Which Foam Roller Should You Buy?
Hey everybody! Foam rolling is one of my favorite things to do because it allows me to self-massage large areas of my body very effectively and efficiently. The focus of this post is to help you make a better decision for which foam roller is right for you!
Wait, I never tried a foam roller, how do they work?
If you’re not sure how foam rollers work or why they’re so amazing, check out my blog post on how I use my foam roller! They are quite life-changing for many people to the point of making them part of ones daily routine and even traveling with them to stay feeling great because it’s like getting free massages for life!
The way it works is that the pressure from your own bodyweight on top of this cylinder helps to knead/massage the muscles causing them to relax. It works wonderfully on the upper back, thighs, calves, and neck. For the rest of the body, I use a lacrosse ball and the ArmAid for my forearms but the focus for this article is on foam rollers, so that you could make a better decision on which one is right for you.
Side Note: Some people think foam rollers are used to increase flexibility. That’s not why I use it. I don’t foam-roll to increase flexibility. I use these self-massage tools because they help me to feel GREAT, especially after working out or sitting all day. But in regards to flexibility, I rely on stretching and yoga, not foam-rolling.
Why should I trust your opinion?
I have been touting foam rollers and trying different ones for 8 years now. I often make clients and friends try them (because I’m so evil, you’re welcome) and I take mental notes of how different kinds of people respond to the different kinds of rollers I throw at them. I am here to share that information with you so that you could make a more informed decision on what to choose!
Which foam roller you should get depends on your experience with foam rolling (or deep tissue massage) and your pain tolerance.
Are you new to foam rolling? Or experienced?
When you’re a beginner, foam rolling can be quite intense. It produces the kind of pain that “hurts so good.” It’s painful at first as it puts pressure on muscle-knots and depending on the hardness of the roller, it might too intense. So, if you get one that’s too firm and aggressive, it might not be the ideal roller for you. On the other hand, if someone has used them a lot, they will crave for a firmer roller to get more pressure out of it. That is why I give two ratings for all the rollers below, one for beginners and one for the experienced users. The more you foam roll, the less painful it will feel over the months or years and more enjoyable, especially for the thighs, which feel like murder initially.
Your bodyweight makes a difference, too.
Since foam rollers provide pressure by you putting your own bodyweight on it, the pressure will feel more extreme if you’re overweight relative to someone who is of normal weight (or underweight) and you may want to start with a softer version if that is the case. (Wearing a sweater or pants also dulls the sensation, so that’s another way to reduce the pressure if you’re sensitive.) Even if a person is not overweight, but simply very tall (and therefore relatively heavier), they will feel more pressure than their shorter brethren as well.
Foam rollers vary dramatically in their construction
1. The traditional foam roller is a plain cylinder of high-density foam.
2. The “TriggerPoint” brand of foam rollers have a hollow, plastic core with foam wrapping around it that makes for a much more firmer feel. The textured surface works better than a completely smooth one. There are many off-brand rollers on the market that mimic this design, but many are done poorly.
3. The “RumbleRollers” are not hollow but have pronounced bumps which attempt to target muscle knots and provide a deeper massage.
4. Vibrating foam rollers, such as this one by TriggerPoint have different settings for intensity. This is a more expensive class of foam rollers.
5. There are many ways of making your own foam roller but the allure of saving some cash doesn’t necessarily live up to the hype.
Now that we know the major types of foam rollers, let’s explore their pros and cons!
Click on any of the following tabs to expand the full review:
Basic, 18 inch, high density foam roller.
This is not a particularly impressive foam roller and it wouldn’t change my life if this was my first foam roller experience, but it does work well for some people as their main roller, especially if they are heavy. While it is relatively inexpensive, it’s better to spend a bit more and get something that will last longer and work better.
Pros
- Inexpensive ($15-20)
- Excellent for beginners with extremely low pain tolerance or those who are very heavy in bodyweight.
Cons
- Lack of a textured surface makes it feel very basic and less dynamic compared to other rollers.
- It’s not a lot of pressure. (Unless one weighs 190lbs (86kg) or more)
- Becomes somewhat useless after you get used to it.
- Not as travel friendly as the middle isn’t hollow, (but it is quite light.)
Rating
- If you’re a beginner: 6/10
- If you’re experienced*: 3/10
- *Experience denotes experience with foam rolling and thus, more pain tolerance than the normal person who has no experience with self massage, or someone who straight up gets actual deep tissue massage.
TriggerPoint “The Grid” 13″ Roller
The TriggerPoint Grid was my favorite foam roller, bar-none, that I used for 5 years with great pleasure. Even when traveling, I take it with me because it looks innocuous and doesn’t take up any space in my luggage because clothes and other things can easily fit in the middle.
Pros
- Very, very good at reducing muscle knots due to its plastic core and textured foam surface.
- Pretty good at “cracking” the upper back.
- Most travel friendly roller because it’s hollow.
- Perfect for increasing thoracic extension.
- Makes for a perfect way to put your foot on it and do elbow-to-toe or head-to-toe hamstring stretches.
- Made very well, will probably last forever with no signs of losing firmness.
Cons
- Doesn’t feel as impressive after getting used to the RumbleRoller but it’s still one of my favorite rollers and one I take with me to travel with.
- Slightly more expensive than a traditional roller (but far cheaper than a RumbleRoller).
- Very rarely did people find this roller ineffective, but those who did were petite-women who were quite light in bodyweight AND got deep-tissue massages weekly.
Rating
- If you’re a beginner: 10/10 (Winner in this class)
- If you’re experienced: 7/10 (but avoid the extra firm version)
Which width to get?
They come in 26″, 13″ and 4″ versions
- The 13″ roller is the most versatile. It is their original product.
- The 26″ one is a bit overkill, but it’s nice if you have the room for it.
- The 4″ version is worthless because it’s too hard to keep it centered and even when you do, it just doesn’t work well at all.
What about the “X” (eXtra firm) version?
I do not recommend it. After using the regular version for years I was stoked when they came out with the firmer version and was horribly disappointed because it not only doesn’t feel better, but it actually feels less effective. The extra firmness doesn’t have enough “give” and renders the textured surface a bit useless so it doesn’t coax the muscles in any meaningful way.
RumbleRollers come in blue (regular firmness) and black (extra firm).
After several years of using the 13″ TriggerPoint roller above, I wanted to try a RumbleRoller. I contacted the company and they sent me their blue, full-size standard roller to review for free (~2 years ago). I used it for a couple weeks trying to fall in love with it but I had to be frank with them and tell them that the knobs felt gimmicky to me and that they weren’t doing much because they felt soft and would collapse too easily. I chalked this up to the fact that I have a good bit of muscle mass and NEED all the pressure I can get from massages oftentimes.
Without even asking for it, they instantly sent me the black, extra-firm RumbleRoller. And it’s great that they did, because I instantly fell in love with the extra-firm version because of how aggressive it was. All those years of foam-rolling prepared me well for it. It is the perfect intensity if you crave for heavy pressure during massage but your mileage may vary. Some people do not enjoy the bumpy-feel of RumbleRollers and prefer the smoother nature of the TriggerPoint. As you pass back and forth the knobs do a very effective job.
Pros
- Very good deep massage and effective at removing knots.
- The height of the knobs digs in to certain places better like a real massage.
- Made very well, will probably last forever with no signs of wear.
- Sometimes it “cracks” the upper back in a way other rollers don’t.
- For those that require heavy pressure, nothing beats the (black) extra-firm version.
Cons
- Higher cost than the aforementioned rollers. (However, the 12″ versions are half the cost.)
- Looks kinda scary (but it’s awesome) and isn’t the most innocuous looking thing to travel with.
- Also not as travel friendly as the TriggerPoint because it doesn’t have a hollow center and the diameter is slightly wider than normal.
- Not everybody universally enjoys the bumpy feel of this type of roller, but most do.
- Even the regular version might feel too intense for a beginner (especially if overweight).
Rating
- If you’re a beginner: 6.5/10 (Using the regular version)
- If you’re experienced: 9/10 (Using the extra-firm one if you like strong pressure). (Winner in this class)
- Again, the regular-firmness roller is better good for beginners and the extra-firm one is excellent for those that NEED heavy pressure.
Note: The compact versions of the RumbleRoller are also very good. I have tried the extra-firm compact version many times and was impressed just as equally as it seems to perform almost just as well as the full size one and it’s much easier to travel with. However, I still travel with my triggerpoint roller these days.
I don’t own this product but I have had the pleasure of using it several times. Unfortunately, they didn’t feel particularly impressive in the same way the Triggerpoint Roller did in the early days or the same way the extra-firm RumbleRoller did in the latter days, but the experience is still quite pleasurable in a different way. The vibrations speed up how fast the relaxation and loosening of the muscles occur. And the most powerful setting is ridiculously powerful! But, is it worth it? If the cons listed below don’t deter you, then I say yes if you have the money for it. Otherwise, there’s no need to spend so much for a foam roller.
Pros
- It is nice that it is compact, however and doesn’t take too much space and looks quite slick.
- The release it provides with the vibration is a different kind of release. It’s more pleasurable and fun than a regular foam roller for that reason.
- Very high quality construction.
- Has multiple intensity settings.
Cons
- Higher cost at around $70.
- Heavy and requires charging.
- Noisy when turned on. (Bad if you have neighbors below.)
- Not travel friendly due to the weight of the battery.
- The battery, like all lithium batteries, will need replacement after 500 cycles.
Rating
- If you’re a beginner: 7.5/10
If you’re experienced: 10/10
DIY rollers require a PVC pipe at minimum and vary dramatically in quality.
I kept reading about DIY foam rollers. Everytime someone on reddit would ask what’s a good foam roller, one of the top most upvoted comments would be “Just use a PVC pipe. Works just as well as an expensive roller.” I saw this in multiple threads and even though I owned multiple rollers, I had to see what the fuss was all about. I mean, it HAS TO be really good with that kind of firmness, right? Harder is better, RIGHT? (Wrong.)
Spoiler alert: It performed the worst of any other foam roller I’ve used and I think people upvote those comments because they don’t have experience with it themselves and they think the cheapest option is the best and that they’re saving money by going that route. But the cheapest route is most definitely not the best in this case. And the people touting them have an inherent bias because they made it.
So… I went to the local hardware store in search of a 4″ PVC pipe. Everyone says it’s SO CHEAP, but there wasn’t the option for a 12″ piece, so the piece I had to get was lengthier than I wanted and it cost around $15 which was already expensive, considering it was a mission just to go to the hardware store. Then, I had to look for an old yoga mat, but I couldn’t get myself to cut apart a yoga mat that was still just fine regardless of its age. The local thrift store had used yoga mats for $8. I thought wow, that would already be well well over 20-bucks. And then you need glue to glue to the mat, or get a roll of duct-tape and wrap duct-tape all around it, which isn’t cheap either. Or get a foam-noodle and tape it around. By then if I spent a little more I would have had the TriggerPoint roller mailed to me. And if my time was worth anything (which it is), it’s definitely not a good route to go because going to different stores to get the parts, constructing it and making it look good requires the highest form of sacrifice: my time!
Pros
- It’s inexpensive if you happen to have the parts for it already (but not necessarily so if you don’t and time is worth a lot to you).
- Can work well with the right amount of foam or padding but requires experimentation.
- Fun project if you like to make things, especially if you got all the parts already.
Cons
- Poor ability to actually relax the muscles in an effective manner.
- It can actually hurt in a not-good way because the hardness doesn’t can’t differentiate between muscles and vertebrae.
- The plastic is slippery and doesn’t allow you to roll your body well.
- Requires parts that you may or may not have already, which may require a trip.
- May cost the same as a professional roller. (Definitely will if your time is worth anything.)
- Looks like shit usually.
Rating
- Variable: Hard to rate it when they vary so dramatically in quality, but relative to the other rollers, I give it <5/10.
- Tip: If your budget is extremely tight and you’re new to foam rolling, go for the traditional, high density foam roller as it’s <$15.
So… which one should I get?
I’m going to keep this really simple. I will give the following 3 recommendations:
1. I’m new to foam rolling and want something effective but not too aggressive:
Buy the TriggerPoint “The Grid” 13″ Roller. This is perfect if you’re new to foam rolling and want something effective and easy to travel with because it’s hollow and light but firm and effective.
2. You’re experienced and want more pressure or something more aggressive:
Buy the 12″ Black (Extra-Firm) Foam Roller. But if you have space for it, the 22″ version is ideal.
3. You want the most technologically advanced foam roller and money isn’t a factor:
The TriggerPoint VIBE is the obvious choice here.
Well I hope that helps! And if you buy a roller due to me, let me know how you like it! And if you’re a company that makes a roller that you think I should review that sets itself apart from all the rest in a novel way, please contact me!
Let’s Connect
The best way to stay up to date with the latest content and videos is to sign up for my newsletter!
