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REP fitness competition plates vs Rogue Fractional plates

Posted by Pascal Landshoeft

Jun 23, 2021 9:00:00 AM

REP fitness competition plates vs Rogue Fractional plates

This is a comparison between the Rep Fitness competition plates and the Rogue Fractional plates. Follow the links for more details.

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Overview and review of Rogue fractional plates

The Rogue fractional plates will set you back about $33 dollars. These plates are especially good to use for lifters who want to microload. This overview has originally been published in the article "Which rogue plates to buy" which you can find on this blog.

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Overview of the fractional plates

 
Rogue Fractional plates come in pairs of 0.125kg and 0.250kg. They are a helpful tool for the most advanced athletes to steadily increase the weight being lifted. They can also be used on beginning athletes or anyone who is facing a plateau. These plates allow you to increase the weight on the bar in increments which are smaller than 2.5kg and therefore provide more options for your training.
 

Pros of the fractional plates

 
Fractional plates are a great tool when you know how to use them. For programs like Jim Wendler, you want to use them as they break down the weight increments very finely. 
 

Cons of the fractional plates

 
These plates get easily lost or stolen. Also most people in your gym will not know how to use them probably and scatter them all over the place as they are so small.
 
 

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 competition 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:
 
  • Low Bounce
  • Zinc Coated Steel Disc Insert
  • Collar Opening: 50.5mm
  • +/- 10 grams of claimed weight
  • 450mm Diameter (IWF Standard)
  • Shore Durometer Ratings: 92 ShA
  • Follow international color standards (Red/25kg, Blue/20kg, Yellow/15kg, Green/10kg)
  • 5-year warranty on all plates.
  • Factory tested to 30,000+ drops.
 
Plate Thicknesses:
 
  • Green - 1 3/8"
  • Yellow - 1.6"
  • Blue - 2 1/8"
  • Red - 2.6"
 
Plate Sets:
 
  • 90 kg set (2)Each 20-15-10 Plates
  • 110 kg set (2)Each 25-20-10 Plates
  • 120 kg set (2)Each 25-20-15 Plates
  • 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

 
 
  • Price compared to other vendors
  • Low bounce
  • High durability
  • Color coding
 
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:
 
  • Price compared to other plate options
  • Metal disc
  • Busy design
  • Not IWF approved
 
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 Iron 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.

Topics: Powerlifting, Plates, Garagegym, Home Gym, Bodybuilding, REP Fitness