Overview and review of the REP fitness Hi-Temp bumper plates
This is an overview of the REP fitness Hi-temp bumper plates including pros, cons, and alternatives. The original was published under which plates to buy from rep fitness. Follow the links for more details.
Hi-Temp Bumper plates $25
If you are feeling eco-friendly the
Hi Temp bumper plates are the way to go for you. HI-temp bumpers are made from recycled material under very high temperature and are there also very durable. They are available from REP fitness in the following sizes:
-
5lb
-
10lb
-
15lb
-
25lb
-
35lb
-
45lb
Good, budget-friendly option.
Pros of the REP Hi-Temp Bumper plates
-
Price
-
Durability
-
Can be used outdoors
-
Don't stain easily
These are the ideal plates for someone who decides to do a lot of work with their plates outdoors. If you need to outfit a gym that is in a base camp or at a movie set in the middle of nowhere, then these are great. They also do not get stained as easily as colored plates which is a bonus in a dirty environment.
Cons of the REP Hi-Temp Bumper plates
-
High bounce
-
Sleeve space
-
Hard to pick up
-
Inconsistencies in color
The lifting mechanics of these plates are more or less identical to
regular bumper plates. This means that they are not great when you lift a lot of weight in the range of 200kg plus on a regular basis and they also don't do great for oly lifts. Lacking a metal core they spin more than c
ompetition plates on an oly lift and take up more sleeve space for the same weight.
These plates also lack an extra lip to be easier to be picked up from the ground. A MInor inconvenience, but still...
I think the biggest con of HI Temp bumper plates is that you are dealing with reheated and melted tires. While this is great for saving money and I guess the environment, even though I question whether reheating old rubber to form it into weight plates is really that eco-friendly, it is a nightmare for quality control. While these plates are
black in general, they are way more likely to have different shades of
black compared to newly produced
black bumper plates. But I guess that is not really high on your priority list if you are already considering the cheapest plates in town, which is cool.
Alternatives to the REP Hi-Temp Bumper plates
The
REP black bumper plates are basically the same thing, except they are not recycled and therefore easier to quality control. This means that you are more likely to get a consistent
black color without any shading. The downside is that they are more expensive and also do not give you the warm feeling of buying something that has been recycled.
The
REP competition bumper plates are the right choice if you have a generous budget and you are serious about your Olympic lifting. This is the best that REP has to offer in terms of precision and stability during an oly lift for plates. The downside is the price which starts at $129 for the cheapest plates instead of $25 for the HI Temp bumpers.
The Rogue HI temp plates are Rogue's cheap line of plates for the budget-conscious buyer. Of course, budget-conscious and Rogue Fitness do not really go well together in the same sentence, but if you were to get a good rack and barbell from Rogue, but want to save a little on
bumpers, then these are a good option to throw in your cart. They are the closest match on the Rogue plate lineup compared to the
REP Hi-Temp bumper plates.
TITAN is the cost leader in this business, so if you want to get together a whole gym with the lowest possible cost you can also get their
bumpers into your cart and build an entire gym from that. The downside is that they seem to have more issues with quality control than REP fitness and Rogue fitness.
Conclusion for the REP Hi-Temp Bumper plates
The
Hi Temp bumpers from REP are a good option to save some cost and make you feel better about yourself as long as you don't mind that they won't be in one continuous shape of black.