The 5 Best Slant Boards for Strengthening Your Knees and Calves

ProsExtremely sturdyConvenient carrying handlesConsCan be loud to carry around when foldedStrongTek’s flagship slant board has plenty of reasons to deserve the title of our favorite. But the trait that ultimately stood out as its crowning achievement is its noticeably holistic design. This being a few planks of wood with grip tape and a hinge, it’s evident that StrongTek took time to make their product look and feel well put together. It’s sturdy, has five different angle settings, and comes with neat touches like rubber carrying handles and a smooth wood finish. Best of all, the grip is extra effective without feeling like it will tear your shoes up.This board comes in two other versions, too: One with rows of grip tape instead of full coverage, as well as a beefed-up XL version that gives you even more surface area to find your footing. They’re not the lightest boards ever, and all three varieties tend to clack around when folded up. But you’ll quickly get over those hangups when you’re standing tall at the max angle setting without any wobble.More: How to Transform Your StrideKey SpecsMaterialWoodAdjustment Positions5ProsLightweight and low-profileNo abrasive grip tapeConsCan feel unstable in steeper settings, especially with your toes pointing downThe smaller cousin to StrongTek’s Professional model, the Portable Slant Board is the smallest one-piece board on this list by a considerable margin. It can fit inside my work backpack with ease, and I actually forgot it was in there for a few days. This option is ideal for taking to the gym, tucking away in your office, or storing efficiently in a small living space.This board doesn’t feel as secured to the ground, as it has a small footprint that makes it feel top-heavy, but I was still impressed with its ability to hold my weight in all four incline settings. I did need to have a wall next to me to feel safe stepping on it in the steepest setting, but once I was on, it was just as supportive as I needed it to be. It also forgoes the standard grip tape surface treatment, instead boasting small plastic ridges and padded ankle and toe supports. They feel a little odd at first, but they’re easy to get used to, and your nicest shoes will thank you.Key SpecsMaterialPlasticAdjustment Positions4Advertisement - Continue Reading BelowProsExtra-wide platformLightweight materialsSlim profile for storageConsNot adjustableNot the steepest angleAt a whopping 27 inches wide, this board from Wolf Wedge is the one for workouts that require some extra legroom. And while you might think it’s cumbersome with all that extra material, it’s actually constructed of a lightweight plastic that makes it one of the more featherweight models here. The angle is also the shallowest, but it’s still a healthy 15 degrees—ideal if you’re looking to experiment with slant board workouts without getting too steep too quickly.Key SpecsMaterialPolyethylene Adjustment Positions1ProsPhenomenal gripWide platformSturdy constructionConsNot adjustableUltra-coarse surfaceThere’s undoubtedly some pressure that comes with branding oneself as the Slant Board Guy, but this board lives up to its name dutifully. It’s covered top-to-bottom in the grippiest tape on this list. It’s so coarse that I imagine I would wince if I stood on this thing barefoot. But if you’re worried about slipping, especially if you’re experimenting with squatting with weights, this board offers the best assurance that you’ll stay in place. These boards are also customizable with your own logos and designs—peep the Runner’s World logo on the other board we tested from them for an example of their printing abilities.Key SpecsMaterialWoodAdjustment Positions1Advertisement - Continue Reading BelowProsBuilt-in hooks for exercise bandsGood gripping surfaceConsOn the heavy sideNot adjustableThe Flex Board is a newer entry from Slant Board Guy’s lineup. And it offers something unique to the slant board world: Each side has three hooks for mounting exercise bands (SBG kindly includes two). It has the same super grippy tape as the brand’s Standard board, but this one’s made with a thin sheet of stiff metal underneath, which gives it a more storage-friendly low profile.Key SpecsMaterialMetalAdjustment Positions1Adam Schram is an Assistant Editor of Commerce at Runner's World, though you might see his byline on Bicycling and Popular Mechanics, too. A lover of all things outdoors, Adam's writing career comes after six years as a bike mechanic in his hometown of State College, PA. His journalism experience is steeped in cycling and running gear reviews, and he's also a published creative nonfiction and satire author. When he's not writing, riding, or running, you can catch Adam at home mixing cocktails, watching Star Wars, or trying in vain to do the Sunday crossword. You can check out his latest work below.