Volcano Yoke vs Rogue S25 sled

This is a comparison of the Volcano yoke and the Rogue S25 sled including pros, cons, and alternatives. This was originally posted in Which sled to get from Rogue.

Overview and review of the Rogue S25 fatboy sled

This is an overview of the S25 Fatboy sled including pros, cons, and alternatives. This was originally posted in Which sled to get from Rogue.

Overview of the S25 Fat boy sled

Price $120

The Rogue S25 fat boy sled was one of the first Sleds out of the Rogue portfolio. Inspired by military designs for entrenching it was upgraded from the S35 to provide more surface for your plates. Overall it is basically a metal plate that you can stack plates on with folded metal to each side to get mud and other debris away from the main body. The full specifications of this sled are:

Made in the USA
Footprint: 21.5" x 16"
0.25" Bent Steel Plate Rails to protect your plates
16.625" Fold-Flat Weight Post can stack steel plates or bumpers
Black Powdercoat Finish
Laser-Cut Rogue branding
Includes 16' Rogue Sled Strap
16' Spud Inc. 3" Strap available to add to order (extra cost)

This is the small version to take anywhere.

Pros of the S25 Fat boy sled

The pros of the S25 Fatboy sled are:

Compact design
Low price
Easy setup

This is a simple tool that does not make you think too much. In strength training, that is a good thing. You can take it anywhere without too much hassle and all do not break the bank for buying one.

Cons of the S 25 Fat boy sled

The cons of the S25 fatboy sled are:

No uprights for pushing
Only one end with a carabiner hole
Can flip over when loaded light

The fat boy comes with no uprights to push the sled itself. This means it can only be used for pulling motions together with a strap. Sometimes it can be good just to ram yourself into the uprights and get going, rather than having to get into the harness first.

For turning the Fatboy S25 also only has one hole for the carabiner to go in. With lightweight this means a high likelihood of tipping when you turn at speed. With heavyweights you will have to struggle to turn around, rather than just clipping the carabiner on the other side.

Alternatives to the Fat boy S25

Alternatives to the Fatboy S25 are:

Fatboy S35
SPud inc Magic carpet

The S35 sled is smaller version of the S25 and is otherwise the same. If you want a really small sled to be taken anywhere,this can be it.

The spud inc magic carpet is an alternative to the S35 which will not damage your floor as much. Instead of metal, this sled is made of the same material most straps are made of. This way it avoids the scratching that metal can cause on some grounds. The downside is that it is way easier to move the weight. There is a reason why good movers always bring old carpets with them to move heavy objects.

Conclusion for the S25 fat boy sled

The S25 is a good option if you see yourself regularly going on a small car to train with a sled somewhere nearby. If that is not the case, I personally think that the Rogue slice sled is a better investment. For a minimum amount of more money you get a sled that is still compact, but also can be pushed rather than just pulled.

Overview and review of the Volcano Yoke

This is an overview of the Volcano Yoke including pros, cons, and alternatives. Follow the links for more details

Overview of the Volcano

Price: $1.999

The volcano is a yoke that has been modified in a way that it can also be used to simulate tire flips. It has six plate storage pins and its triangular shape makes it stable, even when large amounts of weight are being moved. This makes it a great tool for serious strongman training. The full specifications are:

Made in Columbus, OH, USA by Volcano Strength LLC
2x2" & 2x3" Steel construction
Weight (Unloaded): 250 LBS
Height: 60" overall / 45" yoke bar height
Length: 69" (depth)
Width: 48"
Footprint: 69" x 48"
3 Easy-Grip Crossmembers: 1.75” diameter
6 Weight Posts: 9.75" loadable post length
1" thick Rubber Corner Protection
Color: Black
Ships Disassembled

Especially if you have a lot of space and ant to train yoke carries and tire flips outside, this is a good investment.

Pros of the Volcano

The pros of the volcano are:

Lower injury risk
Adjustable load
2 in 1 for strongman training

If you have space and you want to get serious about strongman training, then this a great tool to use. With the three handles, you can get a good grip on the weight and simulate strongman events that involve flipping cars or tires. Compares to tires and other strongman tools you can also increase the weight in increments and therefore track your progress better. All of this makes the Volcano a great option if you ave the indoor or outdoor space to do the flips and carries.

Cons of the Volcano

The cons of the volcano are:

Big frame
No option to put a barbell on
Can not be used for conditioning

Even though the volcano claims space efficiency it is a massive frame that will take up a big portion of most home gyms. If you do not have a lot of extra space, the chances are high that the volcano will end up vas a glorified plate tree. Compared to a traditional yoke you also do not have as many options to store a barbell on it, use it to get atlas stones over or do sled work. This is mainly due to the fact, that the three handles are fixed and can not be adjusted. Compared to a tire you can not jump onto the volcano or beat the crap out of it with hammer. I am confident that if you have the space for a volcano, you also have the space for a yoke and a tire. A yoke and a tire will likely cost the same or less and give you more training options.

Alternatives to the Volcano

Alternatives to the volcano are

Rogue Y2 yoke
Titan indoor tire flipping machine

The Rogue Y2 Yoke is one of the bigger Yokes from Rogue. With this option, you will be able to do carries, sled pushes, and atlas stones over the bar exercises. It also only $535 compared to the almost $2000 of the Volcano.

If you have a gym and want to get a tire flip, without the dirt and fewer space requirements, you can get the Titan tire flipping machine. In fact, for the budget of one Volcano you can get the Tire flipping machine and the Yoke.

Conclusion for the Volcano

The Volcano is a great option for actual strongmen who want to get ready for competition. The Volcano simulates the load distribution of very heavy yoke carries better than a traditional yoke. For example hay or other heavy objects that usually stack higher than plates for the same amount. It also probably the best tool for simulating a very heavy tire or car flips at home. That being said, most people do not follow this type of heavy strongman training. If you are just a weekend warrior you can me your money stretch a lot better by getting a yoke, barbell, plates, and an old tractor tire.