TITAN Urethane plates vs Rogue black training plates
This is a comparison between the TITAN Urethane plates and the Rogue black training plates including pros, cons, and alternatives. It was published first under which titan plates to get. Follow the links for more details.
Overview and review of the Rogue Black Training plates
The Rogue black training plates will set you back about $985 dollars or $7.03 dollars per kg. These plates are especially good to use for all purposes in gyms who are serious about competing. This overview has originally been published in the article "Which rogue plates to buy" which you can find on this blog.
What else to consider from Rogue
Overview of the black training plates
The
Rogue Black training bumper plates have a unique design with a color-coded stripe to identify the weight easily. All of Rogue's top engineering is combined in these plates. The little things do make a difference, even in something so simple as
bumper plates. These plates raised rubber around the center and at the outskirts. This makes them easier to pick up from the ground and avoids wear and tear at the middle metal discs. In addition, these plates are normed to the same diameter. This is great for weightlifting purposes. If you want a good, cheaper alternative to the official
competition plates, this is the way to go.
Based on the Durometer they score a 94, which means that they are pretty hard and have therefore less bounce.
Weight / Color / Diameter / Thickness / Price per pair
25kg / Red / 450mm / 66mm / $275
20kg / Blue / 450mm / 55mm / $225
15kg / Yellow / 450mm / 42mm / $190
10kg / Green / 450mm / 29mm / $140
Available sets
90kg, 2x 10-15-20kg $655
110kg, 2x 10-20-25kg $770
120kg, 2x 15-20-25kg $825
140kg, 2x 10-15-20-25kg $985
The
black training plates will be an eye-catching feature for your gym which enables you to train Olympic weightlifting at a lower cost per station than the official
competition plates. You will have all of the quality and luxury of competition and a well thought out design which is user-friendly.
Pros of the black training plates
The extra features of these plates make them less prone to get wrecked than the
competition plates. They will also continue to lock nicely even if they get abused. The hard bounce will make you train like a champ. On top of that, you will save a little money compared to getting the full-blown
competition plates.
Cons of the black training plates
These plates have a pretty high price tag for a piece of equipment that will be thrown around in your gym on a daily basis and abused. If you specialize in
powerlifting these plates will also take up more real estate on the
bar for the same amount of weight.
Alternatives to the black training plates
The
black training plates are also available in LBS denominations. If you run a gym where people prefer to calculate their weights in LBS and you still want to provide the best bumper plates there are, this is the way to go.
The
Rogue competition plates are what is being used on the platform in official competitions. The main difference to the
black training plates is that their colors run through the entire plates. They are also more prone to get broken when abused, as they do not bear all of the extra features that the training plates have to protect them from harm.
If you want to save money and know that your clientele does not care that much,
bumper plates are your go-to option. These are a lot cheaper than the
black training plates and can also be dropped from overhead. If you train outdoors or in a wet dungeon/cellar, I might get these as the plates well get wrecked anyway.
Overview and review of the TITAN Urethane plates
This is an overview of the TITAN Urethane plates including pros, cons, and alternatives. It was published first under which titan plates to get. Follow the links for more details.
Related articles
Overview of the TITAN Urethane Bumper plate
Price: $66.99 - $1152.99
The
TITAN Urethane bumper plates come in sizes ranging from 10lb to 55lb. These are plates with a chrome core and
urethane outer ring.
Urethane is a lot more durable than ordinary rubber and therefore these types of plates are considered the best in the industry for longevity. In return, the price per plate is a little higher as
urethane costs more than rubber as a material. The
TITAN Urethane plates come color-coded. The full specifications are:
Color-coded in 5 vibrant colors for easy identification
Raised plate lip making picking up the plates easier
Durometer rating of 90 for a minimal bounce on a drop and a durable design
Hard Chrome Insert
Collar Opening: 50.6 mm
Plate Diameter: 415 - 450 mm
Plate Width: 24 - 56 mm
Durometer Rating: 90
Weight Tolerance: +/- 1%
10 LB
Plate Diameter: 415 mm
Plate Width: 24 mm
Color: Black
25 LB
Plate Diameter: 415 mm
Plate Width: 38 mm
Color: Green
35 LB
Plate Diameter: 415 mm
Plate Width: 44 mm
Color: Yellow
45 LB
Plate Diameter: 415 mm
Plate Width: 51 mm
Color: Blue
55 LB
Plate Diameter: 415 mm
Plate Width: 56 mm
Color: Red
These are good plates when you train a lot with
Olympic lifts and abuse the hell out of your equipment. These would be the right plates for
Olympic training facilities or professional gyms that want to save on plates, but not constantly replace them.
Pros of the TITAN Urethane Bumper plate
- Low price
- Stability
- Low bounce
The biggest pro of most TITAN equipment is its low price compared to the same products from the market leaders Rogue and Eleiko. You usually can get the same amount of material for half the price or twice the plates for the same price if you go with TITAN. Depending on whether you buy for your home gym or a commercial facility that leaves you with more options. Especially as plates are a big item on the bill, but commodity as they are not touching off the athlete's body directly and do not need to be of a very high-quality finish.
The
Urethane plates themselves have advantages in the durability and a low bounce compared to regular rubber plates. The metal insert in the middle of the plate makes them more resistant for drops from overhead.
Urethane is more durable than standard rubber.
Cons of the Urethane Bumper plate
- High price
- Finish
- Sleeve space
AsTITAN always offers a very low price on items compared to market leaders like Rogue and Eleiko they do need to cut some corners to save cost. This is usually reflected in the finish of their products. The welding might not be top quality on some of the specialty bars, the
colors might not be as vibrant, or where rings are inserted they are not completely flush. There are also some reports along these lines for the
Urethane plates. If you want everything in your gym to be absolutely perfect, TITAN might not be the best brand for you. But that mindset comes at a considerably higher price tag with little to no impact on your actual training, except maybe mentally.
The last thing about
Urethane plates is that they take up more space than
cast Iron plates on the bar. If you regularly move more than 400lb on the deadlift, bench and squat, you might want to consider getting
cast iron plates instead. These are more cost- and space-efficient than
Urethane plates, but can not be dropped from overhead.
Cast Iron plates are also less forgiving on fingers, toes, and shins when you bang into them.
Alternatives to the Urethane Bumper plate
The classic
cast iron plates are an iconic staple of lifting allover the world. Especially when you start using three plates and more on each side they start to make that iconic clang and bang noise. They are cost and space-efficient and can be a good alternative to start your gym. Some disadvantages of
cast iron plates are that they can not be dropped from overhead, that you need to prepare your floor for training, and that they are less forgiving on flesh and bone when you bump into them.
Economy bumper plates are a good option for starters of a home gym or commercial gyms who want to keep the cost very low. These plates can be used indoors or outdoors and you will also not feel too sorry if they break or get dirty. They also take up quite a bit of space on the sleeve just like the
Urethane plates. Compared to the
Urethane plates they are more likely to break when being dropped from overhead and have more bounce.
Economy bumper plates are a good option for an all-around home gym that wants to keep the cost low. They are also good for big Crossfit classes where the athletes are mainly beginners.
The
elite bumper plates from TITAN are a compromise between the Urethan plates and the
economy bumper plates. They are priced in the middle between the two and or not as durable as the Urethanplates, but still have a metal core for overhead drops. These are the right plates for ambitious home gym owners who regularly lift overhead, but also do not take their plates through massive abuse. If you are not training for the Olympics or the Crossfit games, but still like to treat yourself, these are the right plates for you.
Conclusion for the TITAN Urethane Bumper plate
The
TITAN Urethane plates are well positioned in the market as a good budget option if you need
Urethane plates. In most cases, people will not need
Urethane plates and would be better off to save some money by getting the
Elite or
economy bumper plates from TITAN. Only if you want to simulate
Olympic weightlifting competition scenarios as close as possible at home without shelling out the money for an entire Eleiko set than I think you have a good case for
Urethane plates. Another one would be a commercial gym in which these plates will be dropped from overhead all day long. If you just ran a class once or twice a week, the
elite bumpers will more than suffice.