TITAN Olympic dumbbell vs Rogue Thompson fatbell
This is a comparison between the TITAN Olympic dumbbell and Rogue Thompson fatbell including pros, cons, and alternatives. Follow the links for more information.

Overview and review of the Rogue Thompson fatbell
The Rogue Thompson fatbell combines the design of a dumbbell and kettlebell. This saves space and cost to have a full set at home.The price ranges from $27-$215. This article has been originally posted in "which dumbbell to get from Rogue".
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Overview of the Rogue Thompson fatbells
The Rogue Thompson fatbell has been designed by powerlifter Donnie Thompson. This design places the handle of the kettlebell inside the body of the weight. This creates a hybrid design between a kettlebell and dumbbell. You can do all of the swings and Turkish get-ups of a kettlebell, while still also being able to use them as a dumbbell. The Rogue Thomson fat bell is available from 9lb to 150lb. Additional specs are:
- Based on an original design by Donnie Thompson
- Interior Handle and Center Mass reduce shearing force, add more load distribution on muscle & connective tissue
- Solid Cast Iron construction
- 9LB - 18LB Bells: 32MM diameter Ergo Handle
- 26LB - 88LB Bells: 37MM diameter Ergo Handle
- 97+LB Bells: 40MM diameter Ergo Handle
- Flat machined base (open-ended on 18LB bell)
- Black Powder Coat Finish
- Rogue and Thompson branding w/ color-coded stripe for quick recognition
- Applications: Presses, Swings, Lunges, Snatches, Cleans, Rows, and more
Pros of the Rogue Thompson fatbell
The Rogue Thompson fatbell saves you to buy a full rack of dumbbells and kettlebells as long as you like the idea of them or you think that your clients will actually like them. To have your hands in the center of mass also creates a different experience for the lifter. The fat bell puts different strains on the hands and moves differently from dumbbells and kettlebells. All good when you want to offer a variety of training options for your clients or for yourself to keep things interesting. I do see these working well in a gym with a lot of clients who are interested in to strongman and powerlifting exercises.
Cons of the Rogue Thompson fatbell
The fat bell will take up more space on a standard dumbbell rack than regular dumbbells or kettlebells. You will also not be able to stack them as well on an angled surface. So if you want to replace your current rack with fat bells, make sure you can actually store them on the surface. There is also no loadable option so the fat bells might not fit into a home gym if you want a wide variety of different weight options in a small space. The look and feel of them is very strongman. I think it will be unlikely that average customers will use them regularly as they might be intimidating and dumbbells are preferred. People usually don't like sticking their hands into something which they don't know.
Alternatives to the Rogue Thompson fatbell
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Rogue Kettlebells
The Rogue loadable dumbbell is basically a shortened barbell that can be loaded with weights. Rogue also offers smaller weights to go with the loadable dumbbell. This is a great option when you want to be able to have a load of different weights on one dumbbell without eating too much space. Ideal for home gyms. For a commercial gym, it might be better to stick with a rack of dumbbells as they are more convenient to use and cover more clients at the same cost.
The rubber hex dumbbell is pound for pins the cheapest dumbbell with a rogue logo on it. They are also sold in pairs. If you like the hex design for your commercial gym I think this is the one to go for in bulk.
The Power block dumbbell is a classic design for home use. It follows the same idea as the loadable dumbbell to save space in a home setting. This is the most compact it can get for lifting dumbbells with many options in denominations. The only downside is the clicking mechanic to change between weights which is prone to break and that the block can a little too big when moving big weights. Here the loadable dumbbell might be less error-prone if you have the space to store the change plates.
Kettlebells are always a good alternative to dumbbells. You can do almost all dumbbell movements with kettlebells while kettlebells also offer the Turkish getup and kettlebell swing as great conditioning exercises. The only negative with kettlebells is that I haven’t seen a great loadable Design for them yet to save space. If I was in the market for a big set I dumbbells I would get a wall of kettlebells instead. Especially if you have very heavy kettlebells it will set you apart from other gyms. It all depends on the clients you want to target as bodybuilders usually prefer dumbbells.
Summary for the Rogue Thompson fatbell
The Rogue Thompson fatbells are a good alternative to very heavy kettlebells as they can also be used as a dumbbell in these ranges. Kettlebells just get too big. In lower ranges, I don't see a lot of people preferring the fatbells to dumbbells.
Overview and review of the TITAN Olympic dumbbell
This is an overview of the TITAN Olympic dumbbell including pros, cons, and alternatives. Follow the links for more information.
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Overview of the TITAN Olympic dumbbell
Price: $42.99 - $74.99
The Titan Olympic dumbbell comes in three sizes. These are 36-inch, 20-inch, and 15-inch. With these sizes you get the possibility to have a shortened barbell and use it like a dumbbell. You can use your change and fractional plates to load the barbell. This saves money and space, especially in home gym setups. The full specifications of this dumbbell are:
- Knurled handles for better grip.
- Titan Branded endcaps
- Compatible with Olympic plates
- Overall Length: 20-in
- Handle Length: 5.75-in
- Handle Diameter: 28mm.
- Loadable Sleeve Length: 6.5-in.
- Sleeve Diameter: 50mm.
- Knurling: Medium
- Sleeve Coating: Chrome
- Weight Capacity: 500 lb.
- Weight: 12.1 lb. Each | 24.2 lb. Total
- Quantity: 2
Be aware that only the 20-inch version is sold in pairs and that the 15-inch and 36-inch come in singles. Read the fin print on each version to get their specifics.
Pros of the TITAN Olympic dumbbell
Pros of the TITAN Olympic dumbbell:
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Price
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Space requirements
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Flexibility
One of the main point in favor of TITAN fitness equipment is their price. TITAN strategically positions themselves at half the price to Rogue Fitness and Eleiko for comparable products. The Loadable dumbbells are no exception to this. If you are on a budget and like the idea of a loadable dumbbell, TITAN is a good vendor to get your supplies.
Loadable dumbbells have the advantage that you can adjust them with the plates you already have. This makes them a lot more space efficient than regular urethane or rubber dumbbells. Just stack the plates on and work away with the weight of your choice. If you lack space in your home gym setup a pair of loadable dumbbells is the best options to cover dumbbell exercises in a wide range without having to pole vault into your gym every morning.
Another plus of Olympic loadable dumbbells is that they are compatible with standard plates from all vendors. Especially if you already invested in your home gym and intend to get a barbell and rack too, this is cost and space efficient. There are other solutions in the market which provide flexible weight choices but they are usual not as flexible. The widely know block systems only work with the same weights and once the mechanics break you need to get anew set of dumbbells.
Cons of the TITAN Olympic dumbbell
The cons of the TITAN Olympic dumbbells are:
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Cumbersome setup
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Needs more space than a stackable system
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Only one pair of handles
If you like to run the dumbbell rack up and down for bodybuilding exercises, this is not for you. With regular dumbbells you have the advantage that you can switch fast between weights. With Olympic dumbbells you have to take the plates on and off between sets if you want to work with different loads.
Especially in hotels this might also not be the best solution. Most hotel gyms do not have plates and therefore the Olympic dumbbells are more trouble than they are worth. If you want to have a full set of dumbbells in a hotel on a minimal footprint, the stackable dumbbell systems are a better option even though they are more prone to break.
For a very busy gym Olympic dumbbells are also not the best solution. If you have a lot of clients training at the same time you also want to provide them with a lot of handles and material. With an Olympic dumbbell you are focusing all of the options on one handle to save space. In a commercial gym you want multiple weights so that multiple clients can train at the same time.
Alternatives to the TITAN Olympic dumbbell
Alternatives to the TITAN Olympic dumbbell are:
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Cast Iron dumbbells
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Adjustable chrome dumbbells
Cast iron dumbbells are cheaper than rubber or urethane dumbbells as they are easier to produce. They are little more prone to rust and also not great for dropping on the ground. Apart from that it is easier to acquire a full set to have multiple options for your training, if you have the space to store them
If you want to switch fast between different weights and not wreck your floor rubber hex dumbbells are good value for money. The only downside is that you will not the space to store multiple pieces to work through a full range of loads.
Adjustable chrome dumbbells are a little cheaper than the Olympic dumbbells as they already come with the weights included. They are a good option when you just want dumbbells in your home to work on your physique and do not plan to build an entire gym. IN other scenarios they are not really the best option, as the weights only fit to the respective handles.
Conclusion for the TITAN Olympic barbell
Loadable dumbbells are great for home gyms to save space while still being able to train with a wide variety of different loads. The TITAN loadable dumbbells are also a budget friendly option to get a loadable dumbbell into your home gym. Commercial gyms should invest in a rack of rubber hex dumbbells or urethane dumbbells depending on budget. Very affluent home gym owners also might fill their massive space with a full rack of dumbbells.