REP fitness fractional plates vs TITAN Urethane plates

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

Overview and review of the TITAN Urethane plates

This is an overview of the TITAN Urethane plates including pros, cons, and alternatives. It was published first under which titan plates to get. Follow the links for more details.

Overview of the TITAN Urethane Bumper plate

Price: $66.99 - $1152.99

The TITAN Urethane bumper plates come in sizes ranging from 10lb to 55lb. These are plates with a chrome core and urethane outer ring. Urethane is a lot more durable than ordinary rubber and therefore these types of plates are considered the best in the industry for longevity. In return, the price per plate is a little higher as urethane costs more than rubber as a material. The TITAN Urethane plates come color-coded. The full specifications are:

Color-coded in 5 vibrant colors for easy identification
Raised plate lip making picking up the plates easier

Durometer rating of 90 for a minimal bounce on a drop and a durable design
Hard Chrome Insert

Collar Opening: 50.6 mm
Plate Diameter: 415 - 450 mm
Plate Width: 24 - 56 mm
Durometer Rating: 90
Weight Tolerance: +/- 1%

10 LB
Plate Diameter: 415 mm
Plate Width: 24 mm
Color: Black

25 LB
Plate Diameter: 415 mm
Plate Width: 38 mm
Color: Green

35 LB
Plate Diameter: 415 mm
Plate Width: 44 mm
Color: Yellow

45 LB
Plate Diameter: 415 mm
Plate Width: 51 mm
Color: Blue

55 LB
Plate Diameter: 415 mm
Plate Width: 56 mm
Color: Red

These are good plates when you train a lot with Olympic lifts and abuse the hell out of your equipment. These would be the right plates for Olympic training facilities or professional gyms that want to save on plates, but not constantly replace them.

Pros of the TITAN Urethane Bumper plate

The pros of the TITAN Urethane bumper plates are:

Low price
Stability
Low bounce

The biggest pro of most TITAN equipment is its low price compared to the same products from the market leaders Rogue and Eleiko. You usually can get the same amount of material for half the price or twice the plates for the same price if you go with TITAN. Depending on whether you buy for your home gym or a commercial facility that leaves you with more options. Especially as plates are a big item on the bill, but commodity as they are not touching off the athlete's body directly and do not need to be of a very high-quality finish.

The Urethane plates themselves have advantages in the durability and a low bounce compared to regular rubber plates. The metal insert in the middle of the plate makes them more resistant for drops from overhead. Urethane is more durable than standard rubber.

Cons of the Urethane Bumper plate

The cons of the TITAN Urethane Bumper plates are:

High price
Finish
Sleeve space

Urethane bumper plates have a higher price tag than regular training plates with a metal core or rubber plates. If you compare the TITAN Urethane plates to the Elite or Economy bumpers from TITAN you pay quite a bit more for the same amount of weight. Especially when you are not doing a lot of overhead lifting and do not care that much about the color coding, you might lean more towards cheaper options from TITAN.

AsTITAN always offers a very low price on items compared to market leaders like Rogue and Eleiko they do need to cut some corners to save cost. This is usually reflected in the finish of their products. The welding might not be top quality on some of the specialty bars, the colors might not be as vibrant, or where rings are inserted they are not completely flush. There are also some reports along these lines for the Urethane plates. If you want everything in your gym to be absolutely perfect, TITAN might not be the best brand for you. But that mindset comes at a considerably higher price tag with little to no impact on your actual training, except maybe mentally.

The last thing about Urethane plates is that they take up more space than cast Iron plates on the bar. If you regularly move more than 400lb on the deadlift, bench and squat, you might want to consider getting cast iron plates instead. These are more cost- and space-efficient than Urethane plates, but can not be dropped from overhead. Cast Iron plates are also less forgiving on fingers, toes, and shins when you bang into them.

Alternatives to the Urethane Bumper plate

Alternatives to the Urethane bumper plates are:

Cast Iron plates
Economy Bumper Plates
Elite bumper plates

The classic cast iron plates are an iconic staple of lifting allover the world. Especially when you start using three plates and more on each side they start to make that iconic clang and bang noise. They are cost and space-efficient and can be a good alternative to start your gym. Some disadvantages of cast iron plates are that they can not be dropped from overhead, that you need to prepare your floor for training, and that they are less forgiving on flesh and bone when you bump into them.

Economy bumper plates are a good option for starters of a home gym or commercial gyms who want to keep the cost very low. These plates can be used indoors or outdoors and you will also not feel too sorry if they break or get dirty. They also take up quite a bit of space on the sleeve just like the Urethane plates. Compared to the Urethane plates they are more likely to break when being dropped from overhead and have more bounce. Economy bumper plates are a good option for an all-around home gym that wants to keep the cost low. They are also good for big Crossfit classes where the athletes are mainly beginners.

The elite bumper plates from TITAN are a compromise between the Urethan plates and the economy bumper plates. They are priced in the middle between the two and or not as durable as the Urethanplates, but still have a metal core for overhead drops. These are the right plates for ambitious home gym owners who regularly lift overhead, but also do not take their plates through massive abuse. If you are not training for the Olympics or the Crossfit games, but still like to treat yourself, these are the right plates for you.

Conclusion for the TITAN Urethane Bumper plate

The TITAN Urethane plates are well positioned in the market as a good budget option if you need Urethane plates. In most cases, people will not need Urethane plates and would be better off to save some money by getting the Elite or economy bumper plates from TITAN. Only if you want to simulate Olympic weightlifting competition scenarios as close as possible at home without shelling out the money for an entire Eleiko set than I think you have a good case for Urethane plates. Another one would be a commercial gym in which these plates will be dropped from overhead all day long. If you just ran a class once or twice a week, the elite bumpers will more than suffice.

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.