Best resistance bands 2024 for home workouts, pull-ups and more

Using the best resistance bands, you can tone muscles, improve flexibility and even supplement strength training

best resistance bands: Pictured here, a young athletic women exercising in a living room using stretch bands
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Even the best resistance bands may not look like anything, but as a matter of fact, they can get you seriously fit at home. Yes, contorting your body parts into an oversized elastic band might not sound like the most sophisticated way to do a good workout, but resistance bands offer more than meets the muscle.

Designed for strength training, these stretch bands are made from durable, rubber-like materials, with the strongest ones able to challenge even the most hench gym rats. The more force you exert with resistance bands, the more the band will stretch, so it's a little like upping weights without the hassle of swapping sweaty dumbbells or kettlebells.

Don't know where to start? Try these resistance band exercises for a full-body workout at home. We recommend the TRX Bandit handles for those who prefer working out without the bands cutting into their hands. It works with all the band options listed below (at least the ones without handles).

Best resistance bands to buy right now

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WODFitters Resistance Bands on white backgroundT3 Best Buy Award badge

1. WODFitters Resistance Bands

Best resistance band overall

Specifications

Band length: 41 inches
Resistance range: 10-175 pounds
Pack size: Sold individually or sets of four and five

Reasons to buy

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Sold separately or as a set
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Massive resistance range

Reasons to avoid

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Basic for experienced users
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No grip or handle

Simple in design and excellent value for money, WODFitters flat bands are versatile enough for pull-ups, chin-ups and muscle-ups. They can also be used for power-lifting sessions. Made from multiple layers of tough rubber, they’re designed to last without suffering deformation over time and easily offer the biggest resistance range of the bands listed here. Each band is lightweight and easily foldable, making them great for travelling and an accompanying e-guide helps users of all levels expand their exercise repertoire. 

Master of Muscle Shred Bands on white backgroundT3 Approved badge

2. Master of Muscle Shred Bands

Best resistance bands for men

Specifications

Band length: 44 inches
Resistance range: 5-25 pounds
Pack size: Set of five

Reasons to buy

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Adaptable design with add-ons
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Made from antibacterial material

Reasons to avoid

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Restricted resistance range
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Complicated for beginners

Master of Muscle’s Shred Bands set comprises of 11 pieces, including five resistance bands, two cushioned foams handles, two ankle attachments, a door anchor and a carry bag. You also get an ebook containing ‘20 Body Smash workouts’. My body has seldom been so smashed.

The resistance tubes are made from antibacterial material and are all the same size, but resistance increases with 5-pound increments as you move up the set. Muscle building, crossfit, yoga, pilates and a bunch of HIIT fat burning sessions are all fair game here and although the add-ons may be complicated for some, the door anchor is undeniably useful for home workouts. 

Best resistance bands: Mirafit loop resistance band setT3 Approved badge

(Image credit: Future)

3. Mirafit Fabric Resistance Band Set

Best loop resistance bands

Specifications

Band length: 76cm (total length)
Resistance range: 7-23kg / 15-50lbs
Pack size: Set of three

Reasons to buy

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Made from strong, durable fabric
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Rubber on inside of bands to prevent slipping
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Three weight varieties to suit all fitness levels
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Comes with a mesh bag for storing

Reasons to avoid

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None

These loop resistance bands from Mirafit are excellent for lower body workouts/warmups and the quality is fantastic too. Made from a blend of polyester and latex, these bands are super strong, so you won’t find them snapping on you like regular latex ones. 

They come in three different resistances which we found offered more than enough variety to carry out numerous glute and leg exercises. When testing, we really appreciated the rubber material dotted on the inside of the bands, which keeps it securely in place and stops it from rolling down your thighs. The mesh bag that they come in also makes these very transportable and easy to store in your gym bag. 

Mirafit Resistance Bands on white backgroundT3 Approved badge

(Image credit: Mirafit)

4. Mirafit Resistance Bands

Best resistance bands for pull-ups

Specifications

Band length: 41 inches
Resistance range: 15-230 lbs
Pack size: Set of six (can be bought individually)

Reasons to buy

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Non-snap 100% natural latex construction

Reasons to avoid

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No grip or handle

Mirafit resistance bands come in a variety of sizes and resistance levels. The lightest #1 band is great for toning, and the strongest, #6, is strong enough to replace dumbbells with its 230 pounds resistance level. Made out of non-snap 100% natural latex material, these bands were designed for heavy-duty use and for a variety of exercises. Suitable for men and women, young and old, the Mirafit resistance bands are also ideal for physiotherapy and rehabilitation.

best resistance bands: Protone Resistance BandsT3 Approved badge

5. Protone Resistance Bands

Best resistance bands for beginners

Specifications

Band length: 47 inches
Resistance range: 3-40 pounds
Pack size: Set of five

Reasons to buy

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A well stocked set for strength training
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Tubes can be combined

Reasons to avoid

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Handle system can be fiddly

The pack includes five tubes that can be combined for extra resistance, a padded door anchor system, two handles, two Velcro ankle straps, a band guard, a manual and safety guide and a carry bag. There’s a danger of having all the gear and no idea here, but if you’re confident with how resistance bands work and your goal is lean muscle growth, Protone could be a formidable tool. 

How to buy the best resistance bands for you

In-depth: How to choose the best resistance bands for you

The first thing you'll want to consider is what you're buying your resistance bands for: is it for upper body exercises, lower body exercises or both? As there's different types of resistance bands which are better for different things. 

Resistance tubes are great for full-body workouts. These tend to have handles at either end for gripping with your hands or, if you’re feeling extra flexible, your feet.  The tubes come in colour-coded resistance levels along with add-ons such as hooks for specific exercises or for hanging from doors. 

Pull up bands are also good option for full-body workouts. They're essentially a giant rubber band and are referred to as 'pull up bands' because people use them for assistance when learning to do a pull up. However, they can be used for all exercises.  Again, resistance levels are colour-coded and their simple design makes them versatile and portable. 

Loop resistance bands, also referred to as 'booty bands', are mini bands that are best for lower body, glute and hip exercises. They're often made from latex rubber or fabric (the latter is a lot longer lasting). Their resistance levels are often labelled on the band itself as extra light, light, medium and hard, or numbered. 

Don't forget to consider price too. While resistance bands are an affordable piece of home gym equipment and definitely shouldn't break the bank, very cheap bands are more likely to be of a poor quality and won't last you as long. That's why we've taken price and quality into consideration with our choices above.

FAQ

How to use resistance bands

You can use resistance bands for a full-body workout, however, it depends on what type of resistance bands you have bought that will determine exactly how you can use them.

Loop resistance bands are brilliant for leg and glute exercises. The most popular way of using them is to loop a band around your thighs and then do your exercises. These could include: squats, clams, crab walks, fire hydrants, donkey kicks, lunges, good mornings and kickbacks. If you need some more inspiration, check out this beginner-friendly 20 minute mini band workout for your lower body.

Tube resistance bands and long pull up bands can also be used to target your lower body, but their length also makes them excellent for upper body exercises too. The best way to use these bands is to either loop them around something sturdy (like your stairs’ bannister), or tube bands often come with a door attachment. By then having your band secured to something you can do lots of exercises such as rows, to lat pull downs, chest press and tricep pull downs. 

The other way you can use these bands is by standing on them. This is particularly good for exercises like bicep curls, shoulder press, overhead tricep extensions, squats and good mornings. Here’s a five-move upper body workout you can do with tube/pull up bands and a 30 minute full-body workout, both containing videos to show you exactly how to perform the exercises.

What is the best resistance band?

WODFitters could well be considered the leaders of the resistance (bands), with their wares made from a closely guarded mix of robust rubbery stuff to ensure they don’t snap or lose their shape. The bands are colour-coded for easy, scalable identification from light to extra heavy and are sold individually or as a set. A pack of five bands containing generous 41-inch rubbers covers you for a huge range of exercises.

The American brand's bands are equally at home strengthening muscles, aiding recovery after injury or helping to increase mobility. It also offers 10 to 12-inch sets for smaller, muscle-specific exercises (and they also double as fetching headbands). If you’re up for getting extra creative with your workout, WODFitters are also built for yoga, pilates and a bunch of terrifyingly-titled workout DVDs, including Insanity, Brazilian Butt Lift and Turbo Jam.

Matt Kollat
Section Editor | Active

Matt Kollat is a journalist and content creator who works for T3.com and its magazine counterpart as an Active Editor. His areas of expertise include wearables, drones, fitness equipment, nutrition and outdoor gear. He joined T3 in 2019. His byline appears in several publications, including Techradar and Fit&Well, and more. Matt also collaborated with other content creators (e.g. Garage Gym Reviews) and judged many awards, such as the European Specialist Sports Nutrition Alliance's ESSNawards. When he isn't working out, running or cycling, you'll find him roaming the countryside and trying out new podcasting and content creation equipment.

With contributions from