Sliders are highly underrated. They look small and unassuming—but that also makes them a travel-friendly accessory, which is why they are a trainer favorite. “They are great for beginners, and depending on the exercises you do, they can leave even the fittest person on the ground questioning how fit they really are," says Alonzo Wilson, Founder and Director of Training at Tone House.
Exercise sliders offer a creative, versatile way of working every single part of your body—we’re talking arms, legs, chest, glutes, and of course, the core—in a joint-friendly manner. And research backs this up. When you work sliders into your routine, the muscles in your body have to work harder and in different ways than they normally would because they are on an unstable platform (hello balance!).
Reviewed & Approved
The versatile, easily portable Propel Athletics Premium Core Sliders also come with a free workout video and trial period, making them our top pick. If you’re on a budget, we recommend the ProsourceFit Sliding Discs.
Before purchasing, it’s important to consider material, comfort, and size. We used these characteristics to inform our list, along with elements like surface compatibility, cost, shape, among others.
Here are the best sliders on the market for every exercise need and fitness level.
With our top choice, you aren’t limited to just one training area. These 7-inch sliders allow you to glide over hardwood or laminate floors just as easily as carpet or turf. You just have to flip the discs over—one side is made of EVA foam (which works well for hardwood and tile) and the other is plastic (great for carpet or turf).
Best Overall
Propel Athletics Premium Core Sliders
Comes with a nifty travel bag
Works on multiple surfaces
Comes with a free workout video
Comes with a risk-free trial period
Very basic design
The sliders come in neutral colors and in bright hues alike. With your purchase, you also get access to a free online workout. If they aren’t your style, you can always return them—they come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Price at time of publication: $16
Key Specs:Size: 7-inch diameter | Material: High density foam, ABS plastic | Made for: hardwood and laminate floors, carpet and turf
Mountain climbers, skaters, pikes, lunges—whatever the move, these sliders, which feature a two-sided design, will easily add intensity to any at-home workout.
Best Budget
ProsourceFit Exercise Sliding Discs
Works on multiple surfaces
Lightweight
Not the most cushioned option
The durable plastic side smoothly slides across carpet and grass, while the EVA foam glides along any hard surface, including hardwood or tiled floors. And at less than a pound, you can easily carry them in your purse, suitcase, or gym bag without adding bulk or extra weight.
Price at time of publication: $13
Key Specs:Size: 7.00 x 7.00 x 0.25 Inches | Material: ABS plastic and EVA foam | Made for: Carpet, fitness mats, any hard floor, grass
Hands down, the best feature of these hexagonal-shaped sliders is that you can snap them together to essentially form one giant slider, making movements where you want to use your legs or arms in tandem easier—think body saws, double knee tucks, pike ups, and more.
Best Advanced
SKLZ Slidez Dual-Sided Exercise Glider Discs
Works on multiple surfaces
Snap together to former a larger slider
Studded side allows for better grip
Newbies may feel intimidated by the shape and the protruding lugs
Lug may not feel comfortable for everyone
Also handy: They are dual-sided. The combo of the foam-cushioned, studded side and the plastic yellow side makes them perfect for a variety of surfaces—including carpet, rugs, pavement, turf, track, gym floors, gravel, mats, and polished cement. Plus, they won’t leave any marks!
Price at time of publication: $25
Key Specs:Size: 1.73 x 12.2 x 10.94 inches | Material: Plastic, foam | Made for: Carpet, rugs, pavement, turf, track, gym floors, gravel, mats, and polished cement
If you’re a newbie to the world of sliders, the handy strap across the foamy, cushioned side will make these much more pleasant to use compared to traditional sliders—it hits on the forefoot or across the center of the hand. They shore up your grip, helping to keep your feet or hands in place, no matter the exercise.
Best for Beginners
MANYTONEZ Core Sliders with Straps
Works on a variety of surfaces
Comes with booties so you don’t scratch your floor
Straps keep hands or feet in place
Comes with a digital workout guide
Only comes in one color
Going from carpet to hardwood or tile floors? Simply slip the included sleeves around the seven-inch pink plastic side to keep from scratching or marking up your floors.
Key Specs:Size: 7.56 x 7.48 x 1.69 inches | Material: Plastic | Made for: Hardwood and Tile (with sleeves), and carpet
The larger surface area of these sliders makes them much easier to maneuver, whether you’re performing mountain climbers or pike ups (or any exercise in the included book of exercises) while the ergonomic oval shape easily slides around in all different directions.
Best Grip
GoFit Go Slides
Comes with booties, which allows for use on more surfaces
Comes with a training booklet
Comes with a handy carrying pouch
Only comes in one color
The protruding circular pattern may be uncomfortable for some people
Plus attachable booties, which slip over the plastic green side, help make surfaces more slide-worthy while providing protection against floor scuffing. And a unique tread offers a firm grip, keeping hands and feet from slipping off.
Price at time of publication: $30
Key Specs:Size: 12.3 x7.95 x 2 | Material: Plastic | Made for: Hardwood and Tile
Not exactly a traditional slider, this pricy rubber pair uses a cool patented technology gleaned from the aeronautics industry that uses three ball bearings to allow you to shift your weight while sliding in several different directions.
Best with Exercise Guide
Flyte Fitness Core Flyte
Comes with a handy workout guide and free online workouts
Works on multiple surfaces
The wheels may be too intense for new-to-slider folks
More expensive than other options listed
It also works well on a variety of surfaces—rubber, carpet, wood, concrete, and more—without having to be turned over or covered with any additional material. The best part: It comes with an eight-week sliders workout guide that is adaptable, whether you are a novice or a pro.
Price at time of publication: $20
Key Specs:Size: 17 x 8.5 x 2.5 inches | Material: Rubber | Made for: Rubber, carpet, wood, concrete, and more
We love that this lightweight, aqua-hued pair (it comes in pink too!) comes with a set of four mini resistance bands, making it a portable all-in-one gym.
Best Set
Bellafit Athletics Resistance Bands and Exercise Sliders
Comes in two colorways
Comes with a set of resistance bands
There are no booties to protect floors
Only works on limited surfaces
The sliders have a smooth plastic side for textured surfaces (like your carpet) but they come without the protection of booties. So you may not want to use this pair on surfaces that easily scratch (like hardwood floors).
Throw everything in the carrying bag post-sweat session for easy storing.
Key Specs:Size: 7-inch diameter | Material: Plastics and higher-density fabric | Made for: Carpets and other textured surfaces
The unique triangle shape sets this sleek slider apart from the rest of the squad, allowing you to really splay your fingers for a much sturdier grip. Made of high-quality plastic on one side and fabric film on the other, this lightweight and versatile pair can glide on pretty much any surface, whether you are sliding around outdoors on grass or turf or inside on hardwood or laminated floors.
Best for Multiple Surfaces
Hensita Grooms Athletics Dual-Sided Core Sliders
- Unique design allows for splaying fingers
- Works on multiple surfaces
- Made with durable plastic
The sliders only come in one color, but the black hue is elegant, stylish, and versatile.
Key Specs:Size: 0.79 x 8.66 x 8.66 inches | Material: Plastic and fabric film | Made for: Grass, turf, hardwood and laminate floors, and more.
This oval-shaped pick, which comes in a convenient carrying case, may be a hit with women since they often have smaller hands. It’s also a great pick for folks with longer fingers.
Best Oval
Valslides Discs
Works on multiple surfaces
The oval shape is great for smaller hands and long fingers
They are a little pricey
More expensive than other options listed
Wilson is a big fan of Valslides—they are a staple at his NYC-based boutique fitness studio, Tone House. According to Wilson, these sliders are incredibly durable and work well on most surfaces—including carpet, tile and linoleum floors, and turf.
Armed with the handy instruction guide that’s included, you’ve got everything you need to squeeze in a killer strength and core sesh.
Key Specs:Size: 10.1 x 5 x 2.2 inches | Material: Plastic | Made for: Carpet, tile and linoleum floors, turf
If you’re more focused on keeping your feet in the right place when using exercise sliders than you are on your actual workout, these extra-large sliders might be the perfect pick for you. With a 9-inch diameter, they are wider than most, so you won’t have to worry about sliding off during exercises. The larger diameter also makes them a good fit for folks with larger feet (or big hands!).
Best for Big Feet
INMAKER Exercise Sliders
The 9-inch diameter is ideal for folks with larger feet and hands
Works on multiple surfaces
Comes with an exercise manual and a carrying bag
Smaller hand folks may find these hard to maneuver
The sliders are outfitted with a thick EVA padding on one side, adding a level of cushy comfort when your hands are pressing into them. Choose between two colors—black or green.
Key Specs:Size: 8.86 x 8.86 x 0.59 inches | Material: Plastic and foam | Made for: Rugs, carpet, cloth, wood, laminate, and tile
For homes, apartments, or hotel rooms that are carpeted, these hard plastic polymer discs, which are the second largest on the list at 8.9 inches in diameter, are the way to go. They easily skim across textured surfaces without snagging, so all of your attention can be focused on shoring up your core.
Best for Carpet
Gliding Discs
Made specifically for carpet
The curved sides and dimpled surfaces help create better traction
Only comes in one color
Not as versatile as other models as it is made specifically for carpet
The curved and slightly raised sides, along with the tiny lugs along the surface, help keep your foot on the slider. The sliders only come in one color—vibrant purple.
Price at time of publication: $15
Key Specs:Size: 8.9-inch diameter | Material: Hard plastic polymer | Made for: Carpet
What to Look for When Buying Exercise Sliders
Material
The surface you’ll be sliding on is key. Hardwood floors? Carpet? Grass? It all needs to be taken into consideration. Ones with a sturdy plastic side will work on textured surfaces while a foam side slides better (and is way less abrasive) on harder surfaces.
Final Verdict
If you are looking for an entry-level slider, the MANYTONEZ Core Sliders with Straps are a great pair that can help you get the basics down (without feeling like a klutz) before moving on to a more advanced pair.
For those who want a slider that moves on multiple surfaces and comes with a few extra bells and whistles, consider the Propel Athletics Premium Core Sliders. They work just as well on hardwood floors as they do on carpet, and they come with a handy workout guide.
Comfort
No matter which slider you choose, you want it to feel comfy. That could mean being stiffer or a little more malleable or having extra foam padding for a more cushy experience. Choose sliders with raised nubs to boost your grip, or opt for traditional, smooth sliders if the uneven surface is a distraction. It’s the little details that will make or break your slider experience.
Size
Typically these rounded discs measure about 7 inches in diameter. Size begins to vary when the shape (think oval, triangle, or hexagonal) changes. No matter which size you choose, just make sure your hands and feet fit comfortably on the disc.
Why Trust Verywell Fit?
Rozalynn S. Frazier is an award-winning, multimedia journalist with more than 20 years of experience reporting on health and fitness. She is also a NASM-certified personal trainer and an avid exerciser who routinely puts wellness tools and fitness gear through its paces to help readers figure out which products are worthy of praise. She has created content for SELF, Men’s Health, Real Simple, Health, Essence, Cosmopolitan, Livestrong.com, among others.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I use exercise sliders?
- Using exercise sliders is pretty simple—though performing exercises with them is challenging. Simply lay them down on the desired surface, place a hand or foot on each slider (or just one if doing unilateral exercises), and then move them around to perform your chosen exercise.
- What exercises are exercise sliders used for?
- From basic moves like lateral lunges and reverse lunges to more advanced exercises like atomic push-ups, single-leg mountain climbers, single-leg hamstring curls, and more, the versatility of this tool is endless.
- What can I use instead of exercise sliders?
- If you don’t feel like shelling out cash for yet another exercise tool, don’t worry. There are tons of things you likely already have at home that can double as a pair of sliders. Working out on hardwood floors? Try using a pair of socks, a hand or dish towel, or even some paper towels. If carpets are more your style, paper plates will do the trick.
Using exercise sliders is pretty simple—though performing exercises with them is challenging. Simply lay them down on the desired surface, place a hand or foot on each slider (or just one if doing unilateral exercises), and then move them around to perform your chosen exercise.
From basic moves like lateral lunges and reverse lunges to more advanced exercises like atomic push-ups, single-leg mountain climbers, single-leg hamstring curls, and more, the versatility of this tool is endless.
If you don’t feel like shelling out cash for yet another exercise tool, don’t worry. There are tons of things you likely already have at home that can double as a pair of sliders. Working out on hardwood floors? Try using a pair of socks, a hand or dish towel, or even some paper towels. If carpets are more your style, paper plates will do the trick.
