Bumper plates are some of the most common types of weight plates that you can buy. They’re versatile, quiet, durable, and they look great.
Weight plates are an essential piece of gym equipment for anyone looking to strength train, and bumper plates are a great option.
We’ve tested every type of bumper plate, including crumb bumpers, training bumpers, competition bumpers, and urethane bumpers. We’ve used them on deadlifts, overhead drops, and more to check their bounce, durability, sound, etc. Here are some of the factors we considered (more below):
- Bounce: What is the durometer rating of the plate? How high do they bounce?
- Durability: Are they plates built with high-quality rubber or urethane? Do they warp or bend? How are the inserts secured?
- Accuracy: How accurate are the plates to their stated weight?
In this article, I’ll share our picks for the best bumper plates for different lifting styles, price points, and more. Whether you’re looking for basic rubber bumper plates or premium competition plates, we’ve got you covered.
The Best Bumper Plates
- Best Overall Black Bumper Plates: Rogue Echo Bumper Plates
- Best Overall Color Bumper Plates: Fringe Sport Color Bumper Plates
- Best Overall Competition Bumper Plates: Rogue Competition Bumper Plates
- Best Overall Urethane Bumper Plates: American Barbell Pro Urethane Bumper Plates
- Most Versatile Bumper Plates: Vulcan Alpha Bumper Plates
- Runner-Up Black Bumper Plates: REP Black Bumper Plates
- Runner-Up Color Bumper Plates: Rogue Fleck Bumper Plates
- Runner-Up Competition Bumper Plates: REP Competition Bumper Plates
- Best Budget Competition Bumper Plates: Titan Fitness Elite Bumper Plates
- Runner-Up Urethane Bumper Plates: Vulcan Urethane Bumper Plates
- Best Budget Urethane Bumper Plates: Titan Fitness Urethane Bumper Plates
- Best Cheap Bumper Plates: Titan Economy Bumper Plates
Rogue Echo Bumper Plates – Best Overall Black Bumper Plates
The Rogue Echo Bumper Plates are some of the most popular and well-reviewed plates on the market. They're very budget-friendly with solid performance and specs.
Key Specs
- Price: $190 (45 lb Pair)
- Material: Virgin Rubber w/ Stainless Insert
- Weight System: Pounds
- Weight Options: 10-45 lb (also available in 160-560 lb sets)
- Weight Tolerance: +/- 1%
- Collar Opening: 50.6mm (1.99″)
- Durometer Rating: 88 (Low-to-Medium Bounce)
- Warranty: 90 Days on 10-15 lbs & 3 Years on 25 lb+
Summary
The Rogue Echo v2 bumper plates are some of the most popular rubber plates on the market given their price and performance. They’re simple, attractive, accurate, and approved for the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT).
The Rogue Echo Bumpers all offer a durometer rating of 88 from 10lb-45lb, which creates a medium-to-low bounce. The plates are constructed with virgin rubber and they offer a stainless steel center ring. This ring measures 50.6mm, which is common for a plate of this style. The virgin rubber helps contribute to a lower bounce and it reduces the smell compared to recycled rubber, although some owners have still complained about it.
One of the best features of the Echo plates is that they have a weight tolerance of +/- 1%. They’re also among the thinnest cheap bumper plates around, which is a big benefit if you’re a big lifter. This will allow for up to 590lbs of plates on a traditional barbell depending on the collar you’re using.
Another nice feature of these is that they’re approved for the ACFT, which is a 6-event assessment for Army combat readiness. These plates can be purchased in pairs or sets, and they can also be purchased in color. These colored bumper plates are slightly thinner than even the Black Echo plates. In terms of aesthetics, the black version includes a matte black finish with contrasting white lettering. They’re a sharp-looking plate with a simple overall aesthetic.
Overall, if you’re looking for basic black bumper plates, the Rogue Echos are our top pick. Their price-to-performance ratio is one of the strongest out there.
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Fringe Sport Color Bumper Plates – Best Overall Color Bumper Plates
The Fringe Sport Color Bumper Plates are affordable, high-performing bumpers with a very strong reputation.
Key Specs
- Price: $279 (45 lb Pair) w/ Free Shipping
- Material: Virgin Rubber w/ Stainless Insert
- Weight System: Pounds
- Weight Options: 10-55 lb (also available in 100-370 lb sets)
- Weight Tolerance: +/- 1%
- Collar Opening: 50.4mm (1.98″)
- Durometer Rating: 90 on 10-15 lb plates; 85 on 25 lb+ (Low-to-Medium Bounce)
- Warranty: 3 Years on 25 lb+ & 1-Year on 10-15 lb
Summary
These Fringe Sport Bumper Plates are a great choice for someone looking for quality colored bumpers at a solid price. Having owned nearly all the plate styles that Fringe Sport offers, I can attest to their quality, value, and overall performance.
These plates have a hooked stainless steel insert that works to increase the durability of the plate. Some plates with a simple pressed insert will dislodge over time or warp sooner. These plates have a very strong reputation with hundreds of verified reviews dating back to their release in 2014. In the home gym, you can be confident they’ll last years and withstand constant abuse thanks to how they’re constructed.
The Fringe Sport Color Bumpers are made with virgin rubber and they offer a low-to-medium bounce. The 25lb+ variants carry a durometer rating of 85 while the 10lb and 15lb variants carry a rating of 90. The tolerances on these plates are very tight. In terms of weight, they are guaranteed to +/- 1%, which I can again verify on my set. In terms of the hole opening, it measures 50.4mm, which produces a very snug fit that reduces vibration and noise.
The diameters of these plates are also consistently 450mm, except for the 10lb plates. These were purposely built to 445mm to limit them warping over time. Because the 10lb plates are the thinnest, they’re prone to “Taco” if dropped and met with the ground. By having them slightly smaller, when they’re on the bar with other plates, they don’t meet the ground. Therefore, they last a lot longer. Furthermore, their 10lb and 15lb plates carry a 1-year warranty, which is longer than many others that offer 3-6 months. Heavier variants carry a strong 3-year warranty.
One thing to consider is that these Fringe Sport bumper plates have a slightly thicker profile than some competing plates. For example, the 45lb plate has a thickness of 2.9″ whereas the Rogue Echos are 2.36″ and the REP Color Bumpers are 2.8″. This will only pose an issue if you’re nearing max capacity, but it’s something worth noting nonetheless.
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Rogue Competition Bumper Plates – Best Overall Competition Bumper Plates
The Rogue Competition Plates are extremely accurate, high-quality, and beautiful bumper plates. They're ideal for serious lifters
Key Specs
- Price: $335 (45 lb Pair)
- Material: Virgin Rubber w/ Full Hard Chrome Hub
- Weight System: Pounds & Kilograms
- Weight Options: 25-55 lb & 10-25 kg (also available in sets)
- Weight Tolerance: +/- 15 grams
- Collar Opening: 50.4mm (1.98″)
- Durometer Rating: 94 (Low Bounce)
- Warranty: 5 Years
Summary
The Rogue Competition Bumper Plates are some of the nicest overall plates on the market. These were the very first plates I ever purchased for my home gym. I’ve owned them since 2016 and they’ve held up tremendously after years of use.
Competition plates are known for being the most accurate type of bumper plate. These are accurate to within +/- 15 grams. I’ve weighed all 10 of mine and all are within this guaranteed tolerance. These plates are available in pounds (what I have) or in Kilograms. The Kilogram version is approved by the IWF to be used in international weightlifting competitions and they include an attractive IWF logo. In addition to the weight tolerance, the collar opening is also very tight at 50.4mm, which creates a snug fit on the bar.
These plates have a very high durometer rating of 94, which is among the highest in the entire industry. This creates an exceptionally low bounce. They include a full-sized center hub with a hard chrome finish. This increases the durability of the plates while also looking beautiful. These plates also have a very thin profile, which is a general benefit of competition bumper plates. This means you can load more weight onto the bar relative to some other bumpers.
The colors on these plates are bright and very aesthetically pleasing. I love the raised lettering and contrasting white text. Keep in mind that, while the chrome hubs look beautiful, they will show blemishes more than zinc, so the occasional wipe-down may be necessary. Rogue does include raised flanges around the hub to prevent metal-on-metal contact, which certainly helps.
If you’re training for competition, if you require thin plates, if you demand tight tolerances, or if you just like top-flight equipment, these are an excellent option. They’re the best Rogue bumper plates available.
Read our Full Rogue Competition Bumpers Review
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American Barbell Pro Urethane Bumper Plates – Best Overall Urethane Bumper Plates
The American Barbell Urethane Plates are premium bumper plates with a beautiful aesthetic and excellent performance.
Key Specs
- Price: $473 (45 lb Pair)
- Material: Urethane w/ Hard Chrome Hub
- Weight System: Pounds & Kilograms
- Weight Options: 25-55 lb & 10-25 kg
- Weight Tolerance: N/A
- Collar Opening: 50.4mm (1.98″)
- Durometer Rating: N/A (Low Bounce)
- Warranty: 3 Years
Summary
Like the Rogue Competition Plates above, the American Barbell Urethane Bumpers were some of the first plates I added to my home gym. In my opinion, these are the nicest-looking plates available and they offer very strong performance to boot.
Urethane has a few advantages over rubber. One being it’s more durable, two being it’s more customizable with color/logo, and three being that it’s odorless. Ultimately, most home gym owners will find urethane plates to be a luxury item. Unless you’re hitting a ton of volume with a lot of frequency, you’re unlikely to achieve the durability benefits over rubber bumper plates in a home gym. In a commercial setting, the case for urethane is stronger, especially with the customization possibilities.
One disadvantage of urethane relative to rubber is that it’s slicker, which can make it more challenging to handle the plates. The pebble grain surface looks amazing, but it doesn’t do much in way of generating friction to alleviate this “issue.” One other thing to note is that I’ve found the collar openings on urethane plates, in general, to be tighter than even competition rubber bumpers. This is good and bad. On one hand, it reduces noise and vibration during lifts. On the other hand, it can be louder sliding the plates on and off and it can cause more imperfections on certain sleeve finishes, namely Cerakote.
I have personally not found a better-looking plate than the American Barbell Urethane Bumpers. They’re stunning plates with very vibrant colors. An interesting thing about them, however, is that the LB plates don’t have the weight callout, whereas the KG plates do. I’m not sure why this is the case, but the KG plates do look nicer because of that, in my opinion. The center hub is hard chrome and it’s smooth, which differs from some other urethane plates that have indented hubs. I prefer the American Barbell hub style from a visual perspective.
While American Barbell doesn’t claim a weight tolerance or a durometer rating, my experience shows an accuracy of +/- 1% and a low bounce. If you’re looking for urethane plates and you have a big budget, these are hard to beat. Check down below for some less expensive options.
Read our Full American Barbell Urethane Bumpers Review
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Vulcan Alpha Bumper Plates – Most Versatile Bumper Plates
The Vulcan Alpha Bumper Plates are uniquely-designed plates for indoor and outdoor use. They're very durable, low-bounce, and well-reviewed.
Key Specs
- Price: $214.99 (45 lb Pair)
- Material: Virgin Rubber w/ Stainless Insert
- Weight System: Pounds
- Weight Options: 10-55 lb (also available in 160-1,000 lb sets)
- Weight Tolerance: +/- 1%
- Collar Opening: 50.6mm (1.99″)
- Durometer Rating: 89 (Low Bounce)
- Warranty: 4 Years on 35 lb+, 3 Years on 25 lb, & 1 Year on 10-15 lb
Summary
The Vulcan Alpha Bumper Plates are very unique in terms of their aesthetic and their function. The best feature of these plates is that they’ve been designed to be used indoors and outdoors on a variety of surfaces. This can include concrete, asphalt, rubber flooring, and many others.
The Alphas have a durometer rating of 89 on all plates, which is high for non-competition bumper plates. This creates a low bounce that you can see firsthand in the video above. They’re also guaranteed to be within a +/- 1% weight tolerance, so you can rest assured you’ll be lifting very close to the stated weight.
Vulcan claims that these plates offer a noise reduction of ~25% when dropped from 9 feet. This appears to be compared to recycled rubber plates like Hi-Temps, which have poor tolerances that can lead to excess noise. In my experience, the Alphas are similar to other high-end bumper plates when it comes to noise.
Vulcan was one of the first companies to offer the flecked pattern on bumper plates. Originating in 2015, this design is fun, unique, and it’s still based on the IWF color scheme. Each plate is different in terms of its fleck pattern. Other fleck plates on the market, while looking similar, don’t offer the same versatility as the Vulcan’s given their indoor/outdoor design.
The center ring is hooked into the bumper to increase durability and overall life expectancy. Vulcan is so confident in this design that they offer a 4-year warranty on 35lb+, 3 years on 25lb, and 1 year on 10-15lb variants. This is one of the best warranties in the industry for rubber bumper plates.
If you like the unique fleck design and you see value in the indoor/outdoor capabilities, the Vulcan Alphas are a great buy.
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REP Black Bumper Plates – Runner-Up Black Bumper Plates
The REP Black Bumper Plates are a great budget-friendly option for basic plates with solid performance and user feedback.
Key Specs
- Price: $209.99 w/ Free Shipping (45 lb Pair)
- Material: Virgin Rubber w/ Steel Insert
- Weight System: Pounds
- Weight Options: 5-45 lb (also available in 160-370 lb sets)
- Weight Tolerance: +/- 3%
- Collar Opening: 50.4mm (1.98″)
- Durometer Rating: N/A (Medium Bounce)
- Warranty: 6 Months on 10-15 lbs & 3 Years on 25 lb+
Summary
The REP Black bumper plates are a very solid choice if you’re looking for a basic set of bumpers. These plates are accurate, they look nice, and they’re durable.
These bumpers from REP Fitness have a guaranteed weight tolerance of +/- 1%, which is common for plates of this style. Considering these plates used to be +/- 3%, it’s a welcomed change that puts them firmly in the conversation among their competition.
While these plates don’t have a stated durometer rating like some others, in my experience, they offer a very similar bounce as similar plates. This medium bounce likely puts the durometer in the 85-90 range. While it would be nice for them to have this spec referenced, you can rest assured it’s on par with others.
The center ring is not stainless steel, but it does have hooked inserts, which greatly help increase the durability of the plates. They’ve also beefed up the 10lb plates with additional thickness to discourage warping. The 45lb plates are 2.83″ thick, which falls somewhere in the middle on the spectrum of similar plates. This allows for over 500lbs of weight.
The REP black bumpers have raised white lettering, which contrasts nicely to quickly identify plates. In terms of warranty, these plates have a very competitive 3-year warranty on 25lb plates and a better-than-most 6-month warranty on 10-15lbs.
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Rogue Fleck Bumper Plates – Runner-Up Color Bumper Plates
The Rogue Fleck Plates offer a unique and fun patterned design with strong specs and performance.
Key Specs
- Price: $205 (45 lb Pair)
- Material: Virgin Rubber w/ Stainless Insert
- Weight System: Pounds
- Weight Options: 10-55 lb (also available in 160-350 lb sets)
- Weight Tolerance: +/- 1%
- Collar Opening: 50.4mm (1.98″)
- Durometer Rating: 90 (Low Bounce)
- Warranty: 2 Years
Summary
The Rogue Fleck Plates became an instant classic during the heart of quarantine due to the fact they were in stock more than many other plates. It turns out they’re great plates in general, which has resulted in them being some of the more reviewed Rogue Fitness bumper plates.
The first thing you’ll notice about these plates is their interesting and fun fleck pattern. The colors are bright and they’re coded to the IWF color scheme for easy identification. Each plate has a different pattern, so no plate will be the same in terms of looks. The contrasting white lettering provides a nice pop and the text is very legible.
One of the best features of the Rogue Fleck Plates is the high durometer rating of 90 on all variants. This results in a very low bounce that you would normally find on urethane and competition-level bumper plates. They also have a relatively thin profile (2.76″ on 45’s), which allows for plenty of weight on the bar for most people.
The center ring is stainless steel and it measures 50.4mm for a very snug fit. These plates are guaranteed to +/- 1% on weight accuracy and they offer a full two-year warranty on all variants, which includes 10-15lbs.
While the Rogue Fleck Plates weren’t designed to be used outdoors like the similar-looking Vulcan Alphas, they are less expensive. As such, they’re a strong contender if you’re looking for fleck-style/unique plates.
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REP Competition Bumper Plates – Runner-Up Competition Bumper Plates
The REP Competition Bumper Plates are highly accurate and thin plates with a full center hub for durability and a low bounce.
Key Specs
- Price: $299.99 w/ Free Shipping (45 lb Pair)
- Material: Virgin Rubber w/ Full Zinc Hub
- Weight System: Pounds and Kilograms
- Weight Options: 25-55 lb & 10-25 kg (also available in lb sets and kg sets)
- Weight Tolerance: +/- 10 grams
- Collar Opening: 50.5mm (1.98″)
- Durometer Rating: 92 (Low Bounce)
- Warranty: 5 Years
Summary
The REP Fitness Competition Bumper Plates are some of the best comp plates that you can buy for the money. They’re very well-spec’d, in some areas better than Rogue, and they’re very strong performers.
One of the biggest benefits of competition bumpers is the thinner profile relative to other styles. With the 45’s measuring only 2.125″ thick, you can load nearly 700lbs on the bar with these plates. In addition, they’re very accurate with a guaranteed weight tolerance of +/- 10 grams. This is better than the Rogue Competition Bumper Plates (15 grams) and on par with some of the most high-end plates on the market.
The REP comp plates have a very high durometer rating of 92, which creates a very low bounce. This isn’t as high as the Rogue plates (94), but it is higher than most other comp plates out there (90). They also have a full zinc hub, which is very common. While they may not look as good as chrome, they do hide smudges, fingerprints, etc… better than chrome. Full-size hubs generally increase the durability of a plate significantly. These competition plates from REP have been factory tested to over 30,000 drops from 8 feet.
You can purchase these plates in pounds or kilograms and they’re available in a variety of sets. They have a very strong warranty of 5 years. Aesthetically, these plates have a standard IWF color scheme with contrasting raised white lettering. The REP Competition Bumper Plates are beautiful plates with great specs at a very reasonable price point for this style of plate.
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Titan Fitness Elite Bumper Plates – Best Budget Competition Bumper Plates
The Titan Elite Bumper Plates are great plates if you're looking for comp specs on a budget. They're accurate, nice-looking, affordable plates.
Key Specs
- Price: $279.98 (20 kg Pair – Free Shipping)
- Material: Rubber w/ Full Chrome Hub
- Weight System: Kilograms
- Weight Options: 10-25 kg (also available in sets)
- Weight Tolerance: +/- 10 grams
- Collar Opening: 50.6mm (1.99″)
- Durometer Rating: N/A (Low Bounce)
- Warranty: 1 Year
Summary
The Titan Elite Bumper Plates are a great budget option for competition bumper plates. They’re only available in kilograms, which may be a downside to some lifters, but they have nice specs that are on par with more expensive plates.
Like other competition plates, these from Titan are thin, accurate, and very durable. The 20kg plates have a thickness of 2.16″, which allows for nearly 700lbs of bar weight. They’re also accurate to +/- 10 grams, which is the most accurate you can buy.
The plates have a full-chrome hub, which is typically reserved for higher-end plates. Most budget-friendly competition bumpers have zinc hubs. While the warranty of 1 year isn’t as strong as some other plates, there is little concern that they won’t last well beyond that in normal lifting environments.
The Titan Elite Bumpers have raised flanges around the hubs to prevent metal-on-metal contact, which is a standard for this style of plate. Combined with an ultra-low bounce and six hub bolts, these are very durable bumpers.
Aesthetically, these are nice-looking plates, but they don’t look quite as good as other competition bumpers. The colors are vibrant, but the printed lettering doesn’t look as refined as the raised lettering on others. However, the contrasting white text still pops, making them easy to identify along with the uniform color scheme.
What makes these plates so attractive, other than their solid specs, is their price. Not only are they priced well, but they’re often on sale. I recommend checking them out if you’re looking for competition bumper plates on a budget.
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Vulcan Urethane Bumper Plates – Runner-Up Urethane Bumper Plates
The Vulcan Urethane Bumper Plates are some of the best-looking plates on the market with strong performance to match.
Key Specs
- Price: $284.99 (45 lb Pair)
- Material: Urethane w/ Chrome Insert
- Weight System: Pounds
- Weight Options: 10-55 lb (also available in sets)
- Weight Tolerance: +/- 1%
- Collar Opening: 50.4mm (1.98″)
- Durometer Rating: 90 (Low Bounce)
- Warranty: N/A
Summary
The Vulcan Urethane Bumper Plates were the second set of urethane plates that I added to my home gym. I’m very impressed with them, including their looks, their performance, and their price.
These plates have a high shore durometer rating of 90, which creates a low bounce that’s consistent with other urethane plates. They’re also guaranteed to be within +/- 1% of the stated weight, which is consistent with similar-style plates. Their low-profile build also allows for a higher weight load relative to thicker rubber plates.
The center hubs on these plates are smooth hard chrome, and aside from looking great, they have a very tight tolerance. Of all the plates I’ve owned, I would say that these fit the most snug of any of them. A raised flange is included to keep the chrome looking great, although some wipe downs may be necessary to remove fingerprints, etc…
Urethane bumpers have some advantages over rubber bumper plates, including durability, color vibrancy, and low odor. These plates are extremely vibrant and aesthetically very nice-looking. I love the Vulcan logo at the bottom with the integrated weight call-out. If there’s one odd thing about these plates, however, it’s that the 35lb variants have a highlighter-like look to them, which I don’t care for. Then again, I don’t care for 35lb plates in general… a topic for another day.
Read Our Full Vulcan Urethane Plate Review
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Titan Fitness Urethane Bumper Plates – Best Budget Urethane Bumper Plates
The Titan Fitness Urethane Plates offer tremendous value on high-quality bumpers with excellent specs and features.
Key Specs
- Price: $339.98 (45 lb Pair – Free Shipping)
- Material: Urethane w/ Chrome Insert
- Weight System: Pounds and Kilograms
- Weight Options: 10-55 lb & 5-25 kg (also available in sets)
- Weight Tolerance: +/- 1%
- Collar Opening: 50.6mm (1.99″)
- Durometer Rating: Low-to-Medium Bounce
- Warranty: 1 Year
Summary
Like other urethane plates, these from Titan are highly durable, accurate, thin, and low-odor. They also ship for free, making them the best budget-friendly urethane plates out there.
These plates have a guaranteed weight tolerance of +/- 1%, which is industry standard for urethane plates. They’re also built to IWF specs with a 2″ collar opening and a 450mm diameter. The 2″ thickness (45lb plate) is among the lowest on the market, which is great if you’re a heavy lifter considering this is thinner than competition rubber bumper plates.
The Titan Urethane Plates don’t claim a shore durometer rating, but they’re low bounce like others I’ve used. A great benefit of these plates is that they have a 10lb/5kg option, which not all companies offer. This variation also has a 415mm diameter, protecting them from warps due to dropping.
Aesthetically, these look similar to other high-end urethane plates with vibrant colors, raised lettering, and a chrome center hub.
All-in-all, these are great urethane plates at awesome prices when you factor in the free shipping. Considering these plates often go on sale, it’s an even better value.
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Titan Fitness Economy Bumper Plates – Best Cheap Bumper Plates
The Titan Fitness Economy Bumper Plates are budget-friendly, basic bumpers with a no-frills spec profile. They're well-priced and ship for free.
Key Specs
- Price: $199.98 (45 lb Pair – Free Shipping)
- Material: Rubber w/ Steel Insert
- Weight System: Pounds
- Weight Options: 10-100 lb (also available in sets)
- Weight Tolerance: N/A
- Collar Opening: 2″
- Durometer Rating: N/A – Medium Bounce
- Warranty: 1 Year
Summary
The Economy bumper plates from Titan Fitness are basic black bumper plates with a no-frills spec profile.
The biggest benefit of these plates is their price. While they’re regularly well-priced, they’re commonly put on sale and always ship for free. It’s hard to beat them if you want basic bumper plates.
Another thing I like about these plates is that you can buy them from 10lbs to 100lbs. They don’t carry a 55lb variant, but the 100lb plate is nice for big lifters and those using plate-loaded machines.
Being budget plates, these don’t have a guaranteed weight tolerance. This is common at this price point, but you should expect +/- 3% in terms of accuracy. These also don’t state a durometer rating, but you should not expect a low bounce. They aren’t nearly as bouncy as hi-temps bumper plates, but they have a medium bounce.
The Titan Economy Bumpers are also thicker than more expensive plates, which is to be expected. The 3″ thickness on the 45lb plate is 3/4″ thinner than hi-temps and allows for ~450lbs of total bar weight.
In terms of looks, these are very basic plates with an all-black color scheme. You can upgrade to their color bumper plates if you want to add a splash of color. They’re the same plates but with an IWF color scheme.
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Benefits of Bumper Plates
When it comes to picking the right plates for your gym, one of the first questions you have to ask is whether you need bumper plates or steel plates. Bumper plates offer a few primary benefits:
They’re Versatile
Bumper plates are the most versatile type of weight plate. Whether you train for Olympic weightlifting, powerlifting, CrossFit, bodybuilding, or more, bumper plates are a great choice. Steel plates, on the other hand, are mainly used for powerlifting and machine-based lifting. Unless you require specificity and/or maximum loading potential (steel plates are thinner), then I recommend bumper plates.
They’re Quiet
Another benefit of bumper plates is that they’re very quiet – much quieter than iron plates at least. In the home gym, this could play a critical factor in determining which plates to buy. If you’re concerned with noise, bumper plates are the answer.
They’re Durable
High-quality bumper plates are built to withstand thousands of drops, making them a very durable option. In the home gym, it’s realistic to expect bumper plates to last well beyond their stated warranty.
They’re Aesthetic
Bumper plates come in a variety of looks. With options for full color, all-black, contrasting lettering, color stripes, fleck patterns, etc… there is a lot to choose from based on your aesthetic preferences. They also tend to look better for longer relative to steel plates.
They’re Available at Every Budget
Bumper plates can range from budget-friendly to very high-end. While they’re generally more expensive than steel plates, there’s a bumper plate option for virtually every budget level.
Types of Bumper Plates
Bumper plates come in a variety of styles based on budget, aesthetics, and most of all, performance.
Crumb Bumper Plates
Crumb bumper plates are among the most economically-priced plates available. These plates are made from recycled rubber, which emits a more potent smell than virgin rubber. Crumb bumpers are the thickest type of bumper plate, which limits how much weight you can load onto the bar. They have the lowest durometer ratings, which leads to higher bounce, and they’re not as durable as other bumper plates. If you’re on a tight budget, crumb bumper plates are a solid option, but their performance is lacking relative to others.
Black Bumper Plates
Black rubber bumper plates are also some of the most economical bumpers in terms of price. These plates generally offer a mid-80s durometer rating, which produces a medium bounce. These plates have a narrower profile than crumb bumpers, but they are noticeably thicker than competition or urethane bumper plates. Being all one color, they aren’t as easy to identify quickly, but some black bumpers will include contrasting white lettering to help. These are more durable than crumb bumpers, but less durable than competition and urethane bumpers.
Color Bumper Plates
Color rubber bumper plates are built the same as black bumpers, with the only difference being they offer colors. This typically includes a standard IWF (International Weightlifting Federation) color scheme. Some plates, like the Rogue Fleck Plate, Vulcan Alphas, Fringe Sport Savage Plates, etc… will have unique patterns, but they still maintain the overall color scheme. This makes weight identification immediate and it creates an overall nice aesthetic.
Urethane Bumper Plates
Urethane bumper plates are some of the best plates that you can buy. These plates are on the more expensive side, but they include a few advantages because of the urethane material: they have little to no odor, they have the most vibrant colors, and they’re more durable than rubber. Urethane also allows for complete customization in terms of color, logos, etc… which is a benefit for facilities or high-end home gym consumers. Urethane plates also have a low bounce.
Competition Bumper Plates
Competition Bumper Plates are the highest-tier bumper plate given their performance and IWF-spec profiles. These are among the most expensive plates available, but for good reason. Competition bumpers are extremely accurate (usually +/- 10 or 15 grams), they’re thin, and they offer the lowest bounce among bumper plates. They also have a full center hub, making them extremely durable. They’re fully colored, although some plates may be black with a colored stripe. These are called ‘training plates’, but they are often built the same as competition plates. Some competition bumper plates are officially approved by the IWF to be used in international competitions.
How to Pick Bumper Plates
Here are a few of the most important factors to consider when buying bumper plates:
Training Style
One of the most important factors to consider when purchasing any piece of gym equipment is your training intention. Are you training for a weightlifting competition? If so, you should consider competition plates. Are you training for general strength & conditioning? If so, then black or colored bumper plates are a great choice.
Price
Price is another top consideration. See the FAQ section below for a breakdown of prices for different styles of bumper plates.
Durability
Different bumper plates have different levels of durability. For example, a full center hub is going to protect against warping better than a center ring. I center ring with hooks is going to protect against warping better than a simple pressed ring. Virgin rubber is going to hold up better than recycled rubber and urethane will tend to hold up better than both. Are you planning to train multiple athletes? If so, you may want to purchase plates more capable of withstanding abuse. If it’s just you, a more basic bumper will likely serve you well for a long time.
Materials
Bumper plates are made from recycled rubber, virgin rubber, or urethane. Your preferences around aesthetic, bounce, smell, price, etc… will determine which material is best for you. Similarly, hubs can include stainless steel, hard chrome, zinc, etc… While not as important beyond mainly aesthetic reasons, this is something else to consider.
Hub Style
The center hubs of bumper plates play two main roles: they influence durability and change the aesthetic of the plates. Competition bumpers, for example, have full steel hubs that are typically hard chrome or zinc. Hard chrome is beautiful, but it shows fingerprints, etc… more than the flatter look of zinc. Urethane bumpers have a medium-sized hub, typically chrome, that provides a mix of looks and durability. Basic bumpers have a smaller center ring, oftentimes which is stainless steel. I recommend hooked center rings – these anchor into the plate, which greatly increases durability and prevents the plates from warping.
Bounce
Bounce is one of the most important factors to consider when purchasing bumper plates. A low bounce means you won’t be chasing your barbell around the gym. It also makes for a more efficient experience when lifting multiple reps. The bounce is determined in large part by the shore durometer rating. This number, measured from 0-100 states the hardness of the material. High durometer ratings are correlated with a lower bounce. For example, competition bumpers have the highest durometer ratings (90+) and the lowest bounce. Crumb bumper plates, on the other hand, have the lowest durometer ratings (75-80) and the highest bounce. Basic bumpers and urethane bumpers are typically in the middle (85-90) for a medium bounce.
Thickness
Thickness is a crucial consideration if you’re a heavy lifter or if you’re using bumpers on plate-loaded machines. If either of those is true for you, you should focus on thinner bumper plates, which are generally competition bumpers or urethane bumpers. Crumb bumper plates have the thickest profiles, followed by basic black/color bumpers, and then competition/urethane bumpers.
Weight Tolerance
When you’re lifting weights, you want to lift with plates that are close to their stated weight. Competition plates will be the most accurate, often to +/- 10-15 grams. Other high-quality black/color/urethane bumpers will often have a guarantee of +/-1%. Some others will have a higher tolerance of +/-3% although they’re typically well within this range. In general, bumper plates tend to be more accurate than steel plates.
Warranty
Quality bumper plates will typically outlive their warranties under normal conditions, especially in a home gym. You will commonly see 3-5 year warranties on 25lb+ bumpers and 3 months to 1 year on 10-15lb variations.
FAQs About Bumper Plates
What are Bumper Plates?
Bumper plates are a type of weight plate with a rubber outer construction and a steel center construction. Bumper plates have consistent diameters and they can be used for Olympic weightlifting, powerlifting, CrossFit, and more.
How Much Do Bumper Plates Cost?
Bumper plates range in price based on their materials, lifting purpose, brand, and more. The following breaking shows a standard range on a price-per-pound basis (45lb benchmark) for bumper plates:
Crumb Bumper Plates – $1.83-$2.10
Black Bumper Plates – $1.75-$2.25
Color Bumper Plates – $2.15-$3.10
Urethane Bumper Plates – $2.55-$3.90
Competition Bumper Plates – $2.85-$3.80Should I Buy Bumper Plates?
I highly recommend bumper plates because they’re the most versatile type of weight plate. Unless you’re specifically training as a powerlifter or you’re training a lot with plate-loaded machines, bumper plates will offer the most bang for your buck.