Plyo Box Buying Guide Australia (2026): Foam vs Wood and Which Height
Plyo Box Buying Guide Australia (2026): Foam vs Wood and Which Height
The Short Answer
For most people the best plyo box is a 3 in 1 box: turn it over and you get three heights, 20, 24 and 30 inches (508mm, 610mm and 762mm), from one box. The main choice is foam or wood. A foam box ($349) has firm foam inside a no-slip vinyl casing, so a clipped shin on a missed jump usually means a bump rather than a scrape. A wooden box ($169) costs less and weighs less, at 23kg against 30kg. Beginners, group classes and anyone jumping when tired are better off on foam. Experienced jumpers on a budget will do fine on wood.
Specs from the VERVE product pages, November 2026. Prices on this page update automatically.
What a plyo box is for
A plyo box is a sturdy box you jump onto, step onto or put your hands or feet on. It is one of the most useful pieces of functional training equipment for the money. Common exercises:
- Box jumps and burpee box jumps
- Step-ups, with or without dumbbells or a kettlebell
- Jump overs
- Elevated push-ups, and feet-elevated push-ups for more difficulty
- Rear foot elevated split squats, and a target to sit back to for box squats
A 3 in 1 box covers all of these because you can change the height in seconds by rolling it onto another side.
Foam vs wooden plyo boxes
| 3 in 1 Foam Plyo Box | 3 in 1 Wooden Plyo Box | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $349 | $169 |
| Heights | 20, 24 and 30 inch (508, 610 and 762mm) | 20, 24 and 30 inch (508, 610 and 762mm) |
| Construction | Firm foam inside a no-slip vinyl casing | Interlocked plywood with finished edges |
| Weight | 30kg | 23kg |
| Best for | Beginners, group classes, high-rep jumping | Experienced jumpers, step-ups, tighter budgets |
Pick foam if you are new to box jumps, coach classes, or programme jumps in conditioning workouts where people get tired. The soft edges make a missed jump far less painful, which also makes people more willing to commit to the jump.
Pick wood if you are confident on the box, mostly use it for step-ups and elevated work, or want the lower price. Wood gives a firmer landing surface, but the edges are hard, so the margin for error is smaller.
Which height should you use?
- Start on the 20 inch side. Choose the height you can land on softly, in a balanced squat, with your feet flat. If you land in a deep, scrambling squat, the box is too high.
- Height is not the point. A box jump trains how fast you can produce force. A higher box mostly tests how high you can pull your knees up, so move up only when the lower height feels easy and controlled.
- Step down, do not jump down. Stepping off one leg at a time is the usual coaching advice, especially in high-rep sets, because it spares your Achilles and calves the repeated hard landings.
- Use the taller sides for step-ups and split squats. The 24 and 30 inch sides suit taller lifters and harder step-up variations.
How many do you need?
For a home gym, one 3 in 1 box is enough. For group classes, plan one box per person in a box jump or step-up block, or one per pair if partners alternate. Because each box gives three heights, a whole class can scale on the same set of boxes.
Building out a functional training space? See the rest of the functional training range, and our guide to strength training vs functional training for how plyo work fits into a programme.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size plyo box should I buy?
Is a foam or wooden plyo box better?
How much does a plyo box weigh?
Should you jump down from a plyo box?
What exercises can you do with a plyo box?
Your next steps
Decide who will be jumping: beginners and classes suit foam, confident jumpers suit wood. Then work out how many boxes you need at peak time. If you are kitting out a studio, send VERVE your class size and space and we will help you plan it.
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