TRIGGERPOINT Performance Therapy Grid Foam Roller for Exercise, Deep Tissue Massage and Muscle Recovery, Original (13-Inch), Lime

I'm a personal trainer. If you only ever buy one small foam roller in your life, this is the one to get. I purchased this 12 years ago and it works like new. I also have a long foam one for posture exercises, but this one is the best for rolling out trigger points AKA kinks.

This took a little learning curve and was different than my expectations but it is a good tool to have for my back. I don’t just use it on my back to fix my back, I use it on my flutes, hamstrings and thighs as well as my back and it helps to relax everything which helps my back not feel as tight. It isn’t the magic bullet I imagined but still very good.

I had been looking for a roller for a 6'2" big guy for a while, and this is one of the only ones on the market that advertises a 500lb capacity. Even if you weigh far less than that, the extra safety knowing you can put all your body weight on this is a great assurance. So far, so good.Pros:500lb capacity, but lightweight. As said, this is a heavy duty roller. It's great. It's basically just PVC pipe and foam so it's very light. Being hollow helps make it easy to move around.Great foam surface. Variable foam fingers help massage tough spots, but also seem totally durable so they should last a long time.Short length of the 13-inch model actually makes it better for rolling out tough spots, as you'll tend to focus more of your weight on one spot and not rest on another part of the roller.Works. I've rolled out several tough areas and it's fantastic. The width of this style of roller does tend to mean it's a more gentle pressure, but you can also really focus your whole body weight on a spot to increase the relief.Cons:The only con really comes from the fact that it's a roller, so doing spot treatments can be an exercise in engineering. You need to be confident with bodyweight exercises, being able to hold up your weight in a plank position and so on, to make effective use. And if you want to get an area like the side of a shoulder you'll really have to do some flipping around to get a good roll. This is no replacement for professional massage, but for areas like the back and legs, it's wonderful.Overall:Best in class. Great for heavier people, or anyone who wants a sturdy roller. The foam fingers are great. I haven't had a single issue yet.

I like the depth of it as well as the firmness. It could use some larger more raised bumps to dig into the back or whatever. I used it against the wall and the floor, braced by my elbows on my back. Top to bottom. Took some practice, but it seemed to work on some muscle soreness. Don't play with bone issues, it is firm. Bones will get damaged, but muscle issues, golden. Bought a few for gifts for friends and family who have back problems. The inner tube is made of a hard plastic, no flexing or breakage. Im 6' 200 pounds and laid on it while rolling it with help from my elbows. Take your time.

This is my second time buying this foam roller. My whole family enjoys it so much I decided we needed two!I have tried multiple foam rollers over the years, from softer foam ones to the intense “rumble” rollers, and even the chirp wheel, and I can say that this roller is definitely the one I keep returning to time after time. If there is only one foam roller you buy this should be it! After almost two years of daily use, I have not noticed it losing its shape at all (comparing it to our newer one).While I mostly use this on my back, the small size of it allows me to use it on my legs as well, without too much issue (I recommend this shorter size instead of the longer one for this purpose). The multiple zones on the roller allow you to easily reposition or turn the roller to get the perfect spot every time.If you find the roller to stiff/harsh at first, I recommend using the roller on carpet or a yoga mat to provide additional cushion!

I primarily use this foam roller for my back, especially since I golf frequently. It’s great for decompressing my muscles and relieving knots and tension that I otherwise couldn’t reach. However, one downside I've noticed is that while rolling my back, I sometimes feel like I’m on the verge of a deep crack that needs to be released, but the cylindrical shape of this roller doesn’t quite get deep enough to fully address it. I'm still on the lookout for a solution to that.Other than that, this is great & would highly recommend.

I would give this thing a hundred stars if I could. I was having knee pain with my morning bike rides and did some research, one of the suggestions was that tightness in the leg muscles may be causing misalignment of the knee...foam rolling is a solution. This has made a HUGE difference in my performance and alleviated the pain. My whole body feels so much better incorporating this into my day. It was painful at first, after the first couple times, I started searching for a flat roller that might be better for beginners. But I also watched some videos, and the instructor mentioned that their own initial experience with foam rolling was very painful...especially in the areas that needed it the most. So I toughed it out for a week, and I'm so glad I did. The bumps on the roller are excellent at getting into knots (trigger points) in the muscles. I think if I had tried something less aggressive, I would have very quickly returned to this one. I'm at about a month into using this roller, and I look forward to using it every time. It gets easier with every use. There are still some sore areas, but you get used to it, and it helps draw you into where you need to focus your efforts.

Have a large roller that I use at home, but it's too big to take in our small RV. This is perfect, can even use it inside the RV on the floor. My bad back needs to be stretched out every day, and this roller is perfect. Used one that a friend had and immediately ordered one to keep in the RV.