REP fitness adjustable dumbbell vs Rogue loadable dumbbell

This is a comparison between the REP fitness adjustable dumbbell and the Rogue loadable dumbbell including pros, cons, and alternatives. Follow the links for more information.

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".

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.

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

Rubber Hex dumbbells
Rogue Urethane dumbbell
Power block classic elite dumbbell
Rogue Kettlebells

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 REP fitness adjustable dumbbell

This is an overview of the REP fitness adjustable dumbbell including pros, cons, and alternatives. The original was published under which rep fitness strength equipment to buy. Follow the links for more details.

REP Adjustable Dumbbell $54.99

The REP adjustable dumbbell is a good option for home gyms in a confined space. Especially when you combine it with a set of change and fractional plates that you already own for your barbell. If you want to save money and space and still have a decent set of dumbbell options at your disposal then the rep fitness loadable dumbbells are a good choice. The full specifications are:

40 lb Set - TWO handles, FOUR collars, FOUR 5 lb plates, FOUR 2.5 lb plates
52.5 lb Set - ONE handle, TWO collars, EIGHT 5 lb plates, TWO 2.5 lb plates, TWO 1.25 lb plates
40lb Add-on Set - FOUR 10lb plates

Features solid cast iron plates, fully knurled straight handle, spin-lock star collars.
Handle - 4 lbs
Collars - 0.5 lbs (each)
Handle Lengths - 17.5" total / 6.5" loadable sleeve / 5" usable handle
Max load is (12) 10 lb plates (6 per side), for a total of weight of 125 lbs
Diameter of handle is 1"

Be careful when ordering as these are not sold in pairs. Make sure you get a pair as that is better for home training and getting stuff done quickly and effectively.

Pros of the REP Adjustable Dumbbell

The pros of the REP adjustable dumbbell are:

Price
Space savings
Money savings

An adjustable dumbbell is a great money and space saver for your home gym. It is not really a great option in a commercial setting as you want to provide a dumbbell rack so that many people can train in parallel, but for home use they are great. Especially if you already have a rack with plates at home.

Cons of the REP Adjustable Dumbbell

Cons of the REP adjustable dumbbell:

Handling
Need for plates

Adjustable dumbbells are not great if you are very strong and need to put 100lbs on them. The handling if getting them to your shoulder for a bench or incline press will be unbearable. There are some workarounds, but usually, it is better to get a urethane or hex dumbbell for this purpose.

The price of the loadable dumbbell setup con also skyrockets if you do not own the necessary plates yet. This makes it a good option for a gym that already has plates to get the maximum out of the investment. If you are someone who wants to start a gym from scratch with a pair of dumbbells you are better off getting two hex dumbbells instead, even though they are not adjustable.

Alternatives to the REP Adjustable Dumbbell

Alternatives to the REP fitness Adjustable dumbbell are:

Rogue adjustable dumbbell
TITAN adjustable dumbbell

The Rogue adjustable dumbbell is a shortened version of the Rogue Ohio bar which is American-made. If this is important to you then the Rogue adjustable dumbbell is probably one of the few, if not the only option for you that is being produced by a well-known manufacturer. You can also get special dumbbell bumpers for these adjustable dumbbells which make them better to handle heavy lifts than average adjustable dumbbells that work with combinations of change and fractional plates.

If you want to go cheap and imported, TITAN Fitness is your friend. They also have several different options of lengths and thickness for adjustable dumbbells. So if you already have a craigslist assembly of small plates at home, then TITAN fitness is the most likely place to find a fitting adjustable dumbbell out of Rogue fitness, REP fitness, and TITAN fitness.

Conclusion for the REP Adjustable Dumbbell

The REP adjustable dumbbell is a solid option if you already have matching plates at home. Otherwise, you might want to look into rubber hex dumbbells instead.