The Best Bumper Plates
Whether you're looking to sculpt your figure, gain some strength, or simply love the challenge, weight exercise is a great way to keep fit and healthy at home. Deadlifting is a great option for building strength, burning fat, and improving general athleticism. If you want to get started at home, you'll need a set of bumper plates to see you through as you progress. During our search to find the best bumper plates on the market, we had three questions in mind: Are these plates durably constructed to withstand frequent use including drops? Does each plate weigh true to the manufacturer's promise? Do these plates come in a wide range for lifters of all abilities? If you're new to the game, check out our top pick, the Everyday Essentials set from BalanceFrom. These plates tick all the boxes, with a wide range and durable construction. If you're an Olympic dropper looking for maximum durability, we recommend the near-indestructible option from Hulkfit. Read on below to see more top bumper plates you could get your hands on today.
BalanceFrom Everyday Essentials Bumper Plates
Quality gear for quality workouts
Feel the burn with this bright and stylish selection of bumper plates to suit all weight classes. These color-coded options come in a range of weights from 10 to 55 pounds, so you’ll be sure to find the ideal option for your next session. A solid stainless steel inner ring with a 2-inch diameter ensures these plates will hold firmly in place when attached to standard-size barbells, dumbbell bars, or sleds. It also protects their integrity during even the fiercest workout. A high-density rubber construction means these bumper plates can endure repeated drops without risk of damage to the floor or the plates themselves.
Pros:
- We love the clear color differentiation on these plates, meaning we could easily reach for the right weight without hassle.
- The thin design made these bumper plates seriously durable, and they’re less prone to cracking if used for deadlifts.
- With their bold and cool aesthetic, we found that these plates made us eager to get back to the next workout.
Cons:
- Because of their rubber construction, the 10-pound plates in this range aren’t designed to be dropped without additional plates in place.
Papababe Bumper Plates
In it to win it
For a comprehensive set to see you through any training regimen, take a look at these bumper plate sets from Papababe. With each offering three to four pairs of bumpers 3 to 4 paired bumpers, these sets are sure to serve you well as you build up your strength. Made of a proprietary pure rubber formula, these plates have a sleek resistant finish. The hard casing clocks in at 90 durometers, giving a minimal bounce on impact for maximum safety in the gym. What’s more, this rubber design reduces noise on impact, making these a great option for home gyms.
Pros:
- Coming in a slightly larger size than some other options, these bumper plates are easier to balance when used as a single pair.
- Most rubber plates come with an initial stink, but we found that with this option it was easy to clean off the smell meaning it only lasted a day or two.
- The bounce on these plates kept our floors undamaged, even on more fragile surfaces like wood.
Cons:
- These great plates come in at a slightly higher price point than some other options.
Hulkfit Rubber Bumper Plate
These solid rubber bumper plate pairs from Hulkfit make a colorful addition to any gym. With a sleek minimal design, they’re sure to add a touch of class to any workout space. And you don’t have to compromise on functionality for looks. A solid rubber construction gives these plates serious endurance, making them the ideal choice for heavy long-term use. Protect your flooring and lifting equipment with a design that naturally softens on impact. With a great price that will leave you dollars spare, these bumper plates are a no-brainer.
Pros:
- The vivid color finish on these bumper plates can survive serious punishment, and they showed only minor signs of discoloration after months of daily use.
- We love how the wide steel center hub helped to hold these plates exceptionally sturdy when dropped, making them less likely to crack than options with rubber centers.
- These bumper plates weighed in with surprising accuracy. We found that each plate was within a pound of its stated weight.
Cons:
- These plates seem to make a louder clank than most when dropped.
AMGYM Olympic Weight Bumper Plates
Set up to lift
Get your home gym up and running all at once with this great selection of bumper plates brought to you from AMGYM. This selection of plates includes a great range for beginners or regular lifters alike. The durable rubber casing will protect your floor and bars while looking smart. These plates come with a stainless steel hooked insert to keep them securely in place when on a bar, offering optimal balance and safety.
Pros:
- We were thrilled to find plates that didn’t have that familiar rubber smell that’s so common on these products.
- We found that the casing on these plates made them quieter than other options when dropped.
- The coating on these plates is seriously durable, so it can withstand punishment from months of Olympic drops without cracks or heavy marking.
Cons:
- These plates may arrive with an oily film on the surface, though this could be easily wiped away.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s a good weight to try if I’m new to deadlifting?
Choosing the right weight range for your workouts is imperative to reap the best gains and avoid injury. For deadlifting, a good starting point to try is around 130 pounds for men and 90 pounds for women. As with any weight exercise, make sure you feel safe when lifting and use your instinct to avoid injury. If you feel pain, or if your form is breaking down, it’s probably too heavy.
Will rubber bumper plates damage my flooring?
Most of the bumper plate options we’ve found utilize a protective rubber coating to maximize bounce and reduce damage to flooring. These bumpers should cushion the blow on your flooring, softly absorbing impacts to reduce the likelihood of damage. If you’re planning to set up a home gym space for long-term use, you can consider investing in rubberized gym flooring to minimize damage from repeated drops.
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