Rogue block sandbag vs cyclone sandbag

This is a comparison between the Rogue block sandbag and the cyclone sandbag including pros, cons, and alternatives. It was published first under which rogue sandbag to get. Follow the links for more details.

Overview and review of the Rogue cyclone sandbag

This is an overview of the Rogue cyclone sandbag including pros, cons, and alternatives. It was published first under which rogue sandbag to get. Follow the links for more details.

Overview of the cyclone bag

Price: $95 - $145

The rogue cyclone sandbag is an adaption of the strongman sandbag. Rather than having the same diameter on both ends, Rogue decided to make one end bigger than the other. This makes the cyclone sandbag easier to handle and especially interesting for long, heavy front carries. The cyclone reaches from 100lb to 250lb. The full specifications are:

Made in the USA
Patent Pending Design
Cyclone / Tapered style bags, larger at the top and smaller at the bottom
1000D MIL Spec US Cordura construction
Filler Capacity (4 Sizes): 100LB, 150LB, 200LB, 250LB
Built-In Filler Bag
Zipper and Hook-and-Loop Closure
(Filler Material Not Included)
Color: Black with White Rogue logo

This is a great sandbag for beginners without being cheap.

Pros of the cyclone bag

Pros of the cyclone bag are:

Portable
Cone shape
Robust design

Compared to slam balls and kettlebells these sandbags can be emptied after use and stored easier. Especially if you want to have group workouts at the beach this comes in handy. You can fill the bags with sand, get it done, empty them and leave. The cone shape also allows easier handling of this bag than of the original rogue strongman sandbags.

Cons of the cyclone bag

The cons of the cyclone sandbag are:

Shape for certain exercises
Limited weight range
Price

The cone shape is great for carries. Not so much for putting the sandbag to your shoulder. If your main intention is to do ground to shoulder movements than get one of the smaller strongman sandbags instead. Compared to the strongman sandbags the cyclone has a limited size. While the strongman sandbags fill up to 400lbs with sand, you can get only to 250lb with the cyclone bags. Last but not least some might be put off by the price. You could make an argument that a cement bag reinforced with Duct or gorilla tape will do the same trick for a fraction of the cost. I won’t argue with you if you only use them yourself and do not intend to empty/refill regularly.

Alternatives to the cyclone bag

Alternatives to the cyclone bags are:

The original strongman sandbag will give you a true cylinder shape and range from 100lb to 400lb when filmed with sand. The smaller options are very close to round-shaped and therefore a good alternative to atlas stones.

The rubber atlas stones from Rogue are an adaptation of the classic cement mold stones. These stones have an iron core surrounded by rubber and cone in 50lb to 200lb weight denominations. This is a great tool for home gyms or commercial gyms that want to train with a perfect heavy sphere. The only downsides are that they are harder to store and adjust than sandbags and that the black rubber can get very hot in the sun.

The MK d balls are heavy slam ball variations from Rogue. These balls are available up to 150 lb. while the bigger ones can get quite pricey, they will have a good grip and can be slammed better than the Rogue sandbags. I would only consider the mid-range of the MK d balls for heavy slams. If maximum weight is what you are after, the sandbags are cheaper.

Conclusion for the cyclone bag

The cyclone sandbags are great for beginners in heavy sandbag training as they are generally lighter than the regular Rogue sandbags and easier to handle. If you want to save yourself the hassle of bags and dirt the Rubber atlas stones or MK d balls can be an alternative based on your training preferences.

Overview and review of the Rogue block sandbag

This is an overview of the Rogue block sandbag including pros, cons, and alternatives. It was published first under which rogue sandbag to get. Follow the links for more details.

Overview of the rogue block bag

Price: $100 - $137.50

The rogue block bag is another variation on the rogue strongman cylinder bag. It comes in 150lb and 200lb variations if filled with play sand. Its shape simulates the classic stone overhead press in strongman competitions. The full specifications are:

Made in the USA
Patent Pending Design
Sold Individually
1000D MIL Spec US Cordura construction
New rectangular BLOCK Shape
Filler Capacity (2 Sizes): approx. 150LB or 200LB
Built-In Filler Bag
Zipper and Hook-and-Loop Closure
Filler Material Not Included
Color: Black with White Rogue logo on flap
Recommended use on rubber or nonabrasive surface - not intended for slams

This is a great tool to add to your arsenal if you are serious about strongman training but do not want to wreck your floors.

Pros of the rogue block bag

The pros of the Rogue block bag are:

Rectangular shape
Robust build
Good for overhead presses

The main argument for getting this bag is that the rectangular shape allows you to do overhead presses. This is not as feasible with most of the other sandbag designs Rogue has to offer. This simulates the classic stone overhead press event from strongman competitions in a way that it does not wreck the floors and also has less injury potential for the athlete. Apart from that the regular advantages of a bag in terms of transport and stage apply as it can be emptied when you do not use it.

Cons of the rogue block bag

The cons of the rogue block bag are:

Rectangular shape
Price

This strongman bag has a very particular shape. With this, it is great for very specific applications or as part of a set of several bags of the same weight to practice different load distributions. By itself, it is probably not the best option for beginners as it is awkward to handle. For the price of the block bag, you can also get a cylindric bag which is better to start with as it leaves more options and is easier to grip.

Alternatives to the rogue block bag

Alternatives to the rogue block bag are:

The rogue tombstone bag is thinner and taller compared to the block bag. This makes it a little easier for carries and harder for overhead presses based on its shape. If you wanted to practice front load carries more instead of overhead presses this is the better bag to get for your home or commercial gym.

The rogue strongman bag is what started this series of products. These bags are shaped like a cylinder and range from 100lb to 400lb. They are also available in different colors to spice things up a little. This is the ideal beginner bag that can be carried, pressed overhead, and brought from ground to shoulder. If you already have atlas stones in your arsenal, you might be better off working in different shaped loads.

The rogue cube bag still has corners like the block bag but is smaller and cheaper. Therefore it is a good starting point if you have already explored the standard strongman bag and now want to work with shapes that are different.

Conclusion for the rogue block bag

The rogue block bag is a good purchase for someone who already toyed around with strongman training and wants to bring it to the next level. Ideally, you get a set of the tombstone, block, and cyclone bag in addition to the bags you already have to make things more challenging and interesting. Beginners should start with a small rogue strongman sandbag in a cylinder shape and work their way from there based on capability and interest.