope is the ultimate workout.

Clearly, such ropes are not for beginners, and also, they are usually expensive.

You can use them outdoor, depending on how strong the cable is. The ones with middleweight usually have more durable coatings, whereas the heavy cables suffer more from repeated impacts. Interestingly, you need to be cautious while using them indoors as well because a hard or heavy cable can destroy the floor if it is fragile.

All in all, beginners should go for a light rope, which generally allows more speed. Heavier ropes are a great option if you need more power and strength. 

Speaking of thickness, there are two sizes of cables available - 4 mm and 2.5 mm. 

2.5 mm rope is usually recommended for anyone but beginners because it is hard to feel the turn of the rope and, hence, it is harder to pick up the technique required for double under. However, they certainly produce less muscle fatigue, making them ideal for competitions.

A 4 mm cable is better if you want to feel the rope. So, if you are an athlete or training for boxing or martial arts, go for 4 mm plastic-coated steel cable jump ropes. This type of rope will result in high speed and will help in training your resistance more efficiently. Also, 4 mm cables are more durable than 2.5 mm cables because the PVC or plastic coating is thicker. 

Furthermore, these cables are very dense. Therefore, you should not use them on concrete, and hard surface as that can wear away the plastic. They are made for use in parks with rubber flooring or in a gym with rubber or parquet flooring indoors.

Durability varies with the material used and the rope’s thickness. Therefore, it is essential to decide whether you will use the rope on a cement sidewalk, a gym floor, or a rubber floor, or in a park. And if it will be used outdoors, ensure it is high on durability.

A steel cable wrapped in vinyl is suitable for the outdoor pavement without you having to worry about them breaking or snapping.

Plastic beads rope are fragile, therefore, they might be suitable for indoor but should never be used outdoors on a hard rough surface like concrete or brick. Similarly, leather ropes, however popular they might be in the boxing gym, they are not that great to use outside of a gym.

Jumping rope causes one issue, they cause a ton of friction while spinning around because they’re usually made of vinyl, leather or plastic. In fact, at times, cable slides into the handle. Such things can really mess you up while trying to learn new tricks, working on your speed, or trying to get into a rhythm. And here, the ball bearing system comes into the picture. The rope with this feature has steel ball-bearing handles that allow spinning at a very high speed.

Last but not least, it is essential to ask yourself what is the real reason you need a skipping rope. Do you need it for fun? Do you aim to reduce weight or burn fat? Or are you buying it to try some cool tricks?

A weighted rope with rugged handles is great for burning lots of fat in the least amount of time. At the same time, a lightweight rope with quick handles is recommended for those who are interested in practising ninja techniques.

High or medium-density ropes like PVC or steel with 4mm thickness are the most suitable for beginners. 4mm thickness is recommended because it helps you feel the rope's turn and makes it easy to pick up technique.

A martial art trainer should choose a 4 mm plastic-coated steel rope. It will ensure high speed and train your resistance more efficiently. This kind of rope is best for functional workouts as well, provided you are a beginner.

If jump roping is your primary form of working out, go for weighted jump ropes.

Some of the exercises you can do with the help of a skipping rope are as follows:-

• The double jump

• The cross-jump

• The single-leg jump

• The scissors jump

• High-keens

• Tripple under

• Reverse skipping

Skipping rope offers the following health benefits:-

• Regular skipping ensures toned muscles. A skipping rope leads to a full-body workout by toning the upper body, claves, things, and shins.

• As compared to running, skipping put less stress on the joints.

• It improves your footwork, agility, and heart rate as well.

• Skipping is the key to building speed, power and endurance in equal measure.

The best jump rope workouts for beginners is that they should aim for 10 minutes of jumping. There could be variety in it such as side to side jump, frontward jump, backward jump, double jump, single leg jump, and gradually move toward a more extended session. Consistency is the key here. Therefore, jumping for less time more often throughout the week is better than jumping for a long time that will lead to burnout. 

For jumping rope, those shoes are best that gives good ankle support and stability, with no platform or deep grooves. Furthermore, they are simple, sturdy, and relatively flat.

4 mm plastic-coated steel rope is best for beginner functional workout. Experts should go for 2.5 mm steel rope. Moreover, you should ensure that handles are lightweight, comfortable for the hand, and preferably made of solid materials for durability, such as metal.

For outdoors, either weighted jump ropes (with PVC coated cables) or steel cable ropes are preferred. Furthermore, outdoors are rough, so you need a rope with maximum durability, and for the same reason, it is best if the rope is 4 mm thick. Leather or fabric ropes and wooden handles are not recommended outdoors, especially if conditions are damp.

All ropes are best for indoors except heavier weighted ropes, which can leave marks on the floor. In other words, when talking about indoor, choose the rope as per your fitness goal.

Jumping at a moderate speed burns 10 to 16 calories a minute. If you choose to do three 10-minute rounds, you burn 480 calories in half an hour. According to Science Daily, 10 minutes of skipping rope is equivalent to running an 8-minute-mile.

Rope skipping can cause stress in the knees and tarsals. So, if you have an old knee/foot injury, skipping should be avoided as that can increase the pain.

1. Arm positioning: You must keep your chest up, core engaged, and arms close to your body. Wide arms will do nothing but shorten the length of the rope and make you trip.

2. Put wrists on work: Skipping rope is associated with using your wrists instead of moving your arms.

3. Held head high: Jumping rope is about timing. Looking down to see for the rope to pass will lower your speed and make you trip. It is better to look straight and jump as the rope crosses your line of sight, which will guarantee better rhythm and speed as you skip.

4. Set the correct size of the rope: Move to the next question to size your rope correctly.

An ideal rope length is achieved by standing on the middle of the rope with one foot and bring both handles up to your shoulders, no higher and no lower.

If you are a beginner, you can extend the cable length by 2 cm to 5 cm. Extending it more will not be good for your training. Whereas, if you are an expert or advanced player, you can minus 2 cm-5 cm from the ideal size.

• Proper Coiling

The biggest reason behind damaged ropes is improper storage. Most people will just throw or stuff a rope into their gym bag, and when they take it out the next time, kinks have made their way. And a cable with too many curls is worthless.

The best way to store your rope is by coiling it. The key to coiling is to take the cable between your thumb and index finger and twist inward. The twisting leads to natural circles about 6 - 10 inches in radius. After this, throw one of the handles through the middle of the coil 2-3 times as that will hold the cable rope securely in your bag.

• Choose the Right Surface

Another common mistake that people commit is using the rope on the surface not meant for the cable rope. For example, using the leather rope on a hard surface. Most of the jump ropes are made keeping hardwood, polyurethane, vinyl or rubber floor surfaces in mind. These surfaces are suitable just not for the rope but also for your body because jumping on these surfaces is easier on your body.

If hard or concrete is your only choice, use a jump rope mat.

• Maintain Ball Bearings

Oil the ball bearing from time to time and especially when it is wearing out or is a little sticky. Manufacturers do put oil on the bearing to prevent it from rusting. However, the oil wears out after a point of time. Or you can choose a rope with quality stainless steel bearings because then you will not have to worry about rust or the ball bearings getting sticky.

• Use The Rope As per Its Design

Use your jump ropes as intended, and half of your problem will be solved. No wonder using a speed rope as a freestyle rope will lead to its premature wearing. Similarly, if you will use a plastic bead jump rope as a playground rope for a school will only lead to disappointment. However, a freestyle rope used for tricks and a speed rope used for double under will give you no trouble.

• Use Grip Tape

Get a grip tape to make a thin handle thick and get an extra grip for sweaty hands. Moreover, the increased ability to grasp the handles smoothly will protect your handle from damage.

• A great option if speed and long-lasting performance are your main concerns.

• It comes with an extra cable, replacement hardware, and a carrying bag.

• The cable is made of coated steel and 2.5 millimetres thick.

• The rope length is 335.28 cm, and this is adjustable.

• The handles are 17.145 cm long and are made of nylon resin that gives a great grip.

• It has a patented four-metal ball bearing system in the handles. Each handle tip has a bearing to hold the cable and smoother rotations.

• Most importantly, the jump rope comes with a 100% lifetime guarantee.

• This straight-forward jump rope with 4mm thickness is ideal for beginners.

• The starting length is 274.32 cm.

• The wire rope has a ball bearing system that helps you avoid twisting and bending while using it. You experience a smooth and relaxed rotation.

• The wire rope is coated with PVC.

• The 16 cm EVA memory foam handles provide comfort to your hands and wrists.

• It is an affordable option.

• Consider this ergonomically designed jump rope if you have experienced hand or wrist pain from long jump rope workouts.

• It has PU coated steel cable, which keeps it tangle-free and super lightweight.

• The jump rope has an anti-slip aluminium handle.

• Its ball-bearing based design ensure the rope remains perpendicular to the handles.

• The total length is 298.704 cm, but it also has the adjustable feature making the jump rope suitable for multiple users.

• The rope is available in four colours-pink, red, blue, and black.

• This is the rope made for fitness and speed training.

• The rope is suitable for all ages user.

• The maximum length is 320 cm, and the short height users can adjust it according to them.

• The jump rope has one year warranty from manufacturers.

• The ball bearings system ensures even rope rotation.

• The cable rope is made of long-lasting PVC and ensures durability.

• You can use this jump rope for anything from simple footwork to complex crisscrossing.

• This is the rope you need if you are into cardio breaks during boxing or kickboxing.

• At 298.704 cm in length, this rope is long enough to allow for fast jumping drills.

• The jump rope is adjustable and has got a ball bearing system. And the high-quality ball bears ensure smooth and untangled jumping.

• It has comfortable foam handles which help you focus on jumping instead of wrist or hand discomfort.

• This rope will be with you through all your workout time due to the lifetime warranty. 

• If you often lost count of your jumps, then this is the jump rope you need. It comes with a unique feature that none of the other ropes on our list has. It counts upto 999 jumps.

• It is a 279.4 cm long jump rope, and the handles have 16 cm in length.

• The rope has PVC material, and handles have soft foam.

• It is a lightweight and portable rope.

• The adjustability feature makes it suitable for multiple users.

• Not just that, it is ideal for multiple uses - gym, cardio, MMA, boxing, bodybuilding, etc.

• Our last jump rope is for those who believe in “lightning fast.”

• The flexible soft plastic and PVC material slices the air like anything.

• It has a professional shaft design.

• Despite not having the ball bearing system, the swing is smooth.

• It has a slim-shaped, anti-slip plastic handle.

• The long handles also make tricks such as crossovers easier to perform.