Written by Andrew Lenau | ISSA CPT & Sports Nutritionist
Fact checked by Tyler DiGiovanni, BSBM
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Bumper plates are one of the most common styles of weight plates that you see in any commercial or home gym. They are versatile, noise dampening, extremely durable, and of course, they look fantastic.
To find the right bumper plates, you'll need to consider where you're working out, what training style you use, and how much money you're willing to spend.
We've compiled below eight of the best bumper plates for home gyms on the market.
In selecting the top bumper plates, we meticulously evaluated factors including durability, price, material quality, weight accuracy, and customer reviews.
So, whether you're looking for crumb rubber bumper plates, competition plates, or even urethane bumper plates, this article will give you the best options.
7 Best Bumper Plates for Home Gyms
- Overall Best: Fringe Sport Bumper Plates
- Budget Pick: AMGYM Bumper Plates
- Amazon Pick: XMark Bumper Plates
- For Olympic Weightlifting: Fringe Sport Competition Bumper Plates
- For CrossFit: Fringe Sport Savage Bumper Plates
- Best Urethane Bumper Plates: American Barbell Urethane Bumper Plates
- Best Crumb Bumper Plates: Fringe Sport Hi Temp Bumper Plates
SFS Pick
Fringe Sport
SFS Budget Pick
AMGYM
SFS Amazon Pick
XMark
1. Overall Best Bumper Plates: Fringe Sport Bumper Plates
The Fringe Sport Bumper Plates are our top pick for bumper plates. Between the reviews and the research we have done, they come highly recommended and will fit most people's needs and budgets. According to their website these black bumper plates were manufactured to be the “one and done” kind of bumper plates. Meaning that they are the kind that you buy once and use forever.
Fringe Sport cut no corners when it came to creating these rubber bumper plates. They used high-quality materials to create these virgin rubber plates, that are typically used to maximize durability and limit rebound. By reducing the amount of bounce in your bumper plates you will be able to work out without worrying about your weight hitting things and rolling away from you in the middle of a set.
The virgin rubber used by Fringe Sport gives the black bumper plates a nice matte black finish that shouldn’t fade away from all the wear and tear you will put them through. You can tell they put a lot of thought into this product because they also ensured the stainless steel insert is hooked, keeping it firmly seated and less likely to pop out compared to cheaper options.
They have a Durometer rating, killer warranty, and come at a great price; making the Fringe Sport bumper plates our top choice when looking at rounding out any home or commercial gym.
Have problems with your purchase, not a problem. Fringe Sport has one of the best customer service departments and are more than happy to fix any issues you may be having with your investment.
Fun fact: These Fringe Sport bumper plates are sometimes known under their other name on Amazon as OneFitWonder Plates.
Pros
- Steel inserts
- Low bounce
- High durability
- Great warranty
Cons
- Harder to identify weights compared with color bumper plates
Extremely durable, and will last for years in a garage gym or affiliate. Expertly designed "hooked" stainless steel insert that remains firmly seated...
2. Best Budget Bumper Plates: AMGYM Bumper Plates
If you want reliable black bumper plates for a good price, the AMGYM Bumper Plates are one of the best budget bumper plates choices on the market.
Typically high-quality bumper plates come with an eye-watering price tag, but these are built to last with a quality not normally seen at this price range. They feature stainless steel “hooked” insert that makes it easier to load them onto the bar, prevents the insert from popping out, making them very durable bumper plates.
This product boasts 100% virgin rubber which results in minimal bounce and makes them a perfect option if you plan to perform Olympic lifts, HIIT training, and powerlifting movements. The two-inch insert should allow the use of most standard lifting bars.
One benefit most people don’t think about is if the bumper plates have a beveled edge, which makes it easier to pick up the weights when they are lying flat on the ground. The AMGYM black bumper plates have a nice bevel to them which will save you time and unnecessary frustration.
Overall these plates deliver a ton of value, while also being some of the cheapest bumper plates on the market.
Pros
- Solid quality plates
- Budget-friendly
- Amazing colors
Cons
- Some reviews state weight inconsistencies
Premium rubber color bumpers deliver a proprietary rubber-to-core bonding system that increases resistance against harsh environments...
3. Best Bumper Plates On Amazon: XMark Bumper Plates
Amazon is the best online marketplace you can use to buy random items and get them delivered to your house in a couple of days. What most people don’t think about is getting on Amazon and ordering high-quality gym equipment.
Well, if you look hard there are some hidden gems on there, like the XMark bumper plates. When creating these bumper plates XMark focused on creating a product that had a slim profile and a dead bounce by making each plate with a solid cast stainless steel core encased in premium all-natural virgin rubber.
They also engineered these plates for dropping and solved a fitness industry-wide problem with 10-pound plates bending and snapping. By following IWF standards, increasing its thickness, and reducing the diameter of each 10-pound plate, they created a plate with much-needed stability that resists bending.
The functionality and craftsmanship that goes into each XMark bumper plate should leave you feeling confident that if you invest in them that they will last a lifetime of workouts and abuse.
Have a problem? Don’t worry, XMark strives to be responsive to every customer and make sure they give you the premium support you deserve.
Pros
- Simple design
- Durable
- Great value
- Low bounce
Cons
- Slick design can make it difficult to pick up
The precision tooled and polished commercial stainless-steel 2 inch inserts allow the Olympic plates to slide freely on the bar. An Olympic barbell ...
4. Best Olympic Lifting Bumper Plates: Fringe Sport Competition Bumper Plates
Are you looking for some new competition bumper plates but don’t want to pay competition bumper plate prices?
When buying competition plates you want them to have a thinner profile, tight weight tolerances, minimal bounce, and to be more durable than a standard bumper plate. Well, the Fringe Sport Color Competition Bumper Plates in kilograms may be worth your investment as they check off all of these boxes.
These competition bumpers were designed with serious lifters in mind, as they can help you set new personal records without having to worry about destroying your floors. They are made with virgin rubber, which means you can expect them to last longer, look better, and even smell better than most other brands’ bumper plates.
They are also built to IWF specs with a tolerance of +/- 1 mm, which is the standard for competition bumper plates. When buying competition plates the weight on the bar needs to be as accurate as possible, Fringe Sport claims a weight tolerance of +/- 10 grams of declared weight. Making them incredibly accurate and perfect for competition bumpers.
The lettering and rubber surface around the center disc and outside edge are raised, which limits metal-on-metal contact, and the thinner profile means you can add more weight to the bar. Plus with a durometer rating of 90 sHA, these plates have minimal bounce compared to most other brands’ options so keep that in mind if bounce-back is a big concern for you.
When researching for competition bumpers one of the things that popped out the most about these were the vibrant colors. The plates have a matte finish, but still are able to be bright and catch the eye. The different colors between plate sizes make it easy to figure out how much weight is on the bar as they follow the competition color standard for weight plates.
Pros
- Weight is within 10 grams of being exact
- Decent warranty
- Strict diameter standards
- Vibrant colors
- Can be used as competition plates
Cons
- Only available in Kilos
To be the best, lift with the best competition plate out there. You're on the lifting platform, hands chalked, expectant eyes riveted on you, knowing you'll deliver your next PR with these beauties on the bar...
5. Best Crossfit Bumper Plates: Fringe Sport Savage Bumper Plates
Fringe Sports Savage bumper plates are a unique twist on their already high-quality black bumper plates. Not only do the tiger streaks of color throughout them catch your eye, but they also are super helpful. The colored plates make it incredibly easy to get what you need, and not waste time having to double-check the weight on the bar.
These high-quality bumper plates are still functional and include all the great features of their other bumpers. The Savage bumpers include the stainless steel hooked inserts that reduce the chances of having to deal with insert separation to almost zero percent.
These bumpers are also made of dense, solid virgin rubber that makes for a great dead bounce. Making any drops from overhead have incredibly small chances of damaging the floor, deadlift platform, or barbell.
An added benefit of this higher-density rubber is that the bumpers can be made thinner, so you will be able to add more weight to the bar. These bumper plates for CrossFit are sold in pairs, will fit any Olympic barbells with a two-inch sleeve, and have the weight in kilograms on each plate.
The beveled edges that Fringe Sports adds to all their bumper plates make it incredibly easy to get your fingers under the plate and pick it up. It would be an absolute nightmare if they didn’t have the beveled edges.
Another great little trick Fringe Sports does with their bumpers is by shaving a couple of millimeters off of their smaller weight plates. By making the 10’s just slightly smaller in total diameter they can ensure that the bigger plates on the barbell will absorb more of the impact if the weight is dropped. Pure genius.
So not only are these bumper plates perfect for Olympic-style training, they will even hold up to the abuse from a CrossFit-style workout. Making these the best bumper plates for CrossFit.
Pros
- Great design
- Extremely durable
- Low, dead bounce
- Weight within specs
Cons
- Only sold in bundles
Our Savage Bumper Plates have tiger streaks of color throughout them, making them easy to identify. While the color streaks certainly catch your eye, it's easy to forget that they are also super helpful. The color comes...
6. Best Urethane Bumper Plates: American Barbell Urethane Bumper Plates
According to the American Barbell website, they were the first company to manufacture a urethane bumper plate. By utilizing urethane instead of the traditional rubber, they have created a bumper plate that is incredibly durable, has a low bounce pattern, and has lively colors.
To ensure that they would be able to handle some wear and tear, American Barbell tested the urethane bumper plates by dropping them 55,000 times from 8.5 feet. The only thing that happened during this test was that the plates collected some dust and needed to be wiped off.
Additional features are that the American Barbell urethane plates have a 140 MM hard chrome hub that is solid one-piece construction and has a slanted edge that makes the plates easy to load on a bar and reduces bar wear.
Not only are these urethane plates built tough, but they are easily the most vibrant colors on our list. Between the vibrant colors and the chrome hub, they can tell these are premium urethane bumper plates.
While they are quite expensive, when you factor in the high-quality materials and the durability you’re getting the best urethane bumper plates on the market that will easily last you a lifetime.
Pros
- Bright, vibrant colors
- High-quality materials
- Pebble texture to increase ease of pick-up
- Durable
- Low bounce
Cons
- Urethane is still slippery to grip
- Hard to pick up off the ground
American Barbell is the first company to manufacture a urethane bumper plate. These bumpers are exceptionally durable and have a very low bounce. We use German urethane...
7. Best Crumb Bumper Plates: Fringe Sport Hi Temp Bumper Plates
Crumb rubber bumper plates also called hi-temp bumper plates have been a staple at CrossFit gyms and other functional training facilities for years due to their durability, simplicity, and prices.
So whether you’re trying to be eco-friendly or save some money crumb bumpers are a great choice.
Hi temp bumper plates are made from recycled rubber and a simple insert, which results in a bumper plate that can handle a ton of abuse. Most crumb bumpers on the market are also constructed using a thick, less dense mix of rubber compared to virgin rubber or urethane bumpers. These wider bumpers with less rubber density result in a high-bounce bumper that is more likely to resist cracking or folding under pressure.
These crumb recycled rubber plates from Fringe Sport are perfect if you want to get a workout outside or inside. Due to the texture on the plates, you don’t really have to worry about scuffs or imperfections that may happen during an outside workout. Plus the texture and beveled edges make it pretty easy to pick them up off the floor if they are lying flat.
Fringe Sport wanted to separate their crumb bumper plates from the rest by adding a steel insert that will take considerably more abuse without becoming malformed, and is machined to fit all high-quality standard bars. They also are one of the only companies that offer fast, free shipping with your orders and has an awesome no drama, one-year return policy on these bumper plates.
One point to mention about recycled rubber plates is that they are generally wider so it means you'll be able to fit less plates on the barbell sleeves.
Pros
- Great for outdoor use
- Price is quite reasonable
- Wider size=more resistance to cracking
- Texture makes it easy to pick up plates
Cons
- High bounce
- Made with recycled rubber
Crumb bumper plates are made from recycled tires and steel inserts, for a bumper plate that can withstand tons of punishment....
Side By Side Comparison of our 7 Top Rated Bumper Plates:
We put our top bumper plate picks side by side to see how they stack up next each other. We hope this helps show the similarities and differences.
|
Product Name |
Price ($-$$$) |
Warranty |
Durometer |
Material |
Average Rating |
|
$$ |
Three Year “No Drama’ |
85 sHA |
Virgin rubber w/ Stainless Steel Insert |
474 Reviews ★★★★★ |
|
|
$ |
Three-year warranty |
N/A |
Stainless steel insert, Virgin Rubber |
1327 Reviews ★★★★.7 |
|
| XMark Bumper Plate Weight Plates | $ |
Residential: Three years Commercial: One year |
N/A | All-natural virgin rubber |
204 Reviews ★★★★.9 |
|
$$$ |
1 Year Warranty - Full year satisfaction guarantee 5 Year "Bumper to Bumper" Warranty against manufacturer defects. |
90 sHA |
Virgin rubber Chrome steel inserts |
3 Reviews ★★★★★ |
|
|
$$$ |
3-Year Warranty on 25's, 35's, 45's and 55's 1 Year warranty on 10's and 15's |
10's and 15's are 90 sHA 25, 35, 45 and 55-pound bumpers are 85 sHA. |
Virgin rubber Stainless steel inserts |
20 Reviews ★★★★★ |
|
|
$$$ |
Three years |
Low bounce |
Urethane Hard chrome hub |
23 Reviews ★★★★★ |
|
|
$$ |
One year |
High bounce |
Crumb recycled rubber Solid steel insert |
35 Reviews ★★★★★ |
WHAT IS A BUMPER PLATE?
Bumper plates are strong rubber-weight plates with metal inserts in the middle. They usually have the same diameter within all weights and are typically used during Olympic, powerlifting, and CrossFit workouts. The weights, barbell, and the floor are all protected by the rubber structure of the bumper plates.
The major difference between bumper plates and iron plates is that the bumper plates can be dropped on the floor without breaking or doing damage to the floor.
Bumper plates are also quieter than metal plates or cast iron plates which is a plus for people working at home not wanting to make a lot of noise.
STANDARD VS COMPETITION BUMPER PLATES:
When it comes to picking good bumper plates, the first thing you need to determine is if standard bumper plates AKA training plates will suffice or if you need competition bumper plates to train in a more professional setting.
Competition bumper plates are thinner, more durable, and significantly more expensive than standard bumpers. So if you’re competing in powerlifting or Olympic lifts then competition bumper plates are a fantastic choice for you.
If you are willing to spend the money required to own competition plates, one of the benefits to you using these plates over standard bumpers is the reliability of the claimed weight. The tolerances are so tight that you know you’re lifting the stated weight; usually to within +/- 10 grams. Competition plates are also more durable and follow IWF standards whereas training plates have higher weight tolerances.
If you don’t plan on competing or are on a budget then training plates are more than sufficient. With modern factory techniques the weights of most standard plates aren’t far off from the stated weight, but since they aren’t calibrated can’t be used in a competition setting.
Their durability is also nothing to scoff at as they can last a lifetime if taken care of. In a nutshell, competition plates are for super serious lifters who have some extra cash to spend.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN BUYING BUMPER PLATES FOR HOME GYMS:
1. Build
Building a proper home gym can be an expensive and irritating task if you don’t plan properly. One of the most important qualities to look for when buying bumper plates for your home gym is how they were built. Higher quality bumper plates will offer high functionality, increased durability, and help you achieve better results with your workouts.
a) Material:
You will most commonly see rubber bumper plates. Depending on your budget, training style, and aesthetic preference, you can pick between hi-temp bumper plates made from recycled (crumbled) rubber, virgin rubber or Urethane.
Recycled rubber is cheaper than virgin rubber, but it’s not as durable, it doesn’t look as nice, and it’s definitely smellier. Bumper plates can also be made out of urethane, which is a premium material that is more durable than rubber, has almost no odor, more aesthetically pleasing, and is more expensive.
b) Construction Quality:
Bumper plates can be expensive, but making constant repairs and replacing them is far more costly in the long run. Instead of wasting money on cheap bumper plates, choose the options with durable materials, better warranties, high durometers, and more accurate weight tolerances. Your home gyms can offer higher functionality and features that optimize your workout whenever you invest in higher-quality plates.
c) Weight Tolerance:
How strict you want to be on your bumper plates weight tolerances comes down to how you will use them. If you plan on competing then competition and calibrated bumper plates will provide the most accurate weight tolerances from plate to plate.
Typically you will see these high-quality bumpers being within +/- 1% of their stated weight, which is incredibly important in a competition setting where every gram counts. Whereas standard and basic bumpers will have a bit more lenient weight tolerance in the +/- 3% range. Sometimes even higher depending on the quality of the plates. If you don’t plan on competing a plate being slightly off isn’t as big of a deal. If you train competitively or you just want the most accurate plates, keep weight tolerances in mind.
d) Collar Opening Diameter:
Olympic barbells, which aren’t just used for Olympic movements, have weight sleeves that measure roughly 1.96 inches in diameter. Olympic weight plates, therefore, are built to accommodate Olympic bars. Based on what the plates are being used for, some may have a tighter hole opening than others.
For example, competition plates will have around a 1.97 inch, or (50mm), hole opening which means it will fit the weight collar very snug. Standard and basic bumpers may be closer to 2 inches, or (50.8mm), which of course will fit a little looser on the bar.
When researching for bumper plates make sure to know the measurements of your barbell sleeves. For most people they will have an Olympic barbell, so the collar opening should be as close to 50.4MM as possible. Which is the International Weightlifting Federation Standard.
e) Shore A Durometer Rating:
A good brand will have a durometer rating on all of its bumper plates. A durometer rating is the measure of the hardness of a material. The rating ranges from 0-100, and the higher the rating means the material is harder.
The harder the material the more resistant it will be to indentation and damage from drops. When looking at high density rubber bumper plates anything that has a durometer rating above 70 is acceptable. The higher the ratings the
f) Steel Insert Method/Material:
When looking at bumper plates the insert in the plate is just as important of a factor as what the plate is made out of. A stainless steel insert is the gold standard, as most other metal inserts are more likely to warp after repeated drops. Another thing to check for is if the insert has barbs or is just a ring. Barbed inserts are less likely to fall out and render your plate useless.
g) Color Coding:
Many plates that you will come across are basic black bumper plates and may have some accent colors to bring out what the weights are on the side.
However, if you start looking at the competition or Olympic-style you will notice that they are colored plates. This is no accident as these colored plates serve a beneficial purpose. The colors allow people to easily and quickly identify the number of kilograms (pounds) on each plate.
The International Weightlifting Federation sets the specifications and rules for all the equipment used in their weightlifting competitions which includes colored plates with a particular coding system.
Color bumper plates should follow this coding:
- Red for 25 KG
- Blue for 20 KG
- Yellow for 15 KG
- Green for 10 KG
- White for 5 KG
- Blue for 2 KG
2. Price/Budget
High-quality bumper plate prices can range from 200 dollars and all go all the way to 300+ dollars. You can easily find budget options, but remember that something affordable is typically not the highest quality or will last you for a long period of time. Cheaper plates also are more likely to be made of lower quality materials, which often lead to high bouncing and the center ring popping out.
The price of your bumper plates will go up quickly when companies start adding more high-quality functionality and durable materials. We recommend setting a budget around how many plates you plan on needing and what kind of training you will be doing. If you plan on competing and need competition grade plates, expect to pay way more than someone who just needs bumpers for the occasional Olympic movement.
All in all training bumper plates will be cheaper than the competition bumpers so think about what your needs are and whether it's worth spending the extra money.
Pro tip: Bumper plate sets are often cheaper than buying singles or pairs at a time.
3. Usage
Olympic bumper plates are an essential piece of home gym equipment that can be used in an assortment of different ways. You can be used by functional lifters, weightlifters, CrossFitters, and really anyone who enjoys working out and wants to better themselves. They are especially great for individuals who frequently drop the bar and do Olympic-style lifters that go overhead. Just keep in mind that if you like minimal bounce go for training plates or competition bumper plates that have a high Shore A Durometer rating.
4. Online Ratings
The best way of seeing if a bumper plate is going to work for you is by looking at the opinions of others that have bought the same workout equipment. These helpful reviews offer important advice from people who have already tried out the product in their home gym, making it easier to decide if it is worth you trying them out.
If the reviews are mostly positive, the chances are that it would be a great investment towards bettering your home workouts. If reviews are mostly negative, it is best to leave that product alone and look at other options on the market. There are plenty of great options out there, so really it comes down to weeding out the bad ones.
Reviews are important because as customers we aren’t always going to believe what a company tells us about their products. Especially since every company believes that they have the greatest bumper plates out there.
However, personal recommendations and customer opinions are much more powerful, as they tend to be more honest. We recommend always checking accredited review websites for people’s opinions like the Better Business Bureau, Facebook, Yelp, Bing, and Google.
Top Bumper Plates Brands
1. Fringe Sport
According to the Fringe Sport website they are the official supplier to the garage gym functional fitness movement. They strive to serve their customers the best customer service and offer some of the best warranties in the fitness industry. They offer high-quality products ranging from bumper plates to barbells.
2. Life Fitness
Life Fitness is one of the world's most recognizable manufacturers of high-quality fitness equipment. The company has been building racks, cable machines, all-in-ones, free weights, and cardio equipment for more than 40 years.
3. American Barbell
American Barbell has made some of the best barbells and fitness equipment in the industry for over 40 years. Their equipment can be found in Gold’s Gym, Orangetheory, Planet Fitness, universities, military bases, and other fitness facilities worldwide. They have blazed a trail by creating industry firsts and creating the gold standard for quality equipment.
4. XMark
XMark's main focus is to bring consumers fitness equipment at the most affordable prices, while also not sacrificing quality. They take great pride in producing the safest fitness equipment possible and ensuring consumers get the best pieces of fitness equipment for their investment. To prove this point, XMark products, including their bumper plates, usually include a generous warranty.
5. More Bumper Plate Brands & Honorable mentions
There are other companies that make some killer bumper plates that we should mention although we won't go into depth on these models in this post
- Rogue Echo Bumper Plates
- Eleiko Bumper Plates
- Titan Elite Bumper Plates
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF BUMPER PLATES?
When it comes to picking the right plates for your home gym, you’ll notice there are quite a few different types of weight plates. One of the most commonly used weight plates for home gyms is bumper plates, and this is for good reason. Bumper plates offer a ton of benefits for people looking to build out a home gym or upgrade their weight plates.
The biggest benefits are:
1. Very Versatile & Functional
Bumper plates are easily the most versatile style of the weight plate. Whether you’re training for Olympic weightlifting, powerlifting, CrossFit, bodybuilding, or just for general health purposes, bumper plates will be able to keep up with all the abuse you throw at them.
Metal plates or cast iron plates wouldn’t be able to handle all of these training types that usually involve dropping the weights while lifting. You can even work out with fitness bumper plates inside or outside!
2. Perfect for Indoor Use
Iron plates can damage the floor if you happen to drop them, or at the very least they will cause a loud commotion that can be quite annoying. Instead of having to worry about these things happening, you can invest in bumper plates instead.
Most bumper plates are made with rubber that provides some protection for your floor and won’t bounce around when dropped. Which reduces the risk of other things being broken. Bumper plates are noise dampening and allow you to work out relatively quietly, so even if you’re working out late at night you won’t wake anyone up.
3. Durable
Despite most plate styles being pretty strong, they don’t stand a chance compared to a bumper late. Since they are made with durable rubber, they can withstand thousands of drops without showing any wear or tear. With iron plates, you may get lucky to get a couple of drops out of them before they break. In a home gym setting, it isn’t unrealistic to expect bumper plates to last well beyond their stated warranty.
4. Aesthetically Pleasing
Bumper plates come in a variety of incredible looks and are pretty customizable. There are options for full colors, all-black, contrasting lettering, color stripes, fleck patterns, textured surfaces, and so much more. There are even companies that make bumper plates that look like donuts and pizza. So there is a lot to choose from based on your aesthetic preferences and home gym style. Plus, bumper plates get the added benefit of being durable, which means that they tend to look new for way longer compared to most other plate types.
5. A Great Value
Bumper plates can range from budget-friendly to very high-end so why do we consider them a great value? While they’re generally more expensive than most traditional plates, bumper plates are less likely to need to be replaced down the road and need little to no maintenance. Not only that, but they are more versatile and functional so they can be used in more situations than other plate types. These traits make them a great value and a better choice for most people looking to buy weight plates.
BUMPER PLATE FAQs:
Are Bumper Plates Worth It?
If you are doing big functional movements, like CrossFit or Olympic-style lifts, you definitely should consider investing in a set of high-quality bumper plates. One of the biggest reasons is that you will end up dropping the bar and weights quite often. If you don’t use bumper plates and drop the bar you will end up creating a large commotion, damage your floor and weights, and potentially hurt yourself.
Even with bumper plates, you will eventually cause damage to most floors, so if you’re constantly doing compound movements or dropping the weight you should consider investing in a lifting platform or special flooring that can handle the impact. They are also quite durable, so even though the investment is quite large, bumper plates when properly cared for will last a lifetime.
What is a good price for bumper plates?
Bumper plates range in price based on the materials they are made with, the branding, lifting purposes, and some other factors. So finding a single good price point can be pretty tough. To make things easier we have included a breakdown that shows a standard range based on the type of bumper plate. The pricing is shown on a price per pound basis on 45-pound plates.
- Crumb Bumper Plates: $1.83-$2.10 per pound
- Basic Black Bumper Plates: $1.75-$2.25 per pound
- Colored Bumper Plates: $2.15-$3.10 per pound
- Urethane Bumper Plates: $2.55-$3.90 per pound
- Competition Bumper Plates: $2.85-$4.80 per pound
Prices have been fluctuating quite a bit in recent years so make sure to do your research as these prices ranges can be off.
Who makes the best bumper plates?
Bumper plates are the one piece of equipment that it would be hard to build a garage gym or commercial gym without. In our opinion, Fringe Sport makes some of the best bumper plate options on the market. All of their bumper plate options are made with high-quality materials, have reasonable prices, look great, and come with killer warranties.
To make things even better they have a top-notch customer service team that will make sure that if you ever do have any issues they will be addressed professionally and efficiently.
What bumper plates are best?
The Fringe Sport Bumper Plates are our top pick for the best standard bumper plates for most people. They are made with virgin rubber and stainless steel inserts to ensure that they have maximum durability.
The Fringe Sport Bumper Plates also have an impressive durometer rating which means that they have limited rebound. It is worth noting that Fringe Sport has a three-year warranty on their bumper plates from weights of 25-55 pounds and one year warranty on 15’s and 10’s. This varying warranty is due to the fact that the 10-pound and 15-pound plates will wear out way faster due to their smaller frame.
Is more bounce better for bumper plates?
Most of the time more bounce isn’t better for bumper plates. Despite the fact that bumper plates were designed to be dropped and slammed, you don’t want them to have a high bounce because you risk it bouncing back at you and doing harm. It may also delay the time it takes to hit another repetition as you will be wasting time having to settle the bar.
On the other hand, you don’t want the bumper plates to have zero bounce because when you do end up dropping the weights it could mess up the plate or floor. So we recommend finding bumper plates that have very low bounce, which will not only save your plates but also save your barbell, collars, and center rings from additional damage.
Are bumper plates better than regular plates?
They aren’t necessarily better, as it depends on you and what will work best for your home gym. For most home gyms, we do recommend using training plates because they’re designed to absorb impacts and are less likely to cause damage if you were to drop the weights. They will last you a long time and are also quieter than regular plates.
However, if you’re a competitive powerlifter, have a limited budget, or have a sturdy lifting platform, we would recommend going with regular plates. They’re way less expensive compared to bumper plates and you would be able to fit more weights on the barbell.
Summary of the Top Bumper Plates:
Having Olympic plates in your home gym is essential for anyone looking to see strength gains, hit functional movements, and improve their overall health. Whether you choose metal plates or bumper Olympic plates comes down to your training needs.
While it may seem like all bumper plates are the same, that can’t be farther from the truth. So it is well worth your time to do a little bit of research, bookmark this article, think about your training, and invest your money properly on a high-quality set of plates that won’t fall apart after only a couple of years of rigorous fitness training. The correct set of plates should last you an entire lifetime if properly taken care of, saving you money, time, and hassle in the long run.
Now that you've seen some of our favorite bumper plates on the market we hope you find the perfect bumper plate set for your home gym!
As a final recap, here are our top picks for bumper plates:
- Overall Best: Fringe Sport Bumper Plates
- Best for Budget: AMGYM Bumper Plates
- Amazon Pick: XMark Bumper Plates
- Best for Olympic Weightlifting: Fringe Sport Competition Bumper Plates
- Best for CrossFit: Fringe Sport Savage Bumper Plates
- Urethane Bumper Plates: American Barbell Urethane Bumper Plates
- Crumb Bumper Plates: Fringe Sport Hi Temp Bumper Plates
More Best Equipment Roundups:
Andrew Lenau
Author