The best foam rollers your body desperately needs

Regular professional massages can get expensive, and if you’re an introvert like me, they’re kind of a nightmare anyway. But, good news, there is an alternative. The TriggerPoint GRID foam roller was designed to replicate the experience of visiting a professional massage therapist. The EVA foam surface has been shaped into a grid pattern (hence the name) and its varying surfaces and densities are meant to replicate the varying surfaces of a masseur’s hand. Wide flat sections replicate a flat palm, long, skinny sections represent fingers, and a series of individual nubs replicate fingertips. The wide range of options in this one foam roller is what makes it a favorite among physical therapists and personal trainers.

On a personal note, I bought this foam roller for myself and my wife and have been extremely impressed with its versatility and durability. At six-foot-two and 210 pounds, I’m by no means a small person, and I was initially worried about a product with a hollow core collapsing under my weight. After extensive use, I can happily report that I’ve found no signs of weakness in the product and I no longer have concerns about the product’s structural integrity. I use TriggerPoint GRID on a daily basis to work out the kinks in my lower back, hip flexors, and hamstrings.

Sometimes it’s nice to just keep things simple, and the Amazon Basics High-Density Round Foam Roller does exactly that. Made from high-density polypropylene, the Amazon Basics foam roller is an affordable, no-frills option for anyone looking to build on their budget home gym or just simply roll out some sore muscles.

The Amazon Basics foam roller is literally just a cylinder of high-density foam, and when you get right down to it, that’s really all you need. The molded edges help maintain the roller’s structural integrity, making it unlikely that you’ll experience flaking or chipping at the edges.

I’ve used basic model high-density foam rollers like this before and they are extremely effective on muscles sore from lactic acid buildup. This plain roller is great if you’re new to foam rolling or if you’re experiencing a lot of muscle pain. If you’re in pain, the last thing you want is a roller that’s supposed to be ribbed for your pleasure, giving you a deep tissue massage where it’s not welcome. Sometimes, a smooth roller is just the smart choice.

The Amazon Basics foam roller is also useful for playfully swatting your children or spouse when they least expect it. Purchase two if you like to swordfight.

I have lower back problems and, judging from a core sample of my friend group, I suspect a lot of people out there do, too. Unfortunately, a lot of us spend most of our working hours plunked into an office chair, building a nice case of carpal tunnel. But what most don’t realize—until it’s too late—is that with all the hours of sitting, we aren’t doing our backs any favors either. Fortunately, the good people at Chirp Wheel+ are here to help, and its series of foam rollers are specifically designed to help alleviate back pain, correct posture, and strengthen the muscles located directly along the spine.

Most foam rollers on the market today are long, semi-narrow cylinders, which can make it hard to target specific problem areas in the back and are often not tall enough to get good spinal curvature correction. At only five inches wide, the Chirp Wheel+ is designed specifically to run up and down your spine without getting hung up on your shoulder blades or spreading the pressure of your weight over too much surface area. The result is a targeted, high-pressure massage for the muscles right along your spine.

The Chirp Wheel+ comes in four different sizes, which can be purchased individually or in varying packs. These different sizes allow you to work on your flexibility in the thoracic and lumbar regions in your back and can even help you restore a proper, healthy spinal curvature.

I’ve been a runner since I was 13 years old, and I can tell you that after especially long or especially hard runs, the last thing I want to do is roll my muscles over a rock-hard roller. That’s why I picked the 321 STRONG Foam Roller as the best roller for runners. With a medium-density EVA foam construction, you get a little cushion with your rolling experience and you won’t have to explain to your spouse why they can hear you weeping from the next room over.

Like the TriggerPoint GRID, the 321 STRONG foam roller is cut with a specific pattern to replicate the different pressure sensations of a massage therapist’s hands (i.e., wide flat areas replicate palms, long thin sections replicate fingers, and individual nubs for fingertips). This means that even with a little extra cushion, you can still get a quality deep tissue massage and target those problem areas causing you the most pain.

For anyone new to foam rolling, the 321 STRONG foam roller also comes with an e-book “Companion Guide” that can help walk you through effective uses and best practices.

Up your foam roller game with a vibrator! Wait, that came out wrong. The Lifepro Surger 4-Speed Vibrating Foam Roller is a great way of taking muscle recovery up a notch. Regular foam rollers are great, but a vibrating roller can help relieve tension and increase blood flow to targeted muscle groups and the surrounding tissue.

The Surger roller is made of low-density foam, providing a nice cushioned roll, and offers four levels of vibration intensity, so you can really customize your experience. The single-button toggle allows you to select between three different time durations (60/90/120 seconds), so you can keep precise track of how long you spend on each muscle group.

The Surger comes equipped with a rechargeable lithium battery that gives you up to four hours of power when fully charged. It also includes a convenient drawstring bag, so you can take the Surger anywhere, though I’m not sure I’d want to use a vibrating roller in a public space unless you’re cool with getting weird looks and possibly the police called on you.

If you’re someone who travels a lot, trying to keep a regular rolling routine can be very difficult because, after all, who wants to travel with a bulky foam roller taking up valuable real estate in their luggage? Fortunately, Brazyn has a solution with its Brazyn Morph Foam Roller. The Brazyn Morph is a fully collapsible foam roller that uses its patented Collapsible Core Technology to reduce the unit from a circular 5.5 inches down to a flat two inches. Weighing in at only 1.6 pounds, the Brazyn Morph can be easily stored in your backpack or other luggage, making it ideal for athletes on the go.

The Brazyn Morph is constructed using bamboo slats surrounding a collapsible core made primarily of recycled aluminum. The bamboo slats are then covered with medium-density foam for a layer of protection and comfort. The foam covering comes in two texture options, Alpha and Bravo, but both are designed to help stimulate muscle relaxation and recovery, as well as myofascial release.

While the Brazyn Morph may be a little more costly than the typical foam roller, you are getting a pretty unique product from a company doing its best to strive for quality and environmental sustainability.

If you’re not the type of person who likes to get down on the ground and roll around, or maybe you’re so sore you’re worried you might not be able to get back up, the Tiger Tail Massage Stick might be the best option for you. Unlike traditional foam rollers, the Tiger Tail is a handheld roller, meaning that you apply all the pressure with your own strength, instead of using your body weight to apply pressure on the ground.

The Tiger Tail comes in three lengths (11, 18, and 22 inches), and is essentially a long dowel with thermoplastic handles on each end and a medical-grade foam covering in the center. To use the Tiger Tail, you simply grip both handles and apply firm pressure to sore muscles. The Tiger Tail’s main purpose is to help you work out tricky muscle knots that can often be the cause of prolonged stiffness and muscle pain.

With its small circumference, the Tiger Tail is another great option if you’re in the market for a portable foam roller, and is substantially cheaper than larger collapsible options, though it may be more work to get similar results.