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Rogue Tombstone sandbag vs rubber atlas stone

Written by Pascal Landshoeft | Sep 17, 2020 4:00:00 PM

Rogue Tombstone sandbag vs rubber atlas stone

This is a comparison between the Rogue tombstone sandbag and the rubber atlas stone 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

 
The pros of the Atlas rubber stones are:
 
  • 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

 
The cons of the rubber Atlas stones are:
 
  • 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

 
The alternatives to the Rubber Atlas stones are:
 
  • 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 Tombstone sandbag

This is an overview of the Rogue Tombstone 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 tombstone bag 

Price: $110 - $147.50 
 
The rogue tombstone sandbag is a variation on the rogue strongman sandbag that is very thin and long. This big is available in a 150lb and 200lb variation when filled with play sand. The full specifications are: 
 
  • Made in the USA
  • Patent Pending Design
  • Sold Individually
  • 1000D MIL Spec US Cordura construction
  • New TOMBSTONE 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 good bag to get for anyone who already has other strongman bags or atlas stones in their gym. 
 

Pros of the rogue tombstone bag 

 
Pros of the rogue tombstone bags are: 
 
  • Unusual shape 
  • Robust 
  • Portable 
 
The unusual shape of the tombstone sandbag makes it a great tool to train with different weights distributions. Even if it says the same amount of weight on the object, the distribution and handling can make the lift a lot more or less challenging. Besides, this bag can be easier transported than a real stone by simply emptying it. As with all rogue strongman sandbags, the finish is impeccable. 
 

Cons of the rogue tombstone bag 

 
The cons of the rogue tombstone bag are: 
 
  • Not great for stone to shoulder 
  • Not for beginners 
  • Not necessarily your first purchase 
 
These sandbags have a very narrow application range compared to the cylindrical alternatives. The amount of exercise is limited due to the awkward shape and therefore not great for beginners. 
 

Alternatives to the rogue tombstone bag 

 
Alternatives to the rogue tombstone sandbag are: 
 
 
The strongman bag is the one with the most applications for different circuit training or your strongman training. You have more options in color and weight as they come in sizes from 100lb to 400lb and also have a wider color range. This is the sandbag to get in bulk for your gym or to start with strongman training. 
 
The rogue cyclone bag is available from 100lb to 250lb. The top and bottom parts have different diameters which make it shaped like a cone. This makes it the easiest strongman sandbag for carries as the shape makes it easier to wrap your hands around. If you want to do a lot of carries with beginners, this is the bag to get. 
 
The rogue cube sandbag is another variation on the rogue sandbag which is formed like a cube. This bag is available in 100lb, 150lb, and 200lb and ranges from $85 - $127.50. This is a cheaper option that is not as challenging, but still awkward. Saves you a bit of money, too. 
 

Conclusion for the rogue tombstone bag 

 
A rogue tombstone sandbag is a good option if you buy a set of bags. If you are intending to equip your home or commercial gym with interesting.m challenges and have the money to spare, get a cross-section of different shaped bags rather than a lot of different weights of the same bag. As a single purchase, the tombstone bag is a little too awkward and you are better off starting with a cube or cylinder. 
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