This is a comparison between the Rogue machined plates and the Urethane plates including pros, cons and alternatives. Follow the links for more details
What else to consider from Rogue
Overview of the Urethane plates
The
Rogue Urethane plates are the second most expensive ones in the Rogue portfolio per kg. What you get in return are the longest lasting, all weather plates you can obtain from Rogue. These plates are 450mm in diameter and made to IWF specs. They have a chrome insert and dead bounce on the drop. The chrome piece provides easy loading on the
bar and reduced friction on the sleeves. This is the plate to buy if your last
competition plates fell apart at the chrome insert.
Weight / Color / Diameter / Thickness / Price per pair
55LB / Red / 450mm / 58mm / $310
45LB / Blue / 450mm / 53mm / $260
35LB / Yellow / 450mm / 48mm / $220
25LB / Green / 450mm / 40mm / $160
10LB / Black / 450mm / 20mm / $70
Available sets
210lb, 2x 25-35-45LB $750
300LB, 2x 25-35-4x45LB $1050
320LB, 2x 25-35-45-55LB $1100
340LB, 2x 10-25-35-45-55 $1150
Pros of the Urethane plates
This is an all-purpose plate which will last a long time and is hard. It will take the abuse of many users of different experience levels and still look good. This is a great plate for high demands and someone who does not want to replace the plates as often compared to other plates with a chrome insert.
Cons of the Urethane plates
The biggest con is the high price. If you go for
Olympic or
bumper plates you will get a lot more kilograms per $$$. You might be buying twice in this scenario and you will also know that you took the cheap road to success. I personally stopped doing this and it yields great results.
Alternatives to the Urethane plates
C
ompetition plates will not last as long as they have a tendency to pull apart between the rubber and the chrome insert. They also bounce more. Still, if you want to get as close as possible to the real world championships, then these are the plates to go for instead with the slight risk that they might fall apart after years of heavy use.
The
black training plates are a great design from rogue which combines the
bumper plate effectiveness with the excellence of Rogue's
competition grade plates. You will find color coding and extra touches to make the plates more user-friendly and robust. This is the elegant choice of the professional.
Calibrated steel plates are the plates for anyone who wants to put the maximum amount of weight possible on the
bar while still having color-coded plates. These plates are also approved by the IPF and are used in competition. If you want to get serious about
powerlifting, this should be your choice.
Overview of the Rogue Machined Olympic plates
These plates are Rogue take on the standard metal plate. They have come up with a great design which combines grey hammertone with black writing. Many lifters love the sound of multiple metal plates clanging together when they post a new pr. These plates are made to precision with a 2 to 3% tolerance which sets them apart from the rest of the industry. These are the type of plates which a no-nonsense dungeon gym will hold. You get quite a lot of weight for your dollar with these ones.
Weight / Diameter / Thickness / Price per pair
45LB / 448mm / 1.50'' / $160
35LB/ 360mm / 1.50'' / $128
25LB / 300mm / 1.50'' / $ 105
10LB / 228mm / 1.22'' / $48.50
5LB / 195mm / 0.83'' / $32
2.5LB / 162mm / 0.63'' / $23
Available sets
245LB one pair each size $582
Pros of the Rogue Machined Olympic plates
The biggest pros are the price and machine precision. Compared to the
calibrated steel plates and high-end bumpers you get the same amount of weight for roughly half the price. Metal also feels different when you move it around. It makes more noise and just feels rawer. You will also be able to fit more weight onto your
barbell.
Cons of the Rogue Machined Olympic plates
These plates have no color coding and you can not always be sure what you put on the
bar. This makes it more likely to
misload
a lift. If you do not have a platform these plates are also a lot more likely to eat into your floor on deadlifts than
bumpers. They will also not sustain constant dropping of the weight from overhead. Especially your
barbell will suffer and deform quickly if you use them for Olympic lifts. In addition, they will also not age well in damp places as they will oxidate.
Alternatives to the Rogue Machined Olympic plates
If you still want that metal feel, can tolerate a bit more variance on the finish and prefer black, the Rogue
Olympic plates might be for you. They will also come in at an even lower price point.
Bumper plates are the alternative for the home gym warrior who wants to protect their floor and lift overhead. You will fit less weight on the
barbell, but you can train without a platform without wrecking the floor.
The
calibrated steel plates come with color coding and are IPF approved. If you want to prepare for your next
powerlifting meet and train like the pros, this is the option for you.