The Best Jump Rope | Reviews by Wirecutter (Local Tips & Reviews)

The pricey boutique brand Crossrope offers two sets of interchangeable weighted ropes and jump-centric workouts via a companion app. We tried Crossrope Get Lean, which includes a ¼-pound rope, a ½-pound rope, and a pair of slim, grippy handles. (The Get Strong combination includes a 1-pound rope, a 2-pound rope, and a pair of heftier grippy handles.) Solidly built and versatile, the ropes swap in and out of the handles easily and swing comfortably. There are two app options: Light (free), which offers a sampling of workouts and challenges, and Premium ($10 a month), which has hundreds of workouts and additional content. (There are also links to tutorials explaining proper mechanics and specific moves like boxer steps.) Workouts in the app range from jumping-only sessions to circuits that add bodyweight exercises and walk you through with audio and visual cues. We had a friend (someone who uses a speed rope regularly) try the Get Lean set, and they enjoyed using the weighted ropes, noting particularly how they contributed to an arm workout while jumping. But considering a good jump rope can be had for $10 to $20, the Crossrope is a commitment: The Get Lean set costs $89, while the Get Strong one is $119. Some workouts in the app call for all four of the ropes, which, as you progress, could leave you out if you own just one set. (A bundle of all four starts at $200.) The ropes can’t be shortened. They come in four different lengths (based on user height) ranging from 8 feet to 9 feet 6 inches. But if the sizing isn’t quite right and you’re just on the cusp of sizing up or down, you might be out of luck. To take full advantage of the app, you will need to pay the monthly membership fee—which, if you’re a beginner looking for guidance or a more experienced jumper out for a challenge, might be worth the investment—though there is no shortage of free jump-rope workouts on YouTube.