myofascial - Grid roller versus Star roller

Jenniferlove

Jenniferlove

Cathlete
I've always used a regular foam roller and occasionally a rumble roller. However, I'm thinking about switching to a grid roller but the star roller might also work.

There's about a $20 price difference between the two but when it comes to what is going to do the best job for me I'm just not sure.

Has anyone looked into these options?

Product: Grid 2.0 Foam Roller

OPTP Star Roller | Shop OPTP.com

Any feedback would be much appreciated.
Thanks.
 
Jen,
I think the star roller looks the most painful (;):p)! I use a plain foam roller and have also been considering one of the grid types...but the star one really caught my attention :eek:! Can't wait until you get some feedback on this!
 
My reaction is the same as Nancy's: the Star looks great, and like some kind of torture device found on board a Klingon warship on Star Trek: dark and evil.......

It does compress a bit though, with body weight on top of it, and I know that my dense foam roller does not compress at all. So, that probably counterbalances the pain that could be caused by the ridges.

Did you watch the little video? The woman did not seem to be in pain, not gritting her teeth!!! Still, I don't think there's much that's "playful" about foam rolling. Isn't it an uncomfortable necessity we all learn to make peace with?

I would be interested to see if there are reviews of either product on amazon.com. See what some other people think.....

Clare
 
I recently purchased the grid 2.0 and love it. It's nice and firm and the little ridges can get in there and help release those tight muscles. I have used a rumble roller and it can really get into pressure points but I prefer the grid. I don't know about you all, but when my back, hamstrings, or quads are feeling DOMS or just are tight, I actually look forward to using the roller. I know it will hurt some - especially at first, but then as things start popping and releasing it feels good. I did not experience that feeling with the rumble roller. That's just my $0.02.
 
Hi Jennifer ,
I also have the Rumble Roller and really like it but the lack of ,' give ', is probably the best and worst thing about it - it's great for digging into a specific trigger point , but not always helpful [ to me ] at getting larger areas to relax . I've never tried any other types , but after reading Macbeanur's take on them , I really want to try the Grid !
 
Other than the video and the web site I haven't been able to find any other info about the Star roller; not even on Amazon.
I'm wondering if it's super new, whereas the Grid has been out a bit longer therefore more accessible and has more comments.

This morning I ended up using a tennis ball on my pecs and lats/traps and already my shoulder/neck feel better. The rumble roller is awkward on my pecs, and the regular foam roller doesn't seem to touch it.

Having said that I think the small grid would work better for my chest than the star.

Maybe I will end up getting the full size of both kinds at some point; after all, some days some muscles might need one more than the other! I think the Star roller will be more comfortable on some body parts than the Rumble roller, anyway.

Thank you all for your responses!
 
Those of you who have the Grid and a Regular roller, are both needed? Are they used for different reasons? I am about to buy my first one and will get just the grid if I can use it for most/all stretches.

Thanks.
 
macbeanur, did you get the orange or black one?
Based on one of the pictures it looks like the black one is either harder density or has defined bumps and ridges in it.
 
Jenniferlove said:
macbeanur, did you get the orange or black one?
Based on one of the pictures it looks like the black one is either harder density or has defined bumps and ridges in it.
Click to expand...

I bought the black one - one of the reviews mentioned the orange one showed dirt quite quickly. Another review mentioned something about the black one being professional grade or something - but this is very vague in my mind. So I am not sure that this is true.

The black one definitely has "ridges" on it. The description implies that parts of the roller are like "fingers".

There is an image on amazon that points out the specific parts:

Amazon.com: Trigger Point Performance The Grid Revolutionary Foam Roller, Black: Sports & Outdoors

71tRv%2B95n5L._SL1500_.jpg


It says that there are Tubular sections "like the fingers" and "high and firm" portions that are "like the fingers" and then lower and flatter places that are more like the palm.

Check out this video ~ 2:30 min in - it briefly touches on what I am talking about above.

How To Use The Grid Foam Roller - YouTube

Let me know if that was completely confusing and I can try again.

- sarah
 
Gobias said:
Those of you who have the Grid and a Regular roller, are both needed? Are they used for different reasons? I am about to buy my first one and will get just the grid if I can use it for most/all stretches.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

I have 3, a short low density one (my first one) that I bought when I didn't know anything about foam rollers other than people rave about them. This one quickly depressed and didn't hold up well.

The second one I bought was because it was like the one I use at my gym that I love - this one was longer and denser (it says firm, there is a very firm one at the gym as well, but I prefer the firm one), and then I bought the grid. One of the reasons I bought the grid was because I was intrigued by the various surfaces but also because I wanted to have 2, one for the office and one for home. So to wind up this long winded answer. I really don't need the grid and the roller, I just wanted to have one in 2 places.

Having said that though, if you find you need a less dense roller, than I can see an argument for having 2, or like someone mentioned having 2 lengths could be beneficial. The long one is great when rolling out the back, but a bit cumbersome if you are just rolling one leg.

- sarah
 
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Hi Sara,
The video was helpful and the guy made me laugh a couple times :)
Can't wait to start - gotta stop the $120 visits to massage therapy if I can.
Thank so much for your help!
 
Jennifer, thank you for starting this thread. I broke out my roller and it's working magic on my tight lower back/hips/glutes/hams. I went ahead and bought the grid 2.0 (used my REI dividend, so it was "free"---how's that for rationalizing?).
 
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