Gymshark Foam Roller review: It may look bland, but Gymshark gets the basics right with a roller that really hits the spot…

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Gymshark Foam Roller

BUY IT NOW:

£25, uk.shop.gymshark.com (not yet available in the US)

Pros:

  • Three different textures  
  • Plush foam  
  • Affordable  

Cons:

  • Only one colour
  • A little too firm to use on tight, tender calves

Effectiveness: 4.5/5
Texture: 4.5/5
OVERALL: 4.5/5 

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).

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.

Check out these stretching exercises for mobility

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.

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 it hits the spot.

Get into the habit of performing these daily mobility stretches

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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