REP fitness competition plates vs color bumper plates
This is a comparison between the REP fitness competition bumpers and the REP fitness color bumper plates. Follow the links for more details.
Overview and review of the REP fitness color bumper plates
This is an overview of the REP fitness color 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.
REP color bumper plates $49
The
REP color bumper plates are a colored option of the
REP black bumper plates. What I like about these bumpers is that they are affordable and very close in price to the standard black. If you are torn between
black and colored bumpers for the same price I definitely recommend going for the colored ones. Way more fun to train with. The full specifications are:
Plate Sets:
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160 lb - (2)Each 45-25-10
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210 lb - (2)Each 45-35-25
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230 lb - (2)Each 45-35-25-10
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260 lb - (2)Each 45-35-25-15-10
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370 lb - (2)Each 55-45-35-25-15-10
A very affordable way to get colored plates into your home gym as other options might break the budget.
Pros of the REP color bumper plates
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Price
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Color
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Very forgiving
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Can be used outdoors
The best thing about the
REP-colored bumper plates is the decision of REP to not charge you a lot extra if you prefer color over
black. That is great as other vendors go for a different policy on this one or do not even stock anything but
black plates. So if you want colored plates on a budget, then these are a good choice.
Bumper plates are very forgiving on the lifter, floor, and equipment. They are the least likely to injure someone or cut into the floor and rack you are using. If you have a lot of beginners around or do not know who and how the plates will be used at all times, try stocking more
bumpers than
iron plates. Iron is great, but it is a lot easier to hurt yourself with these plates.
The last bonus of these plates as that they can be used outdoors. They won't deform and if they get dirty they are easy to clean.
Cons of the REP color bumper plates
The main con for
bumper plates is that they take up more sleeve space than i
ron plates. They are usually also a little more expensive than
Iron plates per kilogram. With
bumper plates, you usually max out the barbell somewhere around 180kg - 220kg depending on the barbell you use and how you stack the plates. If you are a serious powerlifter that regularly works with 200kg or more you need
iron plates. But if you are shopping for plates as a powerlifter, you probably are already well aware of that as you did not step into the gym yesterday.
These bumper plates have a higher bounce than specific
competition plates. If you are only lifting a lot, especially heavy, this can become annoying. Again, if you are an experienced OLy lifter you will know how to handle a bouncing bar, but it would be beneficial if it did a little less of that when you do 100s and 1000s of reps. In that case, get plates with a low bounce that usually cost a little more like the
REP sports plates or
competition plates.
Colored plates pick up blemishes and stains more than simple
black plates. If you do not want to have to clean your plates as often to keep them looking nice then
black plates are the better choice.
As these plates do not have a metal core they tend to spin a little more in an unpredictable way for oly lifts or not at all. That can mess with the dynamic of an oly lift and lead to lower lifts. However, this is minor and only relevant to top athletes.
Bumper plates are generally a little more awkward to pick up from the floor than
iron plates as you get less grip. Some
bumper plates have an added little lip to get grip on which these do not provide. Again minor, but we like to split hairs here.
Alternatives to the REP color bumper plates
Alternatives to the REP bumper plates are:
If you want to play it safe, especially for a commercial gym, then you can also get a stack of
black bumper plates. Not everyone likes to train with colored plates, even though I think they are the best thing since sliced bread.
If you want to take it up a notch you can get the REP competition
bumpers instead. They will have a lower bounce and weight tolerance and are therefore more precise instruments than the colored bumpers. They also have a metal core which makes them more centered during oly lifts. The big con is that they can cost up to triple what a single
bumper plate costs.
Rogue fitness also offers a line of colored bumper plates if you are leaning more towards equipping your gym Rogue themed. These plates are also imported so the patriotism card does not apply as much as with some other products from Rogue. If you want to go for American-made plates you can order the Rogue deep-dish plates.
The
machined iron plates are high precision iron plates from Rogue with a lower tolerance compared to regular
iron plates. This means you pay a little extra so that these plates are being produced with lower fault tolerance to weigh exactly what it states in the plate.
The
TITAN color bumpers are a low-budget option. Especially if you want to build your entire gym as cheap as possible without ransacking Facebook groups and Craigslist you should pay
TITAN a visit.
Conclusion for the REP color bumper plates
These are a good option to get color in our home or commercial gym at a reasonable price if you want to.
Overview and review of the REP fitness competition plates
This is an overview of the REP fitness competition 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.
Rep competition bumper plates $125
The c
ompetition bumper plates are the crown jewel of any vendor's plate lineup. They combine color coding with high-quality rubber to be bounced from overhead and an inner metal disc for stability during the clean and jerk and snatch. The
REP fitness competition plates are no exception to this design and are a solid option for someone who has high standards but does not want to lose a leg and an arm on a budget to obtain the standard. The full specifications for these bumpers are:
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Low Bounce
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Zinc Coated Steel Disc Insert
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Collar Opening: 50.5mm
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+/- 10 grams of claimed weight
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450mm Diameter (IWF Standard)
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Shore Durometer Ratings: 92 ShA
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Follow international color standards (Red/25kg, Blue/20kg, Yellow/15kg, Green/10kg)
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5-year warranty on all plates.
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Factory tested to 30,000+ drops.
Plate Thicknesses:
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Green - 1 3/8"
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Yellow - 1.6"
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Blue - 2 1/8"
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Red - 2.6"
Plate Sets:
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90 kg set (2)Each 20-15-10 Plates
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110 kg set (2)Each 25-20-10 Plates
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120 kg set (2)Each 25-20-15 Plates
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140 kg set (2)Each 25-20-15-10 Plates
The good thing about these bumpers is their price. If you don't mind imported plates then this is a good option to save on one of your major items on your shopping list for your home gym or commercial gym.
Pros of the Rep competition bumper plates
When you are considering buying these plates you are most likely very dedicated to your hobby or sport. The direct comparable competition of these plates is the
Rogue Competition bumpers and the Eleiko competition bumpers. Both of these are certified by the International weightlifting federation to be used in their
competitions to count towards qualifying for the Olympic games or other events regulated by the IWF. Based on this I think these plates are a good option for a dedicated hobby lifter. If you are a professional and want to do everything you possibly can to simulate
competition as close as possible in your training I would save a little more and get the Eleiko or Rogue plates depending on how you fit out the entire gym. The cost difference will be substantial, but can also be very motivating for you to do well with the hard-earned equipment.
These plates also have a very low bounce which is a feature of the high-end
bumper plates. When you get cheaper ones without a metal insert disc they will bounce higher. If you are training in a confined space or with a very heavy-weight (100kg or more overhead) I would consider upgrading to
competition plates for safety and convenience. Not a must, but definitely a great nice to have.
These plates have higher durability than regular
bumper plates as they are less likely to come apart at the hole where the sleeve of the barbell inserts. The only downside is that they are not really fit to be sued outdoors as the metal discs will start to corrode. If you want outdoor plates, get the cheapest
bumpers possible and just replace them as they will suffer a lot anyway.
The color coding is cool and fun when you are training. I was happy when I got my Rogue color-coded training plates even though I did not want to buy them at first but needed to because of availabilities. Gives your training a different level of seriousness.
Cons of the Rep competition bumper plates
The cons of the Rep competition bumper plates are:
The main argument against competition bumper plates is their price per kilogram. Most people will do more than fine with getting
bumper plates or
iron plates. If you mainly do powerlifting movements, don't bother with
bumpers and get
iron plates. They are cheap and you can load up your barbell to the brim. If you are planning to train Crossfitting style, then
bumper plates are a good option. For commercial uses, it really depends on what you want to convey to your clients. Gyms which a huge floor place will be best advised to get the cheapest per kilogram they can possibly get their hands on unless they are a collegiate gym flush with cash. Boutique gyms and CrossFit boxes should take into consideration that your dedicated clients will definitely know whether you bought the cheap stuff or the good equipment for your members. I would not be too pleased to exercise on York barbells when I am forking more than$200 a month over to you for my membership.
The metal disc is a plus for stability and balance on heavy lifts. It is not great when you work with axle bars or want to use the plates outdoors. In this case, simple
bumper plates are better. Don't use
iron plates outdoors. They will chip, rust, and rack anything you have mounted them on.
This is a personal style question, but I personally think these competition bumpers are very busy. They would look cooler if REP fitness just put "REP" on them like with their racks. Here Eleiko and Rogue win in my book with a less busy design. But that is just me when I would fork out extra money for something nice I would also like it to be as pleasing on the eye as possible.
If you are preparing for international competitions, you will use different plates. If simulation of big events is what you are after, bite the bullet and save a little more to get ELeiko or Rogue.
Alternatives to the Rep competition bumper plates
Alternatives to the REP competition bumper plates are:
The clue is in the name. If you do not compete in Crossfit or Olympic weightlifting the REP bumper plates or I
ron plates will do more than fine depending on whether you drop them from overhead or not.
The
Rogue competition plates and Eleiko competition plates are very similar in design and function but come at a higher price rate. In return, you are using equipment that got the blessing from the IWF to be used in their competitions.
Conclusion for the Rep competition bumper plates
These are great plates for a dedicated enthusiast in Crossfit or Olympic weightlifting for their home gym or a boutique gym that wants to show their clients that they take them seriously while not shelling out the money for a full Eleiko or Rogue setup. Athletes and collegiate gyms are probably better off opting for the Eleiko and Rogue plates, as long as the budget allows. Gyms with big floor space and a lot of plate trees to fill should immediately look at the other end of the price scale.