TL; DR
The Rogue Echo bumper plates are the best on the market because of their excellent price, performance, and durability. These plates also have the best reviews online.
Bumper plates are a common piece of training equipment found in most gyms worldwide. They offer numerous advantages, work great for beginners, and are fantastic for Olympic weightlifting and CrossFit training.
The question is, what are the best bumper plates on the market in 2023?
Read on to find out.
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The 8 Best Bumper Plates For Your Gym
- Best Bumper Plates Overall: Rogue Echo Bumper Plates
- Best Bumper Plates on a Budget: AMGYM Bumper Plates
- Best Premium Bumper Plates: Hammer Strength Bumper Plates
- Best Bumper Plates For CrossFit: Fringe Sport Savage Bumper Plates
- Best Bumper Plates On Amazon: XMark Bumper Plates
- Best Bumper Plates For Olympic Weightlifting: Rogue KG Black Training
- Best Urethane Bumper Plates: Titan Urethane KG Bumper
- Best Rubber Bumper Plates: Eleiko IWF Weightlifting Training Discs
1. Best Bumper Plates Overall: Rogue Echo Bumper Plates
Pros:
- Machine-calibrated to provide excellent precision
- Three available sets to pick from
- Excellent product from a company with a good reputation
- White lettering makes it easy to identify the weight
Cons:
- Some customers have complained of a rubber smell
Rogue Fitness is known for its high-quality products, and the Echo bumper plates are no different. Thanks to precise calibration, you can expect great accuracy, ensuring safe and effective workouts.
The white lettering on the plates is easy to read and lets you quickly identify how much each weighs. These plates also have more rounded edges, which makes them easier to pick up and hold, even if they are flat on the floor.
The Rogue Echo plates have a durometer rating of 88, which means they are made of hard materials and have little to no bounce.
As with all bumper plates, the diameter is consistent across all weight options. Here is how thick each Rogue Echo plate is:
- 10 lb (4.5 kg) - 0.83” (2.1 centimeters)
- 15 lb (6.8 kg) - 1.04” (2.6 centimeters)
- 25 lb (11.3 kg) - 1.50” (3.8 centimeters)
- 35 lb (15.8 kg) - 1.90” (4.8 centimeters)
- 45 lb (20.4 kg) - 2.40” (6 centimeters)
The only potential drawback of these plates is a rubber smell that sometimes takes weeks to go away. Other than that, the Rogue Echo are fantastic bumper plates to get for your home gym.
2. Best Bumper Plates on a Budget: AMGYM Bumper Plates
Pros:
- Budget-friendly option
- Contrast letters make it easy to identify the weight
- Multiple sets to pick from
Cons:
- Some customers have complained of a smell
- Minor weight inconsistencies in some cases
If you’re looking for budget bumper plates to equip your home gym, the AMGYM ones are a great option.
These plates are similar to the Rogue Echo bumper plates, coming in black with contrast white lettering, making it easy to see how much each weighs.
Despite their low price compared to the competition, the plates by AMGYM are built to last for many years. One reason for their durability is the stainless steel ring in the middle that makes the plates easy to slide on and off a barbell sleeve and keeps the material in place.
The AMGYM plates also have an excellent durometer rating, which means they have minimal bounce and are ideal for small spaces.
Overall, the plates offer great value at an affordable price, and you can pick from various sets on Amazon, including 100 to 370-lb options, pairs, and singles.
3. Best Premium Bumper Plates: Hammer Strength Bumper Plates
Pros:
- Multiple colors available
- Good quality and durable
- Low bounce
Cons:
- Sold in singles
- Quite expensive
Hammer Strength bumper plates are some of the best on the market. Unlike the previous two options, these come in four colors:
- Green - 25 lbs (11.3 kilograms)
- Yellow - 35 lbs (15.8 kilograms)
- Blue - 45 lbs (20.4 kilograms)
- Red - 55 lbs (24.9 kilograms)
A notable difference between these and other plates is that you can go as high as 55 lbs, which is useful when working up to heavier weights.
The Hammer Strength bumper plates also differ in overall quality and feel. Thanks to their unique design and rubber blend, these plates are incredibly durable and capable of looking brand new even after months of heavy use.
In addition, these plates come with a low bounce, which ensures safety even when dropping a loaded barbell from an overhead position.
Combined with a superb design, raised weight numbers, and a 3-year warranty on each plate, the Hammer strength bumpers are the best premium option on the market.
A notable downside is that plates are sold separately, and getting a decent set will set you back a lot.
4. Best Bumper Plates For CrossFit: Fringe Sport Savage Bumper Plates
Pros:
- Durable and of high quality
- Cool design
- Low to non-existent bounce
Cons:
- Only one year warranty on the 10 and 15-lb ones
Fringe Sport is another reputable company that makes excellent fitness equipment, and their bumper plates are no exception.
First, these plates come with all the features you expect in a high-quality product. They have stainless steel middle rings that make it easy to slide the weights on and off barbells and support the overall integrity of each plate.
Second, the high-quality rubber used to make these plates ensure a low, almost non-existent bounce, which makes them great for tight spaces and dynamic training, such as CrossFit.
Third, these plates come with beveled edges that make it easy to put your fingers underneath and lift them off the floor. It just goes to show you how much attention to detail the company puts into its products. Speaking of that:
Something unique about these plates is that the 10-lb ones are just slightly smaller. When you load a barbell, the heavier plates absorb all the impact force and protect the integrity of the thinner ones.
Lastly, we can’t move on without mentioning their design. The bumper plates by Fringe Sport feature tiger streaks of various colors, which give them a unique look. Still, the lettering is a great contrast, and you never have to stare to see how much a plate weighs.
5. Best Bumper Plates On Amazon: XMark Bumper Plates
Pros:
- Durable and of good quality
- Great value
- Simple and beautiful design
Cons:
- Some customers have said the plates feel a bit slippery to hold
Amazon might not be your number one choice for quality fitness items, but you can get some great pieces of equipment there. One such example is the XMark bumper plate.
These plates have a similar design to the first two on our list. They are black and come with contrast white lettering. The heavier plates feature colored lettering that makes it easier to figure out how much each weighs:
- 10 lbs - classic white
- 25 lbs - green
- 35 lbs - yellow
- 45 lbs - blue
Despite their relatively lower cost than most competitors, these plates are excellent for regular trainees. Thanks to their cool design, slimness, and almost non-existent bounce, the XMark bumper plates are worth the investment.
In addition, XMark made their 10-lb plates slightly smaller in diameter and a bit thicker, which maintains their integrity and allows heavier plates to absorb the impact during training.
The only notable drawback is that the slick design makes these plates slightly more challenging to pick up off the floor and carry around.
6. Best Bumper Plates For Olympic Weightlifting: Rogue KG Black Training
Pros:
- Excellent design
- Low bounce, ideal for small spaces
- Coloring on the edges and sides, making it easy to identify the weight
- Durable and of excellent quality
Cons:
- Some customers have said that it’s difficult to pick up the plates if they are flat on the floor
The KG Black Training bumper plates are the second product from Rogue Fitness on our list, and for good reasons:
First, these plates have an excellent design. The primary color is black, but each plate has a second color for the edge and lettering that makes it easy to see the amount of weight:
- 10 kilograms - green
- 15 kilograms - yellow
- 20 kilograms - blue
- 25 kilograms - red
Speaking of that, these plates come in kilograms instead of pounds, which makes them ideal for official competitions and weightlifting training. (You can also get the pound version of the Rogue Black Training plates.)
Second, the high-quality rubber material used to make these is supposedly not recycled, which goes a long way in making the plates durable. You can expect your set to last many years, even with heavy use.
Third, the durometer rating is 94, which means the material used is hard, and there is almost no bounce.
In addition, these plates have an extremely accurate weight tolerance, which is crucial for high-level training and competitions.
The only real drawback of these plates is that it can be challenging to pick them up off the floor if they are flat. Of course, having a good weight rack fixes that issue.
7. Best Urethane Bumper Plates: Titan Urethane KG Bumper
Pros:
- Excellent design
- Colored based on weight
- Low bounce
- Excellent quality
Cons:
- Quite expensive to get a complete set
If you’re looking for a quality set of urethane bumper plates, those by Titan are arguably the best.
But what exactly is urethane, and why should you get plates made of it? Urethane is considered a type of rubber, but that isn’t precisely true. It is a material that falls between rubber and plastic and is quite hard.
It’s difficult to say if urethane is more durable than rubber, so it mostly depends on preference.
The plates by Titan are worth looking into because they have an excellent durometer rating and a low bounce. Their design is also great because it features vibrant colors depending on the weight:
- 5 kilogram - black
- 10 kilograms - green
- 15 kilograms - yellow
- 20 kilograms - blue
- 25 kilograms - red
Since urethane is somewhat slippery, the folks at Titan have added a textured finish, which adds decent grip that should be enough for you to pick up and carry the plates for short distances.
The raised lettering and contrasting gray numbers make it easy to identify the weight quickly should you forget the meaning of the five colors.
You can also get these plates in pounds if that’s what you prefer.
The only real drawback of these plates is the price. At the time of writing this, a 150-kilogram will set you back $1149.99, excluding shipping costs.
8. Best Rubber Bumper Plates: Eleiko IWF Weightlifting Training Discs
Pros:
- Great design
- Colored based on weight
- Quality and durability from a company that’s been around for decades
Cons:
- Quite expensive, considering most people won’t find a difference between these and other plates
Eleiko is a company known for its high-quality weightlifting equipment, and the bumper plates from the company are an excellent example.
According to the company, their plates are made of Swedish rubber, which isn’t too specific. But regardless of that, their products always have excellent reviews and are often used in competitions.
The Eleiko IWF weightlifting training plates are perfect for training and have a similar feel to the competition plates, but the calibration isn’t as strict, and these are more affordable.
Still, it’s important to note that the Eleiko plates are rather expensive, but if the cost isn’t an issue, you can’t go wrong with a set. These plates are sold individually, and each one comes with a 10-year warranty.
Similar to other plates on our list, the ones by Eleiko are colored, making it effortless to see what weight you’re holding.
- 10 kilograms - green
- 15 kilograms - yellow
- 20 kilograms - blue
- 25 kilograms - red
Their rounded edges make the plates easy to pick up and carry, and the plates are pretty thin despite being made of rubber.
What Are The Benefits of Bumper Plates?
Here are the 5 primary benefits of bumper plates:
- They are more quiet
- Floor protection
- Same diameter, regardless of the weight
- Durability and stability
- Look great
1. Quiet
Bumper plates are usually made of rubber, which means they are much softer than iron or rubber-coated plates and don’t make nearly as much noise upon impact.
2. Protect Your Floor
Since bumper plates are made of softer materials, impact on the floor is much less likely to cause any damage in the form of dents or cracks.
Still, I always recommend investing in some quality flooring for protection.
3. Have the Same Diameter
Another notable benefit of bumper plates is that the diameter is the same, regardless of the weight. As such, these plates are great for teaching complex exercises like the deadlift, power clean, and power snatch to beginners.
In contrast, iron and rubber-coated plates come in various sizes, and the standard diameter necessary for the above movements is only available on the 45-lb (20-kilogram) plates.
A beginner must be able to deadlift at least 135 lbs (60 kilograms) to start learning the exercise. Alternatively, they would have to elevate the barbell slightly to get into the correct starting position, but that is too much of a hassle.
4. Durable And Sturdy
The next notable benefit of bumper plates is their sheer durability. Rubber might not inspire confidence, but the best bumper plates on the market are amazing and will easily last you for a long time.
Bumper plates often look brand new even after years of use, so long as you keep them dry.
5. Look Great
All weight plates have their unique charm, but let’s be honest:
Bumper plates come with some of the best designs you can find. Of course, this benefit is more of an opinion, but many people who use bumper plates enjoy their look and feel.
The Titan Urethane KG and Rogue KG Black Training are some of the best-looking bumper plates.
Which Bumper Plates Are Best For You?
All bumper plates offer unique benefits, so which ones should you pick? Your budget and design preferences matter, but here are the 3 best bumper plates for the average trainee:
The Best Bumper Plates Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What are bumper plates?
Bumper plates are weight plates made of softer material, typically rubber but sometimes urethane, which is somewhere between rubber and plastic.
These plates have the same diameter, regardless of weight, and protect your floor even if you drop a loaded barbell.
2. Are bumper plates worth it?
It mostly depends on your training style. If you’re interested in doing Olympic weightlifting or CrossFit, these plates will allow you to train safely and protect your floor.
But, if you’re primarily interested in traditional gym training (e.g., squats, deadlifts, overhead presses, etc.), the type of plates you use won’t make that much of a difference.
3. Should I get bumper or iron plates?
Similar to the previous question, it mostly depends on your training style and goals. If you’re interested in doing a lot of dynamic weightlifting or CrossFit training, a good set of bumper plates will be an excellent investment.
4. Is more bounce better for bumper plates?
Weight plates are designed to be dropped, but that doesn’t mean more bounce is better. A smaller bounce is good because it controls the weight and reduces the risk of harming yourself if you drop a loaded barbell on the floor and it rebounds.
5. Who makes the best bumper plates?
It’s hard to say because numerous factors go into answering the question. Still, Rogue Fitness, Eleiko, and Fringe Sport offer some of the best bumper plates on the market.
All three companies have excellent reputations and are known for making high-quality training equipment. Plus, they offer good customer service, the design of their products is remarkable, and the warranties are enough to cover most people’s needs.
Best Bumper Plates Summary
Finding the best bumper plates can be challenging, so we hope our list gives you some ideas about what products to consider.
The plates you choose to get will mostly come down to design preference and budget. All of the options can work great for most people, but it never hurts to research for yourself.
A quality set of plates will easily last you for at least a decade, if not longer, so don’t rush before you’re sure you have the right product.
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