Today, we are looking at an increasingly popular and unique way to train your body for strength, endurance, and functionality.
Growing in many fitness niches, the rope pull machine, or endless rope trainer, has numerous benefits across many demographics.
Today we will cover the 6 best rope pull machines on the market, what to look for when buying one, and some of the pros and cons of each of our top 6 picks for the best rope pull machines.
Stick around until the very end for a promotion on the following machines.
If you'd like a quick version to get right to shopping, here you go:
The 6 Best Endless Rope Trainers:
Now, let us get into more detail about what to look for in a rope pull machine and what you may want for your particular setting, users, and budget. We'll cover each machine's pros and cons so you can make the best decision on which one you may consider buying!
Who Should Buy A Rope Pull Machine?
The rope pull machine benefits make it an easy choice and a perfect addition to any home or commercial gym, physical therapy clinic, military, government base, health and exercise facility, or any exercise facility.
The rope pull machine muscles worked during the exercise include a comprehensive range of muscle groups. This machine offers the benefits of versatile cardio and strength-based workouts, effectively improving muscle endurance, aerobic endurance, and overall fitness levels.
Additionally, it serves as a safer alternative to traditional rope climbing, which can be hazardous and inaccessible for some individuals.
They shine over many other exercise methods because of their safe and effective strength/endurance workouts.
Anyone from the elderly or disabled to extreme CrossFit athletes has benefited from rope pull exercises, unlike many other ways to exercise.
Vertical Rope Pull Machine or Horizontal?
We recommend a rope trainer with a vertical alignment in nearly all cases because they provide far great number of rope pull exercises than one limited in range of motion.
A horizontal, seated rope-pull machine generally allows only horizontal rope-pulling exercises.
In contrast, a vertical rope machine allows for vertical, diagonal, horizontal, seated, and standing rope pull exercises with the simple addition of a bench.
Standing Endless Rope Pull
A vertically oriented rope machine places the rope drum above your head, so you can stand or sit on a bench and still pull the rope.
Plus, they are often adjustable, so there is more than one anchoring point which you pull from.
When you buy a vertical rope pull machine, you get both standing and seated rope pull exercise potential with a bench, and your rope pull machine.
Seated Endless Rope Pull
Most horizontal rope pull machines act similarly to row machines. While those are great, a vertical rope pull machine offers both seated rowing and standing rope pulls.
In addition, people in wheelchairs can pull right up to the machine and perform rope pulls too!
Seated rope pulling workouts are an excellent upper body strength and endurance challenge and are an added benefit when you buy a vertical rope pull machine instead of a horizontal one.
Rope Pulling Attachment or Individual Unit
Endless Rope Pull Attachment
If you have a squat rack or open wall in your home or facility, you can attach a rope drum pulley to it for a multi-functional endless rope training upgrade.
A mountable rope pull attachment is an excellent idea for saving space and getting started with rope pull exercises.
As a bonus, these are generally cheaper than buying a complete rope pull machine unit.
Endless Rope Trainer Unit
If you have the space on your floor, an individual rope training unit is a good choice to provide the most versatility for you or your members.
While a mountable rope pull machine is great for saving space, they are not easy to move, can be limited with versatility and performance, and don't stand out as their own piece of equipment.
A stand-alone unit is the best option with the most potentially effective workout experience.
Rope Drum Type
Magnetic Resistance Rope Drum
Most commonly, rope pull machines have a magnetic-based resistance method that is adjustable to fit the user's needs in some way.
These offer the best rope-pulling workout experience.
While they may be more expensive, they will also last longer, feel high quality, and perform better for a wider range of users, from new to experienced.
Friction Resistance Rope Drum
Friction rope pulling rope drums are designed to offer the same rope-pulling exercises but at a cheaper entry-level price.
Because of the materials and simpler parts, a friction rope drum is considerably less expensive.
Rope machines with friction-based resistance are great for anyone on a budget or that's new to rope pull machines and doesn't need high-performance equipment.
6 Best Endless Rope Trainers
Save On Your First Rope Trainer
(6.) Runner Up
Marpo VLT Rope Trainer
Pros:
- Magnetic, manually adjustable resistance
- Vertical rope pull machine with the most versatility.
- Included attachable/collapsible bench for seat rope pulls
- Digital Display for tracking workout data
Cons:
- Included seat is quite small
- Takes some floor space
- Cost
The Marpo VLT rope trainer is easy to use, fits in many homes and facilities, and delivers many potential exercises.
It features a removable seat for seated, and standing rope pulls with or without a bench.
(5.) Best Rope Pull Machine On A Budget
Ropeflex RX505 Rope Drum
Pros:
- Extremely affordable
- Made in America with quality rope and materials
- Attaches to a wall or rack to save space
- Great versatility for the money
Cons:
- Lack of magnetic rope resistance
- Must purchase additional pulleys for more versatility
- Limited rope-pulling performance
(4.) Best Rope Pull Attachment
Ropeflex RX2100 Rope Trainer
Pros:
- Mountable; Takes up little to no floor space
- Magnetic rope drum, dynamically adjustable resistance
- Made in America; Hand made rope and high-quality materials
- Performance of a larger machine, but mounted to a wall or rack
Cons:
- Additional pulleys must be purchased
- More expensive than a friction rope drum
The Ropeflex RX2100 brings space-saving and magnetic resistance together for the ultimate mountable endless rope trainer. It's the highest level of performance in any rope machine mounted on your wall or rack.
(3.) Best Endless Rope Trainer Value
Ropeflex RX1500 Rope Trainer
Pros:
- Train 2 people at once with 2 rope drums
- Made in America; Hand made rope and high-quality materials
- Stand-alone, vertical alignment, adjustable in up to 10 different positions for each rope drum
- Cheapest individual rope pull machine on the market
Cons:
- Friction rope drums; Lack of magnetic resistance
- Less heavy-duty feeling than other individual rope-pulling units.
The Ropeflex RX1500 is the best-value rope pull machine for its multi-user capabilities, 10 position adjustments, handmade rope, and durable materials, with a very affordable price point.
(2.) Best Commercial Rope Machine
Marpo VMX Rope Trainer
Pros:
- Extremely high quality,
- durable construction: Rated full commercial Magnetic,
- manually adjustable resistance from 1 lb to 200 lbs.
- Optional full-size bench
- Vertical, diagonal, and horizontal rope-pulling exercises
- Digital Display Included
Cons:
- Cost
- Larger footprint taking up floor space
The Marpo VMX rope trainer packs a commercial-level punch with a range of adjustments, durable construction, quality rope, and an optional bench for the highest level of rope training performance.
(1.) Best Overall Rope Pull Machine
Ropeflex RX2500 Rope Trainer
Pros:
- High-performance magnetic rope drum
- Included rope pulley for low, diagonal, horizontal, and vertical rope pulls
- Low footprint, despite being a solo pulling machine unit
- Transport wheels make it easy to move the machine anywhere
- Made in America with high-quality materials and rope
- Cheaper than any comparable machine
- Choose with/without bench to save money
Cons:
- Digital display costs extra
- The optional bench is relatively small
The Ropeflex RX2500 is the dream machine for anyone looking into a legit rope machine. It has the most versatility and durability for high performance in any setting, which makes it our pick for the all-around best rope pull machine!
Final Thoughts
Here are some closing statements to wrap it up and get you on your way to training with a rope pull machine.
We covered all you need to know to make the best purchase of your rope pull machine, some of the best options on the market, and the pros and cons of each one.
We showed you some with space-saving, mountable designs and some that stand alone as their piece of equipment.
All the items on the list are sure to effectively provide rope training to you and your users, with some features in mind for specific facilities and users.
Check out our dedicated rope climbing machine collection, or our specific vendor pages for top selling brands, Ropeflex and Marpo Kinetics to browse all of our options.
Save On Your First Rope Trainer