It may look bland, but Gymshark gets the basics right with a roller that really hits the spot…
UK brand Gymshark is more known for its understated yet stylish gym apparel. However it does produce a limited line of accessories that includes lifting straps, glute bands and gym bags. It also has an inexpensive foam roller (though oddly it’s not available on the company’s US site). If you’re already using stretching exercises to boost recovery, adding one of the best foam rollers for workout recovery like this will really help you get ready to go again at your next session.
Men’s Fitness verdict
It may look bland, but Gymshark gets the basics right with a roller that really hits the spot. Those three different textures give you plenty of massaging variability too.- Three different textures
- Plush foam
- Affordable
- Only one colour
- A little too firm to use on tight, tender calves
How we test the best foam rollers
Though most people predominantly use foam rollers for massaging tight hamstring and calf muscles, they can be used for every body part. So our testers used each roller after exercise for these best foam roller moves. They massaged and manipulated the tissue and muscles in their feet, shins, adductors and quads, as well as their upper and lower back, pecs and lats. They also used these moves in conjunction with complimentary stretching exercises, such as the best hip stretches and best shoulder stretches.
Gymshark foam roller features
Unwrapping the Gymshark foam roller, its main distinction is that it’s pretty – well, indistinct. It’s average size (14in / 33cm), black and with a fairly common pattern of three different nodule sizes. Divided into four strips, a section of small nodules is repeated on its opposite side, as is a strip of larger rectangular ridges of two different sizes.
Unlike the Technogym foam roller, Gymshark’s recovery tool features a plush foam that’s 0.6in / 16mm thick. Also unlike the Technogym, this roller’s rubber is wrapped around the edges, so there’s no chance of accidentally hitting hard plastic.
Gymshark foam roller performance
Using this roller for the first time on sore post-run legs, it felt a little too rigid. But applying a little more pressure allowed me to push through that initial resistance to a slightly softer foam. It can be painful on tight and tender muscles at first but for day-to-day massaging and daily mobility stretches it hits the spot.
In fact, the more I used the Gymshark foam roller, the easier I found it to access that softer side. The smaller nodules seemed to seek and destroy knotted calf muscles while the larger rectangular ones suited hamstrings, glutes and back rolls.
It may feel a little bulkier than some but it’s still lightweight and compact – perfect for taking on your gym sessions. It may look a little uninspiring, but as a functional recovery tool it does everything right. Gymshark has got the price spot-on too.
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