JayFlex CrossGrips Review & Why You Would Need Them In 2024

The JayFlex CrossGrips could be a great solution for those Pull-Up afficionados on the road, or who simply want a minimalist, compact solution to do their Pull-Ups. As a strong contender for the top spot on our list of best Travel Pull-Up Bars, a full in-depth, JayFlex CrossGrips review has to be the logical next step. We’ll go over all the ins and outs, pros and cons and nuts and bolts of the JayFlex CrossGrips and we’ll discover which application these handy and solid-looking Pull-Up Grips best serve. The review itself will be customarily deep, methodical and without any reservation or niceties spent.

You can watch the video below and use this article as an in-depth log and easy reference to the review.

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Who is behind JayFlex Fitness? 

Ethan and Kinsee Abbott were newlywed college students when they came up with the JayFlex CrossGrips out of necessity. As perpetually poor students living in a tiny apartment, they had neither the money for a gym subscription nor the space for a regular Doorframe Pull-Up Bar. Scarcity is the driver of innovation and so Ethan set out to create his own solution. After much trial and error, the JayFlex CrossGrips came into existence. The story doesn’t end there, because without any financial means for themselves, the whole concept was doomed to die on the drawing table.

They started a Kickstarter with a goal of $20.000 with very low expectations and just getting the prototype into production was the most Ethan and Kinsee could hope for. How wrong they were! The campaign raised over $178.000, and this launched JayFlex into an orbit it would never descend from again.

Today, JayFlex is a more rounded brand for Calisthenics equipment and fitness products, but always offering unique, state-of-the-art solutions.

What are JayFlex CrossGrips in a Nutshell?

If you’re looking for a portable Pull-Up Bar, then you need something that is as light yet as durable as possible. The JayFlex CrossGrips consist of two seemingly highly durable foldable grips, which can be unfolded and mounted onto any regular doorframe. Once mounted securely, you have two simple but durable grips from which you can do Pull-Ups and Chin-Ups.  The system is very simple, very rugged and durable. The contact points with the doorframe (more specifically the doorframe and header) are rubberized to prevent damage. Apart from the rubberized feet, JayFlex has chosen an all-steel construction to keep things simple and strong, giving you a rated maximum weight of 250lbs. The structural integrity of the JayFlex CrossGrips likely exceeds that of the doorframe though.

This sets the JayFlex CrossGrips apart from doorway Pull-Up Bars, which go in-between the opposite posts of a door and rely on friction alone (notoriously unreliable). The JayFlex CrossGrips instead go over the header post of the frame, providing a much more secure fit.

Here are its specifications:

• Weight: 2.8lbs (combined)
• Dimensions Folded: 3” x 7″
• Construction: powder-coated 404 stainless steel with rubberized parts
• Maximum Weight: 250lbs.
• Price: 139.- (see more options below)

The JayFlex CrossGrips Review

With the basic specs out of the way and knowing the price our readers will be paying for them, it’s time to closely review the JayFlex CrossGrips. We don’t mind paying for good quality, but unfortunately the fitness market is saturated with overpriced junk. Apart from the usual; like design, ergonomics and utility, we’ll also gauge the customer response to the JayFlex CrossGrips and obviously, our own experiences while using the CrossGrips. We’ll do all these things independently (more or less) from one another to avoid as much bias as possible. In the conclusions below, we’ll bring it all together and draw our conclusions whether the JayFlex CrossGrips is worth the money.

Design & Ergonomics

Of all your typical Travel Pull-Up Bars, the JayFlex CrossGrips are some of the heaviest. The all-steel construction (bar the rubberized “feet”) give the JayFlex CrossGrips a high level of durability and a quality that you can feel in your hands. It is powder coated stainless steel, so it should guard against corrosion for a very long time. It has a set of internal springs which work together with a proprietary twist & lock system which make placing and adjusting the grips easy on almost any doorframe. It is only slightly slower than a straight-up clamp design which relies on a pivot only, but much more secure. This leads to a relatively high maximum weight capacity of 250lbs.

The coating is neither rough nor slick and sticks somewhere in the middle. This is a good middle-ground if the manufacturer wants to refrain from using foam covers. You get enough overhead clearance from the door header for both Pull-Ups and full Chin-Ups. Its design and durability make it so that you get the strength and confidence of a full-sized Doorframe Pull-Up Bar, but in a comparatively small package.

Are they supremely comfortable? No, of course not. JayFlex came into existence to solve a scarcity problem, and in this design philosophy utility and durability are foremost in the designer’s mind. They get the job done, though, without cutting into your hand or feeling too abrasive. If push comes to shove, you can always wear some thin Calisthenics Gloves during your exercise (or throw a thin rag or towel over each grip).

We should of course mention the size and weight. It is quite hefty for a portable Pull-Up Bar, coming in at 1.9lbs each and most of that is steel. The design is so that they fold up very flat. Volume-wise, they take up comparatively little space and can certainly be placed in any decent suitcase along with the rest of your baggage.

Utility & Exercises

The grips are L-shaped, so you get a surprising amount of utility in this tiny package. With the parallel bars, neutral grip Pull-Ups are suddenly a possibility ─ normally only seen on larger Pull-Up Bars. Just having these options means that most Calisthenics practitioners wouldn’t need anything else than the JayFlex CrossGrips for all their Pull-Up exercises. Muscle-Ups remain more in the domain of the Free-Standing Pull-Up Bar, since you lack the overhead space to complete the movement. With 250lbs maximum load, they even approach some regular-sized Pull-Up Bars too. This opens more possibilities that first meets the eye! 

Let’s stay at the top for now and add Resistance Bands. This can aid in doing Pull-Ups or Leg Raises. However, adding a Suspension Trainer or Gymnastic Rings to the CrossGrips suddenly opens a whole new world of fitness with dozens of associated exercises.

Take them off the doorframe (or don’t put them up there to begin with) and the JayFlex CrossGrips function as sturdy, dependable Push-Up Bars. The rubberized pads really help them stick to even a smooth floor as well. You may even squeeze out a couple of shallow Chair Dips too.

In short, both the suspended and the groundwork can almost all be done with the JayFlex CrossGrips, aside from deeper movements like full Dips or inverted exercises like handstands. That is some mighty versatility considering the small size and the speed with which you can transform any doorframe or floor into a miniaturized gym. To sum it up for you, we enjoyed doing the following with a good level of comfort using the JayFlex CrossGrips:

• Pull-Ups
• Chin-Ups
• Neutral Grip Pull-Ups
• Leg Raises
• Push-Ups
• Shallow Chair Dips
• Banded Exercise
• Suspension Trainer Exercise

Customer Reviews

Independent customer reviews are downright lavish for the JayFlex CrossGrips. Scoring a near-perfect 4.9/5 rating based on over 500 reviews, people are very happy and satisfied with the product they received. Part of that is the high quality and durability of the CrossGrips, but also the great marketing skill of JayFlex. They are very honest and upfront with their customers and patrons, telling you exactly what you can and can’t do with the JayFlex CrossGrips. You know exactly what you’re getting and there are no surprises. If every customer gets their expectations fulfilled and was willing to pay you for it, you wind up with something like 4.9 out of 5.

Advantages & Disadvantages of the JayFlex CrossGrips

Advantages	Disadvantages
✅ Compact	❌ No Muscle-Ups
✅ High Durability	❌ Heavier than other portables
✅ Good Versatility (Pull-Up & Push-Up Bar)	❌ You must take them down to close the door
✅ Fits almost all doorframes
✅ High Weight Capacity
✅ Easily Adjusted

Alternatives for the JayFlex CrossGrips

If you’re looking for an alternative, you likely still want that in-your-suitcase mobility the JayFlex CrossGrips give you. In that case, the JayFlex RYZE UPs is another great solution by the same company. The RYZE UPs are just as flat but weigh much less than the CrossGrips. They are also easier to install still, and their rotating grips give you an even higher degree of versatility when it comes to Pull-Ups and Chin-Ups all from a doorframe mount. The main difference here is that the RYZE UPs are only good for Pull-Ups and are less durable in design. The RYZE UPs are slightly more affordable.

Another direct competitor to the JayFlex CrossGrips would be the Duonamic Eleviia. These are true clamps, which function like pivots. The more weight you put on them, the harder they clamp down around the doorframe. The Duonamic Eleviia is much lighter than the JayFlex CrossGrips while being of a similar size. If you’re travelling with weight restrictions on an airplane, that might come in handy. These are also less durable than the steel CrossGrips. Like the CrossGrips, the Eleviia is also a doorframe Pull-Up Bar and not the inferior doorway design.

How to use the JayFlex CrossGrips? 

Here is how to use the JayFlex CrossGrips with any doorframe:

1. Pull the two opposing legs apart, there is a spring inside the tube keeping the legs together,
2. Place the CrossGrip over the header until the feet are situated completely over the frame,
3. Gently ease the legs back so that the feet clamp the header wall,
4. Ensure a secure fit of the feet on both sides in the nook where the frame meets the header,
5. Your JayFlex CrossGrips are now installed properly.

Conclusions About the JayFlex CrossGrips and Are They Worth Your Money?

Born out of necessity and human ingenuity when met with scarcity, the JayFlex CrossGrips solve one problem very well: how to get the maximum amount of versatility from as small a package as possible. The sheer utility you get out of these grips is staggering and no other portable Pull-Up bar can quite compete on that front. Pull-Ups, Chin-Ups but also Push-Ups, Leg Raises and the possibility to add things like Resistance Bands, Suspension Trainers and maybe even Gymnastic Rings is all possible with the JayFlex CrossGrips. The grips themselves are modestly comfortable while in use. 

All that versatility folds into a package that fits in a carry-on bag. To boot comes a durability not matched by many full-sized Pull-Up Bars and a maximum load very reminiscent of most full-size doorframe Pull-Up Bars. These are a lot of advantages stacked against very few disadvantages, chief among them the need to take them down completely to use the door, or to adjust your grip width (as is the case with all portable doorframe Pull-Up Bars of course).

The price is not cheap. You can get the downright excellent Pullup & Dip Doorframe Pull-Up Bar for less (but it’s much larger). That said, you’re paying for the convenience of having similar durability, load and versatility but in a more portable package. In short, you’re paying for the innovation that had to go into the JayFlex CrossGrips. They’re still cheaper than the only immediate competitor, the Duonamic Eleviia.

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If you’re looking for a highly durable, “pocket” design Pull-Up Bar that offers versatility on the move with a load capacity that clearly punches way beyond its weight though, then the JayFlex CrossGrips are the perfect choice for you.

Frequently Asked Questions About the JayFlex CrossGrips

A couple more frequently found questions about the CrossGrips.