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Seth Berkman is a writer covering fitness. He's showered with swim goggles and lugged thousands of pounds of weights on the subway to test durability. physio band
Living Fit Resistance Bands now have weight resistances printed on them.
Beloved by brawny bodybuilders and aerobics aficionados alike, resistance bands are versatile strength-training tools. They’re lightweight, portable, and suitable for targeting muscles throughout the body.
Conor Heffernan, a lecturer in the sociology of sport at Ulster University in Northern Ireland who has researched the history of resistance bands, explained that resistance bands represent an evolution from pulleys, which strongman Eugen Sandow popularized around the turn of the 20th century.
We’ve tested 28 sets of bands and found that the Bodylastics Stackable Tube Resistance Bands are the best traditional tube-and-handle bands. They are reinforced with rope to help prevent the type of overstretching that can lead to potentially dangerous breakage. If you’re looking for superbands for pull-up assistance or mini-bands for physical-therapy exercises, we have picks for those, too.
The tubes in this five-band kit are clearly labeled and reinforced with an inner rope meant to increase safety.
This set of six superbands is ideal for assisted pull-ups, full-body stretches, and other exercises. Plus, it has a stellar warranty.
May be out of stock
These smaller continuous-loop bands are excellent for rehab or prehab movements and are easy to differentiate through a dotted coding system.
May be out of stock
This set includes four superbands, one mini-band, attachable handles, and an anchor, enabling a multitude of exercises.
These bands, usually made of natural rubber or latex, are the simplest to anchor and grip, and can usually be affixed to a door.
Often used for assisted pull-ups, superbands are large continuous-loop bands without handles. They’re typically made of latex or natural rubber.
Another type of (usually latex or natural rubber) loop band without handles, mini-bands are small, continuous bands useful for placing around a limb or limbs.
These bands are softer against the skin and don’t have strong odors. But they regularly cost more than latex bands.
The tubes in this five-band kit are clearly labeled and reinforced with an inner rope meant to increase safety.
A common fear is having a resistance band snap on you during a workout. That’s one reason we like the Bodylastics Stackable Tube Resistance Bands, which have woven cords tucked inside the tubes to prevent overstretching (a frequent cause of breakage). In addition to five bands of increasing resistances—up to a claimed 80 pounds—the set includes a door anchor, two grippy handles, and two padded ankle straps. This set has held up impressively well over seven years of long-term testing.
This set of six superbands is ideal for assisted pull-ups, full-body stretches, and other exercises. Plus, it has a stellar warranty.
May be out of stock
The Living Fit Resistance Bands cover a claimed weight-resistance range from 5 to 200 pounds, which makes them suitable for most exercises and accessible across skill levels. A set comes with a door anchor and a carrying bag. We also like that the bands are covered by a lifetime warranty: The company says it will replace any bands should they snap.
These smaller continuous-loop bands are excellent for rehab or prehab movements and are easy to differentiate through a dotted coding system.
May be out of stock
A complaint with many mini-bands is that they scrunch up easily around the legs, creating an uncomfortable pinching sensation. The Synergee Mini Loop Bands stayed in place around our limbs and are labeled by a number of dots (one to five) to help you more easily determine the resistance levels. The set includes five bands.
This set includes four superbands, one mini-band, attachable handles, and an anchor, enabling a multitude of exercises.
Since the first iterations of this guide, trainers we consulted have universally named the Resistance Band Training Economy Fitness Package as their favorite kit. We understand why: This set offers the best of both handled tube bands and superbands. Along with two hard molded-plastic handles, the set includes four superbands, an anchor, and a 13-inch mini-band. Like our top-pick tube-and-handle set, this kit has remained a pick for seven years running.
I’m a senior staff writer covering fitness and the author of Wirecutter’s guides to adjustable dumbbells, pull-up bars, and kettlebells, among others. For this guide:
Resistance bands offer an easy way to build strength without the clutter and expense of bulky, heavy weights. By stretching against force when you’re doing pushing or pulling exercises, these rubbery tubes or flat loops add load both on the action and on the return. They also can improve stabilization and aid in stretching.
“They are not going to do everything needed for an intense power workout, but can provide a reasonable alternative in a properly designed rehab or workout program,” said Nancy Kirsch, who chairs the rehabilitation and movement sciences program at Rutgers University.
You can also use certain bands (typically, superbands) to help unload certain bodyweight exercises, such as pull-ups and push-ups, so that you can train through the full range of motion while building enough strength to no longer need an assist. Presses and rows are also common resistance band exercises.
Paul Schroeder, a spokesperson of the American Physical Therapy Association, and other physical therapists often recommend that their rehab and prehab clients use bands (most often, mini-bands) for adding light or targeted resistance to hip- or shoulder-strengthening exercises.
Most resistance band manufacturers make claims about the amount of tension that each band provides, indicated in a range of pounds. But some experts we interviewed said you should take those numbers with a grain of salt.
“A resistance band is essentially a spring,” said sports sociologist Conor Heffernan. “As that spring stretches, the force changes throughout that spring.” Heffernan explained that if a band is listed as having 15 to 50 pounds of resistance, 15 represents the lowest effort and 50 represents the maximum.
“If we stretch the hell out of a band on Tuesday, and say that’s 50 pounds, and do it again on Wednesday, we might not have actually stretched it as far [the second time]. The difficulty is getting to that upper limit and consistently getting to that upper limit.” Heffernan added that “it’s difficult for the user to know where they’re at” specifically in terms of weight with a resistance band, unlike using, say, a 35-pound dumbbell.
Kirsch said that since most bands are made of either natural rubber or a synthetic such as latex, they are subject to breaking down as a result of temperature and UV exposure. Storing them in a dark area can help prolong their lifespan. Chelsea Cooman, physical therapist for Stanford University’s athletics program, noted that you shouldn’t just leave them crumpled in a pile or at the bottom of a gym bag. “Crumpled and moist is a recipe for them to start to stick together and deteriorate,” she said.
I spent about 10 hours reading owner reviews of resistance bands, researching bands at trade shows, and interviewing experts to discuss bands’ materials, lifespan, and function, as well as the history of resistance exercises.
Throughout this guide’s seven-year history, we’ve looked at three main types of resistance bands:
We also assessed some fabric-loop resistance bands, which can be a bit sturdier than their all-latex counterparts and are less apt to roll up or to tug on body hair but often cost more. Fabric mini-bands have limited uses, such as to loop around your thighs for you to work on glute strength, said Elliott Reiff, a doctor of physical therapy and certified athletic trainer at Washington University.
Members of our paid tester panel and 10 Wirecutter staffers then tested the top 10 sets of bands, performing various exercises while also assessing feel, grip, and smell. Although almost every set of latex bands we tried had an odor, some were stronger and more unpleasant than others, with some testers describing the smells as “dried fish food” or “pencil erasers.” After weeding out some additional sets, I spent two weeks testing the remaining contenders.
For this guide, we chose to focus on sets of bands rather than bands that are sold individually. We also considered the price and warranty. As for band longevity, Cooman told us that tearing and cracking are sure signs of damage that indicate it’s time for a replacement, but before then you may notice the resistance decreasing in comparison with when the band was new.
The tubes in this five-band kit are clearly labeled and reinforced with an inner rope meant to increase safety.
Having a resistance band snap on you may be an exerciser’s worst fear—worse than getting on a machine at the gym only to be greeted by a puddle of sweat left behind. The Bodylastics Stackable Tube Resistance Bands should alleviate those worries, though, as they have an internal cord that acts as a guard against overstretching, the most common reason for breakage. If you stretch one of the bands to its full length, you’ll feel the cord catch, but it won’t otherwise affect the workout. That peace of mind, along with durable components and easy-to-read labels, has made this set a favorite among Wirecutter staffers for years.
The design is convenient and prioritizes safety. Along with the internal safety cord, the bands, made of latex, have reinforced stitching for an extra layer of security. They’re also clearly labeled—recently, Bodylastics slightly redesigned the bands to show the maximum tension instead of a range of tension on each band. Although those numbers can be inexact, the labels can help you quickly tell which band you’re handling.
Workouts with these bands don’t feel awkward. Resistance band training can move your muscles in different ways than traditional strength training with weights, so stability should be paramount when you’re using bands. The Bodylastics band kit provides ample resistance with plenty of tension combinations, from very light to quite heavy. The handles feel comfortable and secure in the hands and are not too long, which helps to keep your range of motion at a good length. The door anchor strap is padded with the same cushy neoprene as the ankle straps; you first thread the loop end between the doorframe and door on the hinge side and then close (and lock, ideally) the door so that the bead is securely pinned on the far side of the door. You can then thread a tube or tubes through the loop. The set also comes with a handy travel bag for storage.
You can buy additional bands and handles separately. The Bodylastics set comes with a manual and links to videos on installation and how to perform dozens of exercises (also available in the company’s app). Routines are grouped by the muscles targeted and detail proper form such as correct band placement and handle use. Bodylastics also sells individual bands separately to replace or supplement those in this kit. The bands have a lifetime warranty; within the first 90 days of ownership, if any part of the system fails, the company will replace the part for free for customers in the US, Canada, UK, and EU (after 90 days, you need to pay shipping costs).
The ring attachments and ankle straps are not the most comfortable we’ve come across. The Bodylastics set has big rings that you attach the cords to, and sometimes they can obstruct your arms or rub against them during exercises. Also, the ankle straps are longer than others, making it more difficult to find a snug fit.
We have some concerns about long-term wear. The door anchor in the Bodylastics set is made of thick foam that looks like it might deteriorate over time. Wirecutter supervising editor Ingrid Skjong, who has owned the set for years, says there is a tiny tear in the foam part of her anchor, but the nylon reinforcement is holding up nicely. Some of our long-term testers have reported that the metal of the carabiners on these bands appeared somewhat oxidized upon arrival, but that did not affect their function.
This set of six superbands is ideal for assisted pull-ups, full-body stretches, and other exercises. Plus, it has a stellar warranty.
May be out of stock
A good superband should feel durable and not slippery, and ideally it should stretch enough to enable you to extend the band over your head, such as in an overhead press. The Living Fit Resistance Bands check all of those boxes and also come with a handy door anchor.
The set includes six color-coded bands identifiable by weight resistance. While our test set lacked such markings, Living Fit bands now have clearly listed weight resistance ranges, with the thinnest band offering an estimated 10 to 30 pounds of resistance, and the thickest band ranging from 70 to 200 pounds.
The bands don’t feel slick or gummy, allowing for a solid grip. Some of our testers complained of some superband models having too much of a powdery feel. Physical therapist Paul Schroeder said companies include powder (cornstarch or talc) as a lubricant to prevent bands from sticking together, but the substance can sometimes create an unpleasant residue or slick feel (Schroeder suggested wiping powdered bands down with a damp cloth or giving them a wash in warm, soapy water). Other superbands we tested felt greasy, but the Living Fit bands felt neither powdery nor greasy and did not have an overly offensive smell.
They come with a lifetime warranty. The company’s website says that it will replace any band if it were to snap. With the second-smallest band (30 to 60 pounds of resistance), a 5-foot-7 tester was easily able to stretch the band over their head while standing on the other end. These bands also come with a carrying bag and small rubber bands to help compactly tie up each band after use, a simple but helpful accessory.
The bands’ long-term durability and the company’s warranty support remain to be seen. This is one of the very few superband sets we’ve found with a lifetime warranty. We began testing the LivingFit bands only in late 2024 and will continue to use them regularly and monitor them for any wear, in addition to how the company facilitates warranty requests, if they should arise. A company spokesperson told us that warranty claims can be sent to info@living.fit with an image of the issue.
These smaller continuous-loop bands are excellent for rehab or prehab movements and are easy to differentiate through a dotted coding system.
May be out of stock
The Synergee Mini Loop bands, which come in a five-band set, have stated resistances ranging from 5 to 50 pounds. Made of latex, the mini-bands are sturdy. They range in thickness from 0.7 to 1.5 millimeters, and each band measures 12 inches long by 2 inches wide, so they’re easy enough to slip into any bag for travel.
The bands seamlessly slip on and off. Of all the mini-bands we tested, the Synergee set was the easiest for our testers to put on and remove. They stayed flat rather than scrunching up around our legs, and the edges didn’t pinch the lower body during any exercises.
They have an easy-to-understand labeling system. Although the Synergee bands don’t list their weight resistance, they are color-coded (yellow indicates the lightest, while red means the strongest) and labeled with one to five dots, letting you know which level of resistance you are working with. The Synergee bands come with a one-year warranty for home use.
Some online reviews say the bands are too big for people with smaller bodies. Our primary tester for these bands, who measures 5-foot-7 and weighs 155 pounds, was able to use all five bands for a variety of exercises. Most of our other testers were around that size or a bit larger, and they did not experience any looseness. But some online reviewers who are shorter have noted that the bands feel too large for certain movements.
tube resistance bands with handles Customer service can be slow. Synergee’s website has an email form to contact customer support that promises a response within 48 hours. When we tried this method, we did not receive a response during that time. We received a faster reply using the company’s text-support line.