Rogue block sandbag vs Hybrid stone mold

This is a comparison between the Rogue block sandbag and the hybrid stone mold 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 Hybrid stone mold

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

Overview of the stone mold

Price: $75 - $650

The hybrid stone mold was a solution to a problem in the strongman community. How do you save on transport cost? You just make the stones in your home or at your competition place. The hybrid molds are made from plastic and are be screwed together. They range from 35LB to 300lb and start at $75. The specifications for the molds are:

Made in the USA
Designed by Rob Orlando of Hybrid Athletics
Durable plastic construction, lightweight and portable
Build multiple stones off of the same mold
Available individually or in sets
13 different size options (10” to 19” diameter, resulting in a stone weight of 35 LB to 300 LB)
Will require concrete mix (not included)
Atlas Stones will include “H” Hybrid logo

A great way to make your stones at home and get into strongman training.

Pros of the stone mold

The pros of the stone molds are:

Easy to make
Portable
Multiple stones from one mold

This is a good way of making your atlas stones from cement as long as you know how to mix it. The molds can be easily transported to wherever you want to have a strongman competition or where you want to train yourself.

Cons of the stone mold

The cons of the hybrid stone mold are:

Need to know how to make cement
Not see-through
Takes time

The process of making cement can be messy, especially when you are not used to it. It will take some practice and the cement bags to get your stone ready. As the hybrid molds are a bit see-through you will also not see how full the mold is, so the risk of spillage is a bit higher. Once done you will have to wait for the cement to set. So this is is not plug and play and needs some planning for your training or the necessary storage to keep the stones around once they are made.

Alternatives to the hybrid stone mold

Alternatives to the hybrid stone mold are:

The slater stone molds are also plastic molds to make your atlas stones. They are a little cheaper than the Hybrid molds and are see-through. This way you can see how the mix is settling in the mold for better results. While the slater molds are lighter and easier to handle, they bring less pressure onto the cement itself. If you want smoother results that take a little more craftsmanship the hybrid molds are the better choice.

The MK d balls are the heavy slam balls from. They go up to a maximum of 150lb. As atlas stones are not great for slams these might be the better option. The only negative is that they are quite pricey is you only get one whereas a mold makes multiple stones.

The strongman sandbags are a great compromise between an Atlas stone and a slam or medicine ball. They are available from 100lb to 400lb when filled with play sand. These are ideal if you want to lift heavy and be ready on the same day while still being able to transport the bags easily when they are empty.

Conclusion for the hybrid stone mold

The hybrid stone mold is the original idea to make it easier to create atlas stones at home. The funnel and design make it easy to create compact stones if you know how to mix cement. The only downside is that you can not see what is going on I side the mold as they are black.

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.