Elite black bumper plates vs Rogue black training plates
This is a comparison between the TITAN elite black bumper plates and the Rogue black training plates including pros, cons, and alternatives. It was published first under which titan plates to get. Follow the links for more details.
Overview and review of the Rogue Black Training plates
The Rogue black training plates will set you back about $985 dollars or $7.03 dollars per kg. These plates are especially good to use for all purposes in gyms who are serious about competing. This overview has originally been published in the article "Which rogue plates to buy" which you can find on this blog.
What else to consider from Rogue
Overview of the black training plates
The
Rogue Black training bumper plates have a unique design with a color-coded stripe to identify the weight easily. All of Rogue's top engineering is combined in these plates. The little things do make a difference, even in something so simple as
bumper plates. These plates raised rubber around the center and at the outskirts. This makes them easier to pick up from the ground and avoids wear and tear at the middle metal discs. In addition, these plates are normed to the same diameter. This is great for weightlifting purposes. If you want a good, cheaper alternative to the official
competition plates, this is the way to go.
Based on the Durometer they score a 94, which means that they are pretty hard and have therefore less bounce.
Weight / Color / Diameter / Thickness / Price per pair
25kg / Red / 450mm / 66mm / $275
20kg / Blue / 450mm / 55mm / $225
15kg / Yellow / 450mm / 42mm / $190
10kg / Green / 450mm / 29mm / $140
Available sets
90kg, 2x 10-15-20kg $655
110kg, 2x 10-20-25kg $770
120kg, 2x 15-20-25kg $825
140kg, 2x 10-15-20-25kg $985
The
black training plates will be an eye-catching feature for your gym which enables you to train Olympic weightlifting at a lower cost per station than the official
competition plates. You will have all of the quality and luxury of competition and a well thought out design which is user-friendly.
Pros of the black training plates
The extra features of these plates make them less prone to get wrecked than the
competition plates. They will also continue to lock nicely even if they get abused. The hard bounce will make you train like a champ. On top of that, you will save a little money compared to getting the full-blown
competition plates.
Cons of the black training plates
These plates have a pretty high price tag for a piece of equipment that will be thrown around in your gym on a daily basis and abused. If you specialize in
powerlifting these plates will also take up more real estate on the
bar for the same amount of weight.
Alternatives to the black training plates
The
black training plates are also available in LBS denominations. If you run a gym where people prefer to calculate their weights in LBS and you still want to provide the best bumper plates there are, this is the way to go.
The
Rogue competition plates are what is being used on the platform in official competitions. The main difference to the
black training plates is that their colors run through the entire plates. They are also more prone to get broken when abused, as they do not bear all of the extra features that the training plates have to protect them from harm.
If you want to save money and know that your clientele does not care that much,
bumper plates are your go-to option. These are a lot cheaper than the
black training plates and can also be dropped from overhead. If you train outdoors or in a wet dungeon/cellar, I might get these as the plates well get wrecked anyway.
Overview and review of the Elite black bumper plates
This is an overview of the TITAN Elite black bumper plates including pros, cons, and alternatives. It was published first under which titan plates to get. Follow the links for more details.
Related articles
Overview of the TITAN Elite bumper plate
Price $99.99 - $899.99
The
TITAN elite bumper plate comes in black with
different color variations on the branding depending on the weight of the plate. They all have the same diameter except the 10lb plate. Their main feature is a metal core which makes them a good choice to be repeatedly dropped from overhead without breaking. They will fit standard Olympic barbells and make a good addition to any ambitious home gym or college facility. The full specifications for these plates are:
Low Bounce Rate
Steel collar reinforces the plates for high rep use
Raised plate lip makes picking up the plates easier
Gloss black finish with color-coded lettering for easy identification
Diameter: 450 mm / 17.75-in.
Width: 2.5-in.
Collar Opening: 50.6 mm
Insert Type: Chrome Plate Steel Disc
Material: Rubber
10-POUNDS:
Plate Diameter: 360 mm
Plate Width: 1-in.
Color: Black with White Lettering
25-POUNDS:
Plate Width: 1.375-in.
Color: Black with Green Lettering
35-POUNDS
Plate Width: 1.875-in.
Color: Black with Yellow Lettering
45-POUNDS:
Plate Width: 2.15-in.
Color: Black with Blue Lettering
55-POUNDS:
Plate Width: 2.5-in.
Color: Black with Red Lettering
These are great all-around plates for the semi-professional or professional
Olympic weightlifter at an affordable price. If you take your home gym seriously or want to buy in bulk commercially without breaking the bank, these are a good option.
Pros of the Elite TITAN Bumper plate
- Low price
- Robust build
- Low bounce
Compared to similar plates from other brands like Rogue and Eleiko you will save about half of the price. Especially for plates, which will ever touch your body directly or keep you safe, this is something to consider. One of the main expenses of a home gym is the weights themselves. If you can cut these in half, you will laugh all the way to the bank.
Compared to the
economy bumper plates these plates are a considerable step up in quality and price. This has mainly to do with the fact that these plates are made of two components rather than just rubber with a ring inserted in the middle. This brings material and production cost which makes them about double the price compared to
Economy rubber plates. In return, these can be smashed continuously in the ground from overhead without a bother.
These plates are very low bounce which is great for overhead lifting. With this, you do not have to worry that the barbell will be all over the place after a heavy attempt like with rubber bumper plates without the core.
Cons of the Elite TITAN bumper plate
Pirce for these plates comes into play from two angles. One is cutting corners on behalf of TITAN. To offer a product at half the price of your competition in the market you have to cut some corners. Transport, quality of staff or production just has to cheaper than with the competition. This means that it is more likely that you might get treated a little rude, get a faulty product or that TITAN is out of stock compared to the competition. That does not mean the product is bad, it is just a game of likelihood. From another perspective, these plates are already a bit pricey for a home gym, if you are not very serious about your training. If you do not do Oly lifts, you might want to consider cheaper
cast iron or bumper plates.
Another point might be that these plates are black. If you want to add some color TITAN also has an
elite bumper option for that at a slightly higher price.
As these are bumper plates they are thicker than
cast iron plates of the same weight. If your goal is to maximize the weight you can put on the bar, these plates are not the right choice. If you regularly move more than 400lbs on your bar, opt for
cast iron plates instead.
Alternatives to the Elite TITAN bumper plate
The
economy bumper plates are a better and cheaper option for you if you only occasionally drop weights from overhead and want to start your gym on a budget. You will save considerably and still get a lot of weight for your money's worth.
The elite color bumper plates have the same specifications as the elite bumper plates. The only difference is that they cost slightly more and come in the international weight color code for each plate. If I was in the market for the black elite plates I would get the colored ones instead. Unless, of course, you prefer everything to be black.
Cast iron plates are a great option when you regularly move more than 400lb on the bar and want to save space on your barbell and in your gym. They are also fairly cheap and therefore a good option. The only thing to consider with them is that you need to put some protection on your floor or work with a platform as they will otherwise damage the flooring of your house or gym. Also,
cast iron plates can definitely not be dropped from overhead.
Conclusion for the Elite TITAN bumper plate
The
Elite TITAN bumper plates are a solid option for the ambitious home gym owner or a good budget option for a commercial gym that takes
Olympic lifting seriously. You can get twice the plates for the same amount of money compared to other brands like Rogue or Eleiko if you a prepared to take the risks that come with a vendor that needs to cut a corner here and there to save you money.