Which bumper plates should I buy?

Not all bumper plates are produced the same.

There are three main points to consider when buying bumper plates:

• Material
• Quality
• Target

All bumper plates look pretty much the same on a nice, clean white background as they do on most websites today. But what you really want to know is how they will perform and how they will look after six months or six years of use. “Which bumper plates should I buy?” With easy access to manufacturing overseas, the market is flooded with many different types of bumper plates and it can be hard to tell which is which when you compare them online. To help you decide which bumpers are best for you, let’s look at the three points mentioned above: materials, quality and purpose.

Materials

Vulcanized rubber bumper plates are what you’re looking for for functional fitness training, so that’s where we start.

Our Competition Rubber Bumperplates are made from fresh rubber, or in other words – rubber that has not been recycled or used before. Thus, there is no mixture of polymers, adhesives or binders in the base material before the production process begins.

Good quality bumper plates, the ones you really want, start with a clean source. Lower quality bumper plates start with a cocktail of industrial chemicals from who knows where. If you are looking for high-quality plates, then you want new rubber bumper plates.

Vulcanized rubber is the second part of the equation in high-quality bumper plates. Vulcanized rubber has undergone a chemical bonding process in which, usually sulfur, has been introduced to create a stronger bond between the chemical chains in the rubber, making the rubber more durable. Think of all the super durable rubber you use in everyday life: car tires, soles of shoes, hoses, etc. Vulcanized rubber is the best rubber available and that’s what you want in a bumper plate.

Recycled rubber bumper plates is nothing wrong with it

There are a few immediate advantages to mention: they are environmentally friendly and you can use recycled rubber plates mostly for outdoor use.

Rubber plates such as Crumb Rubber Bumper Plates are among the most durable plates available. They are usually very compact and also have a super low bounce. This is due to the mixture of recycled rubber chips and the polymer binders. All these materials are mixed together and pressed under higher heat for a longer period of time than most other bumpers to ensure that the polymer chains line up and the bond adheres.

One last note about recycled rubber bumpers. This mix of materials usually makes for muffled or quieter sounding bumper plates. So if you train somewhere where you or your neighbors are concerned about the sound of falling bumper plates, Crumb Rubber Bumper Plates may be just what you are looking for.

Training and Competition Bumper Plates

If you are looking for plates from the best materials then training plates and competition bumper plates are what you are looking for. You get the best quality vulcanized rubber manufactured with precision to IWF and IPF specifications. If you train or want to train at a level, you can’t go wrong by buying training or competition plates from a reputable brand. However, there is one thing to watch out for. The small screws in the large steel collars of elite plates have been known to loosen over time. Be sure to check the screws every few weeks or whenever you hear the plates rattle.

Quality

We have already covered this a bit in the materials section, so there is no need to elaborate at length on this. The best indicator of quality today is social proof. If the brand has good coaches, gyms and athletes who support them over a long period of time, then you can be confident that you will get a good set of bumper plates.

Simply put, if the company has been around for 10 years or so and is still one of the market leaders, you know they produce good products. Clearly, they have provided the industry and community with good products and have been rewarded with consistent repeat purchases to keep them afloat.

Purpose: How do you train with bumper plates?

The two extremes here are an athlete training for the Olympics and a group of friends doing some reps in the garage. The Olympic athlete needs training plates or competition plates, and the friend group can get by just fine with recycled rubber bumper plates or crumb rubber bumper plates.

Competition and training boards are made to strict international specifications. Imagine a weightlifter setting a new world record elevator only to find out that it is actually half a kilo less than the record because the plates and bar were not made to exacting standards. That would be disappointing, to say the least. For choosing plates, it doesn’t matter so much whether you go to an early class or do some clean and jerks with your friends.

However, if you’re buying bumper plates for your gym, or you just want to have the best possible equipment, there’s no reason why you can’t switch to the best brands of plates.

Elite plates give your gym a professional edge over the competition, and you will likely attract a more dedicated clientele willing to pay a higher membership fee for the enhanced service and equipment you offer. And if you use the best brands of plates at home, you will have them forever! So if you are still using them 20 years from now, the cost will be easily justifiable.

Time to buy your bumper plates