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TITAN adjustable competition kettlebell vs Rogue loadable dumbbell

Posted by Pascal Landshoeft

Jan 16, 2021 9:00:00 AM

TITAN adjustable competition kettlebell vs Rogue loadable dumbbell

This is a comparison of the TITAN adjustable competition kettlebell and Rogue loadable dumbbell including pros, cons, and alternatives. This article was originally published under which titan kettlebell to get. Follow the links for more details.

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Which dumbbell to get from Rogue?

Overview and review of the Rogue loadable dumbbell 

The Rogue loadable dumbbell combines the design of a barbell with a dumbbell. This saves space and cost to have a full set at home. The loadable dumbbell costs $135 and is not sold in pairs. This article has been originally posted in "which dumbbell to get from Rogue".

 

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Most popular Rogue dumbbell in 2020

This is an overview of the most popular Rogue dumbbells on Marathon-Crossfit.com based on views and click through rates to Rogue Fitness for purchases. If you want to dig deeper on the data you will find explanations under what were the most popular Rogue products in 2020.

 

Most popular Rogue dumbbell in 2020

 
The most popular Rogue dumbbells on Marathon-CrossFit.com in 2020 were:
 
 
The Rogue loadable dumbbell is a good option to save space in a home gym. It avoids that you have to have an entire rack of dumbbells for various weight iterations. This is not particularly great in a commercial gym scenario as you want multiple people to be able to train at the same time. You can read the full review of the Rogue loadable dumbbell via this link.
 
The Rogue Urethane dumbbells are the rolls Royce among the Rogue dumbbells. Urethane is supposed to last longer than rubber. My main positive about the Urethane dumbbells compared to the rubber hex dumbbells is that they are round. That makes them easier to handle and store. In a commercial setting, you need to consider that the Urethane dumbbells come in at a higher price tag which hits heavier when you buy in bulk. You can read the full review of the Rogue Urethane dumbbells by following this link.
 
The Thompson fatbell is a hybrid between a Kettlebell and a dumbbell and a nice extra to any gym which already has all of the bases covered. There might be better ways to spend your money to develop strength like grip strength tools. Still, they are fun. You can read the full review for the Thompson fatbells via this link.

Overview of the Rogue loadable dumbbell

 
The Rogue loadable dumbbell is basically a shortened Rogue Ohio bar. The Rogue Ohio bar is the best selling backbone of the Rogue barbell portfolio. The loadable dumbbell is available in a 15 and 10 lb version. The 15 lb version doubles the available sleeve space so you can add more weights. The Rogue loadable dumbbell is compatible with your barbell plates. You can also get specially fitted dumbbell weights with a smaller diameter which I recommend. The big plates are usually in the way when they get close to your body. On a barbell, they are further away as the shaft is longer. The specs of the Rogue loadable dumbbell are: 
 
  • Sold Individually, NOT in Pairs
  • Made in the USA
  • DB-10 - 200,000PSI
    DB-15 - 200,000PSI or 190,000PSI Tensile Strength Steel
  • 28.5MM diameter knurled handle
  • Bronze Bushings & Snap Ring Design
  • Length:14.25" (DB-10) 20.5 (DB-15)
  • Load Capacity: ~100LB (DB-10)
  • Rogue branded endcaps
  • Available as package with set of Rogue OSO Collars
  • Compatible with any standard Oly plates and/or Rogue Dumbbell Bumper plates
 
A solid combination of a barbell, dumbbell and the idea of the power block to save space. Probably one of the best executed of its kind in the market in terms of design and finish. 
 

Pros of the rogue loadable dumbbell

 
They look great and the finish is a high standard. The loadable dumbbell will also save a lot of space in a home gym setup compared to a whole wall of kettlebells or dumbbells. Compared to the power block the mechanism to change between weights is easier and a lot more durable. They are functional, nice to look at and can be dropped without risking to break them. 
 

Cons of the Rogue loadable dumbbell

 
In a commercial gym setup, I think they are too expensive as they are not sons in pairs and not user-friendly enough. I can already see the mess when purple start loading their own dumbbells and leaving all the little parts scattered on the ground. In most gyms, it’s bad enough with plates and the usual rubber dumbbells. Imagine if all of the dumbbells also have multiple parts to them. 
 

Alternatives to the Rogue loadable dumbbell

 
Alternatives to the Rubber Hex dumbbells are
 
 
The rubber hex dumbbell is pound for pins the cheapest dumbbell with a rogue logo on it. They are also sold in pairs. If you like the hex design for your commercial gym I think this is the one to go for in bulk.
 
The Rogue Urethane dumbbells are slightly higher quality than the rubber hex. As the name suggests they are made of urethane instead of rubber which makes them more durable. Personally I think the main reason would be aesthetic and functional to get them over hex dumbbell. They are round instead of a hexagon. I never liked that design myself.
 
The Power block dumbbell is a classic design for home use. It follows the same idea as the loadable dumbbell to save space in a home setting. This is the most compact it can get for lifting dumbbells with many options in denominations. The only downside is the clicking mechanic to change between weights which is prone to break and that the block can a little too big when moving big weights. Here the loadable dumbbell might be less error-prone if you have the space to store the change plates. 
 
Kettlebells are always a good alternative to dumbbells. You can do almost all dumbbell movements with kettlebells while kettlebells also offer the Turkish getup and kettlebell swing as great conditioning exercises. The only negative with kettlebells is that I haven’t seen a great loadable Design for them yet to save space. If I was in the market for a big set I dumbbells I would get a wall of kettlebells instead. Especially if you have very heavy kettlebells it will set you apart from other gyms. It all depends on the clients you want to target as bodybuilders usually prefer dumbbells
 

Summary for the Rogue loadable dumbbell

 
The Rogue loadable dumbbell is a great option for the dedicated home gym owner who wants to save space and doesn’t mind the cost per dumbbell. This is a purchase that will make you happy and doesn’t make you look cheap. If you have to buy in bulk to cover the needs of more than five people you are probably better off with the hex dumbbells to save cost. Unless you are a rich university or NFL team who can afford to only buy the best for your athletes. You pay them millions, don’t be cheap on the equipment. Sends the wrong signals to your best athletes. 
 

Overview and review of the TITAN adjustable competition kettlebell

This is an overview of the TITAN adjustable competition kettlebell including pros, cons, and alternatives. This article was originally published under which titan kettlebell to get. Follow the links for more details.

 

TITAN Adjustable competition Kettlebell $199

 
The TITAN Adjustable competition kettlebell is an opportunity for you to get 19 kettlebells in one go for your personal use. This kettlebell has the size of a regular competition kettlebell with a straight handle. Painted red and embossed with the TITAN logo this is a good option for a single individual that wants to progress their maxes and not stack up multiple kettlebells in a limited space. Paying for the adjustable competition kettlebell also saves money, if a lot of weight variation is your main goal. The specifications of this kettlebell are:
 
- Adjustable weight from 12 KG - 32 KG with 6 cast iron plates
- Easy adjustment with included Allen wrench
- Cast steel with non-welded handles for maximum durability
- Smooth finish for a great hand feel and grip while performing various exercises
- Using different combinations of plates you can set the weight of this kettlebell to the following: 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, and 32 kg
 
A good purchase for someone who mainly works with one kettlebell in many variations.
 

Pros of the Titan adjustable competition Kettlebell

 
 
  • Price
  • Space-saving
  • Easier progression
  • Competition standard
 
If you really need the weight increments you get 19 kettlebells for the price of one. You can not beat that in any scenario as long as that is really what you want and need. Two 32kg  / 70lb Cast Iron kettlebells from TITAN will put you back $200 for comparison. So if you were to get 19 kettlebells of different denominations we are talking $1000 to $2000 depending on which weight combinations you get.
 
Compared to a set of 19 kettlebells you will save a lot of space. This is the difference between having a rack of kettlebells and just one piece of equipment in the corner. Especially in a home gym scenario with limited space, you do not want to have 19 kettlebells flying around of which you are actively using three different weights.
 
Depending on how big and strong you are this can also be a good tool for slowly increasing your maximum. The original weight increments of kettlebells are measured in pood which equals 8kg. Going from an 8kg to a 16kg kettlebell for beginners is the biggest relative jump you can make. It gets smaller in relation to the total the more poods you add (80kg to 88kg is an increase of 10% in weight while 8kg to 16kg is 100%). So if you are a beginner this can help with your progression. If you are a professional kettlebell athlete who likes to juggle kettlebells, 1kg increments can also be beneficial in your progression.
 
Apart from the adjustable setup, this kettlebell is also built to competition specifications. Competition kettlebells stay the same size and shape while they increase in weight. Compared to cast iron kettlebells the handle is straight. Competition kettlebells for juggling have to have the same dimensions so that the movement pattern stays the same. Cast iron kettlebells increase in the size of their handle and diameter the heavier they get.
 

Cons of the Titan adjustable competition Kettlebell

 
 
  • Single user-focused
  • Small parts
  • TITAN finish
  • $400 for two
 
The first thing is that a $200 kettlebell with a wrench and many little parts can only be considered for home gym use. If more than one person use the gym at the same time you actually want to provide for multiple users and multiple kettlebells with a bias towards the lighter ones. If you are buying for a gym it is a good way to think pyramid in terms of what you buy. An example would be 2x32kg, 4x16kg, 8x12kg, 16x8kg. You can adjust the total, but definitely by a lot more light than heavy kettlebells to cater to the masses.
 
Even if you are a single user I am not a huge fan of any adjustable weights for two facts. The first is that they are way more likely to break, as they have more moving parts. The second is that it is very likely that you will lose some of the parts. If you lode the wrench, the main advantage of this product turns into a pain in the backside. While adjustable always looks very good on paper, in practice most people do not get the maximum out of what they paid for and a $200 kettlebell is a lot of money. I would rather get a 100lb cast iron kettlebell for that money, but I already own  2x8kg, 2x14kg, and 2x32kg kettlebells.
 
Another challenge is what I call the TITAN finish. TITAN undercuts the most prices of competitor products by half in the market. With that strategy, the company has to make some compromises on the quality of its staff, products, stock policies and so further. This means that the risk of getting a faulty product, bad service, or long waiting times is a lot higher with TITAN than with Rogue Fitness or Eleiko. In return, you save a lot of money. An adjustable kettlebell needs to be precise and therefore falls into the category of products where you want high attention to detail. So if you buy the adjustable competition kettlebell you get a complex lifting product from a vendor that is more known than others to possibly underperform on the finish. Not the best combo to pick as an informed buyer. I personally would feel way more comfortable with buying cast iron kettlebells from TITAN as the maximum that can happen is access metal which can cut your hand. This can be filed down if it's needed.
 
While $400 for 38 kettlebells (2x adjustable competition Kettlebells) seems rather sweet it is still $200 per kettlebell and a maximum of two kettlebells you can use at a given time. I do not believe that you need 38 different kettlebells to get stron. I think the maximum is six and Pavel Tsatsouline, one of the most respected resources on kettlebell training in the market, would likely agree or even say you only need three. Personally, for $400, I would try to get 2x8kg, 2x 16kg, 1x24kg or 2x16kg, 2x24kg and 1x32kg. The first set would cost roughly $250 in cast iron from TITAN while the 2nd would cost roughly $350. This gives plenty of training options and progression with a way lower risk of having a piece of equipment that won't work. The only downside is that it will require way more space to store the kettlebells.
 

Alternatives to the Titan adjustable competition Kettlebell

 
 
 
The Rogue competition kettlebells also have the competition measurements. While they are not adjustable, they have an extra indentation to make them easier on the arms while tricking. Rogue is known is one of the top producers in the market with unmatched quality and service, even though this suffered a little during Corona where the entire industry was challenged and Rogue went on a massive growth spurt hiring new staff and adding new production lines. That usually comes with a dip in quality due to growing pains when the new machines and staff are trained and broken in.
 
The Rogue kettlebell 2.0 is a cast iron kettlebell that is exclusively manufactured in the United States. If you want to support the rust belt and ex-military to create jobs in the United States, this is the product for you. Rogue Fitness has a strong association with the US military as the CEO  is ex-military himself. There is nothing fancy about this kettlebell and it is more expensive than cast iron made in china, but you can feel better about your purchase.
 
The 5-20lb adjustable kettlebell from TITAN is the cheap version of the adjustable competition kettlebell. This is an option that sacrifices the integrity of an original kettlebell to make it adjustable. I am not a huge fan as I think that the finish is poor and you might as well get 2 -3 small kettlebells instead for the $80 price tag. If you want to bump the weight up there is also a 10 lb to 40lb version for $120.
 
The plate loadable kettlebell swing is a cheap alternative to build heavy kettlebells with the plates you already have. The handling for swings will be abysmal, but you can go very heavy and change things around without having a lot of little nuts and bolts that will potentially get lost. For $45 there is also not a lot to complain about in the price department. This is a dark horse for saving money and still being happy with your purchase for adjustable kettlebell swings.
 
I personally think that a set of 3 to 6 cast iron kettlebells will do the same job better, faster, cheaper for you as long as you have space for them.
 

Conclusion for the Titan adjustable competition Kettlebell 

 
While the idea looks good on paper I have always regretted it when I got adjustable weights. They tend to break or you lose some of the components. The $200 price tag is only justified if you adjust the kettlebell regularly and really need the 1kg increments to progress in your training. I highly doubt that this is the case for you. You either will use the kettlebell mainly for swings where you seldomly will make adjustments or for full-body workouts where it will be a pain to change the setup in the middle or end. Get a set of multiple cast iron plates that are easy to swap and hard to break instead.

Topics: TITAN