Like many people, I made a New Year’s resolution to exercise more. After moving to a new city, I ditched my gym routine, and the gym I belonged to was now a long drive away in Los Angeles traffic. So, I looked into at-home workouts. Jumping rope is a fun and effective full-body cardio workout that also improves agility and coordination. That’s why I was intrigued by the $199 Crossrope AMP Jump Rope Set, which promised to track my jumps and integrate strength training with its weighted ropes.
Great build quality, but expensive for casual users
After testing the set for a month, I can confirm that few jump ropes are as well-made as Crossrope’s. The included workouts and community offer a lot of value for jump rope enthusiasts. However, at $199, plus a $12 monthly subscription, it’s only for those who are serious about jump roping regularly.
The Crossrope system has been around since 2013 and consists of interchangeable handles, ropes, and ropeless jumping attachments in various weights. The AMP set I tested includes Bluetooth-connected handles and ropes in quarter-pound, half-pound, and one-pound weights.
The ropes and handles are built from high-quality materials and connect with steel clasps. They feel very durable, but unlike most jump ropes, each rope is a fixed length and cannot be adjusted. While I tripped less as I improved, several members of the Crossrope community I contacted for help also acknowledged this issue.
Crossropes’ Smart features come at a cost
The AMP handles are what turn this from an expensive jump rope into an expensive smart jump rope. The Bluetooth-enabled handles connect to iOS and Android devices, allowing you to track jumps, streaks, power output, speed, and calories burned through the companion app. You can also connect it with your Apple Watch to import your heart rate data. It’s difficult to say how accurate these stats were, but Crossrope seemed to count my jumps correctly for the most part, and the other numbers seemed reasonable.
However, this information comes at a hefty price: $11.99 per month. On top of the $199 cost for the set (or $99 for the handles if you already have Crossrope ropes), you also have to pay a monthly fee to get any value from the smart features. Even the jump counter is locked behind a paywall. This was and still is the biggest downside for me.
Solid workouts and community, but cheaper alternatives exist
That said, you’re not just paying for metrics. Along with a helpful Facebook community of nearly 100,000 people, Crossrope includes an app with over 2,500 workouts designed by personal trainers and on-demand classes led by popular jump rope instructors. Jumping rope is the main focus, but the custom workouts also include other exercises like squats and dumbbell lifts. There are also longer programs designed for specific fitness goals, such as burning fat in six weeks or improving endurance. You can also create your own workout if you prefer a slower pace.
The workouts are well-designed, with timers for each set and rest periods. Crossrope’s programs even include Spotify playlists curated by beats per minute for different rope weights and speeds. Unlike some fitness apps, Crossrope also displays a 3D avatar of the trainer performing the exercise in real time, which helps with form. And unlike some programs, you can even message Crossrope’s trainers with questions for a more personalized experience.
The bottom line: Expensive but effective for dedicated users
The Crossrope AMP costs two hundred dollars, plus $12 a month. It caters to a niche market with little direct competition, but there are many cheaper jump ropes available. For example, the Te-Rich Smart Weighted Jump Rope on Amazon [Te-Rich Smart Weighted Jump Rope on Amazon] costs around $17 and has a built-in LCD display with a timer and jump counter. The YaoYao app also tracks jumps and time and only costs $0.99 per month (or $10 for a one-time unlock) [YaoYao jump rope app]. Both also estimate calories burned, and YaoYao lets you set workout and rest period lengths and compete with others via a leaderboard.
While YaoYao sometimes overestimated my jumps, the Te-Rich Smart Weighted Jump Rope’s stats were consistent with Crossrope’s and even more accurate at times. The flimsy 9.8-foot PVC rope tangles easily, but that’s somewhat forgivable at this price, especially since the rope is adjustable.