REP fitness fractional plates vs Equalizer plates

This is a comparison between the REP fitness fractional plates and the REP fitness Equalizer plates. Follow the links for more details.

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:

Machine drilled center hole (not cast) for tight fit on bar.
Sand blasted and machined for smooth surface.
All surfaces rounded, no sharp edges.
Sandblast before painting to ensure no surface rust is painted over.
Powdercoated and baked for 1 hour for superior toughness and resistance to chipping.
Symmetrical grip holes for easy lifting off the ground, and for using individual plates in exercises.
Weight tolerance guaranteed within 2%
"X" centered in between grip holes on 45, 35, and 25, as pictured on main image.
255 lb set includes: (1) Pair of 45, 35, 25, 10, 2.5 lb plates. (2) Pairs of 5 lb plates.
275 lb set includes: (2) Pair of 45, 5 lb plates. (1) Pair of 25, 10, 2.5 lb plates.

Plate Dimensions (width/diameter)

2.5lb - 0.5"/6.25"
5lb - 0.75"/8"
10lb - 0.75"/9"
25lb - 1.5"/12.25"
35lb - 1.5"/14.25"
45lb - 1.5"/17.7"

A solid alternative to simple Olympic iron plates.

Pros of the Rep Equalizer iron plates

The pros of the REP Equalizer plates are:

Sleeve space
Holes
Iron sound
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

Cons of the REP Equalizer plates are:

Iron
The Integrity of the plate is compromised
Higher injury risk
No color option

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 Iron 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 iron plates are easier to coat with a different color than bumper plates if DIY is your thing.

Alternatives to the Rep Equalizer iron plates

Alternatives to the REP Equalizer plates are:

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.

Overview and review of the REP fitness fractional plates

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

Fractional plate set $39

Fractional plates are a great tool to progress further, especially if you are very light or for lifts on which you can not really move big weights. With fractional plates, you can increase the weight of loadable dumbbells for awkward movements or push your one-rep maximum on an oly lift ever so slightly. This set of fractional plates includes:

0.25 Kg (White) - Diameter: 4.25" Thickness: 3/16"
0.5 Kg (Green) - Diameter: 4.25" Thickness: 3/8"
0.75 Kg (Blue) - Diameter: 4.25" Thickness: 1/2"
1.0 Kg (Red) - Diameter: 4.25" Thickness: 3/4"

With this, you are set to bridge any minute gap between two progressions. If you are a huge fan of the Wendler 5/3/1 method you also might want to get a set of fractional plates.

Pros of the REP Fractional plate set

The pros of fractional plates are:

Allow you to microload

This is the main and probably only reason to get yourself some fractional plates. If you struggle on a certain plateau and can move in 2.5kg or 5kg increment these come in handy.

Cons of the REP Fractional plate set

The cons of fractional plates are:

Not used often
Easily stolen
Break easy

If you know how to use them, you won't use them very often unless you train Wendler 5/3/1. In a commercial gym most people won't even know how to use them properly. When used incorrectly they are also more likely to crack or deform than other plates. Probably the biggest con for commercial use is that these get stolen or lost. In any gym, I have been in that stocked these they just seemed to disappear over time.

Alternatives to the REP Fractional plate set

Alternatives to the rep fractopnal plates are:

Rogue fractional plates
TITAN fractional plates

These are not hugely different and it comes down to price. Remember that you will pay the shipping costs, so don't cut off your nose to spite your face. If you have a big order with TITAN or Rogue just throw the fractional plates in rather than getting them separately from REP causing shipping cost.

Conclusion for the REP Fractional plate set

Fractional plates are great for small lifters in general or big lifters who just need 5kg extra on their one-rep max or someone who wants to push some awkward lifts or grip exercises to the next level. Most average gym clients will not know how to use these properly and lose or break them.