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The Top 10 Best Football Blocking Sleds + Buyer's Guide
There are more football blocking sleds on the market than most people assume. Check out our large line of blocking sleds and you will find there are all sorts of different options available in different sizes and at different price points. Some of these blocking sleds are ideal for youth football players while others are designed for use at higher levels. Without further ado, let’s take a look at the top 10 football blocking sleds for this upcoming season.
Top 10
1. Rogers Athletic TEK Football Blocking Sled
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The engineers behind this football blocking sled designed it with modern day football in mind. The game of football is changing as time progresses, becoming that much faster and more physical. The game is now played by larger and stronger players, meaning these behemoths need a reliable football blocking sled to practice with. The Rogers Athletic Tek unit is exactly that sled.
The Rogers Athletic TEK football blocking sled really does move similar to an offensive lineman, helping defenders maximize their point of impact, generate leverage and ultimately separate from the blocker to attack the ball carrier. This football blocking sled really does simulate the natural movement, resistance and weight of an actual defender on the field of play. Complete with a single sled unit and two outriggers along with the connecting hardware, the Rogers Athletic TEK really does make it that much easier for players to learn how to reverse a blocker’s momentum, roll the hips and transition to tackles.
The sled’s features include:
- 360 pound weight
- Simulates actual resistance better than leaf spring
- Heavy-duty build that doesn’t require extra weight
- 5-year manufacturer warranty on the sled frame
- 3-year manufacturer warranty on the pads
Give this football blocking sled a chance and you will find it simulates the point of contact for both defenders and offensive linemen. The sled makes it easy to leverage the principles of blocking and block shedding so players can progress without cheating. Players strike the pad, overcome the resistance and drive the pad five inches. At this point the Lev Head will release so the player can roll at the hips and lift the pad upward to finish off the blocker or defender as occurs in actual game situations.
2. Rogers Athletic LEV Football Blocking Sleds
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The Rogers Athletic LEV football blocking sled makes it easy for players to develop the muscle memory and technique necessary to control the line of scrimmage. Players looking to obtain control with the strategic use of leverage will love this football blocking sled. Built with just the right amount of resistance, this football blocking sled allows players to drive its pad five inches until the Lev Head is released.
Features include:
- Single sled unit complete with two sled outriggers along with connecting hardware
- Weight of 360 pounds
- Resistance replicates that on the football field
- Functional for both defensive and offensive practice drills
- Heavy-duty style ensures coaches do not have to add extra weight
- 5-year manufacturer warranty on the sled frame
- 3-year manufacturer warranty on the pads
Using this blocking sled is quite easy. All you have to do is engage the lock to stop the pad from lifting at the point of contact. Your team can practice both drive blocking and leverage blocking in a single practice session with this football blocking sled.
3. Fisher Athletic Bull Rush 1 Man Football Blocking Sled
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The Fisher Bull Rush provides players with a block head that is of the forward slanting style. This sled features a release mechanism that makes it easy for players to practice engaging with linemen, controlling the point of contact, driving linemen into the backfield and even extended upward for maximum leverage. This can all be accomplished in a single drill using the Fisher Athletic Bull Rush 1 Man Football Blocking Sled 9910. The blocking pad is designed to drive 8 inches inward prior to releasing upward. This nuanced design really does replicate actual game action.
Features include:
- Wide 55-inch base ensures the sled remains stable
- Extended pad makes it easier for players to react off the blocking pad and move up the field
- Forward slant blocking head is perfectly designed
- The release mechanism’s spring tension is adjustable
- Four pad styles including T-pad, man pad, pummel pad and zone pad
- 1-year manufacturer’s warranty on the pads
- 5-year manufacturer’s warranty on the main frame
Give this blocking sled a try and you will agree it is worth the money and then some. The sled has uber-durable padding complete with vinyl covering. This 18 ounce covering is available in four unique styles and several different colors, one of which is sure to match your team’s colors. Comprised of sturdy steel, this football blocking sled is powder coated for posterity’s sake, meaning it will hold strong for many football seasons ahead.
4. Fisher Athletic Big Boomer Football Blocking Sleds
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The Fisher Athletic Big Boomer blocking sled is the sole sled available that permits full pad height adjustment, spring tension adjustment and pad angle adjustment. This bad boy even has a fulcrum with pivoting action that replicates actual battle in the trenches, setting the stage for your football players to learn how to develop leverage over opponents while maintaining the optimal balance.
The padding mount is built with a quarter-inch steel plate double welded with the frame to ensure the unit holds strong in the years ahead. The padding connected to the padding mount has foam resistant to 100 pounds of pressure. There is also an 18 ounce nylon cover tacked on for improved durability. This padding is available in your choice of nearly a dozen different colors and nearly half a dozen different styles ranging from V-Pad to Cone, T-Pad, Man and Round. In other words, you will be able to select the optimal blocking sled style for your unique team.
Features include:
- Powder coated to stand the test of time
- Fully adjustable
- Modular station design makes it easy to connect and detach sleds
- Formed as opposed to cut sled runners for a smooth transition that preserves the grass below
- 1-year manufacturer warranty on the pads
- 5-year manufacturer warranty on the frame
- Suitable for use at all high school grades and players at the college level
The Fisher Athletic Big Boomer’s padding mount is connected to the steel frame yet remains completely adjustable. All you need is a pin to adjust the pad angle and height. Enclosed adjustable springs are within the frame, making the sled that much safer and easy to use.
5. Rogers 1-Man JV Youth MOD Sled
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Ideal for players at the middle school and high school level, this youth football blocking sled makes it easy for your football players to learn the fundamentals of blocking. It must be noted this is a smaller version of the Rogers MOD sled which has sold quite well.
Features include:
- Specially designed framework hugs the ground so defenders can move between sled stations to practice pass rushing drills
- Single unit sled featuring two sled outriggers complete with all the necessary connecting hardware
Give this football blocking sled a try at your practices and you will not be disappointed with its performance. Whether you want to practice screen passes, toss sweeps or inside draws, this youth blocking sled sets the stage for your team to do exactly that and plenty more.
6. Fisher Athletic CL Series Youth Football Blocking Sleds
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High school and middle school football coaches across the land rave about this youth football blocking sled. Built with steel and just the right skid angle, this blocking sled is expertly designed in every regard.
Features include:
- TITE-LOCK modular chases that bolster the stability of the blocking sled while maximizing player safety
- 250 pound weight
- 30-degree skid angle facilitates transportation to and from the field
- Wrap around style blocking pads make practicing that much safer
- Formed skids as opposed to the cut and welded variety
- Powerful steel main frame
- 1-year manufacturer pad warranty
- 5-year manufacturer frame warranty
This sled is designed with an individual component that permits stations to be added as desired. You can add and remove blocking sleds whenever you want. As an example, if you want to decrease your 5-man sled to a 2-man sled, you can do it in mere minutes.
7. Fisher Athletic Brute Football Blocking Sleds
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Pick up the Fisher Brute for your team and your players will be quite thankful. This sled simulates actual game action, replicating point of impact collisions in the trenches better than most other sleds.
Features include:
- Steel face plates measuring 6” by ½”
- 18 ounce vinyl covers on the foam pads
- 100 pound foam pads are high density resistant
- Steel construction for added stability
- Flat leaf springs
- 1-year manufacturer warranty on the pads
- 5-year manufacturer warranty on the steel frame
- 360 pound weight
Built with flat leaf springs to absorb shock impact and provide ample push-back, this blocking sled is well-designed. It also features convenient individual component stations so you can alter between 2, 3, 4 and 5-man sleds.
8. Rogers Zone Reactor Football Sled
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If you are on the prowl for a football blocking sled that helps your team improve its footwork on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball, this is the sled for your squad. The pad is rolled along a track spanning five feet, setting the stage for your team to react quickly and decisively.
Features include:
- Easily adjustable height spans a range of 15” without the use of tools
- Heavy-duty rollers make it easy for pads to glide
- Includes a platform base
This blocking sled also features unique vertical action through the LEV head. This action makes your football practice drills that much more realistic. Provide your team with this blocking sled and you will find they really do develop faster-moving feet, harder strikes, quicker hands and better lateral movement for play disruption.
9. BSN 2 Man Youth Sled Pro Pad
When it comes to youth football blocking sleds, few are as sturdy and reliable as the BSN 2 Man Youth Sled Pro Pad. This bad boy has a modular frame construction that is steel powder coated so coaches can remove or add men to the sled in little time.
Additional features include:
- 42” splits
- Tube style steel skids are powder coated and can be used on field surfaces of every type
- Leaf springs return force equal to that applied
It must be noted this youth blocking sled is designed for players in the age range of 11 to 15. Give the sled a shot and you will agree its flat leaf springs absorb shock then return it with just the right amount of force.
10. Pro Down 1 Man Sled Royal Pro Pad
This football blocking sled is ideal for both offensive and defensive linemen. Complete with tubular steel skids, this sled can be used on fields of every type.
Features include:
- Flat leaf springs replicate actual game situations with impact absorption
- Recoil of just the right level
- 230 pound weight
- Sized similar to actual opponents
- Powder coat steel frame built for the long haul
Bring this blocking sled to your practice field and you will find your linemen become that much more physical and detail-oriented. This is the perfect sled to practice one-on-one blocking. The sled’s vinyl padding is also a strong selling point as it reduces the chances of injury.
What to Consider When Buying a Football Blocking Sled: Simulate the Realism of Facing a Live Opponent
The most important thing to look for in your new football blocking sled is its functionality. The purpose of buying a sled is to replicate on-field football situations likely to arise in a game. If the football blocking sled you select has too much give or does not simulate the actual point of contact that occurs on the football field, it will not serve its intended purpose.
So be sure to take a close look at the reviews and other feedback about the football blocking sled you have in mind before moving forward with the purchase. If the reviews state the football blocking sled simulates the point of contact that occurs on each football play, replicating the actual in-game battles between blockers and defenders, it is worthy of serious consideration.
Defensive Vs. Offensive Blocking Sleds
The construction and design of offensive and defensive blocking sleds are similar yet they are not exactly the same. Offensive linemen need a stationary sled to practice drive blocking that will ultimately set the stage for success in the running game. This means the sled should have some give to it, simulating the offensive lineman pushing the defensive lineman or linebacker backwards beyond the trenches in the line of scrimmage to the second level of the defense. If you're strictly looking for a blocking sled for the offensive side of the ball, you will find the Rogers JV Youth MOD Sled is worth the money.
Alternatively, there are also blocking sleds that simulate offensive lineman. As an example, the Fisher Athletic Bull Rush 1 Man Football Blocking Sled is one of the best blocking sleds for defensive lineman to practice with.
Both offensive and defensive line sleds should have proper pad placement. In fact, some blocking sleds such as the Rogers Athletic TEK Football Blocking Sled, the Rogers Athletic LEV Football Blocking Sleds and the Rogers Zone Reactor are suitable for both offensive and defensive linemen.
Unfortunately, some football blocking sleds have pads that are not designed with shoulder blocking in mind, meaning they will not encourage players to maintain tight elbows and hands. Keeping the hands and elbows in tight to the body is essential to developing the proper technique, especially for offensive linemen.
If the pads are excessively wide, the elbows and hands will start to flare out, making it that much more likely that the lineman will grab ahold of the sled/opponent and be flagged for holding.
Storage for Your Football Blocking Sled
Storing football blocking sleds is not exactly easy. These are fairly bulky items that take up plenty of space. This is precisely why you are likely to see football blocking sleds left outside at the local high school football field. Most football blocking sleds are interconnected, meaning they have several faux linemen connected to one another. However, there are also some standalone football blocking sleds that are that much easier to store.
Be sure to read the details of the football blocking sled you have in mind to determine if it can be disassembled with ease or if it is not designed to be disassembled. Some football blocking pads can be removed from the connecting sled wheel kit quite easily, making storing the equipment that much easier.
If storage is your primary concern, consider a comparably small blocking sled such as the ROGERS 1-MAN JV Youth MOD SLED that can be stored with ease.
Best Blocking Sled Brands
Do not choose the cheapest sled assuming its lack of a brand name is not a problem. Cheap and low-quality football blocking sleds without a track record of success lack the trusted brand name that every football coach and football parent should prioritize. Examples of the top football blocking sled brands are Rogers, Fisher and BSN.
Conclusion
The market is loaded with football blocking sleds with different designs, colors, materials and other nuances. So don’t be so quick to scoop up the first football blocking sled you find at a local store or online. Search through the many options until you find the best football blocking sleds for your team and you will move forward in confidence knowing you have whittled down the pack to the best of the best.
