We test and review fitness products based on an independent, multi-point methodology. If you use our links to purchase something, we may earn a commission. Read our disclosures.
Inertia Wave is designed as a lighter, more portable battle ropes alternative. We’ve tested and reviewed a pair both in-house, and asked others to test it for us, and though we were initially extremely skeptical, we do think it’s a great replacement for the ever-popular and overly-bulky battle ropes. If you’re low on space, enjoy portability, and want a great conditioning tool, the Inertia Wave is a serious option to consider.
Our Inertia Wave review will look at the functionality and versatility of this product, and we’ll take a deeper look at what separates it from the battle ropes you might be used to but don’t have room for in your home gym.
Why You Should Trust Us
I was initially very skeptical of the Inertia Wave as there’s a lot of marketing and hype behind the product, but after testing it and trying out every movement they recommend and we could find, I’m sold…with some caveats. And that’s how we approach everything we write about here–we actually put our hands on it before giving our final thoughts.
At the end of the day, we have to put our personal preferences about a brand or product aside to give you the most thorough and unbiased review possible. That’s the only way you’ll be able to know if something is truly worth putting in your home gym.
Inertia Wave Discount Code
We’ve negotiated the largest Inertia Wave discount code there is.
Use the code: ‘HOMEGYM’ at checkout for $10 off your order.
Battle Ropes Alternative
Inertia Wave
Product Highlights
- Use Discount Code: ‘HOMEGYM’ for 10% off
- Portable or stationary
- Great for conditioning
- Full-body workout
- More durable than a typical battle rope
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Lightweight
- Portable
- Long-lasting
- Easy-to-adjust difficulty
Cons
- Made with some latex
- 15-day warranty
Bottom Line
The Inertia Wave is a great alternative to a battle rope that gives you a high-intensity workout without downsides like fraying.
A Quick Look at Inertia Wave
Inertia Wave claims to be a “safer, more effective battle ropes alternative.” Essentially, Inertia Wave is a pair of rubber tube bands that use the bands’ rebound for resistance, instead of the weight of the rope like battle ropes do.
The resistance you’re working against is, as the name suggests, the inertia that is built up in the tubes. It looks pretty easy on video, but trust me, they will torch your upper body and, depending on your conditioning, will have you gasping for air.
Battle ropes are very popular among our Facebook Home Gym Community for how versatile and effective they are for metabolic conditioning. Although I don’t think you should immediately throw out battle ropes and replace them with Inertia Wave, I do think that they’re a better option for most home gym owners due to their price, performance, and the amount of space they take up. Also, they attach anywhere. Meaning, your power rack, a chain link fence, or your garage door track are all potential hook up spots thanks to the lightweight of the Inertia Wave.
Coop’s Tips
- Make sure there’s no sharp objects (like broken glass) near your workout area as this might puncture and break the rubber tubing
- Although these are great for small spaces, you will need at least 11.5 feet in length (measuring from the anchor point to your hands), 4 feet of width on both sides, and 7 feet in height to use the bands
- Use code HOMEGYM to save $10 off any Inertia Wave purchase
Pros:
- Lightweight, portable, and can be attached to just about anything (they also sell door anchors for those in apartments)
- Easier to adjust the difficulty on these than it is for battle ropes
- They should last forever (so long as you don’t use them near sharp objects)
Cons:
- There’s a small amount of latex in these, so they’re not for people with latex allergies
- These can lose their integrity if you stretch them past 26 inches.
- You only get a 15-day warranty with your purchase
After using the Inertia Wave for the past two months including trying out every movement they recommend and we could find, I’m sold. I was initially very skeptical as there’s a lot of marketing and hype behind the product, but it truly is a better alternative to the traditional battle rope. It’s compact, durable, and best yet, absolutely smokes your shoulders back, and other body parts depending on how it’s used. If you’re looking for an alternative to battle ropes, this is what we suggest.
Is the Inertia Wave Worth It?
Due to Inertia Wave offering quite a bit of versatility, it’s really for anyone who wants to increase their metabolic conditioning. We wouldn’t consider it a true strength builder (though strength can certainly be increased) as it can’t be periodized in terms of loading, but, for conditioning, it’s an awesome tool.
Due to it being great for conditioning, it has a wide audience, but what makes that audience even larger is the fact that it’s portable due to its lightweight and small form. Have you ever seen someone transport battle ropes? Not likely, as they’re big, bulky, and weigh quite a bit. Although this is fine in a commercial gym setting with a ton of room, most home gym owners understand me when I say that space is one of the most limiting factors in any home gym equipment purchasing decision.
So, if you are looking for a conditioning tool that is reasonably priced, can be taken and used anywhere, and is effective, then Inertia Wave is for you. But that doesn’t mean it’s for everyone.
Great for:
- Anyone who wants a cost-effective and portable conditioning tool
- Home gym owners with limited space
- Anyone who wants a piece of equipment to help them cut down on their workout time
Not recommended for:
- Trainees who want to primarily focus on strength training
- People who have a latex allergy
- Anyone with really low ceilings
Inertia Wave Specs
| Length | 9.5’ |
| Tube diameter | 2” |
| Weight | 2.5 lbs |
| Band material | Rubber |
What We Like About the Inertia Wave
When the package with Inertia Wave initially showed up on my door, to say I was skeptical would be putting it lightly. I had heard of Inertia Wave, gotten quite a few requests to review it from our followers, and talked on the phone with the owner, Dave Parise, at length about the product.
To be honest, one of the reasons I was so skeptical about it was because Dave made it sound like the greatest piece of fitness equipment ever created. Naturally, Dave is a salesman and biased in that this is his baby/product, but whenever I hear convoluted marketing to sell a simple product, I become apprehensive.
Despite this, I still decided to give Inertia Wave a try because many people I respect have said it’s a good product and a great battle ropes alternative.
Although I wouldn’t use the word “revolutionary” to describe Inertia Wave, I’ll say, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how effective in absolutely burning your shoulders, arms, back, and trunk/core, as well as how fun Inertia Wave has been to use.
There’s something about the rhythm of the bands that focuses your hand-eye coordination and causes you to have absolute tunnel vision while using them.
The product itself is extremely simple. There are two, individual tubed, rubber bands that are 9.5 feet long and have a ring and carabiner on one end, and an end cap on the other for better grip while using them. In addition to this, they come with two railway anchors, which are just nylon straps and D-hooks for wrapping around whatever you’re trying to attach it to.
That’s it.
A very simple product, which is by no means a dissenting remark. In fact, I prefer simple products as they require less maintenance and are less prone to breaking. In a quote attributed to Einstein, “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler.”
What makes Inertia Wave worth buying and subsequently using has nothing to do with how it’s made, but how it works.
There are seven recommended movements with Inertia Wave, all of which use over-the-top names that, in my opinion, can cause a trainee to wonder if the product is actually effective or just for cool Instagram videos (this happened to me). Regardless, ignore the naming conventions and focus on the movements themselves. We’ve detailed them at the bottom of this page along with pictures.
The most common movement is the self-titled “Inertia Wave,” a movement that’s great for learning how to oscillate the bands and utilize complete body tension.
Although most movements don’t require a ton of exaggerated movement (other than the ominous-sounding “Oxygen Thief,” which requires max effort jumping,) you are required to constantly resist the inertia generated by the bands.
Similarly, though a different application is the Exxentric kBox4, which we’ve reviewed and uses a flywheel to generate inertia that must be resisted. Every time you pull up, down, or to the side with Inertia Wave, you’re going to have to stop it and redirect it in the opposite direction. This requires your entire body to be engaged, and with enough repetition engorges your muscles with lots of blood and zaps you of oxygen.
If you’ve ever done a Tabata or HIIT with battle ropes, you’ll know what I’m talking about. However, battle ropes differ in that there’s little inertia generated, and due to their size I think they have different audiences.
So after using Inertia Wave for nearly three months in my home gym, along with clients at our personal training studio to get their opinions, I’m confident in recommending it. They’re going to last forever (so long as you don’t use anything sharp around them).
They can be transported wherever and whenever–and can be used in the same vein. They’re also priced quite reasonably when compared to battle ropes.
If you want a fun conditioning tool that works, Inertia Wave is a great tool.
Inertia Wave Strong
The Inertia Wave STRONG is a new iteration of the original Inertia Wave. It has some improvements and key features that could make your battle rope workouts even more challenign. For one, the Inertia Wave STRONG is modified to accommodate a variety of new attachments that support strength training, versus traditional battle ropes workouts that tend to err on the side of conditioning.
Specifically, the STRONG has attachments built into the tubes, optional hand grips, and two versatile straps that allow you to configure the ropes in a number of new ways. Other than this, the Inertia Wave SOLO (original) and Inertia Wave STRONG are one and the same.
Inertia Wave vs. Battle Ropes
The closest equipment comparison to Inertia Wave is definitely battle ropes. They’re used for similar movements and purposes. Although I think Inertia Wave is a clear winner for most of our community (those with home and garage gyms), I don’t think they’re a complete battle rope replacement.
If you have the space and money, battle ropes are still a fine option.
That said, here are a few reasons why the Inertia Wave has a slight edge over battle ropes.
Inertia Wave is lighter and takes up less space. This means you can actually carry it in a gym bag to your Globo gym, practice field, or a park.
Inertia Wave can be anchored anywhere, including at different heights. Battle ropes, due to the force generated by the user and the weight of the ropes, have a more limited attachment area.
You’re able to adjust the difficulty of the Inertia Wave more than you can with battle ropes. Want more difficulty? Bring the bands higher. You can kind of do this with battle ropes, but again, due to their weight the movement is more limited.
Inertia Wave will be cheaper in most instances. You can get cheap manila ropes and use them as battle ropes, but they’ll fray pretty quickly and will likely last pretty short, thus limiting what you’ll get out of them.
With all this said, battle ropes have the advantage of being heavier and therefore provide a different stimulus to your muscles.
They’re different, but if I personally could only have one in my garage gym, I’d choose the Inertia Wave.
The 7 Inertia Wave Movements
There are seven different movements that are recommended with Inertia Wave. We’ve found a few others that use one hand and are done in different positions (like planks and the like) but these are the ones recommended by the company.
Inertia Wave
Hero Wave
Thunder Slap
Double Over
CrossFire
Super Typhoon
Oxygen Thief
Full Rating
Inertia Wave
Inertia Wave is designed as a lighter, more portable battle ropes alternative. We've tested and reviewed a pair over the past three months both in house and by others and although we initially were extremely skeptical, we do think it's a great replacement for the ever-popular and overly-bulky battle ropes. If you're low on space, enjoy portability, and want a great conditioning tool, the Inertia Wave is a serious option to consider.
Product Brand: Inertia Wave
Product Currency: USD
Product Price: 119.95
Product In-Stock: InStock
4.6
Inertia Wave FAQs
Is the Inertia Wave any good?
The Inertia Wave also develops your shoulders, back, and glutes, which aids in muscle activation during large complex exercises such as deadlifts and squats. If you’re just seeking to lose weight, the Inertia Wave is an excellent technique to burn a large number of calories in a short period of time.
What does Inertia Wave work?
The Inertia Wave is a fantastic conditioning tool. The Inertia Wave will help you develop your core, posterior chain, and stabilizing muscles you didn’t know you possessed.
How long does the Inertia Wave last?
The Inertia Wave is so powerful, the caloric burn lasts for an average of 38-48 hours after the IW Inertia Wave, continual 7- Methods condition.
How much room do you need for Inertia Wave?
You’ll need at least 11.5 feet from your partner’s hands to your own. You will need extra room to move forward and back.
Further reading
In this guide we’ll go over what to think about when building your own DIY rowing machine, but more importantly we’ll answer if you should. Read more
Our fitness experts have used and reviewed dozens of the best adjustable dumbbells, and these are our favorite CPT-approved options on the market. Read more
Revolution Balance Boardsis currently making the best value balance boards on the market. They offer a wide-range of different board styles focused on different audiences. The Revolution FIT Balance Board is one we received for review. After a month of various usage, we can confidently recommend Revolution Balance Boards for anyone looking to improve their balance in a fun way. Read more
The best fiber supplement deserves to sit on a porcelain throne, or can at least help you visit yours more regularly. Here are our top nine picks from an RD. Read more