Balance board comparison sheet:

We don't wanna sell you a CoolBoard balance board if its not right for you, we're here to help out and only want your hard earned if its right... so if you're in the market for a balance board, read on to find out what type you should have...

Whatever you want a balance board for your decision should be based on how much movement you want it to provide. Basically, more movement makes it more difficult, gives a higher degree of training benefits, makes it a more realistic board sport simulator, and in our opinion, a lot more fun, and vice versa.

It may be that you wish to progress, increasing movement as you go, and some balance boards provide for this, which will be noted for you.

Some of these products are also easy to make at home if you're a little practical. So where possible, we will let you know how to save you some pennies.

So here we go - through the different types of balance boards and wobble boards to give you a balanced view of what they do and who should use them. We start with the most limited movement, and go through the various types as their range of movement increases.

Rocker boards

This is the most basic type of balance board. It can only rock from foot to foot, so offers only one degree of movement - part rotation about the transverse axis.

Rocker boards are used for early child development work and very early rehabilitation.

Rocker boards are generally made by gym equipment and sports manufacturers.

DIY coming soon...

Wobble boards

These can rock in any direction and allow twisting, so the wobble board offers full rotation about the vertical axis, and part rotation about the transverse and longitudinal axes, therefore a balance board having three degrees of movements.

Wobble boards are used in child development, gymnasiums, basic sport training and physiotherapy. Wobble boards are used on their own, and in conjunction with other exercises and equipment.

Wobble boards are generally made by gym equipment and sports manufacturers. Extreme Balance Board is a well-known brand and an evolution of the wobble board.

DIY coming soon...

Rocker-Roller boards

Roller boards can rock and roll foot to foot. This adds a degree of instability to the rocker board that makes them more challenging.

So rocker-roller boards offer the same degrees of rotation as a rocker board, add a degree of translation along the longitudinal axis and allow twisting, thus having three degrees of movement.

Some balance board manufacturers use a conical roller, so the board can rock toe to heel as well, but not roll. There are different ways of constraining the roller with the board, which leads to slightly different rides.

Roller boards have been popular with other board riders (e.g. skateboarders, surfers, snowboarders etc.). Tricks can be done on these boards and competitions are held.

Rocker-roller boards are also used in child development, gymnasiums, sport training and physiotherapy. They are used on their own and in conjunction with other exercises and equipment.

Due to the level of instability, anyone not used to balance boards, or balance training will take a little while to get the hang of it, but should find it quite easy after 5 - 10 minutes.

The brand leaders are Vew-Do Boards, Indo Board, Holoholo Board Sports, Bongo Balance Board (by FitterFirst), Scrub (the name under which the Bongo Balance Board is sold in the United Kingdom), and Lush Longboards.

Both Indo and Vew-Do offer a balance board system that allows them to be used as a wobble board allowing progression.

DIY coming soon...

Sphere-and-Ring boards

Sphere and ring boards are the only type of balance board that can rock and roll in any direction, giving the highest degree of instability, and so offer the most movement.

Therefore sphere-and-ring boards give the most degrees of movement, allowing rotation about all axes, and translation in both longitudinal and transverse direction. The only degree missing is translation in the vertical direction. Thus, they have five degrees of movement.

These balance boards are increasingly being used by all types of sports people due to the unrestricted training benefit. This movement also makes them the best simulator for other board riders. They are also being seen as an activity in their own right, with tricks being adapted for them.

Sphere-and-ring boards also have application in high end child development, gymnasiums, sport training and physiotherapy.

However, due to the level of instability, anyone not used to balance boards, or balance training will take a little while to get the hang of it, and should go easy to begin with. Sphere-and-ring boards may not be suitable for the infirm, elderly or the very young.

Sphere-and-ring boards are produced by CoolBoard balance board (as shown in photo), Balance360, Si-Boards, and SurfBall.

All of these boards can be turned into a wobble board, allowing progression, by swapping the ball for a balance cushion (about £20) or similar, and some manufacturers, like ourselves, offer these as an accessory.