Fitness Gear Review: RX Jump Rope

What is it? 

Rx Jump Ropes are some of the best on the market. They have been the industry standard for functional fitness over the last ten years. Rx Jump Ropes use an industrial grade multidirectional swivel axis bearing system producing a near frictionless rotation. Their patented swivel attachment allows for the cable to reach top speeds or slow it down to suit the athlete’s needs.  

What you Get:

Rx jump rope and Rx jump rope bag.

Review:

Rx jump ropes get a lot of hype. They are touted as some of the best in the industry … But are they? 

Weight:

Depending on your jump rope style, weight will be a factor in your jump rope selection. Speed ropes are very light (a couple ounces). They are designed more for speed and quickness which improves your coordination and conditioning. Speed ropes are also popular among the CrossFit community as they allow for enough speed to complete double unders. They are also popular for longer cardio bouts, as they create less fatigue on your arms. Heavier ropes are more ideal for basic use. Basic jump rope routines, HIIT workouts and overall casual use are where heavier ropes come into play. This includes any rope at or above two pounds. With heavier jump ropes, you’ll also notice better feedback and better control while jumping. Heavier ropes are more ideal for beginners for this reason. 

The Rx jump rope weighs in at several different weights. Here is what Rx has to say about the weight of each of their ropes: 

Hyper 1.3 – NOT RECOMMENDED FOR BEGINNERS.

Aircraft grade cable with PVC coating. Our lightest offering weighing only 1.3 ounces for a 9 foot length (excluding handles). Most comparable to traditional speed cables. The PVC coating does not retain memory and therefore uncoils nicely. This cable can produce the fastest cycle rate therefore the athlete must be extremely proficient at double unders. Recommended for advanced jumpers who can already turn 75+ double unders.

Ultra 1.8 – NOT RECOMMENDED FOR BEGINNERS

Aircraft grade cable with PVC coating. Our second lightest cable weighing 1.8 ounces for a 9 foot length (excluding handles). The Ultra 1.8 is considered our “hybrid speed cable” due to its light nature while offering more feedback to the athlete. The increased resistance allows the athlete to turn the Ultra 1.8 cable at a slightly slower cycle rate than the Hyper 1.3 yet triple unders are still plentiful. Recommended for advanced jumpers who can already turn 60+ double unders.

Elite 2.6 – IDEAL FOR INTERMEDIATE TO ADVANCED

Aircraft grade cable with PVC coating. Our mid range weighted cable weighing 2.6 ounces for a 9 foot length (excluding handles). Our most all around utility cable offering a nice blend of light weight with increased feedback and response while it’s rigidity maintains a nice “horse shoe” shape while in motion. Recommended for jumpers who can already turn 50+ double unders.

Buff 3.4 – IDEAL FOR BEGINNERS TURNING LESS THAN 50 D/Us.  IDEAL FOR ADVANCED LOOKING TO INCREASE INTENSITY.

Aircraft grade cable with PVC coating. Our third heaviest cable weighing 3.4 ounces per 9 foot length (excluding handles). Our Dual Threat cable which provides tremendous feedback allowing the athlete to jump with a broader range of tempos from very slow to super fast. Ideal for beginners to gain a better feel for timing while jumping at slower tempos. Also a fantastic training cable for advanced jumpers looking for greater resistance and intensity in their training.

Poseidon 4.1 – IDEAL FOR BEGINNER TO ADVANCED and/or MASOCHIST

The Poseidon cable weighing 1/4 pound per 9ft section. Is our entry level heavy jump rope which provides more feedback than the average jump rope giving the athlete an added boost of intensity to any workout. If you are looking to tame the gods but aren’t quite ready for the wrath of our heavier options Poseidon is a great place to start. This rope comes in limited cable colors and is only available with Special Edition Black Ops Spiral Handles with Poseidon logo tape.

Zeus 8.6 – IDEAL FOR INTERMEDIATE TO ADVANCED LOOKING FOR A GOOD PUMP

The Zeus cable weighing 1/2 pound per 9ft section was developed to add intensity to your double unders. When exercises become easy they’re proven to no longer affect the body.  Adding resistance to double unders can completely change a work out as demonstrated in the 2016 CrossFit Games when heavy double unders with a rope inspired by the Zeus rope were first performed.   The Zeus cable will develop stabilizer muscles while still provide a cardio based workout infused with the resistance training of weight lifting. This cable was carefully selected to ensure the user can still perform fluid double unders yet not alter the jumper’s technique or mechanics. Can you tame the Gods? This rope comes in limited cable colors and is only available with Black Handles with Zeus logo tape.

Hades 12.1 – IDEAL FOR ATHLETES LOOKING AT UPPING WORKOUT INTENSITY

Here comes Zeus’s big brother Hades boasting a 3/4 pound cable per 9ft section.    Hades is stepping up to challenge your high intensity cardio/strength workout with enough resistance to punish your weaknesses. Why perform and exercise that does not challenge you? If double unders become easy for you then take it to the next level with heavy double unders.  This cable was carefully selected to challenge the athlete to focus on ideal technique and mechanics or have their inefficiencies exposed. Can you tame the Gods?  This rope comes in limited cable colors and is only available with Black Handles with Hades logo tape.  Only sold in sizes 8’0″, 8’4″, 8’8″ and 9’0″.  Please refer to our sizing recommendations for the best fit.

Kronos 16.2 – IDEAL FOR ATHLETES LOOKING AT UPPING WORKOUT INTENSITY

Move over kids, Big Daddy Kronos is ready to dominate with his 1 pound cable per 9 foot section.  Kronos will undoubtedly push your high intensity work outs to the max with as much resistance as you can handle.  Double unders with a 1 pound cable will not only develop grip strength and muscular stamina but will also force you to develop efficient technique  and mechanics or suffer the wrath of the gods.  Can you tame the Father of the Gods?  This rope comes in limited cable colors and is only available with Black Handles and Kronos logo tape.  Only sold in sizes 8’0″, 8’4″, 8’8″ and 9’0″.  Please refer to our sizing recommendations for the best fit.

Our Experience:

We used the Buff and found that it had great overall performance from beginner to intermediate. Yes, it’s a little tougher to get used to the speed and fluidity of the swivel technology (this is why basic, heavier ropes are suggested for true beginners), but after a few uses we were really comfortable controlling the rope. 

Side note: If you are truly new to jumping rope, do not start with an Rx. Get a basic, heavier jump rope before or along with your Rx rope so that you can learn the mechanics of jumping rope and controlling the basic movements. 

Length: 

Length depends on your height. Some ropes come with a long rope that you customize yourself. A rule of thumb is taking your height and adding three feet. For example, if you are 6-feet tall then you would buy a 9-foot rope. Rx can be customized during your order to avoid guess work. Rx explains how to measure for the proper rope size: 

“Step on the rope with one foot, bring your feet together, and pull the rope taught. Bring the handles together and point the top towards your chest. Only check where the cable ends – do not include the handles with rope size. If you follow our length guidelines, the cable will stop at your sternum or lower pecs. The rope should not go higher than this point. Any longer than this will have too much rope over head, and will slap the ground excessively.”

Durability:

This is big factor for jump ropes. Ropes should only be used on smooth surfaces such as a rubber gym floor. If the rope is used on an abrasive surface like asphalt, it will wear out quickly. Make sure you aware of this when picking a location to jump rope. 

Our Experience:

We used our Rx Buff on a jump rope mat (which you can buy for around $30) to help smooth out our jumping surface and save our rope. These mats role up nicely and are super portable. If you plan on jumping rope outside on more rigid surfaces, just know that your rope is going to break down faster. If you don’t have any other option, a popular alternative is to wrap the bottom of your rope (the part that makes contact with the ground) in duct tape to protect the plastic cover and extend its life. 

We found that our jump rope held up very well. After about 50 uses, it is showing some signs of wear but nothing worth complaining about. We are very happy with the quality and durability of Rx jump ropes.

Overall Use: 

Rx jump ropes use an industrial grade multidirectional swivel axis bearing system producing a near frictionless rotation. It’s their patented swivel attachment that allows for the cable to reach top speeds or slow it down to suit your needs. This is the game changer for people who jump rope. The overall quality of the Rx brand is top notch, but it’s the swivel and rotation of the jump rope that makes the experience the greatest thing since indoor plumbing. 

The grip of the handles make for an easy, relaxed movement. This was an emphasis for the design of the handles as it reduces forearm and shoulder fatigue. As Rx explains, each handle is hand wrapped with the most absorbent tape grip in the world. We found the overall comfort and control exceeded our expectations. 

Final Thoughts: 

When it comes down to jumping rope and being good at it, you must first learn how to master rope control. Some people will pick it up faster than others … like anything else. But for most beginners a heavier rope will allow you to pick things up faster with less frustration. Rx jump ropes are great and we’ve never met a person that didn’t love them. But if you’re new to the exercise, start out slow with a FIAT and work your way up to the sports car that is the Rx. Once you master the control, speed, coordination and timing, you will be jumping rope like a boss and really be able to enjoy the entire Rx line.