No matter your age, frame, body or build, there’s a hula hoop size that works for you.
We’ve broken it down into four considerations to help you choose a hoop. Because when it comes to fun, fitness, and dancing it up, hula hoop size does matter.
As a general rule, bigger and heavier equals easier to learn on-body moves like waist hooping and chest hooping.
The Size
There’s a basic guide for hula hoop size and it goes like this:
- For little kids, go 80cm (up to 6 years)
- For bigger kids and intermediate hoopers, go 90cm
- For beginners, go 100cm
- For tall and big build, go 110cm
Bigger hoops might sound scary but they actually give you more reaction time to work it and respond, because the rhythm is slightly slower, AKA more forgiving. Cool huh?
A lot of people think they can’t hoop because they have memories of a hoop that’s waaaay too small for them. Adults need big hoops! We thrive with good hula hoop size!
How can you tell?
Without a tape measure a good rule of thumb (ahem) is from your toes to your belly button. If you are a tall person or a bigger build, you can try a 110cm hula hoop. You’ll find you downsize as you progress, which then calls for a smaller and lighter hoop!
The Material
There are many plastics on the market and as hooping swells around the world, there are more and more options each year. In a nutshell, you can consider whether you want a dance or fitness hula hoop (sometimes called HDPE or High Density Polyethylene), or a polypropylene (polypro) hula hoop. Kids, dance, and fitness hoops are a bit firmer and stronger for on-body hooping and beginners, while polypro can be enjoyed for both zippy arm moves, off-body or on-body grooving. HDPE is a heavier plastic than polypro which makes it more suitable for learning on-body moves (such as waist hooping and chest hooping).
The Look
Purple, sparkly and stripey, oh my!
Let yourself be drawn to the style and look of whatever hula hoop tickles your fancy. While it might not be as logistical as hula hoop size, the style and tape choices on the hoop might affect how much you pick it up and also how much you enjoy it. Tapes are great and some tapes even help hoops stay up – for example, grip tape create added friction! So play around and try a bunch of different hoops to see which colours delight you the most and also how the different tape affects the weight of the hula hoop.
The Feel
Different tape feels different to touch and also acts differently depending on the hula hoop moves. Dance hoops are slightly heavier than most polypro due to a combination of HDPE plastic and their added, often heavier, tapes. Your hula hoop size choice should also take the material of the hoop into account for maximum fun times. For instance, if you enjoy a 90 cm dance hoop, a 90cm polypro hoop will be a bit lighter and may take a bit of getting used to. Sounds like a lot of maths but really it boils down to how it feels.
Ultimately the most important thing to consider is hula hoop size and weight, because hoop tape can change more easily than the size of the hoop. Your taste will change over time but the info in this guide should help you with choosing the right hula hoop size for you and/or if you are buying a gift for a friend!
