Adding calisthenics rings to your practice might be one of the best things you do. They add a ton of variety to your training, allowing you to perform exercises more athletically, and get the body of a gymnast.

While you may find it hard at the beginning with rings, there are many exercises you can do in order to progress. Just to give you an idea of what’s possible with rings, here’s this video…

And while you may not conquer these moves ever or not even in the first few months or years, just take a look at the physique of this gymnast and the moves he’s able to do.

Are you looking to get calisthenics rings? Then you’re in the right place. After tons of research, these are the best calisthenics rings we’ve found out there.

Don’t Want to Wait? Here’s Our Favorite

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Pacearth Wooden Gymnastics Rings – Best Overall

The Pacearth wooden gymnastics rings represent the best option when it comes to calisthenics rings. They’re a great mixture of adjustability, comfort, build quality, and a good price. These wooden rings will help you grain well and gain muscle quickly thanks to a strong grip these allow you to have, as well as the adjustable straps which let you perform a wide variety of exercises.

Review

So, what makes the Pacearth wooden rings our best choice? Let’s have a closer look, then.

Firstly, we really love the build quality of these rings. They’re made of natural birch wood, which helps you perform the exercises without getting splinters and they’ll also last you for quite a long time. An interesting fact is that they’ll withstand up to 1500lbs of weight before they break, so you’re pretty safe with these rings.

Secondly, we like the adjustability these rings offer. With the adjustable nylon straps, you can set them up in almost any way you want. If you like them to be in a higher position, you can simply adjust the straps so that the rings sit up higher. And if you want them lower, again, adjusting the straps should do the trick.

This makes the rings easy to deploy and versatile. You’ll be able to use them outdoors or indoors, as long as you have a platform to hang them on. To help you enhance the grip and make it even more secure, you’ll get a blue hands tape that’ll give you a bit more grip for performing those big movements.

Overall, it’s a great pair of rings that should last you for quite a long time. They provide a strong grip and a lot of versatility to allow you a wide variety of exercises.

Pros

• Good build quality – made of natural birch wood
• The rings should hold up to 1500lbs of weight
• Adjustable nylon straps allow you to perform different exercises
• The blue tape included allows for additional grip
• Decent price

Cons

• The blue tape might come off quickly
• Some users report the iron clasps get damaged quickly

Forcefree Olympic Gym Rings – Best Budget Option

We’ve picked the Forcefree Olympic gym rings as the best budget option due to a relatively low price, great build quality, and versatility. You’ll be able to use these for a wide variety of exercises, and thanks to the smooth texture on the rings, the grip will be strong. Because they’re easy to set up and use, you’ll be able to deploy them almost anywhere you might be. Read on to find out more.

Review

The Forcefree gym rings meet the Olympic requirements when it comes to sizes, which is why we can call them Olympic rings. One of these requirements is the ring width – 28mm means that they’re thicker than most traditional gymnastic rings. This gives you a bit more gripping area than most other types of rings out there.

We also like the build and the texture of these rings. They’re made of premium birch wood, which is quite smooth and allows for a strong grip. They allow you to do the exercises without slipping too much, although it might be even better if you can sand the rings down a bit to avoid splinters or add tape onto them (which some users have reported).

These rings also have adjustable nylon straps. These will allow you to perform your workouts almost anywhere you like. At the same time, they will give you the adjustability to perform different exercises with the rings at different heights.

Overall, for the asking price of these rings, you’ll do very well to find better ones. There are some slight flaws such as the wooden rings potentially giving you splinters as well as the slightly lower quality of straps. Nevertheless, the rings are fantastic and for the asking price, we believe they’re a real bargain.

Pros

• Great value for money
• Wooden rings made from premium birch wood
• Adjustable nylon straps
• The rings are slightly wider (Olympic measurements)
• Easy to set up

Cons

• The wood might give you splinters (add tape or sand the wood down a bit to solve this)
• The straps might break down quickly

Emerge Ultimate Wooden Gymnastics Rings – Best Durable Rings

If you’re looking for slightly more durable rings that will last you for the long-term, then the Emerge Ultimate wooden rings are the best choice for you. The rings are made of wood but the solidity comes from the steel buckles and the military-grade straps which will support even the heaviest of gymnasts. They’re also adjustable and easy to set up, which allows you to use them anywhere you like.

Review

The Emerge Ultimate wooden rings are the best product if you’re looking for something sturdy and reliable. It comes with military-grade straps that will comfortably hold your weight. Perhaps the best thing about these rings is the build quality. The rings are made out of splinter-free wood with a moisture-sucking finish that will make your grip strong no matter if you have sweaty hands.

Another thing to praise about the build quality is the heavy-duty buckles and straps that support the rings. Thanks to the steel buckles, these rings will support your weight and will last for a long time. And the straps are made of high-grade nylon webbing, allowing you to do the exercises comfortably.

We’ve also got to mention that these rings are made according to the official Olympic requirements (FIG requirements). This means that they’re slightly wider than the normal rings you’ll buy in most fitness stores. It might be slightly more challenging at first, but once you get used to them, they provide you with a lot of extra grip.

Perhaps one of the downsides is the customer support that this company offers. Some people have mentioned this in their reviews, although for the most part, the product seems fine and requires little to no support. The problem came with delivery, which was resolved in a few days.

Pros

• Durable wooden rings with a smooth finish
• Very strong buckles and straps that will hold your weight as you do the exercises
• Adjustable and easy to set up straps
• FIG-certified ring sizes
• Smooth finish on the grips allow you to do the exercises even if you have sweaty palms

Cons

• The customer support could be improved
• Slightly more expensive than the other two products on this list

Calisthenics Rings Buyers Guide

Choosing your calisthenics rings might seem like a straightforward choice, but there are some things that you should keep in mind when you’re choosing yours. Read on to find out what you should consider when you’re choosing yours.

1. Build Quality

The first thing is quite obvious. The build quality of these rings will enable you to do the exercises comfortably without worrying too much about them disintegrating, which can cause injuries.

Also, the rings should be smooth and made in such a way that they don’t cause splinters. This is important especially for wooden rings, which is why many manufacturers opt to add some form of tape to make them more comfortable.

Also, consider the build quality of your straps and buckles. This is where your weight will be supported, and you should pay extra attention as to the materials and the build quality of these two elements. Avoid buying cheap products with plastic buckles – or you’re risking your health or even life!

2. Ring Materials and Solidity

You’ll want to have your rings as comfortable as possible. Because most of your weight will be held on your rings, you’ll need to make sure these rings are comfortable to hold and provide enough grip for you to do the exercises comfortably.

Wooden rings are the most common type of rings. The other two materials are metal and plastic. Now, metal rings are the sturdiest, but also the least comfortable. Plastic rings can also be considered, although it can get slippery when you’re sweaty. Wood is perhaps the best material in many ways.

3. Versatility and Adjustability

The rings you buy should be adjustable and versatile. This means that you should be able:
To set them up quickly
To adjust the heights of the rings easily
And to be able to take them anywhere you go with you

Most of the time, the straps will be responsible for all of the above. Look for adjustable straps that allow you to tweak the heights of the rings which will help you do the exercises on different heights, and also perform a wide variety of exercises. Ring pull-ups, for example, require you to put rings in a much higher position than say, ring dips.

4. Ring Sizes

There are two main different types of ring sizes:

FIG-certified (1.1 inches)
CrossFit rings (1.25 inches)

Now, if you have small hands, then the smaller rings will probably be a better choice for you. But if you want bigger gains, then going for larger rings might be the way to go. But you shouldn’t worry too much about the sizes in the end, as you’ll quickly get accustomed to each size of the rings.

Focus on the solidity of the rings and the build quality instead.

5. Price

Lastly, the price.

The prices will depend on what materials you choose and what types of rings you prefer. Plastic rings tend to be quite cheap, although the wooden ones might feel a bit better to use.

On the other hand, steel rings are very durable but not the friendliest to use, plus they are quite expensive. Ultimately, you’ll want to choose the type of rings that suits you best, and you don’t want to compromise on quality if you want safe rings. This means you might want to spend a few extra bucks just to make sure you’re completely safe as you do the exercises.

FAQ

How do I start working out with rings?
When you first buy rings, you’ll want to do some elementary exercises to get used to the rings. Don’t be surprised if you’re not comfortable with rings at first. You might shake and tremble as you do the holds, but don’t be discouraged! It’s pretty normal and it’ll get better quickly. First, you’ll want to master the elementary holds and then move onto other exercises.

Can I build muscle with rings only?
Of course you can! In the end, what matters is that you put your muscles under tension for long enough to build muscles. However, at the start, it will be hard to start seeing results if you only do ring exercises. You’ll want to combine some other types of bodyweight exercises at the start just to build up enough strength to go for the rings.

Are ring muscle-ups easier than bar?
Ring muscle-ups are very hard! They’re probably harder than bar muscle-ups because the rings will move around as you try to do the exercise, so you’ll need to focus on the balance and then have enough strength to lift up. With the bar, you’re trying to do muscle-ups on a stationary object, which makes them a bit easier.

Verdict

Buying calisthenics rings is quite easy once you know what you need and want. You’ll want to decide what type of rings you want, and what materials you prefer. We focused mostly on wooden rings because we feel it’s the best material for the price and quality.

Overall, we believe that the Pacearth gym rings represent the best quality for the asking price. They’re durable and versatile enough to provide you with a lot of variety for working out.