Rogue Echo belt vs 3 Ohio belt

This is a comparison of the Rogue Echo belt and the 3 Ohio belt including pros, cons, and alternatives. Follow the links for more details

Rogue 3 Ohio belt

The Rogue Ohio 3'' belt can be had for $94 from Rogue. This belt is a good option when the 4'' leather belts dig into your ribs. If you want to know more about the Rogue belt assortment read my article "Which belt to buy from Rogue" in which this overview was originally published.

What else to consider from Rogue

Overview of the 3 belt

The Rogue 3'' lifting belt is a slightly smaller variation in the Rogue Ohio lifting belt. Rogue uses the same vegetable tanned leather to produce this belt. The width of this is 3'' while it is 10'mm thick. IT comes with a double prong buckle in a bright zinc finish. The Rogue branding has been placed on the loop and the back, As with most Rogue branded products this belt is manufactured in Columbus Ohio by American hands.

Pros of the 3 belt

This is the lowest priced Rogue leather belt made in the US. If you want to grab a good piece of leather but not pay more than $100 this is the one to go for. The smaller width can also be beneficial for smaller lifters. For powerlifters, this might be a viable second purchase after a 13mm belt especially to train the bench press. Some lifters also prefer a smaller belt on deadlifts for less pinching.

Cons of the 3 belt

The 3'' will not provide as much support for squats as its bigger brothers and sisters. The double prong design also does not help for ease of use. These belts are fickle to get in and out of. You have to weigh up the pros and cons of each option you have. If you are a bigger lifter you might want to invest a bit more money for a more upmarket belt.

Alternatives to the 3 belt

If you are looking for a smaller belt for Olympic weightlifting the Ohio Oly belt might do the trick for you. If you are an average male who wants a great all-purpose lifting belt go for the Rogue Ohio belt or Rogue Premium Ohio belt. Powerlifter can choose the IPF approved 13mm Rogue belts instead.

Rogue Echo 10mm Lifting belt

The Rogue Echo 10mm belt can be had for $52.50. It is one of the cheapest leather belts you can get from Rogue. If you want to know more about the entire Rogue belt portfolio you can read my article "Which belt to buy from Rogue" in which this overview was originally published.

Overview of the Echo belt

The Rogue Echo belt is 4'' in width and 10mm thick. Production for this belt takes place outside of the United States. It comes with a single prong and in black color. The Rogue logo is stitched on in white. It provides 10 precision-spaced holes. The Rogue Echo belt might not a lot of breaking in based on the quality of the leather and the production process.

Pros of the Echo belt

A big pro is the price tag. You get a 10mm leather belt for 52.50$. This is nothing to be scoffed at when you are only a weekend warrior or want to get belts for the entire family for Christmas for the home gym. Same goes for equipping a commercial gym. If I was to open a gym I would get one per rack and invest the money saved compared to the Ohio belt in putting my own gym branding on them.

Cons of the Echo belt

For a leather belt, the finish is poor. This belt is mass produced in a machine in China with lower quality leather. This saves money and comes at the cost of longevity. This belt is more likely to fall apart and let moisture seep in where the finish is imperfect. If you are only using it occasionally or keep it for group use that is fine. If you want to go pro in lifting maybe wait and invest $100 to $150 bucks into something you can be proud of.

Alternatives to the Echo belt

This is the belt at the chasm between hobby and passion. If you only want to protect your back a little for occasional workouts you can also look into Nylon belts which save you even more money. These also can be worn with greater ease.