REP fitness rubber grip dumbbell vs TITAN Olympic dumbbell

This is a comparison between the Rep fitness rubber grip dumbbell and the TITAN Olympic dumbbell including pros, cons, and alternatives. Follow the links for more information.

Overview and review of the TITAN Olympic dumbbell

This is an overview of the TITAN Olympic dumbbell including pros, cons, and alternatives. Follow the links for more information.

If you want the most up to date news or ask direct questions, then you can follow me on Instagram.

Overview of the TITAN Olympic dumbbell

Price: $42.99 - $74.99

The Titan Olympic dumbbell comes in three sizes. These are 36-inch, 20-inch, and 15-inch. With these sizes you get the possibility to have a shortened barbell and use it like a dumbbell. You can use your change and fractional plates to load the barbell. This saves money and space, especially in home gym setups. The full specifications of this dumbbell are:

- Knurled handles for better grip.

- Titan Branded endcaps

- Compatible with Olympic plates

- Overall Length: 20-in

- Handle Length: 5.75-in

- Handle Diameter: 28mm.

- Loadable Sleeve Length: 6.5-in.

- Sleeve Diameter: 50mm.

- Knurling: Medium

- Sleeve Coating: Chrome

- Weight Capacity: 500 lb.

- Weight: 12.1 lb. Each | 24.2 lb. Total

- Quantity: 2

Be aware that only the 20-inch version is sold in pairs and that the 15-inch and 36-inch come in singles. Read the fin print on each version to get their specifics.

Pros of the TITAN Olympic dumbbell

Pros of the TITAN Olympic dumbbell:

Price
Space requirements
Flexibility

One of the main point in favor of TITAN fitness equipment is their price. TITAN strategically positions themselves at half the price to Rogue Fitness and Eleiko for comparable products. The Loadable dumbbells are no exception to this. If you are on a budget and like the idea of a loadable dumbbell, TITAN is a good vendor to get your supplies.

Loadable dumbbells have the advantage that you can adjust them with the plates you already have. This makes them a lot more space efficient than regular urethane or rubber dumbbells. Just stack the plates on and work away with the weight of your choice. If you lack space in your home gym setup a pair of loadable dumbbells is the best options to cover dumbbell exercises in a wide range without having to pole vault into your gym every morning.

Another plus of Olympic loadable dumbbells is that they are compatible with standard plates from all vendors. Especially if you already invested in your home gym and intend to get a barbell and rack too, this is cost and space efficient. There are other solutions in the market which provide flexible weight choices but they are usual not as flexible. The widely know block systems only work with the same weights and once the mechanics break you need to get anew set of dumbbells.

Cons of the TITAN Olympic dumbbell

The cons of the TITAN Olympic dumbbells are:

Cumbersome setup
Needs more space than a stackable system
Only one pair of handles

If you like to run the dumbbell rack up and down for bodybuilding exercises, this is not for you. With regular dumbbells you have the advantage that you can switch fast between weights. With Olympic dumbbells you have to take the plates on and off between sets if you want to work with different loads.

Especially in hotels this might also not be the best solution. Most hotel gyms do not have plates and therefore the Olympic dumbbells are more trouble than they are worth. If you want to have a full set of dumbbells in a hotel on a minimal footprint, the stackable dumbbell systems are a better option even though they are more prone to break.

For a very busy gym Olympic dumbbells are also not the best solution. If you have a lot of clients training at the same time you also want to provide them with a lot of handles and material. With an Olympic dumbbell you are focusing all of the options on one handle to save space. In a commercial gym you want multiple weights so that multiple clients can train at the same time.

Alternatives to the TITAN Olympic dumbbell

Alternatives to the TITAN Olympic dumbbell are:

Cast Iron dumbbells
Rubber dumbbells
Adjustable chrome dumbbells

Cast iron dumbbells are cheaper than rubber or urethane dumbbells as they are easier to produce. They are little more prone to rust and also not great for dropping on the ground. Apart from that it is easier to acquire a full set to have multiple options for your training, if you have the space to store them

If you want to switch fast between different weights and not wreck your floor rubber hex dumbbells are good value for money. The only downside is that you will not the space to store multiple pieces to work through a full range of loads.

Adjustable chrome dumbbells are a little cheaper than the Olympic dumbbells as they already come with the weights included. They are a good option when you just want dumbbells in your home to work on your physique and do not plan to build an entire gym. IN other scenarios they are not really the best option, as the weights only fit to the respective handles.

Conclusion for the TITAN Olympic barbell

Loadable dumbbells are great for home gyms to save space while still being able to train with a wide variety of different loads. The TITAN loadable dumbbells are also a budget friendly option to get a loadable dumbbell into your home gym. Commercial gyms should invest in a rack of rubber hex dumbbells or urethane dumbbells depending on budget. Very affluent home gym owners also might fill their massive space with a full rack of dumbbells.

Overview and review of the REP fitness rubber grip dumbbell

This is an overview of the REP fitness rubber grip dumbbell including pros, cons, and alternatives. The original was published under which rep fitness strength equipment to buy. Follow the links for more details.

REP Rubber grip Hex dumbbell $699

The REP rubber hex dumbbell is a good approach to save some costs on your dumbbell set and make it easier on your hands. The costs are slightly higher than for regular hex dumbbells with a metal handle as worldwide sales volume is not as high for this type of dumbbell. This is a good option if the place you train in is very humid. This is also a good quality dumbbell from a solid supplier in case you are worried about buying something from a random vendor on Amazon or Craigslist. The full specifications of the REP rubber hex dumbbells are:

5 to 20lb - 30mm diameter handle.
25lb+ - 34mm diameter handle.
Dumbbell heads are securely attached via friction welding, an extremely durable process.

5-50lbs
55-75lb
80-100lbs
Increments of 5lbs

A Solid set for a home gym on a budget that wants to have a full set of dumbbells or someone who just wants 1 - 3 pairs that are easy on the hands.

Pros of the REP Rubber grip Hex dumbbell

The pros of the REP rubber hex grip dumbbells are:

Rubber grip
The relatively low price point

This is the easy option for a home gym owner who wants to have a full rack of dumbbells running along with one of their walls. Especially when the significant other and the children who might not be as big into fitness as yourself want to train too. If you are a powerlifter or bodybuilder who loves Iron you might want to opt for the regular hex dumbbells or upgrade to the Urethane version. Especially in a commercial setting.

Cons of the REP Rubber grip Hex dumbbell

The cons of the REP rubber hex dumbbell are:

Rubber
Kettlebells vs Dumbbell
Hex shape

The first con is the rubber design itself. If you like steel and getting your hands a little roughed up you might prefer metal handles. Especially when you use heavy dumbbells on a regular basis the extra grip from the textured metal will come in handy.

Personally, I would always recommend buying kettlebells of different sizes over dumbbells for any home gym scenario, unless you are dumpster diving on the internet. A kettlebell can be used for almost all exercises you can do with dumbbells but not the other way around. The only back draw is that kettlebells need more space to be stored if you really get 5 lbs to 100lbs in 5 lbs increments. I also do not think that this is a wise way of investing your money in a home gym. IN a commercial setting you probably want to lean more towards dumbbells than kettlebells, as they are more user-friendly on the wrists for pressing movements.

A big con for hex dumbbells is their handling when they are heavy. I much prefer round dumbbells as they are a lot easier to get from any surface or your legs to the shoulders for presses. Heavy hex dumbbells are really annoying to deal with and you might want to upgrade to Urethane for these if you are taking your training already that seriously.

Alternatives to the REP Rubber grip Hex dumbbell

Alternatives to the REP rubber grip Hex dumbbells are:

The REP rubber dumbbells also have the hex design but come with a metal handle which is better if you are intending to get a lot of a heavy dumbbells. If you are getting dumbbells from rep fitness for a yoga studio and very low resistant the rubber gripped versions might be better.

The REP Urethane dumbbells are the Cadillac among the REP dumbbells. They last longer as Urethane is more durable than rubber. Their round shape also makes them easier to handle on heavy lifts and transport in your gym. Based on the price tag Urethane dumbbells are usually a good option for commercial gyms but not so much for home gyms. Especially if you are considering an entire rack instead of some carefully selected weights.

Rogue Urethane dumbbells are very similar to the REP fitness Urethane dumbbells. Between the two I personally think it is wholly up to your budget and whether you want your gym completely Rogue or REP themed to determine what you choose. As both dumbbells are imported the REP fitness version might be a good option to save some money on a super high-end home gym build.

The rogue loadable dumbbell is my personal favorite for a home gym. You can use the same budget for a dumbbell rack and invest it in two rogue loadable dumbbell handles and their bespoke dumbbell weights. Saves money and space while also looking cool. This is only an option in a home gym scenario as for commercial use you want a lot of handles so that multiple people can train at the same time.

Titan is the cost leader between Rogue, Rep, and themselves. If you want the most equipment for the least possible amount of money then Titan is the way to go. If you have a lot of space they also have a way bigger selection of plate-loaded machines than the other two. If you are a bodybuilder with a lot of space to fill in a massive basement or barn, then TITAN is your friend. The only downside is that their quality control and return policies are not as up to par as with the other two vendors.

Conclusion for the REP Rubber grip Hex dumbbell

I personally think they are a bit gimmicky. However, that comes from a place of bias towards powerlifting on my end. If you want some light weights that are easy on your hands you are probably better off getting the cheap neoprene dumbbells that are usually stocked in TESCO or Walmart. The only real benefit in a commercial setting I can see is that the rubber handles are easier to clean than the metal ones.