Rogue sandbags vs rubber atlas stones
This is a comparison between the Rogue sandbags and the rubber atlas stones 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 Atlas stones
This is an overview of the Rogue Rubber Atlas stones including pros, cons, and alternatives. Follow the links for more details.
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Overview of the Rogue Rubber Atlas stones
Price $125 - $915
The
Rogue Rubber Atlas stones are another take on Rogue's team to make hardcore strength equipment more accessible for the mainstream. These
Atlas stones are basically big medicine balls with a rubber mold and an iron core. This makes them more accessible for beginners and easier to maintain than concrete
Atlas stones. The specifications of these
Atlas stones are:
- Construction - Overmolded Rubber, Cast-Iron Core
- Sold a la carte or in full sets (225 LB or 450 LB)
- 5 Available Weight Increments: 50, 75, 100, 150, 200 LBS
- Embossed Weight Indication and Rogue logos on one side
- Recessed edges to prevent rollaway
- Color: Black
The different models are available in:
- 50 LB (10" diameter)
- 75 LB (12" diameter)
- 100 LB (14" diameter)
- 150 LB (16" diameter)
- 200 LB (18" diameter)
and can be purchased in two different sets. One is lightweight up to 100lb while the other is heavyweight up to 200LB. These are great tools if you do a lot of
Atlas stone movements and you are getting fed up with remolding the ones you break on a constant basis.
Pros of the Atlas Rubber stones
- Easy to maintain
- Lower injury risk
- Ready-made
Compared to concrete
Atlas stones this is a step forward to make
Atlas stones a mass marketable product. In the past, you would get a concrete mold and make the stones yourself with cement and/or concrete. Not everyone is familiar with this process and the quality of the result can suffer. In addition, concrete is very unforgiving on the hands and anything you drop it on. Therefore the injury risk is higher. Concrete Stones also take less abuse, especially if you drop them directly on the floor. You usually need to pair them with some gymnastic mat which makes the setup cumbersome. The rubber Atlas stones take care of this problem.
Cons of the rubber Atlas stones
- Not an official strongman competition tool
- Get hot in the sun
- Can not be changed in weight
- Storage
If you are a strongman who is looking to prepare for competition, there is no way around using actual stones rather than rubber. The handling of a concrete ball is different from getting a grip on rubber. If you have a home gym and just want to simulate strongman training, these are a great option. If you are a strongman who wants to compete, get a mold.
As these stones are black rubber they can be a problem in the hot Californian sun. They have a big surface to soak up the heat and you might burn your hands if they are left outside for too long. Of course, you have the same problem with all equipment, but as these are likely to stay outside for a long time because they are hard to store and the fact they are black does not help.
Compared to other options for a home gym that just wants to simulate strongman training, rather than create competition like conditions, the rubber
Atlas stones have the disadvantage that they can not be loaded with different material. If you buy a set of different strongman sandbags from Rogue it leaves you with a lot more options to play around with the weight. They are also easier to store after use if you can dispose of the sand or led you filled them with.
The last disadvantage of
Atlas stones is that they are hard to store. Most racks and storage options offered by Rogue or you already have will not fit them. Therefore you will most likely keep them on the ground and they are not small. Combine that with the fact that they are more often than not a gimmick rather than the main staple of your daily training, this can get annoying. Unless you throw them about every single day.
Alternatives to the rubber atlas stones
- Slater stone molds
- Rogue Strongman sandbags
The Slater stone molds range from 8" - 24" in diameter, 23lbs to 586lbs in weight, and $50 to $220 in price. With these molds, you can make your own stones for use in your gym or anywhere in the world for competition purposes. Usually, it is cheaper and easier to make the stones for a competition on the spot, rather than transporting the heavy stones across the country. If you do not know your way around mixing concrete and pouring it into a mold, this might not be for you. There are good instructions out there, but it is a DIY job.
The Rogue Strongman sandbags come in various shapes and sizes in price ranges from $85 to $155. Thes bags have the advantage that they can be filled with different materials to get different training results. You can use Play sand, Crumb rubber, and lead shot to get weights ranging from 40lb to 2000lb. The lifting experience is not the same as with stones, as you are onto military grade fabric. These bags are also more likely to deform during the lift making the structure more challenging or forgiving depending on whether it hits you or you want to wrap yourself around the bag.
Conclusion for the Atlas Rubber stones
If you are a strongman who needs to work on speed on small
Atlas stone weights, then this is worth the investment. It will make the setup a lot easier, you do not have to worry as much about an injury or the stones deforming. For your maximum attempts or heavy lifts to shoulder, i think there is no way around a concrete stone to do competition justice. If you are a home gym owner who is just starting their home gym I think that these combined with boxes of various heights are a better option than a dumbbell rack. If you have the space for a dumbbell rack, you have the space for a small
Atlas stone ladder. Get the loadable dumbbells from Rogue and use the saved space for the rubber stone setup. That is what I will do when I upgrade my space that currently only houses a power rack and a bench.
Overview and review of the Rogue sandbags
This is an overview of the Rogue sandbags 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 sandbags
Price: $100 - $200
The
Rogue training sandbags can be loaded from 16lb to 220lb depending on which configuration you get and whether you fill them with rubber or sand. These bags are meant to be carried over the shoulder or by hand. because f the handles and sturdy design they leave you with many options for conditioning and
strongman training alike. As they can be filled and emptied using the filler bags it they are also more modular and faster to adjust than the
strongman bags. The full specifications are:
- Made in Columbus, OH, USA
- 1000D MIL spec Cordura brand nylon construction
- 7 exterior High-Strength Handles
- Double-stitched, reinforced seams
- Heavy-duty zipper and reinforced Velcro flap closure
- Velcro is sewn into interior walls to align with and stabilize Funnel Filler Bag
- Color: Army Green
- Rogue Branding and “Made in the USA” tag
- Size Options: S (40LB), M (80LB), L (160LB), XL (220LB)
These are solid bags for conditioning in military-style training or just any conditioning. They are easy to adjust and handle and do not intimidate any first tie user.
Pros of the Rogue sandbags
- Very versatile
- Easy to change the load out
- Good shape and handle for easy carry
These are the right
sandbags to get if you want to load your conditioning training in terrain. With the different filler bags, you can also quickly change from a light to a heavy bag without having multiple bags around. This makes it a great option for single users who want to preconfigure things and swap and change.
Cons of the Rogue sandbags
- too easy to handle
- Modular design can be confusing
- Pricing
As with many modular purchases from Rogue, the devil is in the detail and you can quickly overspend. While it is great to have different filler bag options that you can just prepare and swap out, I recommend going easy on your first purchase and try things out, before you go all guns blazing. Especially if you are intending to buy in bulk. These bags are also not great for
strongman training. The weights you have to handle in the competition are usually awkward to grip and weirdly shaped. These bags tick neither of these boxes.
Alternatives to the Rogue sandbags
If your main goal is to load your conditioning workouts than the
Tactec plate carrier might be an option. Especially for runs and rogue echo bike cycles, you might get a similar effect with less fuss. It will not simulate having to carry on extra load in your hand or on your bag, but if more resistance is all you need, the
tactec plate carrier has many options while still keeping you mobile. The only downside is that it will not load up to 220lbs.
The
Rogue strongman sandbag is a good alternative when you are more looking into
strongman training. These bags have no handles and are shaped similarly to
atlas stones. This makes them a bad choice to carry for long distances, but great to train grip strength and coordination for picking up heavy things which not have been built to be picked up. Additionally the loading system on these bags a little more straight forward than the modular
sandbags.
A simpler and cheaper option than the
Rogue sandbag is the
Rogue feed sack. Available in a 50lb and 100lb version when filled with sand these sacks can be easily carried for distance on your back. They are not as modular as the sandbag but simpler to use and sturdier.
Conclusion for the Rogue sandbags
The rogue sandbag is a great option for an individual who works out with
sandbags a lot and wants easy adjustments in weight for their training. Especially if you have to simulate a lot of military-style carries, this bag is versatile and easy to use. If you own a commercial gym or home gym and do not want to change the weights around as often, the
feed sack is probably the easier option with very similar effects.