PVC vs. Speed Rope
I’ll keep this post brief. I’ve had several months of experience using two skipping ropes. Thankfully my fitness has improved, and I demonstrate and comment on the two ropes in this 3-minute video.
If you rather read, scroll past the video for my written highlights.
What I want in a skipping rope
- Easy to use, easy to get started and keep going
- Easy to bundle up in a bag or backpack, and when unwound, the rope can straighten out without kinks
- Comfortable handles
The two skipping ropes I have on hand
- A traditional department store speed rope, unbranded and purchased for about $20 from London Drugs
- An affordable PVC rope called PTPfit Elite purchased from SportChek
PVC ropes are hard to find in my local stores. I generally ONLY see speed ropes in sporting goods stores and department stores like Canadian Tire and London Drugs.
Demo and final results
- The video demo above shows the PTPfit Elite is easy to start skipping and easy to keep going
- The speed rope is a little harder for both
- The Elite handles are comfy with neoprene-style foam
- My speed rope (unbranded) is hard plastic which gets slippery when you warm up
- Elite handles have good bearings; the speed rope is similar
- The Elite rope stays straight under my feet
- The speed rope retains a wavy shape unless spinning fast, despite straightening it when I first purchased it
- The Elite has some weight to it, which makes it easy to control and keep a steady athletic pace
- The speed rope is too light and bounces off the ground into my feet it seems, unless you spin faster
Conclusion
As you might guess, the PTPfit Elite at https://ptpfit.com/products/elite-jump-rope is my favourite. It is definitely worth the $35 CAD I paid. I wasn’t sure at first, but now that I’ve had a few months of time with it, it definitely suits my recreational fitness goals better than the speed rope I’ve got. I’m not sure any speed rope would suit my endurance and speed at this time!
The low-priced speed rope I bought a year or more ago (around $20 from London Drugs) was good until I took a chance on the more expensive Elite rope around Christmas 2024.
When I spotted it out of the corner of my eye at Christmas, while shopping for something else, I hoped the heavier, spongy feeling of the PTPfit rope would stay straight (not kinked) under my feet, and allow me to spin slower like an old fashioned rope from childhood. It did that for sure – you can see in the videos I could start, stop, and jump slower when desired, without straining to keep the rope spinning.
If you haven’t watched the video above yet, go ahead now so you can see it in action for yourself.
Have a great spring day everyone, rain or shine!
Heidi
