REP fitness Urethane dumbbells vs Rogue rubber dumbbells

This is a comparison between the Rep fitness Urethane dumbbell and the Rogue rubber dumbbells including pros, cons, and alternatives. Follow the links for more information.

Overview and review of the Rogue Rubber Hex dumbbell

The rogue rubber hex dumbbell is the workhorse option from Rogue which can be obtained for $7.50 - $309.This article will give you a short overview of the product and was originally posted in "which dumbbell to get from Rogue".

Most popular Rogue dumbbell in 2020

This is an overview of the most popular Rogue dumbbells on Marathon-Crossfit.com based on views and click through rates to Rogue Fitness for purchases. If you want to dig deeper on the data you will find explanations under what were the most popular Rogue products in 2020.

The most popular Rogue dumbbells on Marathon-CrossFit.com in 2020 were:

The Rogue loadable dumbbell is a good option to save space in a home gym. It avoids that you have to have an entire rack of dumbbells for various weight iterations. This is not particularly great in a commercial gym scenario as you want multiple people to be able to train at the same time. You can read the full review of the Rogue loadable dumbbell via this link.

The Rogue Urethane dumbbells are the rolls Royce among the Rogue dumbbells. Urethane is supposed to last longer than rubber. My main positive about the Urethane dumbbells compared to the rubber hex dumbbells is that they are round. That makes them easier to handle and store. In a commercial setting, you need to consider that the Urethane dumbbells come in at a higher price tag which hits heavier when you buy in bulk. You can read the full review of the Rogue Urethane dumbbells by following this link.

The Thompson fatbell is a hybrid between a Kettlebell and a dumbbell and a nice extra to any gym which already has all of the bases covered. There might be better ways to spend your money to develop strength like grip strength tools. Still, they are fun. You can read the full review for the Thompson fatbells via this link.

Overview of the Rogue Rubber Hex dumbbell

The rubber hex dumbbell is a classic which you find in many gyms around the country. They are a good, versatile low budget version of dumbbells that have stood the test of time. The Rogue rubber dumbbells are black and have rogue embossed on the rubber. The specifications are:

Weight range: 2.5LB to 125LB
Tolerance: +/- 3%
Handle Diameter: 25MM up to 10LB, 35MM for 12.5LB and above

Which will cover every need. Dumbbells are good in small spaces, athletes who can not lift a barbell and to put resistance on ranges of motion which can’t be reached with a barbell. To make a complete set in a gym they are a necessity, especially for accessory work.

Pros of the Rogue rubber hex dumbbell

Rogue takes pride in its products which shows in these dumbbells. One of the main concerns with dumbbells is that they come loose over time between the handle and grip which Rogue has addressed by paying special attention to this part of the dumbbell. A full rack of dumbbells is also great in any gym to leave options to train when the racks are taken. If you want to address beginners or rehab clients dumbbells are also a good go-to option.

Cons of the Rogue rubber hex dumbbell

Compared to barbells dumbbells are not used in many competitions. Powerlifters and weightlifters are therefore better off to train with a barbell than with a dumbbell. If you want a wide range of weights the rubber dumbbells will also take up a lot of space and have more cost than a barbell. A kettlebell might also provide the same amount of exercises with the benefit of also being able to do Turkish get-ups and kettlebell swings.

Alternatives to the Rogue Rubber hex dumbbell

Alternatives to the Rubber Hex dumbbells are

The Rogue loadable dumbbell is basically a shortened barbell that can be loaded with weights. Rogue also offers smaller weights to go with the loadable dumbbell. This is a great option when you want to be able to have a load of different weights on one dumbbell without eating too much space. Ideal for home gyms. For a commercial gym, it might be better to stick with a rack of dumbbells as they are more convenient to use and cover more clients at the same cost.

The Rogue Urethane dumbbells are slightly higher quality than the rubber hex. As the name suggests they are made of urethane instead of rubber which makes them more durable. Personally, I think the main reason would be aesthetic and functional to get them over hex dumbbell. They are round instead of a hexagon. I never liked that design myself.

The Power block dumbbell is a classic design for home use. It follows the same idea as the loadable dumbbell to save space in a home setting. This is the most compact it can get for lifting dumbbells with many options in denominations. The only downside is the clicking mechanic to change between weights which is prone to break and that the block can a little too big when moving big weights. Here the loadable dumbbell might be less error-prone if you have the space to store the change plates.

Kettlebells are always a good alternative to dumbbells. You can do almost all dumbbell movements with kettlebells while kettlebells also offer the Turkish getup and kettlebell swing as great conditioning exercises. The only negative with kettlebells is that I haven’t seen a great loadable Design for them yet to save space. If I was in the market for a big set I dumbbells I would get a wall of kettlebells instead. Especially if you have very heavy kettlebells it will set you apart from other gyms. It all depends on the clients you want to target as bodybuilders usually prefer dumbbells.

Summary for the Rogue Rubber hex dumbbell

The rogue rubber hex dumbbells are an ideal solution for a gym with many clients at peak time and a lot of space. There is no setup time to get started and if they break they are easy to e the place. For most home gyms rubber dumbbells might not be the most cost and space-effective option Rogue has to offer. For this application, you might want to look into the loadable dumbbells before making your final decision.

Overview and review of the REP fitness Urethane dumbbells

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

REP Urethane Dumbbell $1355

This is a full set of Urethane dumbbells from REP Fitness. The two main advantages are that they are round and made of Urethane. Urethane is deemed to be one of the most durable materials to make bumper plates and dumbbells from. Therefore it is also the most expensive. The full specifications for these Urethane dumbbells are:

Round dumbbell design with solid steel handle
Fully knurled handles for maximum grip
Friction welded for extreme durability
Tolerance: +/- 3% accuracy on all dumbbells
CPU urethane coating is the most durable urethane available
Custom logos and color combinations available (12-16 week lead time, ordered as part of full gym outfitting)
Size ranges available in 5 lb increments to match your training needs

5-50 lb
5-100 lb
55-75 lb
80-100 lb
105-125 lb
130-150 lb

Handle diameter sizes

5-50 lb - 32mm diameter handle
55+ lb - 34mm diameter handle
6-inch handle length

REP urethane dumbbell pairs are available for purchase too
5-50 lb set fits on (1) REP Dumbbell Rack.

Rack measures at 84" long x 34" tall (37" with dumbbells loaded) x 24" deep

5-year structural warranty

These are great dumbbells when you expect heavy abuse in a commercial setting. For a home gym, they might be too pricey and you want to opt for hex rubber dumbbells instead.

Pros of the REP Urethane Dumbbell

The pros of the REP Urethane dumbbells are:

Cheaper than the ones from Rogue Fitness
Round
Durability

Many people who look into REP Fitness want a cheaper good quality option compared to the equivalent product from Rogue Fitness. The good news is that the REP Urethane dumbbells are exactly that as long as you are ok with products that are produced in and imported from China.

What I personally like best about Urethane dumbbells is that they are round. The hex dumbbells are in my opinion awkward to handle, especially the heavy ones. If you want to get a full stack of dumbbells for your home gym because you are a beast, I would definitely keep in mind that these are round.

Urethane is a more durable material compared to rubber. If you use these dumbbells in a commercial setting or in a home gym where you can expect erosion from the weather then these are a good option to last you longer.

Cons of the REP Urethane Dumbbell

Cons of the Urethane dumbbell are:

Limited use cases
Price
Space requirements

I am personally a believer in getting any weight as a kettlebell instead of a dumbbell. Kettlebells are more versatile than dumbbells and also harder to break based on their design. With a few exceptions, you can almost do any dumbbell exercise with a kettlebell but not vice Versa. So if you are already investing in a lot of dumbbell weights, then you might want to consider getting a big pack of kettlebells instead.

Urethane dumbbells are quite high priced for something that you will use little if you are building a full home gym. For many modern routines, dumbbells are accessory work and the heavy lifting is done with a barbell while conditioning is done with a kettlebell. If you want to equip your gym with a full set of dumbbells and you are not a monster lifter I would go with a full set of hex dumbbells instead and half the cost.

A full set of dumbbells needs quite a bit of space. Other options like a loadable dumbbell might be more cost and space-efficient depending on what you want to do.

Alternatives to the REP Urethane Dumbbell

Alternatives to the REP Urethane dumbbell are:

The REP rubber grip dumbbells are optimized for price. The rubber handle makes them cheaper to produce, deviating from the traditional steel handle design. If you want to get a full set of dumbbells at a cheap price, this is the option for you. It just hits differently than a metal handle.

The Rogue Urethane dumbbells come in at a higher price due to the branding of Rogue. This is one of the exceptions where Rogue and REP Fitness both import the product from overseas. So technically I see no difference between the two except that you are supporting a company that is actively creating jobs in the Columbus Ohio area with their money that is also in manufacturing while REP fitness will probably lean more towards keeping staff at a minimum in the US for now.

The Rogue loadable dumbbell is a great option to save space and money for a home gym for dumbbells. It is not really an option in a commercial setting as you might want multiple handles so that many clients can train in parallel. The Rogue loadable is produced in the US as it is basically a shortened version of the Rogue Ohio bar. If you want some cool bumpers with them, then Rogue sells these too. This might be a good alternative for the patriotic home gym owner who wants a dumbbell set.

The TITAN Urethane dumbbells are also imported from China and more or less the same as the REP fitness dumbbells. TITAN is known in the industry to be more likely than other vendors to cut corners to achieve a low price. So chances are higher that you might have some minor quality issues with your delivery. Nothing that makes them not fulfill their purpose, just annoying for something you just bought new.

Conclusion for the REP Urethane Dumbbell

Urethane dumbbells are a good addition to a commercial gym, especially if you are buying a full rack of them. In a home gym, you have to ask yourself whether you really need a full dumbbell rack or not. If you just get a couple of different weights Urethane is an option. For a whole rack, I would go with hex dumbbells instead.