Gymnastic rings are a highly underrated piece of workout equipment, with their popularity concentrated among the higher-level home fitness enthusiasts. Viewed as one of the most versatile pieces of equipment you could own, gym rings make a great addition to setting up your home gym. They’re effective, functional, and can be set up for use in so many ways.

The right gym rings are a great investment, offering incredible value fitness-wise and helping take your workout to the next level. With the wide selection of gym ring brands in the market today, knowing what features to look for can be overwhelming. Our team of product experts put them all to the test to see which gymnastic rings were worth the hype.

Benefits Of Gym Rings Vs Doing Standard Pull-ups

Unlike a standard pull up bar, gym rings are free-hanging by design and require you to stabilize your body weight at all times while performing different movements. It effectively activates multiple muscles in unison, resulting in a workout that improves not only your upper body strength but also your core.

Gym rings are important to athletes and fitness enthusiasts because they boost proprioception, performance transference, and of course, upper-body strength. The inherent instability of the gym ring forces you to tap into your core for balance, building endurance in your arms, and steadiness in your body. The muscles impacted include the lats, rhomboids, deltoids, biceps, abdominals, forearms, and even the pecs.

Plastic vs Wooden Rings

Wooden rings offer a firmer grip and absorb moisture from your hands. Plastic rings on the other hand, are prone to slipping and require constant wiping.

Now, let’s discuss the actual workout. Muscle-ups on wooden rings lead to less pronounced skin damage than their plastic counterparts. Plastic tends to be coarse and abrasive compared to wood. This becomes especially noticeable after doing a type of grip called false grip. Most gymnasts notice that the base of the palms begins to blister and even tear when using plastic rings. In terms of grip and the effects on hand skin, wooden rings are preferable.

Buckles and Straps

Some people seem to prefer that their gym rings come with buckles so that they can be adjusted to various heights, depending on the workout that they have in mind. However, there is a downside to this: poor quality buckles can come off at any time, and even high-quality ones begin to wear after a while.

Using standard straps eradicates the concern of the buckles coming loose and the hassle of having to release and retighten them during workout. They must be of the best possible quality to avoid this. A great option is a 1.5-inch heavy-duty military-grade webbing strap. This can hold its own anywhere and anytime.

WHAT TO AVOID

• Weak Straps - poor quality straps can suddenly cut and cause injury. You need straps that are made with thick nylon webbing.
• Poor Quality Materials - lookout for rings that are made with sturdy wood, high-quality plastic, or steel.
• Substandard Strap Length - a ring should come with straps within the range of 15 and 18 feet.

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WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN GYMNASTIC RINGS

• Military-Grade Straps - made with 1.5 inches webbing and made of military-grade materials like nylon are the best for gym ring exercises. These are heavy-duty to ensure weight support during training.
• Adjustable Buckles - helps secure strap adjustment and motion during workout when using double-cam buckles made of highly durable steel. Through intense use, the straps tend to loosen which can be avoided by double-cam buckles.
• (FIG) Standard Ring - 7.1” inner diameter x 1.1” thickness is the recommended ring dimensions by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG). This promotes the safety of use and peak performance when doing routines.
• Wooden Grip - rings with ergonomic and smooth wooden surface give more superior grip compared to metal and plastic rings. These are also non-slip and don't need frequent chalking, which also help avoid blisters, splinters, callouses, and skin tears.
• Moisture Absorption - wooden rings can absorb palm sweat and quickly dry it up. This prevents the rings from slipping when being used.
• Light & Portable - 4lbs or below is the optimum weight for a portable gymnastic ring kit. This makes it lightweight for travel and easier to setup.
• High Load Capacity - quality gym rings can support a minimum of 500lbs to make them suitable for various body types and workout routines. These guarantee their durability and heavy-weight load endurance.

Our Ranking Methodology

This comprehensive list was created through extensive research and analysis, measuring the full value of each brand’s gym rings by analyzing important features. The research process is designed to present information in a clear, concise, and fact-based manner. We also collect research from the most recently conducted studies to ensure that our criteria take the latest findings into account.

Our 2023 Best Rated Gym Rings Review

Our 2023 Best Rated
Gym Rings Review

After extensive research, we are proud to present the following list of our favorite gymnastic rings available on the market today. The research process includes precise scoring for products’ specs, customer satisfaction, value, return policy, and safety, along with the average scores of all gym rings accessed through our research process. To paint a holistic picture, we've included pros and cons for each of the gymnastic rings on our list.