The 8 Best Plyometric Boxes of 2023, Tested and Reviewed
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So you don’t have to live in fear of the box jump knee bump.
Shape / Leticia Almeida
Plyometric boxes are the Cetaphil of fitness equipment, the little black dress of gym gear. In other words: simple, versatile, and (usually) reasonably priced.
As their namesake suggests, these boxes are primarily used for plyometric exercise. ICYDK: Plyometric exercises — like box jumps, burpee box jumps, and depth jumps — primarily train your fast twitch fiber muscles. “[Plyometric exercises] require a great deal of power and strength to perform, so incorporating them into a routine can help individuals build both,” explains certified strength and conditioning coach Jake Harcoff, C.S.C.S. head coach and owner of AIM Athletic. Improved power and strength can translate to better performance in a variety of athletic activities, as well as decrease risk of injury, he says.
Don’t read it wrong: Plyometric boxes aren’t just used for plyometric exercises. (Again, they’re versatile!). Plyometric boxes can also be used for bodyweight exercises like box dips, box push-ups, calf raises, bulgarian split squats, as well as movements like box step-overs, box step-ups, and box squats, says Harcoff.
Fact is, deciding to add a plyometric box to your home gym is the easy part. After all, who doesn't want a stronger, injury-proof bod? (Rhetorical). Harder is figuring out which plyometric box is best for your particular skill-level, fitness goals, and space. Some boxes are tall (and therefore bigger) than others, which makes them better for advanced and tall athletes, while others are short, which makes them better for beginners, as well as gym-owners with small spaces. Similarly, some are made from easy-on-your-knees foam, while others are made from oh-so-sturdy-wood.
We did you a favor, and took over the investigative grunt work of figuring out which plyometric boxes are best. We tested more than 20 plyometric boxes, putting them each through a series of exercises and workouts to test their stability, grippiness, and adjustability.
Ahead, a round-up of the 8 best plyometric boxes we most recommend, each named for its most noteworthy feature.
Best Overall: Tru Grit 3-in-1 Plyo Box
Why We Like It: Thanks to its unique construction, the Tru Grit Fitness 3-in-1 Box is as stable as a wooden box, but as safe as a soft one.
It's Worth Noting: While it's not the most affordable option outlined in this list, in our opinion its stability, durability, and safety make it absolutely worth the extra coin.
Like a Miley Cyrus bop, the Tru Grit Fitness 3-in-1 Box is the best of both worlds. Unlike other soft boxes which feature foam innards, this box is a wooden box that’s padded on all sides with shin-friendly foam. In practice, this makes it as sturdy as a wooden box, but as safe as a soft one.
Fact is it’s this texture versatility that makes us believe this box is worth its steep price point. We love that the Tru Grit Fitness 3-in-1 box can be transformed from hard to soft with a little elbow grease and about 60 seconds of work. This feature was especially useful during circuits that included exercises that were easiest on hard surfaces (like regular box jumps) and exercises that are more comfortable on soft surfaces (like split squats).
This box was also more stable than a horse’s home (heh) during every exercise we put it through — even box jumps and burpee box jumps overs! And that was true for all three of the heights that this box can be positioned to: 20, 24, and 30 inches.
Price at time of publish: $275
Dimensions: 30 x 24 x 20 inches | Material: Foam
Best Budget: Philosophy Gym 3-in-1 Plyo Box
Why We Like It: This 3-in-1 soft option is as lightweight as it is affordable. Meaning, very.
It's Worth Noting: Just 13 pounds, this box is significantly easier to move to-and-fro than the other options on the list (even those with handles).
The Philosophy 3-in-1 Box, ringing up at just $133.99 at time of publish, costs less than a pair of gym trainers. This low cost, however, is not a reflection of its quality. Durable and sturdy, this box stayed up-right and wiggle-free throughout all of the exercises we put it through — even lateral step-ups and box jumps.
Made from foam, the Philosophy 3-in-1 Box was the most lightweight box we tested. But unlike your one-and-done bestie, this box is still stable. While this box weighs in at just 13 pounds, it’s able to support an impressive 350 pounds, making it accessible to users of all different body shapes and sizes.
Best, it’s lightweight nature makes it easy to cart to the different corners of your gym (despite the fact that it doesn’t have handles). Fact is, as much as we love plyometric exercises, the worst part is bringing the back plyometric box back to its storage area after use.
This box's glory is also its downside. While it is stable for a foam box, it’s less sturdy than a box made from wood. When we tested the wood boxes on this list we could step anywhere on the box without having to worry about the box tipping over. With this box, however, we felt a lil unsteady when we stepped too close to the edge.
Price at time of publish: $133.99
Dimensions: 30 x 24 x 20 inches | Material: Foam
Best Wooden Box: Rogue Fitness Flat Pack Games Box
Why We Like It: The epitome of stability, we never had to waste brain-space worrying this option was going to flip or jerk while we used it.
It's Worth Noting: The edges on this bad boy are sharp. Slip and fall and the marks left on your shins will be anything but subtle.
If you’ve ever stepped a Nano-clad foot into a CrossFit box, you’ve laid eyes on the Rogue Flat Pack games Box. A favorite amongst functional fitness enthusiasts, this no-frills wooden box earned its title because it is steady, stable, and sturdy. This box's immovability makes it safe for any movements you want to perform with it — even weighted movements like burpee dumbbell box step-overs and dumbbell box step-overs, which we found more tenuous on soft boxes.
This 3-in-1 box also features three different heights: 20, 24, and 30 inches. This variety makes the box accessible to a variety of skill-levels, as well as usable for a range of movements which require different heights.
That said, we don’t think this box is best for beginners. While this wood is sturdy, it’s unforgiving. When you jump this box, for example, you want to know that you’ll land on top, no questions asked! Fail to stick the landing and your shins will pay the bruise.
Price at time of publish: $125.00
Dimensions: 30 x 24 x 20 inches | Material: wood
Verywell Fit / Leticia Almeida
Best Soft Box: Rogue Echo Foam Games Box
Why We Like It: This rock-solid pick (literally) doesn’t prioritize softness over stability — rather, thanks to a firm-not-flimsy foam core, it’s able to offer both.
It's Worth Noting: A peek at the price tag will reveal that this box isn’t inexpensive. But fear not: it will last and last and last.
The Echo Foam Games Box doesn’t prioritize softness over stability. With its foam core and soft covering, this plyometric box is easy on knees and shins, while still being able to withstand your weight. Truly, even when we did force-filled movements like burpee box jump-overs, this box stayed stuck to the ground as if it were glued down. (Spoiler alert: It wasn’t!).
This foam option by Rogue offers the same 3 height options as the Rogue wooden option: 20, 24, and 30 inches. The box is too stable to topple over in the middle of your training, so switching from height-to-height will require a little upper-body chutzpah.
Price at time of publish: $200.00
Dimensions: 30 x 24 x 20 inches | Material: wood
Verywell Fit / Leticia Almeida
Best for Beginners: Ultra Fitness Gear Anti-Slip Wood 3-in-1 Plyo Box
Why We Like It: The no-slip paint that coats this plywood box gives your shoe treads something to stick to, which greatly lowers your risk of falling or flipping when you land.
It's Worth Noting: The 12, 14, and 16-inch height options make it ideal for beginners, as well as for certain bodyweight box movements.
New(er) to plyometrics? Stop your box hunt! This small, no-slip wooden box is ideal for soon-to-be Powerhouses. Indeed, the Ultra Fitness Fear Anti-Slip Small Wood 3-in-1 box is coated with a layer of no-slip pain on each of its three sides that gives your shoes something to stick to when you land!
The heights of the 3 sides are also notable; they measure in at 12, 14, and 16 inches, making them ideal for people who are just finding their springs. Actually, the lower heights also make this box the better pick for certain movements like the box push-up, Bulgarian split squat, and box dip.
That said, if you’re an advanced athlete or have been practicing plyometrics for a few years, you’ll likely want a taller box for movements like box jumps and depth jumps.
Price at time of publish: $99.00
Dimensions: 12 x 14 x 16 inches | Material: wood
Verywell Fit / Leticia Almeida
Best for Small Spaces : JFIT Plyometric Box Set
Why We Like It: The heavy-duty steel construction of these boxes makes them sturdy, while the no-slip coating keeps you stable.
It's Worth Noting: This purchase comes with 4 separate boxes, as opposed to one flippable one.
The JFit Plyometric Box Set are Matryoshka dolls of boxes. Unlike the other boxes on this list which can be flipped on their sides for a new height, these boxes have just one usable side. In other words, it’d be more accurate to call them platforms, than boxes. However, they come in a set of 4 boxes of different heights — 12, 18, 24, and 30 inches— which can be nested inside one another for simple storage.
We loved that this option comes with four separate platforms because it allows us to easily set up box jump ladders, where having boxes of increasing heights is a prerequisite. We also liked that we could work out side-by-side with our fitness besties.
While these platforms are made primarily from heavy-duty steel, they each feature a non-slip vinyl landing surface that grabs onto the outsole of your shoes. The tackiness of this top-coat makes these stool-esque “boxes” safe for step-ups and jumps of all kinds.
Price at time of publish: $344.38 for 4 boxes
Dimensions: Box 1: 12 inches tall, Box 2: 18 inches tall, Box 3: 24 inches tall, Box 4: 30 inches tall | Material: Steel
Shape / Leticia Almeida
Most Versatile: Sunny Health & Fitness High Capacity Wood Plyo Box
Why We Like It: This wooden box comes with detachable foam covers that transform the box from hard-to-soft faster than you can say “jump!”
It's Worth Noting: While on the pricey side, this box is essentially 6 boxes in one! After all, you get a soft and hard 30, 24, and 20 inch box all in one.
If you think AI is cool, but the Sunny Health & Fitness Foam Plyometric Box is cooler. This box is wood and foam at the same exact time. Yes, really! The box itself is made from stable wood. However, it comes with detachable 1-inch foam padding covers, which can be velcroed in and out of place, depending on the user's preference.
Worth noting: The foam in the foam covers is pretty squishy! This makes the soft version of this box very comfortable for things like Bulgarian split squats and push-ups, but a little less stable under foot during movements like box step-ups.
We made a game of taking the soft covers on and off, timing ourselves to see how long it takes to transform this box. On average, it took us just one minute to take the soft covers off but closer to 2 to put them back on.
Price at time of publish: $249.99
Dimensions: 30 x 24 x 20 inches | Material: Wood and foam
Shape / Jessica Juliao
Best Adjustability: Rep Fitness Foam Soft Plyo Box
Why We Like It: This box has the lowest height options of any box tested.
It's Worth Noting: This stackable option does not come cheap, but its versatility makes it worth the cost.
The Rep Fitness Foam Soft Plyo Box comes with a variety of foam platforms that can be stacked on top of one another — and secured with velcro — for a variety of heights. The shortest platform is just 4 inches, while the thickest is 24 inches. There are also 20 inch, 6 inch, and 12 inch options which can be stuck together for a r-a-n-g-e of heights.
As was true with the JFit Plyometric Box Set, the fact that there are multiple different platform heights in this set allowed us to set up a plyometric circuit with exercises that required different heights. At one station we put down the 4-inch box for box push-ups, while at others we set up the 24-inch for box jumps and 20-inch for burpee box step-ups.
Best of all, the material that coats each platform is grippy, which helped us stick the landing no matter the height.
Price at time of publish: $279.00
Dimensions: Box 1: 4 inches tall, Box 2: 6 inches tall, Box 3: 12 inches tall, Box 4: 20 inches tall, Box 5: 24 inches tall | Material: Foam
Shape / Jessica Juliao
How We Tested
Hate to break it to you, but wiggling and jiggingly a box with your hands in a fitness showroom somewhere isn’t enough! After all, your full-body is able to produce more force than your hands alone — and if you’re going to be jumping on or off a box, you need that box to be stable. So, we hauled nearly two-dozen plyometric boxes to our Testing Lab and put them through the wringer over and over again. More specifically, we donned workout wear and got sweaty.
No doubt our fits were cute, but more importantly they were functional. Our shoes, for example, were cross-trainers shoes designed to be stable enough for plyometric and strength work. And our workout clothes were slim-fitting. Couldn’t have loose, long pants making us trip!
Finally, we got sweaty! Each box was put through a workout routine that included box step-ups, box push-ups, box calf raises, plyo box dips, lateral box step-ups, and plyo box jump. This collection of movements allowed us to experience for ourselves how stable (or, eek, not) the boxes are.
We were also able to test out how hard or soft the box was, get a sense of its size in space, and practice hauling it to-and-fro to see how easy (or not) it was to move.
What to Know About Plyo Boxes
There are three main things to consider when shopping plyometric to make sure you’re buying the best one for you. And they are — drum roll please — material, height, and other features.
Material
All plyometric boxes fall into one of two categories: hard or soft. The difference, you might guess, is the material they are made from. Typically, hard boxes are made from wood while soft boxes are made from foam.
“A wooden box tends to be the more stable and supportive option, so it might be better for people who don't feel fully confident in their balance,” says exercise physiologist and certified strength and conditioning coach Sharon Gam, Ph.D, CSCS. “The foam of a soft foam box absorbs more force, making it easier on your joints than a wooden box.”
Because the edges are far less sharp, you’ll also get fewer scrapes and bruises if you miss a jump on a soft box compared to a wooden one, she says. This feature, she notes, may make soft boxes more appealing to people who are afraid of jumping, or are just stepping (nay, leaping) into the wonderful world of plyometric boxes.
“Wooden boxes are usually heavier than soft boxes, so soft boxes might be a better option if you need to move them around often,” Dr. Gam adds.
Height
Thanks to the nifty way they’re constructed, “most wooden or soft foam boxes have three height options depending on how you place the box,” says Dr. Gam. Some boxes, for instance, have 12, 14, and 16 height options, while larger boxes have 20, 24, and 30, height options. Your experience level, as well as what exercises you’re planning to use the box for.
“In general, women who have some exercise experience can often start with a 16 inch box for box jumps and men can usually start with a 20 inch box,” she says. Meanwhile, more advanced athletes can often jump to a box that is 30 or more inches tall. That said, a tall box may be less optimal for other exercises like weighted box-step-overs, or box step-ups. For these exercises, you’ll want a box that is no taller than your knees.
However, if you’re brand spanking new to plyometrics, Dr. Gam recommends buying a shorter box. “It can be intimidating to try box jumps or other plyometric exercises for the first time,” she says. “Starting with a lower box will help you build confidence as well as strength and power.”
Handles
If you’re planning to move your box(es) around your gym, you’re going to want to opt for a box with built-in handles. Typically, wooden boxes have carved handles and soft boxes have cloth handles.
Without the addition of handles, hauling your box to the place in your gym you want to move it will be a workout in itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a plyo box worth it?
Yes! A plyometric box — or as it should be called, the box of versatility — is a very sound investment. This one (1) piece of equipment can be used for plyometrics, bodyweight exercises, strength training, and more.
Why are plyo boxes so expensive?
Not to invalidate your feelings Bb, but how versatile these boxes are, they’re actually quite reasonable! For just $150.00 (or so) you get a box that can be used while you strength train, improve your cardiovascular capacity, or focus on sports-specific skills like explosivity and power.
For comparison, a set of dumbbells costs about the same amount as a plyometric box, while a barbell costs at least twice as much.
What are plyometric boxes used for?
Plyometrics boxes are like Vaseline and apple cider vinegar in that they can be used for so (!) many (!) things (!).
Most commonly, these boxes are used for plyometric exercises such as burpee box jumps, burpee box jump-overs, box jumps, depth jumps, box jumps-all-the-way-overs, and decline mountain climbers.
They can also be used as accessories for strength work during movements like the Bulgarian split squat, box squat, plyometric box push-up box dips, and weighted box step-ups.
Why Trust Shape
Gabrielle Kassel is a freelance fitness and wellness journalist with nearly a decade of experience writing about strength training, exercise equipment, and fitness hacks. In addition to Shape, her work has appeared in publications such as Health, SELF, Women's Health, Men’s Health, Greatist, Bustle, and more. She is also a CF-L1 certified CrossFit trainer who coaches at her local affiliate and a regionally competitive CrossFit athlete who believes that discipline trumps motivation every time.
For this article, she conducted interviews with certified strength and conditioning specialists, and she did additional product research to make sure Shape recommended the plyometric boxes for athletes of all levels and needs.
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Read the original article on Shape.
