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The more you learn about your health and fitness, the more you come to realize that every little thing matters. Every calorie that passes by your lips adds up, every squandered rep will come back to haunt you — and every bit of equipment you use will either move you closer to your goals or keep you further from them.
That’s why it’s important to use the finest gear you can find. High-quality gear will make it easier to practice perfect form, which translates directly into getting results faster and with less risk — and that’s important to both experienced lifters and newbies alike.
And yes, that even extends to things like tricep ropes. Although you’ve probably never thought twice about these simple bits of gear, you’d be shocked at how much a truly great tricep rope can improve your workouts.
We looked at 18 different triceps ropes, and to be honest, most of them were indistinguishable from one another. We found 5 that truly stood out, though, and we think you’ll love what each of these could do for your lifting routine — but the CAP Deluxe was the best of the bunch.
Simply buying a tricep rope isn’t enough to get you in tip-top shape, of course, but the right one will ensure that your palms are the only parts of you that won’t get ripped.
1. CAP Barbell Deluxe Tricep Rope — Best Tricep Rope
While there’s nothing that sets this rope apart at first glance, it’s good at everything you could ask a tricep rope to do
The CAP Deluxe doesn’t necessarily look superior to any of the other ropes on the market, but once you get it in your hands, you’ll understand why it’s our favorite of all the ropes we tried.
The rope fibers are strong and durable, and they should stay in place for years without fraying or coming loose. Despite their toughness, they’re soft on your hands, so you shouldn’t wind up with blisters at the end of a strenuous workout.
The synthetic fibers do a great job of repelling sweat, and the thing shouldn’t stink over time. It also allows you to keep a good grip on the rope, even when you have a heavy load on the machine.
The rubber ends are convenient for keeping your hands in place, but they have a bit of give to them. If you leave your hands there throughout your set, you might get pinched a time or two.
What I Liked
- Strong and durable fibers
- Rope is soft on palms
- Won’t soak up sweat
- Not prone to slippage
What I Didn’t Like
- Rubber ends may pinch fingers
- Only comes in one length
2. Yes4All Deluxe Tricep Rope — Best Value
This rope can do nearly everything that most others can do, but at a fraction of the price
For some lifters, the most important thing that matters in terms of their equipment is affordability. If that’s you, then the Yes4All Deluxe will be right up your alley — it’s a great rope at an equally great value.
That’s not to say that the price is the only thing this rope has going for it, though. The braided nylon fibers are quite durable, even if they’re not quite as soft as some of the others on this list — but they’re not likely to tear your hands up, either.
That value shows up in less-desirable ways, too. The ends are plastic, rather than rubber, so they may not last as long, especially if you have a tendency to throw the rope around when you’re done with it.
It comes in a variety of lengths and colors, allowing you to find one that fits in perfectly with your existing setup. The universal attachment makes it compatible with a variety of machines as well, so you can use it for rows, curls, and more in addition to pulldowns.
What I Liked
- One of the most affordable ropes we found
- Braided nylon fibers are very durable
- Available in variety of lengths and colors
- Works with virtually any machine
What I Didn’t Like
- Plastic ends more like to crack than rubber
- Has strong chemical smell
3. SYL Fitness Store Tricep Rope — Best Tricep Rope with Attachment
This model comes with everything you need to work out on virtually any machine out there
This option from SYL Fitness Store is a middle-of-the-road option that’s better than the cheaper models but not quite as nice as the more expensive ones. That puts it in a bit of a no-man’s-land through no fault of its own.
It comes with a sturdy carabiner, and the chrome-plated attachment is extremely well-made (and heavy). If you break it, you can safely stop training — you officially have more muscles than you need. The carabiner is a little small, though, and can be difficult to take off and reattach.
The ends are bigger than most others, which makes this a good choice for lifters with big hands. That also gives you more control over the weight when you’re lowering the plates back onto the stack.
Sweat doesn’t soak into the fibers, so the rope shouldn’t be smelly or damp after a long workout. That also helps reduce the risk of slippage.
The clamp isn’t fixed onto the rope, though, so it may slide around during a rep, making it hard to center yourself over the weight.
What I Liked
- Comes with sturdy carabiner
- Large ends make it good for big hands
- Excellent for control over heavy weights
- Sweat doesn’t soak into fibers
What I Didn’t Like
- Carabiner is hard to remove and attach
- Clamp slides around on rope during reps
4. THEFITGUY Ultimate Tricep Rope — Most Comfortable Tricep Rope
The unusual grip on this rope gives it a different feel in your hands — and may just save you from injury
This rope is a bit different from some of the others on this list, as it’s designed for you to hold onto the grips on the end rather than the rope itself.
This is supposed to be more ergonomic, putting less strain on your wrists during a rep. In theory, this allows you to put up more weight without risking injury. It also makes your hand muscles work harder, strengthening your grip and forearms in the process.
The grips are easy to clean as well, as all you have to do is wipe them off when you’re done. This prevents the gear from getting sweaty, dirty, and gross, no matter how long you spend in the gym.
It’s designed to pair especially well with newfangled home gyms, although it will still work with old-fashioned iron models.
The grips are quite squishy, though, which some users will find off-putting. It can also make it difficult to handle the rope when you’re dealing with a heavy load, so while your wrists might not get injured, the rest of you may not be so lucky.
While the thickness of the handles will help build up your hand and forearm strength, it will also make reps harder for people with smaller hands.
What I Liked
- Unique grip puts less strain on wrists
- Handles are easy to clean
- Works well with high-tech home gyms
- Builds forearm and grip strength
What I Didn’t Like
- Squishy grips make it hard to handle heavy weights
- May be too big for users with smaller hands
5. Overlord Fitness Single Grip Tricep Rope — Best Single-Arm Tricep Rope
Intended to allow you to work out each tricep separately, this rope will attack your muscles in new and exciting ways
The Overlord Fitness Single Grip is another unique model, in that it’s designed to be used one-handed. That allows you to really isolate each muscle, so that you don’t have your stronger tricep overcompensating for the weaker one.
Since it’s only intended for one-armed use, it’s a lot shorter than traditional models — 15 inches in total (counting the handle at the end). That makes it easy to pack in your bag, so you can take it to your local gym if they don’t have one of their own on hand.
It’s cheap enough that you can easily afford two, which would let you workout both arms at the same time while still isolating both triceps.
The rubber cap is large enough that your hands won’t slip off, even if you’re really leaning into a rep, and they’re soft enough that they won’t hurt your mitts, either.
The design makes it more limited than traditional ropes, though. There are some exercises (like rows) that will be much harder to do with this rope, though not impossible.
It’s roughly as expensive as many two-handed models, despite the fact that it’s not as versatile. Still, it’s a good addition to any home gym — but we’d only buy it after we’d already purchased a two-handed version.
What I Liked
- Excellent for isolating each tricep
- Small and easy to pack
- Rubber cap on end prevents slippage
- Won’t hurt hands, even if you’re really pushing hard
What I Didn’t Like
- Not as versatile as a two-handed model
- Costs as much as some regular ropes
What We Looked for in the Best Tricep Rope
At first glance, all tricep ropes seem pretty much indistinguishable. You have to put in some serious time with the things before you start to notice a difference between them, but once you start to see those differences, they can be stark.
That’s not to say that you can’t get in a good workout or reach your fitness goals with an inferior rope — you absolutely can. But cheap, low-quality ropes have serious downsides that you’re going to want to avoid, especially since there’s no reason why you have to deal with them.
To make the top of our list, a tricep rope had to meet the following criteria:
-It couldn’t tear up your hands when you used it. Yes, you can always wear gloves, but we don’t think a workout should end with blood or blisters covering your palms.
-It had to be able to last, even if you’re not exactly soft on your gear. When you’re in the zone in the middle of a workout, you don’t want to have to stop what you’re doing to treat your equipment with kid gloves. Things get tossed around in the gym, and if a rope couldn’t handle that, it had no business being on this list.
-It needed to be easy to use. That means it wouldn’t slip in the middle of a rep, and it could be swapped out quickly when necessary. Your workout shouldn’t have to slow down because your equipment can’t keep up.
We also considered price when making these rankings, but let’s face it — a tricep rope isn’t going to break the bank. There are no bells and whistles to shell out for. All we asked was that the higher-end models justify their price in some way.
How to Choose the Right Tricep Rope
When we say that the CAP Deluxe is our favorite tricep rope, it’s worth asking what exactly we mean by that. After all, it looks pretty much like all the others — what makes it so special?
There are a few things you should consider before buying a tricep rope, and we’ll go over them briefly below. We’re not going to pretend that the stakes are life-and-death here, but getting a poor-quality rope can have a negative impact on your workout, so it’s worth doing a little research before you buy one.
Durability
As mentioned above, these things aren’t incredibly expensive, so if the rope breaks, your bank account won’t break along with it.
Still, you don’t want to have to replace your tricep rope every few months. You want one with fibers that won’t become frayed, with handles that won’t crack or fall off. That’s especially true if you’re the type of lifter who throws their gear around in the middle of a workout.
Convenience
Your rope should be easy to put on and take off. If it comes with a carabiner or other attachment point, the carabiner should be easy to open and close. You don’t want to have to waste a lot of time in the middle of a workout fumbling with the gear you need.
If you’re planning on leaving your rope permanently attached to your machine, this becomes less important. It can still be useful as a tiebreaker between two ropes, though.
Comfort
If the rope you buy isn’t comfortable, it could put you off from working on your triceps — and we can’t have that, can we?
While no tricep rope is likely to feel good in your hands, it shouldn’t cause pain or discomfort. You shouldn’t have blisters on your hands when you’re done with your workout.
Don’t just focus on the fibers, either — look at the handles or rubber caps on the ends as well. These are usually there to keep your hands from slipping off the end of the rope, and if they’re not comfortable, they can dig into the sides of your mitts.
Versatility
This list is mostly focused on ropes that will be used for tricep pulldowns, which is one of the most popular exercises for this muscle group. However, a good rope can be used for a variety of exercises, including rows, curls, and more.
Some ropes are better at doing double duty than others, so if you plan on using yours for other purposes, you should make sure it’s up to the task beforehand. Then again, some (like the Overlord Fitness model on this list) are designed to perform a specialized function, which may be worth sacrificing some versatility.
Wrapping Up
If you’re looking for a tricep rope to take your exercise routine to the next level, we think the CAP Deluxe should be your choice. There are other quality options out there, though, so you might find a different one that better suits your needs.
Buying a tricep rope isn’t likely to be the most momentous purchase of your lifetime, but that’s no reason to get a lemon. Don’t worry, though — that’s not likely to happen now that you’re armed (get it?) with the information above.
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