Remember: all information, content, and material of this website is just for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or your healthcare provider/personal fitness trainer.
LAVERA STEWART
Editor-in-Chief of the Gym Expert
Best Overall: XMark Olympic Plates Review
XMark
- CONTENTS: One 45 lb Pair of TRI-GRIP Rubber Coated Olympic plates. Total weight 90 lbs.
- ONE-YEAR HOME WARRANTY: XMark warrants their TRI-GRIP Plates to be free from defects in workmanship and materials, under normal residential use and conditions, for a period of one (1) year from the original date of purchase. Cosmetic damage is not covered by warranty.
- PURCHASE WITH CONFIDENCE: XMark TRI-GRIP Plates have a classic sought-after design and are an absolute must-have for free-weight training. These traditional plates are solidly-built with impeccable craftsmanship. Made with premium all-natural virgin rubber, the plates will always maintain a bold solid color throughout the life of the plate. The solid-steel precision tooled inserts allow the plates to slide freely on the bar.
- TRUSTED BRAND: XMark is a trusted brand found in schools, gyms and homes across the United States. Long-lasting quality is what you can expect from XMark.
- TOUGH AND DURABLE: Rubber, by its very nature, is tough and durable. All products made from rubber have a distinct smell. The smell will generally dissipate over time; however, some individuals are more sensitive to the odor.
Natural Rubber: Papababe Bumper Plates Review
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Papababe
- Packing include: 2 x 35 pounds bumper plate and backed by PAPABABE Fitness 2 years warranty.
- Made of proprietary pure rubber formula that combines the ideal mix to create low bounce, Odourless, and high durability bumper plate. Durometer Rating: 90.
- Perfect for Olympic weightlifting where you’re often dropping the bar from shoulder height and above, Expertly designed stainless steel "hooked" insert that remains firmly seated. Extremely durable virgin rubber will last for years.
- The considerably reduced noise of rubber bumpers can be a blessing especially if they’re the home variety and you have kids, neighbors close by.
- Olympic-Sized Plates : 17.5 inches / 45cm in diameter and thickness varies by weight fits any Olympic bar with diameter 2 inch. Great for your garage gym, CrossFit gym , or Olympic training center.
Solid Stainless Steel Insert: HulkFit Bumper Plates Review
HulkFit
- Bumper plates are constructed of high density rubber with solid stainless steel inserts that can withstand repeated drops and with minimal bounce
- Each bumper plate has an inner ring with a diamter of 2" and fits any olympic barbell, dumbbell bar or sled with a 2" diameter
- Each bumper plate is color coded for easy identification and labeled in both lbs and kgs
- Hulkfit plates are sold in singles, pairs and sets
- IMPORTANT - 10lb plates can bend when dropped ALONE while on a barbell
Low Odor: OneFitWonder Review
OneFitWonder
- BUILT TO BE DROPPED Our bumper plates are made of 100% virgin rubber, making these bumper plates ideal for home gyms and indoor use as they naturally absorb sound and have a dead bounce when dropped from the overhead position.
- WILL FIT ALL OLYMPIC BARBELLS With a snug 2” hole, these weights won't slide around during power cleans, deadlifts, snatches and other compound movements - but you'll still be able to slide on and off the barbell smoothly.
- LOW ODOR These bumper plates won't stink up your home gym! They have no oily coating, which allows them to have very low to absolutely no odor.
- HOOKED STAINLESS STEEL INSERT Designed to take much more abuse without malforming- and it is machined to exact tolerances to fit all high-quality Olympic bars.
- "LOVE YOUR EQUIPMENT" GUARANTEE We pride ourselves in providing you with great gear at a great price with world-class customer service. All of our equipment is backed by a 365 day satisfaction guarantee with FREE returns.
Shock-Absorbing: Day 1 Fitness Review
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Day 1 Fitness
- HIGH-QUALITY STRENGTH: Each CrossFit plate is derived from heavy-duty stainless steel with a solid, high-grade, low-bounce rubber cover surrounding the parameter, alleviating damage to flooring, equipment, and injury to oneself
- SECURE WEIGHTLIFTING BUMPER PLATE: In order to offer superior control, each Olympic weight plate has a strong steel ring insert, which is bonded to the rubber, preventing the collar from moving, and fits all standard racks, sleds and bars
- SMOOTH ERGONOMICS: While our rubbered plates are built to be utilized with barbells, they are designed to be easy on your hands and won’t create distracting, loud thumps if dropped, allowing for solo floor work like abdominal exercises
- PROFESSIONAL GRADE: Our weights meet the gold standard for Olympic competition, boasting 17.5 inches in diameter and thickness varies by weight, seamlessly transferring from bar to rack, so the only thing you have to worry about is performance
- AVAILABLE IN MULTIPLE WEIGHTS AND SIZES: Day 1 Fitness bumper plates are sold individually or in pairs - Individual plates are available in 10, 15, 25, 35 and 45 pounds - Sets of weights (pairs) are available in 10, 15, 25 or 35 pounds
Multiple Sizes: CAP Premium Plates Review
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CAP
- WHAT’S INCLUDED – TWO 25-pound premium bumper weight plates in black; Designed to accommodate Olympic barbells (with 2-inch center hole)
- CONSTRUCTION – Cast iron core with a steel insert and coated in virgin and recycled rubber; All weights are uniform in diameter; 30-day manufacturer
- FEATURES – The cast iron core offers a balanced weight; Rubber coating prevents damage to equipment; Steel insert offers a secure fit and prevent damage to the bar
- VERSATILE – Extremely durable and odorless design makes these great for any gym; Add weight plates to any fitness routine to increase calorie burn and muscle mass
- TRUST – Trust experience. CAP has been a pioneer in the fitness industry for over 30 years and has locations worldwide. Chances are, if you have ever worked out before you have used a CAP product.
Highly Recommend: CAP Plates Review
CAP
- Set contains two 10 pound bumper plates
- Made from virgin and recycled rubber
- Steel insert allows secure fit and prevents damage to bar
- Cast iron core provides balanced weight
- Extremely Durable and Odorless
Minimal Bounce: AMGYM Plates Review
AMGYM
- PACKAGE INCLUDE: 2X55LB weight plates.Fits all Olympic barbells with 2-inch sleeves. Each plate boasts IWF standard 450MM / 17.72" inches in diameter and thickness varies by weight (thinner width than most comparable plates on the market, enabling more weight to be loaded on the bar.).
- A good bumper plate set is the centerpiece for modern HIIT training. Perform Olympic lifts, squats, and deadlifts safely and confidently with our tough.
- 100% High-Density natural rubber durable with a low-bounce, withstand repeated drops. Protect any type of floor and your bars.
- Expertly designed stainless steel "hooked" insert that remains firmly seated, keep balance.
- AMGYM Bumper Plates are available in 6 weights: 10LB, 15LB, 25LB, 35LB, 45LB, 55LB . Good for strength training, weightlifting, crossfit, etc. All the plates come with 3-year warranty!
Perfect for Home and Gym Use: Steelbody Review
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Steelbody
- SOLID RUBBER – This weight plate has a premium construction and an elegant look. The dense structure combines design and performance. The rubber body is elastic and waterproof. It’s designed to protect your hands when in use, and the floor if dropped.
- DESIGNED FOR OLYMPIC-SIZED BARS – This high-quality 25-pound plate is specifically designed for Olympic-sized bars. Its solid structure features a 2” center sleeve that offers exact contact between the plate and the bar.
- STAINLESS STEEL CENTER SLEEVE – The center sleeve, made of stainless steel, allows smooth insertion of an Olympic-sized bar into the plate. It’s trimmed to let it to seamlessly integrate with the bar’s shaft.
- HIGH-QUALITY DESIGN – The Olympic Weights Plate from Steelbody features a dense construction that’s to resist disintegration over time. The compact structure helps minimize fractures caused by high-impact drops.
- PERFECT FOR HOME AND GYM USE – Suitable for fitness beginners and gym buffs, this plate allows you to train your way to more muscular physique in the conducive environment of a gym or in the comfort of your home.
Maximum Durability: Power Systems Review
Power Systems
- MAXIMUM DURABILITY - Get the most out of your high-volume strength training sessions with our rubber bumper plates that feature stainless steel core discs for reinforced strength!
- OLYMPIC COLOR - Lift like an Olympian with our standard Olympic training colors - yellow, blue, red and green
- Sold individually
- Perfect for Oly Weightlifting or Powerlifting
Buyer's Guide: Best Bumper Plates
Here’s to making sure you on the best bumper plates in town!
Bumper vs Regular
Bumper Plates are usually more suitable for power-focused exercise, whereas the traditional iron plates, found in most non-niche gyms, are for more general old school workouts.
Pros of Bumper Plates:
- Very durable;
- Best suited for meticulous overhead heavy lifting, like CrossFit;
- Allows swift and quick movement.
Cons of Bumper Plates:
- A bit expensive;
- Might baffle beginners. Mostly used by experienced weightlifters.
Pros of Regular Plates:
- More cost-efficient than other weightlifting bumper plates;
- Used in most mainstream gyms, so beginners would not have any issues to get acquainted with it (easy to grab and hoist up).
Cons of Regular Plates:
- Needs intense care, or the iron may rot away;
- Doesn’t help with specialized heavy lifting. More old-school.
Olympic, CrossFit, or Training Plates: Which One to Choose?
Let us give you a rough idea as to what these are first:
- Olympic bumper plates: These are made according to the weight specifications given for Olympic weightlifting. The plate diameter is usually 450 mm, and the collar opening is approximately 50 mm in diameter.
- CrossFit bumper plates: like OBP, are specialized for CrossFit.
- Training bumper weight plates: are the general ones that cater to almost any kind of weightlifting training. There are no specialized dimensions, and they are available in various volumes.
If you just want to set up a home gym, we recommend going with the Training Bumper Plates because they are kind of an all-rounder option, not to mention one of the best cheap bumper plates out there.
How to Choose the Best Bumper Plates for Yourself?
Material
- Natural Rubber: Most rubber weight plates are made of virgin or natural rubber, which gives off a distinct smell of tire shop for some days. The plates themselves are not that durable and tend to fade away. So we advise considering something else.
- Recycled Rubber: These are made from reclaimed/rubber parts and are more bouncy and durable than the natural rubber bumper plates. They’re a bit costly but absolutely worth it.
- Urethane: Our favorite is the urethane bumper plates, which is a material made from the best properties of plastic and rubber. These are highly resistant to cutting and tearing hence very durable and super easy to use. Besides, they are also very cost-effective. Definitely the best option on the market!
Hardness and Bounce
Unless you are specifically looking for a softer landing on the floor, the bounce should not matter that much. Hardness must ensure durability, so make sure you don’t miss out on this part. Your bumper plates have both bounce and hardness.
Weights
Weights for bumper plates come in two forms: pounds and kilograms. Generally, the one in pounds provide more variety:
Pounds:
Kilograms:
The best way to be certain is to make a rough idea: if you progress consistently how much you will need a year from now. This way, you will have a surplus and won’t risk overbuying. For a total beginner, a set of 20, 15, 10, and 5 kg plates is probably enough. Then if you need, you can purchase a pair of 2.5 kg later on.
Center Ring
This is one of the most important factors to pay attention to while purchasing a bumper plate, along with a dumbbell set, for example, Powerblock Sport or Elite, is the metal ring at the center. For if low quality, the plates won’t last long. The center ring needs to be properly integrated into the plate to prevent it from becoming loose. Look for the ones that are hooked made of steel. These keep the insert from shifting or moving when the plates are dropped.
FAQs
To give you a more clear idea – here are some frequently asked questions answered.
What Does the Colors Mean?
Set according to IWF standards, the color plates usually denote how much it weighs.
Weights according to the colors generally are:
- Red = 55 lb;
- Blue = 45 lb;
- Yellow = 35 lb;
- Green = 25 lb.
What are Change and Fractional Plates?
Change plates are small plates that are denominated in partial increments of kilograms/pounds.
For kilograms the common weights are: 5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5 and 5 kg.
For pounds: 1.5, 2.5, 5 and 10 lb.
Since minimum bumper plate weights are 10kgs/ 25 lb, change plates help add smaller increments of weight to a lift.
Fractional plates are similar to change plates, but the increment units are a lot smaller. They’re generally measured in fractions of one pound or kilogram, which allows micro-loading the bar, when 2.5 /5 lb feels like too wide a jump.
For kg and lb, the commonly offered weights are 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1.0 increments.
Final Thoughts and our Recommendation for 2021
Getting the right bumper plate set is a delicate balance between figuring out how much you need from them and how much you can afford to invest, because the better the plates, the less the need to replace them.
According to our market survey (after scouring bumper plates reviews), the best bumper plate in 2021 would be the Rogue Echo bumper plate, as it provides the best balance of economy and quality. Reliable, well-guaranteed and comes at a great price! So we place our bet on this plate and you should too!