Rogue block sandbag vs Slater stone mold

This is a comparison between the Rogue block sandbag and the slater 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 Slater stone mold

This is an overview of the Slater 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 slater stone mold

Price: $50 - $220

The Slater stone molds are one of the products that Steve Slater promotes together with Rogue. The strongman bags are other products aimed at Strongman that he also showcases on Rogue’s website. The Slater molds range from 23lb to 536lb in various sizes and start at $50. The full specifications are:

Made in the USA
Designed and Produced by Steve Slater at Slater Hardware in Lancaster, OH (founded 1946)
Durable plastic construction, lightweight and portable
Build up to 50 or more Atlas Stones off one mold
10 different size options (8" to 24" diameter, resulting in stone weight of 23LB to 586LB)
Consistently clean, seam-free stones when preparation directions are followed
Molds have produced stones for many record-breaking performances at the highest levels of strongman competition

These are good, easy to transport molds to make your atlas stones wherever you need them, rather than transporting them.

Pros of the slater stone mold

The pros of the slater stone mold are

Price
See-through
Durable

The slater stone molds produce up to 50 stones from each mold, if treated with care. Compared to their main competitors from hybrid they are also cheaper. Also, you can see inside them while you are making the atlas stone, which makes the process a little easier.

Cons of the slater stone mold

The cons of the slater stone mold are:

Fiddly
No matching funnel
Not sold in sets

Apart from that, you will feel more comfortable with making atlas stones when you already know how to handle cement the slater stone molds are a little more tricks to handle than their hybrid competitors. They come with a little wooden peg to get them apart and with no funnel. The takes a little more finesse to make a stone than with the hybrid molds. Another bummer is that you can not just get a whole set of them in one purchase. You will have to get all of the different molds into your cart with no inbuilt discount.

Alternatives to the slater stone mold

Alternatives to the slater stone mold are:

The hybrid mold is the direct competitor of the slater mold to make atlas stones from Cement. While the hybrid mold is not see-through and a little more expensive, it is more user friendly for beginners. You can buy an extra funnel for the cement and when the stone is hardened you can pry the mold apart on the rim that goes around the mold. With the latter, you can not pry apart, but have to go around with the tapping stick.

The rogue strongman sandbags are the option if you do not want to work with cement at all. They come in sizes from 100lb to 400lb when filled with play sand. Other options are crumb rubber or lead shot. The strongman sandbags leave you with more weight options and can be stored and transported easily when emptied. The only downside of them is that they are a lot more forgiving on the user for grip strength as they do tend to give in more. Therefore they are not a true representation of what awaits you in a strongman contest.

The MK d balls are a heavy version of slam balls that go up to 150lb. This is a good option if you want the diameter of the ball you are working with to stay the same, but the weight to get heavier. These can also be used for slams without destroying the floor. The downside is that you will only get one for your purchase while the slater molds can be reused many times over.

Conclusion for the slater stone mold

The slater stone mold is a great option to make stones of all sizes. The instructional videos are also easy to follow and get yuh there. The only downsides of these molds are that they are a little messier than the hybrid molds as they do not provide a funnel and can not be compressed as much.

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.