Abstract: The conventional Hopkinson pressure bar test device was improved according to the results of missile length adjustment and shaper adjustment combined with waveform shaping technology. The dynamic compressive mechanical properties at strain rates of 150, 700, 1 400 s⁻¹ of closed cell foam aluminum with different densities (0.48, 0.61, 0.70 g · cm⁻³) were studied. The results show that increasing the missile length could achieve greater deformation and decrease the strain rate at the same time, so 3 m long bullet and 4 m long incident rod and transmission rod were selected. The waveform duration time and rising edge time of the sample after using a 6 layer corrugated board shaper with a diameter of 20 mm was longer compared with those without shaper, and the stress uniformity was basically achieved after 208 μs. With the increase of strain rate or density, the compressive stress, yield strength and platform stress of closed cell foam aluminum increased. The ratio of dynamic yield strength to static yield strength was an approximate power function with the relative strain rate (relative to quasi-static strain rate of 0.01 s⁻¹) showing a certain strain rate effect.