The Best Foam Rollers of 2024

Whether we’re working at a desk, lifting weights, or skiing moguls, our muscles get worked; in recent years, the best foam rollers on the market have gained traction as a key recovery tool. There are tons of foam rollers on the market, but they’re not all built the same. So we did the work to see which ones are the best for every application.

We tested the best foam rollers using a systematic evaluation regime to ensure each roller received equal testing across the board. Each roller was tested for the same duration and on the same muscle groups over a two-week span. Following our testing, we noted the foam roller’s firmness, length, and texture and identified changes in soreness, mobility, and pain afterward.

Our favorite is the Roll Recovery R4, featuring an anatomically contoured design and high-density EVA foam for targeted muscle relief. If you’re on a budget, the AmazonBasics High-Density Round Foam Roller is affordable and still delivers effective muscle therapy—perfect for beginners.

To learn the differences between designs and more about how we conducted our tests, be sure to check out the buyer’s guide and price and value section at the end of this article. We’ve even put together a comparison chart to see how the foam rollers compare. Below are our picks for the best foam rollers of 2024. 

Editor’s Note: We updated our Foam Rollers guide on October 20, 2024, adding 4 new products, including the sustainable Ocean Foam Tidal Roller and the foam roller/water bottle MOBOT Portable Travel Foam Roller.

The Best Foam Rollers of 2024

Foam Roller Comparison Chart

How We Tested Foam Rollers

Our Testing Process

Our GearJunkie team of gear testers includes hikers, runners, climbers, skiers, and outdoor adventurers, and we constantly put our bodies to the test. We are weekend warriors who walk dozens of miles in the mountains with overnight packs on our days off. We’re also professional guides that rely on our physical abilities to pay the bills. 

As outdoor recreationists, we know firsthand the importance of good recovery. After a big objective in the mountains, rolling out and stretching sore muscles is key to getting outside again as soon as possible. It’s also key to enjoying everyday life with better mobility, flexibility, injury prevention, and stress relief. 

While testing for the best foam rollers, we considered and used a wide variety of shapes, materials, densities, and sizes for a range of applications and targeting various body areas. In addition to our objective tests and personal experience, we also consider the most innovative, popular, novel, and legacy products available today. These foam rollers serve a range of athletes, muscle groups, storage needs, and price points.

Firmness, length, durability, and texture were cross-referenced with any changes in mobility, discomfort, or pain during a daily rotation of 15-minute testing sessions over two weeks.

Our Expert Testers

Our foam roller testing began in 2021 with seven rollers and the aim of bringing together the best rollers available for releasing tension in active outdoor people. Our choices reflected a broad consideration of the market and took into account not only the opinions of active coworkers and friends but also of the physical therapists we trust our bodies to.

We expanded our roller horizons in 2022 when tester and climbing guide Katie Griffith researched alternative roller styles and added massage wheels and massage balls to the mix, bringing with her the knowledge of a life spent living out of her converted van and the aches that can sometimes accompany that. Then, Rebecca Ross refined our foam roller testing regiment while evaluating several additional foam rollers on our list. With a Master’s degree in public health, she has spent time analyzing the way we test foam rollers to ensure the most equitable and fair comparison. For our most recent update, Meg Carney tested 4 new models. With a background in health and wellness and a passion for pushing herself in the outdoors, she is the ideal expert to round out this guide. If you’d like to add other recovery practices to your foam rolling practice, check out our guides to the best yoga mats, best massage guns, and best foot massagers.

Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose a Foam Roller

Differences in firmness, length, texture, and portability all affect the choice of a foam roller, and each variable serves its purpose.

Foam Type

There are a handful of materials used for foam rollers with the most common on our list being Polyethylene (PE), Expanded Polypropylene (EPP), and Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA).

Soft foam rollers are made from PE and tend to be the least durable. A much stronger version is EPP, used in the AmazonBasics High-Density Round Foam Roller, which has many of the same properties as PE, but is considered one of the more dense foams out there. Both PE and EPP are not the most durable, since they easily show signs of wear. However, with care, they can be incredibly long-lasting.

Most on our list are made from EVA, like the RumbleRoller Original Textured Foam Roller, and that’s because it’s highly tear-resistant, making it more durable but also more expensive. EVA-made foam rollers are not as dense as EPP-made ones, but “high-density EVA” is tougher than regular EVA rollers.

Of course, there are alternative materials as well, including bamboo, which is used in the Brazyn Morph Collapsible Foam Roller together with foam and aluminum, or even cork, which is used in the Rawlogy Cork Massage Ball, to name a couple.

Firmness

Arguably, the most important factor in choosing a foam roller is its density or firmness. Soft rollers may not provide the level of massage required for deep muscle soreness, and excessively hard rollers can cause bruising or trauma if not used correctly.

In some cases, the color of a foam roller can help identify firmness; for instance, foam that is lighter in color tends to be softer, whereas foam that is darker tends to be firmer. However, because standards can vary from brand to brand, it is not always straightforward to identify firmness based on color or material alone.

Because of this, we measured firmness by measuring the amount of pliability or “give” after applying pressure. A generous amount of “give” was considered soft, while no “give” at all was considered hard, and anything in between was considered medium.

With a fair amount of pliability, the OPTP Pro-Roller Soft, is considered a soft roller and is designed to prioritize comfort over deep tissue massage. Less-firm rollers are suitable for those with sensitive muscles or who are new to foam rolling. As you improve your technique and your muscles get used to the pressure, you can move up to harder rollers.

Firm rollers like the Roll Recovery R4, which were considered to have no “give” are designed for deep and intense massage and muscle therapy. If you are a very active person, a hard roller like the TriggerPoint Performance Universal Massage Roller can help you target and penetrate deep into sore muscles. This style of roller is also ideal for myofascial release.

Rollers with a medium-level firmness can, as you may imagine, do it all. They are suitable for both massage and yoga or Pilates exercise routines. Proper use will still allow you to access deep tissue while maintaining the comfort and cushion found in less-firm rollers.

Length

As with firmness, different lengths serve different purposes, and it is up to you to decide what is most important for your specific muscular needs.

Long or full-size rollers generally measure around 36 inches in length. At this length, these rollers are suitable for larger muscle groups. Full-size rollers allow you to access your entire back when laid perpendicular to your spine.

These rollers are also great for other large muscle groups like those found in your upper leg. The longer length also lends itself well to many Pilates or core exercises that require you to lay it vertically along your back.

Shorter rollers, 24 inches or less, are excellent for pinpointing smaller muscle groups like specific areas of your back, arms, or legs. If you have isolated problem areas around your body, a shorter roller may be a perfect choice. As a bonus, the shorter lengths are also more portable.

If your persistent knots are in hard-to-reach areas, specifically shaped rollers like the Chirp Wheel Pro can target muscles that a regular foam roller of any length might miss. 

Diameter 

The diameter measures how thick the foam roller is or the circumference. Foam rollers with larger diameters can be easier to apply more pressure because you can get more leverage on them. 

The most popular diameter seems to be around five inches. We would not recommend buying anything less for a general-use foam roller because it can be hard to press down on it. Typically foam rollers with smaller diameters are specially made for calves, soleus, or Achilles. 

The Roll Recovery R4 was one of the largest diameters we tested at 6 inches, making it easy to apply a lot of weight.  

Portability

Your foam roller’s portability is a worthy consideration depending on your lifestyle and level of muscle soreness. If you only plan on using a roller occasionally or at home, perhaps you won’t have to worry about how easy it is to bring with you. If you have chronic muscle pain and travel a lot for business or pleasure, more portable options like the Brazyn Morph Collapsible Foam Roller and Tiger Tail Foam Roller Massage Stick are the way to go.

Some rollers are explicitly designed with portability in mind, like the Rawlogy Cork Massage Ball. Still, even if not designed for portability, many shorter rollers can easily fit in a standard gym bag.

Texture

The texture is another noticeable difference between foam rollers. The differences can be spelled out simply between smooth and textured rollers.

Smooth rollers are traditional and have been the go-to for some time. They provide equal pressure across the targeted area, but may be limited in reaching deep muscles or tendons. During our 15 minutes of testing, we discovered that raised textured foam rollers produced the most noticeable improvement in enhanced flexibility and release of myofascial trigger points compared to smoother textures.

Like softer rollers, smooth rollers are a good choice for beginners, as they are not as intense as their textured counterparts. Generally speaking, smooth rollers are also often more affordable.

Textured rollers are more advanced and better suited for users comfortable with their rolling technique. The added features on these rollers, like ridges and bumps, are meant to precisely target problem areas. Our most sustainable option, the Ocean Foam Tidal Roller has a unique wave texture pattern that sets is apart from others.

Textured rollers — like the Pro-Tec Contoured Roller below — will often have multiple features on one roller to promote customization. They are specifically designed to target specific muscle groups for the best massage, mimicking a massage therapist’s hands, and are a good way to isolate knots or problem areas.

Without a doubt, the six features outlined above are the most important things to consider when shopping for the best foam roller for back or muscle issues. That said, there are a few other considerations to take into account.

For many, outdoor fitness and environmental ethics go hand in hand. If that is important to you, some companies are producing their rollers from recycled or sustainable materials.

Some foam rollers and materials are also better suited for yoga and Pilates workouts than strictly rolling. If you plan on using your roller for exercise routines, this is a good thing to keep in mind. Or, if you need your roller to do double duty at the gym, consider the MOBOT Portable Travel Foam Roller, which doubles as a water bottle.

Half-round foam rollers are an alternative for those who may have difficulty balancing their body weight on a cylindrical or ball-shaped roller. Half-round foam rollers, like the ProsourceFit High-Density Foam Rollers, are also available in a range of lengths and diameters to help keep you stabilized while exercising or stretching.

Vibrating foam rollers are rising in popularity, and that’s because of their unique dual advantage. In addition to offering the same benefits we enjoy from conventional rollers, they also offer a localized vibrational therapy that has shown statistical significance for the body, including enhanced blood flow, less muscle soreness, and improved stability, among others. Vibration foam rollers can be an excellent investment, but keep in mind that they are heavier, require a charge, have fewer length options, and are much more expensive.

Finally, there are virtually limitless colors and patterns available. Naturally, this is a fun — albeit functionally inconsequential — feature to consider when purchasing your first foam roller.

Price & Value

Foam rollers can cost anywhere from around $10 to over $150. This means there’s a foam roller out there for virtually any budget. 

Budget

Our budget-friendly options are foam rollers under $20. These rollers are typically made from PE, EPP, or other materials like cork and are generally simple in design. In the budget category, you’ll find solid introductory options like the AmazonBasics High-Density Round Foam Roller ($10-19) and the Gaiam Restore Foam Roller ($20). These affordable choices provide functionality for newcomers but sacrifice durability and performance; for example, the AmazonBasics model is lightweight and simple but not designed to withstand heavy use, and the Gaiam Restore offers a softer touch that might not effectively target deeper muscle tension.

Mid-Tier

Moving into the mid-tier, you can expect to spend between $25 and $75. Mid-range foam rollers are typically made with EVA, are more durable, and have more features including ridges, bumps, nubs, and contours. In this range, products like the TriggerPoint Performance Universal Massage Roller ($25) and the Pro-Tec Contoured Roller ($35) stand out. Spending more in this range gives you enhanced features and better material quality; the TriggerPoint roller provides effective muscle targeting with its unique design, while the Pro-Tec offers a firm, contoured surface for deep tissue relief. These are more durable and versatile than budget picks, but they still do not deliver the same level of performance as premium models, particularly for users who require specialized features like vibration technology.

Premium

The premium category ranges from $75 to $200, including options like Therabody Wave Roller ($149) and Hyperice Vyper 3.0 ($199). Premium rollers justify their price with advanced features such as vibration technology and innovative designs that enhance recovery. For instance, the Therabody Wave Roller offers customizable vibrations for an intense therapeutic experience. While these high-end models deliver exceptional performance and durability, most casual users may find that mid-tier options meet their needs adequately without the hefty price tag.

Frequently Asked Questions