EPE Black High Density Foam Roller - 6" x 12", Round, 1.9 lbs per cubic foot

I take this on the road with me to roll out the travel aches. Everytime I use it and my vertebra gets aligned I feel like I breathe deeper and I feel refreshed. I sit on the roller parallel to my buns. I use my abdominal muscles to slowly roll down the roller up to my shoulders/neck. Anywhere along my spine I will stop and use little movements back and forth to work out a sensitive spot until the vertebra pops into place or I feel relief. You can also use this on your thighs to roll but I mostly focus on my back. Some with weak abdominal muscles may need someone to help you stay on the roller under control.It is small enough to fit under the seats in our minivan so it doesn't take up much room on a road trip. I feel it is worth the space it does take. If I were traveling by air I would not take it unless I felt desperate to have that adjustment and willing to give up some luggage space for it.I have shared this with several friends and family members. Most of them want one too after feeling "adjusted", relieved of back pressure, and a breath of fresh air.I gave this five stars because for the price it is a great tool for improving my back health. I definitely would buy another one.

I liked the smaller size and the smaller price as compared to the stores I had seen them in. I use it to loosen the muscles on my thighs and hips and it works just fine. It IS hard and does hurt at times but that's more a product of tight muscles than the roller. This isn't a soft foam; it's very rigid. Good for rolling out tight shoulder and neck muscles too and the smaller size makes it easy to store.

First, I don't recommend getting the 12-inch size. Yes, it's the least-expensive option, but if you really want to be able to manipulate it to get right to the right muscles, opt for at least the 18-inch size. If I bought it again, I'd get the 36-inch, without question. However, it does work well. I mostly use to roll out the muscles of my outer thighs, because those tend to hurt more than anywhere else on my body. This is the hardest roller you can buy (at least from my experience), so expect some pain when you're rolling. If you want less pain, choose a different color. I believe pink has far less density and is better for a beginner. You can also use this for exercises, like crunches, behind your back, but it's a bit too slippery for that for me.

I saw one of these used on u-tube by a masseuse, he used it on himself to loosen his muscles and pop his spine. I have also seen people use them for exercise. I received it and use it mostly for my back and I love it! Everyone who comes over has to try it. Some love it and others not so much but for me it works great. The density is great and it has held up well so far.

My gym has a bunch of foam rollers lying around and the only one in decent shape still is one of these high density black ones. So when I was looking for one to help stretch my IT band in the morning this was the one I went for and I couldn't be happier! This thing is pretty solid, but that's exactly what you want for IT band stretching. If you're just starting out it might hurt more than a softer one but I would definitely stick with it because as you keep stretching you will end up needing something harder liker this. I've been using it 3-4x per week for the last 4 years (wouldn't call it "heavy use"), but it still holds its shape nicely

Last year I developed a pain in my hip that just wouldn't go away that was made worse by standing or walking too long, lying on my hip, and bending down. (I'm 22! Too young for this...) Anyway, I tried a few different things, including self medication with Naproxen, going to the orthopedist, and physical therapy. All dreadfully ineffective.Then I found out about foam rollers. A personal trainer at a fitness club got me to try one as part of my warm up, and as I continued to use it over a period of weeks, my hip hurt less and less. I have been using this foam roller every day for the past four months, and I've had great results. Unfortunately, I still have trouble if I sleep on my hip, and I will never run a marathon - barring a medical miracle which I still wish would happen. However, I can do my day-to-day activities without pain now, and I even do some sprints as part of my exercise routine. This is definitely one of the best medical investments you can make for hip (and probably knee) pain if your pain is caused by muscle tightness (my problem turned out to be Iliotibial band tightness).This particular foam roller is an excellent product worthy of your purchase. It has been my faithful companion on my road to recovery, and it looks pretty much as good as the day I got it in the mail - no noticeable compression or anything.

This travel foam roller has been great. I use it for my IT band, quads, hamstrings, calves, and back. I travel all the time and it works great on trips and is very dense. BE warned it will probably hurt the first week if you have never used one, but your body loosens up pretty quick if you use it consistently. I will probably buy a couple more of these as the foam will inevitably start to soften and then won't massage as well. I would highly recommend this product.