Live Science Verdict
With its robust build, stainless steel central bar and plush foam handles for comfort, the Vinsguir Ab Roller offers a premium spin on the standard ab roller design. We also liked the wider wheel, which stopped the roller from veering off course during rollouts.
Pros
- +
Wide wheel for stability
- +
Comes with foam mat to protect your knees
- +
Premium feel
Cons
- -
Narrow grip requires good shoulder stability for weight-bearing exercises
- -
Stickers look a bit cheap
Why you can trust Live Science
The Vinsguir Ab Roller offers something fresh and effective for anyone tired of scrolling through scores of core workouts on YouTube.
The machine adds an element of instability and dynamism to the classic plank in order to put your mid-section to work, and it won’t take long before you feel the burn. It’s for this reason the Vinsguir has earned a spot on our roundup of the best ab rollers.
It consists of a stainless steel handle that slots through a wide central wheel — designed to be more stable and beginner-friendly than your average ab roller. There are also thick foam handle covers that slide into place over the metal bar, either side of the wheel.
- Standard ab roller design
- Central wheel wider than most ab rollers
- Comes with a small foam mat
- Maximum user weight of 440lb (200kg).
The result is a quality ab roller that moves smoothly over flat surfaces and can be gripped comfortably on either side. This opens up a world of new opportunities for anyone wondering how to get a stronger core, with a host of ab roller exercises you can now perform in your mission for a defined midline.
Price
The Vinsguir Ab Roller has an MSRP of $28.99 on the Vinsguir website, or can be picked up for £63.03 from Amazon in the UK.
In the US, at least, this makes it cheaper than competitors such as the SKLZ Core Wheels and Lifeline Power Wheel, though it doesn’t have their innovative design features like foot straps and dual handles. Instead, Vinsguir opts for a more traditional ab roller design, elevating the product above lower budget alternatives through the use of premium materials and a sturdy design.
Set-up and design
- Set-up and design score: 4/5
While other ab rollers we tested (like the SKLZ Core Wheels and the Lifeline Power Wheel) quite literally tried to reinvent the wheel, the Vinsguir Ab Roller stuck with a more traditional design. Namely: a handle that goes through the middle of a central wheel.
During our tests, the circumference of the wheel proved to be a good size for all moves, from roller pikes to ab rollouts to roller push-ups. We also liked how the wheel is slightly wider (3.2in) than the average ab roller, improving stability and making us less likely to veer off course — ideal for beginners.
The set-up was disarmingly simple too. It arrived in four parts — a stainless steel handle, a plastic wheel with a TPR rubberized surface, and two foam handle covers — and took us less than a minute to assemble. Simply insert the steel handle through the center of the wheel and add the foam handle covers to either end.
When the minimal construction process was complete, each part stayed securely in place, giving the roller a sturdy feel. The stickers on the inside had bubbled slightly, but this was the only non-premium element of the design and was purely superficial.
Features
- Features score: 3.5/5
The Vinsguir Ab Roller benefits from a more traditional design, and it doesn’t deviate far from the features you would expect to see on a standard ab roller. Instead of eye-catching innovations, it sets itself apart from its competitors with its superior build quality (detailed above) and a couple of more subtle improvements.
For example, with its 3.2in tread, the central wheel is wider than other cheaper rollers. Vinsguir says this “ensures balance and stability as it does not deviate sideways”, and we found this to be true during testing. The wider wheel was easier to keep on course than narrower options from Lifeline and Gymshark, making it a good option for newcomers to ab roller workouts who are still building up their core strength.
The brand has covered the tread of the central wheel with TPR rubber, which moves smoothly across most even surfaces and makes less noise on wood and tile floors.
And, finally, a small foam mat is included with the product to protect your knees when using the ab roller on unforgiving terrain. It takes a fair bit of pressing to get the mat to sit flat, and larger-bodied users might find it a bit cramped (as was the case with our 6ft 2in tester). However, it was effective in protecting our knees against bruising from both hardwood and cement floors.
Durability
- Durability score: 4.5/5
The stainless steel central bar felt strong when we put our weight on it, making us confidence it can stand the test of time, and the foam handles struck a good balance between robust and comfortable.
We also liked that the tread of the chunky plastic wheel is covered with a layer of TPR rubber to minimize noise on the floor if you’re using it in a flat.
Functionality
- Functionality score: 4.5/5
When it comes to the functionality of the Vinsguir Ab Roller, complaints from our in-house testers were hard to come by. It allowed us to perform almost all standard ab roller exercises while moving smoothly over flat surfaces.
It was near-silent when used on any floor, qualifying it as neighbor-friendly, and it’s compact enough to fit in most gym bags if you want to finish off your sweat-session with a fiery core finisher.
The wide central wheel didn’t deviate from its path, and proved more stable than thinner alternatives, making it more beginner-friendly.
The thick foam handles are incredibly comfortable, so your palms won’t ache by the end of your workout, and the TPR rubber covering the tread provides just the right amount of resistance when performing exercises where your arms support your weight in an extended plank position.
One thing to bear in mind is, as with most ab rollers, the narrow grip will task your shoulders as well as your core during exercises like roller pikes and ab rollouts. So, make sure you have a good amount of strength in this area before attempting more advanced moves.
Value for money
With an MSRP of $28.99, the Vinsguir Ab Roller is on the more affordable end of the spectrum when it comes to core-torching equipment. However, it gains a leg-up on other models in the $20-30 range due to its portability, premium materials and covert clever features. So, if you’re after a quality ab roller for a reasonable price, we think this represents good bang for your buck.
- Value for money score: 4/5
Verdict
The Vinsguir Ab Roller is a great option for anyone wanting to balance quality and affordability. An investment of less than $30 buys you a robust roller that moves smoothly and is built to last. The plush foam handle covers kept us comfortable throughout workouts, and the thicker central wheel is more stable than other ab rollers we tested, making it a good option for newcomers to this style of ab workout.
If this isn’t for you
We would direct anyone wanting to invest in the best ab roller towards the SKLZ Core Wheels (above). These clever customers come as a pair, with each roller featuring a foam handle bookended by two small rubber wheels. By taking this approach, they become a far more versatile training tool, allowing users to complete push-up variations or scale exercises by using one arm while their other hand stays on the ground as a point of stability. You can even use them for some mobility movements, so there really is something for everyone.
Or if it’s innovation you’re after, try the Lifeline Power Wheel. This bigger piece of kit won’t slip innocuously into a gym bag, but its foot stirrups allow you to add crawls and leg curls (as well as the usual ab roller exercises) into your home workout routine.
How we test ab rollers
We took some of the best ab rollers out for a spin to see which ones were able to torch our core. Our in-house testers completed these eight ab roller exercises with each roller, taking note of their set-up and design, durability, and functionality. We also tested out any additional innovative features they had to offer – such as the unique foot straps of the Lifeline Power Wheel Ultimate Core Trainer – and considered the value for money provided by each product. These factors were combined to deliver a final score out of five stars.
User reviews
The Vinsguir Ab Roller has a rating of 4.3 stars out of a possible five on Amazon. Customers praise its build quality, with some commenting that they appreciated the inclusion of a small foam mat to protect their knees on hard floors. Buyers also liked its smaller overall size, describing it as “super convenient” for disassembling and storing in their gym bag.
Harry Bullmore is a fitness writer covering everything from reviews to features for LiveScience, T3, TechRadar, Fit&Well and more. So, whether you’re looking for a new fitness tracker or wondering how to shave seconds off your 5K PB, chances are he’s written something to help you improve your training.
When not writing, he’s most likely to be found experimenting with a wide variety of training methods in his home gym or trying to exhaust his ever-energetic puppy.
Prior to joining Future, Harry wrote health and fitness product reviews for publications including Men’s Health, Women’s Health and Runner’s World. Before this, he spent three years as a news reporter with work in more than 70 national and regional newspapers.
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