REP fitness Equalizer plates vs Rogue bumper plates
This is a comparison between the REP fitness Equalizer plates and the Rogue bumper plates. Follow the links for more details.
Overview and review of the Rogue Bumper plates
The Rogue bumper plates will set you back about $565 dollars or $3.76 dollars per kg. These plates are especially good to use for all purposes in commercial gyms. 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 Rogue Bumper plates
The
HG Bumper plates are the workhorse in the plate portfolio of Rogue. If you want cheap plates with a three-year warranty which do the job, this is your place. These plates will last, can be abused in any kind of way and will perform. The disadvantages of these plates are that they are harder to handle than
6 shooters and do are as plain as they come. They score 88 points on the durometer scale and have therefore slightly more bounce than the high range options from Rogue. The only color option for these plates is black.
Weight / Diameter / Thickness / Price per pair
25kg / 450mm / 3.5'' / $162.50
20kg / 450mm / 3.25'' / $130
15kg /450mm / 2.625'' / $97.50
10kg / 450mm / 1.75'' / $63
5kg / 450mm / 1'' / $52.50
Available sets
90kg, 2x 10-15-20 kg $370
110kg, 2x 10-20-25 $437.50
120kg, 2x 15-20-25kg $460
140kg, 2x 10-15-20-25kg $525
150kg, 2x 5-10-15-20-25kg $565
This is the no-nonsense choice if you are starting out and just want weight.
Pros of the Rogue bumper plates
These plates will not oxidate and can be used outside. If they reak your heart won't sink and you just replace them. They will be forgiving when dropped on feet or on the skin. Hurting your fingers is less likely than with other plates. You can drop them from overhead. Take your pic.
Cons of the Rogue bumper plates
These plates look dull and you can not see what you have exactly loaded. You also will not fit as much weight on the
bar than with higher price ranged options from Rogue. It is also more likely with these plates, tat
th
weight varies more considerably compared to what is stated on the plate.
Alternatives to the Rogue bumper plates
The
6 Shooter Urethane plates are another workhorse option with a different design. The six holes make it easier for athletes to handle the weight. These plates can also be used for workouts without a
barbell, which is hard to do with
bumper plates.
Olympic weights are the ultimate plate for getting as much weight as possible on your
bar at minimum cost. These metal plates are not fancy, but weigh a lot while not taking up a lot of space on the
bar. If your gym should make clanging and banging noises, this is the plate to get.
Competition plates are the Nascar version of
bumper plates. These plates are color coded so you can easily see how much weight is on the
barbell. They also have a steel core which makes them behave better when you change direction for the Olympic lifts.
Overview and review of the REP fitness Equalizer plates
This is an overview of the REP fitness Equalizer 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 Equalizer iron plates $10
The
REP Equalizer plates are a great option for your home gym, if you think that simple round
iron plates are boring and too hard to pick up from the ground. These plates have a low entry price, interesting design, and can be very practical if you like them. The full specifications of these REP plates are:
Features:
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Machine drilled center hole (not cast) for tight fit on bar.
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Sand blasted and machined for smooth surface.
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All surfaces rounded, no sharp edges.
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Sandblast before painting to ensure no surface rust is painted over.
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Powdercoated and baked for 1 hour for superior toughness and resistance to chipping.
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Symmetrical grip holes for easy lifting off the ground, and for using individual plates in exercises.
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Weight tolerance guaranteed within 2%
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"X" centered in between grip holes on 45, 35, and 25, as pictured on main image.
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255 lb set includes: (1) Pair of 45, 35, 25, 10, 2.5 lb plates. (2) Pairs of 5 lb plates.
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275 lb set includes: (2) Pair of 45, 5 lb plates. (1) Pair of 25, 10, 2.5 lb plates.
Plate Dimensions (width/diameter)
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2.5lb - 0.5"/6.25"
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5lb - 0.75"/8"
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10lb - 0.75"/9"
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25lb - 1.5"/12.25"
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35lb - 1.5"/14.25"
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45lb - 1.5"/17.7"
Pros of the Rep Equalizer iron plates
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Sleeve space
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Holes
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Iron sound
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Price per kg
A big plus of
Iron plates is that they take up less sleeve space on the bar compared to
bumper plates. This makes them especially good for powerlifters as they can get more weight on the barbell than with
bumper plates. If you have limited storing space and want to max out your barbell then these plates are a good choice.
The holes in these plates mean that they are easier to move around your gym than regular
Olympic iron plates. You can also pick them up from the ground very easily. In the convenience department, these plates point big in day-to-day use.
Depending on your preferences these plates make the sound of clanging metal that some love so much. If you want to pump
iron and like the good old Ronnie Coleman days, then these are the plates for you.
Another attractive feature of these plates is that they have a decent design even though they are at the lower range of the price per kg spectrum of REP fitness.
Cons of the Rep Equalizer iron plates
One of the disadvantages of this pate is that it is
iron. This means it can corrode and also damages your floor and equipment when dropped from overhead.
Iron plates also bear a higher injury risk as the metal won't give in when it comes into contact with skin or bone. It is a lot more likely to break the skin or a bone when you collide with an I
ron plate than with a
bumper plate.
As these plates have holes in them their integrity is compromised. This means that there are a lot more opportunities for the plates to crack or catch rust than with a smooth round
bumper plate. They are also more likely to chip than a round
Olympic iron plate.
Finally, you do not have color options with these plates except grey and
black. Although these i
ron plates are easier to coat with a different color than
bumper plates if DIY is your thing.
Alternatives to the Rep Equalizer iron plates
The
REP Urethane coated equalizer plates are in my opinion the better choice as they are more forgiving on your equipment and body than the full
iron plates. If you like the idea of plates with holes in them to make them easier to carry, go for the Urethane coat instead.
If you don't care about design and convenience and all you want is the most possible amount of weight for the cheapest price that you can fit on your barbell, then go with
Olympic Iron plates. They are not as convenient as the
Urethane plates but cheaper. You also might like to go retro and just focus on lifting the weights rather than how they look in your basement.
The
Rogue 6 shooter plates follow the same idea as the
Equalizer plates. The only difference is that the holes are round rather than hexagonal. If you are leaning more towards Rogue as a brand than REP fitness to build your home gym, but like the concept of easy transport
iron plates, then the
6 Shooter is the option for you.
The Rogue Olympic Iron plates are the simplest version you can get of a plate from Rogue. Steel that fits on a barbell. Nothing more, nothing less.
If you want to be as cheap as possible then go with
TITAN and load your cart up. They also have
Iron plates in stock.
Conclusion for the Rep Equalizer iron plates
The REP Equalizer iron plates have a great design and are practical in use. If I liked them and were to buy some I would go for the
Urethane coated ones instead as they are minimally more expensive but are easier on my skin and equipment when training. They will also last longer as they are not as susceptible to rust.