9 Best Kickboards for Swimmers (Kick Faster)

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Looking for the perfect kickboard for a faster kick and swimming? Here is your ultimate guide to the best kickboards in the pool.

The kickboard is a fusion of swim aid and performance enhancer for swimmers.

From beginner swimmers learning the fundamentals of kick technique to seasoned swimmers looking to maximize swim performance, a kickboard can be an invaluable tool for faster swimming.

The perfect kickboard is durable, hydrodynamic, comfortable, and matches your goals in the pool.

In this deep dive into the world of the best kickboards for swimmers, we will:

• Evaluate the top kickboards on the pool deck
• Highlight key features, including the pros and cons of each board
• Match each kickboard to the right type of swimmer and respective goals in the water

By the end, you’ll have a perfect idea of which kickboard will help you unlock a faster, stronger kick in the water.

Let’s jump right in.

Best Kickboards for Swimmers

Here is a quick look at the top kickboards for every kind of swimmer:

• Speedo Team Kickboard — Best overall kickboard
• FINIS Junior Kickboard – Best for junior swimmers
• Sporti Momentum Kickboard – Best arrowhead kickboard
• FINIS Alignment Kickboard — Best for advanced swimmers
• Sporti Hybrid Pull Buoy Kickboard — Best pull buoy/kickboard combo
• Sporti Swim Bundle – Best kickboard bundle

Speedo Team Kickboard

⭐ Best overall kickboard

The Speedo Team Kickboard is the best overall kickboard for improving kick and swim performance thanks to its ergonomic features, solid EVA construction, and multiple color options.

Swimmers know the name Speedo; the brand has been outfitting swimmers from beginners to Olympic champions for over a hundred years, and they nail the basics with its Team Kickboard.

The Speedo Team Kickboard features contoured side ridges for improved grip and comfortable face placement, catering to beginners and experienced swimmers alike, enhancing water confidence and body positioning.

The kickboard is also fairly rigid, which is important as it keeps it from sinking with heavier users, reducing flex that causes unnecessary drag. The rigidity is also great for generating more resistance within aquacise classes.

The underside of the board also has a contoured finger rail for improved grip when kicking away during your swimming workouts.

Available in three colors and made of long-lasting EVA foam for repeated use, the Speedo Team Kickboard leads the way for the top kickboard in the pool.

FINIS Junior Kickboard

⭐ Best kickboard for kids

The FINIS Junior Kickboard is perfect for younger and smaller swimmers looking to build confidence and skill in the water.

The smaller size of the board allows junior swimmers to grip and balance themselves properly. Properly sizing a kickboard to smaller bodies promotes better control, leading to better technique and form.

To compare the size of the FINIS Junior kickboard versus adult kickboards, consider the following:

The FINIS Junior Kickboard is made of EVA foam that doesn’t chafe the skin during extended use.

FINIS offers the board exclusively in its standard gold color, and the ergonomic shape of the board allows swimmers to focus on kicking instead of trying to stay afloat.

Sporti Momentum Kickboard

⭐ Best arrowhead kickboard

The Sporti Momentum Kickboard is a streamlined board perfect for experienced swimmers looking for maximum speed in the water.

The hydrodynamic design, including the narrower end at the top of the board, promotes a more streamlined hand placement, closely reflecting how swimmers place their hands when pushing off the wall when swimming.

The Sporti Momentum kickboard is made of high-density foam, generating buoyancy that helps the board cut across the water’s surface when kicking.

Hand grips are cut out for swimmers who like to kick with their head down in the water (or simply to carry the kickboard outside of the pool more easily), and the arrowhead design promotes a more neutral hand grip which can be more comfortable for swimmers who don’t like using an overhand grip when using a kickboard.

The Sporti Momentum Kickboard is made for speed and comfort, retailing for less than $20, and is less expensive compared to other swim brands’ arrowhead kickboards.

FINIS Alignment Kickboard

⭐ Best for experienced swimmers

Looking to improve your body position and technique in the water? How about your ability to kick powerfully while swimming?

Then the FINIS Alignment Kickboard, a deliberately small, arrowhead kickboard is the perfect tool for you.

The small, triangular shape of the board sits slightly under the surface of the water when in use, forcing swimmers to balance themselves efficiently in the water, improve body position, and learn how to kick powerfully while in a “regular swimming” body position.

What do I mean by that?

Traditional kickboards lock both hands onto a kickboard. While this is great for improving kick endurance and learning general kicking mechanics, there is a ceiling on skill transfer when using a kickboard this way.

The FINIS Alignment board is significantly smaller compared to a standard kickboard.

There’s no hip rotation. The head is up, hips are often sinking. In other words, this looks nothing like the body position swimmers use when swimming efficiently.

The FINIS Alignment Kickboard helps swimmers learn to kick in the same body position they use when swimming, making the skill and fitness transfer more specific to regular swimming.

The smaller size and reduced floatation encourage swimmers to kick with head down, hips up, and the most streamlined body position possible.

The FINIS Alignment Kickboard is the perfect kickboard for the swimmer ready to level up their kicking and swimming game in the pool.

Sporti Hybrid Kickboard and Pull Buoy

⭐ Best hybrid kickboard and pull buoy

The Sporti Hybrid Kickboard and Pull Buoy is the best kickboard for swimmers who want to be able to seamlessly switch between kick and pull during their swim workouts.

Sporti’s space-saving kickboard/pull-buoy frees up space in your swim bag and gives swimmers more flexibility on designing swim workouts that target both the upper and lower body.

The Hybrid Kickboard has a tapered middle that sits comfortably between the thighs when doing pull, and ergonomic hand placements at the top to grip when doing kicking.

Heavier swimmers (like myself) may find that the smaller size doesn’t give enough buoyancy for using it effectively as a kickboard.

Compact, made of high-density EVA foam, and one-size-fits-all, the Sporti Hybrid Kickboard and Pull Buoy is an excellent option for swimmers eager to mix up their swim workouts.

Sporti Adult Swim Bundle

⭐ Best swim bundle (with a kickboard)

The Sporti Swim Bundle includes a kickboard, paddles, pull buoy, and a mesh bag to carry it all, the perfect option for older swimmers looking for an all-in-one pack of swim gear for conquering the lap pool.

Each bundle includes an adult kickboard (your choice of color), a set of Sporti Power Paddles (our top pick for best budget power swim paddle, BTW), a pull buoy, and a mesh bag.

Choose from your colors (and, in the case of the paddles, size) of choice.

The bundle’s price point also saves considerable money versus purchasing each type of essential swim gear separately. While it doesn’t have a set of swim training fins, it’s got all of the other “must haves” for getting serious with swim training.

Whether you order it as a gift for the swimmer in your life or to get yourself started in your swimming journey, the Sporti Adult Swim Bundle has the kickboard and swim gear necessary for success.

Other Kickboards We’ve Tested and Tried

Outside of the top choices listed above, there are plenty of other kickboards on the market (and pool deck) for swimmers looking to take their swimming and kicking to the next level.

Kickboards that came close but didn’t quite make the podium include:

Arena Kickboard. Arena is one of the most popular swim brands, but they miss the mark with the Arena Kickboard. The bottom of the board has a wave-shaped contour that juts into a swimmer’s sternum, and the two hand grips at the top of the board are prone to taking on water. Available in lots of vibrant colors, though.

Sporti Junior Kickboard. Highly rated, the Sporti Junior Kickboard is an excellent alternative to the FINIS Junior Kickboard. It’s also available in more colorways compared to FINIS.

Arena Pull Kick II Kickboard. A hybrid kickboard and pull buoy, the Arena Pull Kick II is a worthy competitor to the Sporti Hybrid we chose as our favorite. The main deciding factor was price, with the Arena Hybrid more expensive.

Wrapping Things Up

When improving kicking (and swimming) speed and technique, no swimming aid is more effective than a kickboard. (Well, maybe a quality set of swimming goggles…)

Using a kickboard allows beginner to experienced swimmers to focus on using excellent technique, building kick endurance, and learning how to apply a stronger kick into faster swimming.

Fortunately, there is a kickboard in the pool that matches your goals and needs.

Using the tips and expertise above, choose the right kickboard for you and your swimming, and kick your way to improve performance in the water.

Happy swimming (and kicking)!

More Swim Gear Guides and Reviews

Looking for even more swim gear for leveling up your swim workouts?

Here you go:

8 Best Swim Snorkels for Better Technique and Faster Swimming. Swim snorkels are an excellent tool for improving technique and speed in the water. Here’s your ultimate guide to choosing the perfect swim snorkel.

9 Best Bags for Swimmers (Pack for Success). Store your swim gear like a pro and go from poolside to podium with the best swim bags for every kind of swimmer.