Invented in the 1930s by US Olympic champion Adolph Kiefer, kickboards and floats soon became a staple piece of training equipment for competitive and beginner swimmers alike. By isolating the arms with a kickboard or the leg muscles with a pull buoy, swimmers can focus their energy on enhancing their stroke and kick separately.
Speedo, Zoggs, Finis, and Maru all offer top-quality kickboards for adults and children looking to improve. We've ranked the 10 best kickboards, alignment boards, and pull buoys money can buy from the always-reliable Amazon and Argos, with plenty to choose from, from junior inflatable pink boards for pool use to elite kickboards for outdoor exercise.
Quick List - Top Swimming Kickboards
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The most popular and well-known type is, of course, the classic floating kickboard. These foam slabs are designed to be held with both hands with your arms projected forward and your legs behind you.
This eliminates the potential for swim strokes and focuses your forward momentum into your leg muscles. The kick is an often overlooked aspect of swimming that everyone can benefit from improving, whether that's for fitness or technique.
The second type to consider isn't actually a kickboard per se, as it cancels kicking from the equation by sitting snugly between your legs as you swim. These 'pull buoys', as they're known, are great for slowing a swimmer down and helping them to focus on their strokes in a more deliberate manner.
If you can't decide on whether a kickboard or pull buoy would be more beneficial, then don't fear, as your indecision has been catered for. As the name suggests, two-in-ones offer both styles in one clever design.
These multi-use products have the outline of a kickboard with a defined, dug out middle part that aims to find a groove between your legs. This interchangeability makes for a complete swim training floatation device; however, it also means it won't necessarily excel at either discipline.
In a similar light, some child-focused kickboards are known to moonlight as both types too. These two or even three-in-one devices offer kids a back float and one or two boards in a single product through a stacked system.
While only available in a handheld form, a streamlined design could be the ticket to the swimming edge you so very desire. Streamline or 'alignment' kickboards are often made using a lighter foam and have a more triangular-shaped outline.
These two factors coupled together are why streamlined kickboards offer a more hydrodynamic slice through the water. This ergonomic shape ensures less resistance through forward motion and therefore lessens the load on your shoulders. The advancements do mean streamlined kickboards generally have a higher price tag, though.
Get even more streamlined with a swimming cap!
Kickboards designed with children in mind bring a certain element of fun to the pool that standard adult ones do not. Seen as a key to pool confidence for children, a kids' kickboard will help them improve their stroke and will have increased safety features thrown in for good measure.
As previously hinted, kickboards for kids can either come as a single kickboard with a colourful theme or as a triple stack with a strap that enables them to be also used as a back float. Whichever you go for, look for the age recommendation to ensure they are safe and suitable for your child.
Goggles are also an excellent way to increase your child's confidence!
Handles are a welcomed feature of many modern-day kickboards. They are commonly set as two ergonomic holes up at the front to provide your elbows with somewhere to rest. Slipping your hands into these dedicated holes instead of latching onto the sides of the kickboard will allow for a secure grip that's made to fit.
Another added handle bonus is you'll begin to notice your shoulders will feel more relaxed, helping sustained training sessions along with as minimal shoulder ache as possible. If a kickboard doesn't come equipped with handles, be on the lookout for any straps that might do a similar job.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Speedo Elite Kickboard | ![]() | A Classic Kickboard With Handles and Elbow Rests for Every Type of Swimmer | |
2 | Finis Alignment Kickboard | ![]() | A Hydrodynamic Alignment Board With Strap for Experienced Swimmers | |
3 | Zoggs Kickboard | ![]() | A Kickboard Built for Speed, Featuring a Hydrodynamic Profile | |
4 | Mad Wave Alignment Kickboard | ![]() | An Advanced, Streamlined 2-In-1 Kickboard to Promote a Faster Glide | |
5 | No Label Kickboard | ![]() | The Pro Handled Kickboard for Any Age to Keep You Swimming for Longer | |
6 | Maru Pull Buoy | ![]() | A Colourful Pull Buoy Range Made From Non-chafing Foam in Both Adult and Child Sizes | |
7 | Zoggs 3-in-1 Kickboard & Back Float | ![]() | A Kid-Friendly Float With 3 Separate Swimming Aids Styled Like a Jetpack | |
8 | No Label 2 in 1 Pull Kick Board | ![]() | A 2-In-1 Board Featuring Leg and Hand Grooves From a UK-Based Brand | |
9 | Scale Swimming Pull Buoy | ![]() | A Sleek Pull Buoy With an Ergonomic Design, Perfect for Adult Training | |
10 | Beco Kids' Swimming Kickboard | ![]() | Basic, Budget-Friendly Kids Kickboards With a Sea-Life Theme in either Pink or Blue |
The Speedo Elite is well-known for being key to getting swimmers all around the world improving. With two handles up the front and two dedicated elbow rests at the back, you'll feel an unrivalled sense of comfort through your arms, elbows and ultimately your shoulders.
By focusing on comfort before speed, Speedo has created a product that all swimmers of any and every level can get along with, which is exactly why it is Amazon's best selling kickboard worldwide. This is a true remark of kickboard design that is a testament to Speedo's 90-year story.
The Finis hydrodynamic is a best-selling alignment board purposed to promote a streamlined body position from fingertips to toes. The included strap will give you something to grip onto as you extend every kick in a forward motion, honing in on the precise part of every stroke's kick.
The centrally placed strap also makes it handy for one arm training through a purposefully weighted arm and body placement. This is another kickboard designed for experienced swimmers looking to evolve every aspect of their strokes.
The Zoggs Kickboard is built for speed. The hydrodynamic profile promotes a straight-line speed to help you get those kicks in tip-top shape while powering through the water.
With the larger than average size of the board, it allows for multiple ways to grip, enabling you to strengthen other muscles such as your thighs and stomach if you wish. The board also features two handles meaning it's perfect for beginners and advanced swimmers alike.
Mad Wave has unquestionably managed to squeeze plenty of appealing points into this technically advanced kickboard. Owing to its dugout mid-section, this 2-in-1 kickboard can adapt and slip between your legs for use as a pull buoy too.
It's also designed as a streamlined kickboard with a triangular outline to promote a faster glide through the pool. A strap can be used to hold when kicking or linked through your ankles, but unfortunately, you will have to buy this separately.
A highly-rated and popular product from the UK owned and operated No Label brand, this pro kickboard is designed to be used by both adults and kids through a one size fits all approach – well, the youngest of kids can't be included in this equation, but those over the age of 12 can.
The handles up on the nose of the kickboard ensure a good elbow rest to help ease shoulder pain when in the pool for the long haul. The increased float of the board is another feature No Label proclaim will change your stroke for the better.
Maru has considered all swimmers, great and small, with this inclusive range, offering up not one but two unique sizes of pull buoy aimed at adults and kids under the age of 12. This buoy has also been crafted from non-chafing foam, helping to ease any between-leg discomfort.
Choose from six unique and colourful designs, including swirls and stripes, for a genuinely personal swim training touch. The only downside is that it doesn't feature any handles or places to grip.
Zoggs have brought the house down with this jetpack-styled kickboard and back float that's ready to strap onto your child's back – just as it's ready to split into three separate swimming aids. However, the design does mean that it doesn't feature any handles.
The clever design lets your child start with the full three-stack attached to their back until they increase their paddling power. You can then slowly ween them off by progressing from 3 to 2 to 1 to none while also helping their kick by using it normally. This brilliant board is rated and ready for any child under 25 kg.
Next up, we have another product from the UK-based brand No Label. This is their 2-in-1 kickboard and pull buoy that's designed for all training occasions to help with improving both your leg and arm techniques.
Featuring a leg groove through the middle of the board, it's a truly revolutionary design that saves space in your kit bag too. However, this is also what lets it down slightly though, as it doesn't excel in either field compared to more dedicated kickboards and pull buoys.
With a striped black and blue foam design, this pull buoy looks like it's ready for training. The ergonomic shape promotes a secure and supported high lift position for your legs, helping you to forget that they're even there and instead focus your attention on each stroke up front.
Scale Swimming may not be as well known as some of the top watersports brands, but that doesn't discount the fact that they know the game well. This is a sleek and well-made pull buoy that any adult swimmer can benefit from.
Beco's sea-life-themed swimming kickboard comes in two attractive designs that kids are going nuts for. Whether you choose blue or pink, you'll receive a simple float suitable for your youngest to use at swim training.
Rated for the use of any child under 15 kg, this kickboard will get your kids learning their first strokes with an added level of floating confidence. It's nothing fancy and has no handles, but it's still a decent choice for a basic kickboard on a budget.
No. 1: Speedo|Elite Kickboard
No. 2: Finis|Alignment Kickboard
No. 3: Zoggs|Kickboard
No. 4: Mad Wave|Alignment Kickboard
No. 5: No Label|Kickboard
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