American Barbell LB Urethane Pro Series Plates

American Barbell LB Urethane Pro Series Plates

American Barbell LB Urethane Pro Series Plates are some of the first urethane bumper plates ever made. I’ve owned these plates for years, and they’re outstanding. These are some of the best-looking plates available, and they’re very high-quality, highly durable, and accurate. They also receive excellent feedback from users.

This is the LB variant – American Barbell also makes a KG Urethane Pro Series Plate.

Read more for details.

Features & Highlights

• Urethane – Urethane is a premium material that offers several benefits compared to rubber. It’s more durable, it’s odorless, and it produces more vibrant colors. American Barbell specifically uses a German urethane, which differs from other companies.
• Minimal Bounce – American Barbell doesn’t state a durometer rating on these plates, but they have a very low bounce. Other competitive urethane plates have a rating of 90 – I believe these from AB would be similar, if not the same in durometer. Rest assured, you won’t be chasing your bar around the gym.
• Chrome-Plated Steel Disc – The LB Urethane Pro Series Plates from American Barbell have a 140mm hard chrome center hub. This is a one-piece construction hub unlike the full hubs you’ll find on a rubber competition or training plate with bolts. 
• Raised Flanges– The outer edges of the plates are raised to help when picking the plates up from a flat position or otherwise carrying them. There is also a raised flange around the center disc to prevent metal-on-metal contact and to extend the life of the plates.
• Weight Offerings – American Barbell LB Urethane Plates can be purchased from 25LB up to 55LB and they’re sold in pairs. Sets are currently not an option.
• Plate Width – One of the biggest benefits of a urethane plate is thickness. Most urethane plates are in-line, sometimes even thinner, than competition plates. This means you can load more weight on the bar relative to thicker plates. Plate widths are as follows:
  • 25LB – 1.5″
  • 35LB – 1.76″
  • 45LB – 2.05″
  • 55LB – 2.27″
• Durability – Urethane is a highly durable material. These plates are built to withstand thousands of drops, and they have a strong reputation in this department. As someone who has owned and used these plates extensively, I can attest to their durability.
• Texture – The plates have a pebble grain texture to them that helps your grip, but they aren’t quite as grippy as rubber competition plates. Urethane tends to be a little slicker.
• Weight Tolerance – American Barbell doesn’t guarantee a weight tolerance on these plates, but they are very accurate. All of my plates are within +/- 1%, which is standard for urethane bumpers.
• Aesthetics – Simply put, these plates look amazing. The colors are vibrant, and I love the raised lettering in gray. The pebble grain texture provides a nice look as well and the minimalist weight call-out is something I like.

What They’re Saying at americanbarbell.com

American Barbell LB Urethane Pro Series Plates receive very positive feedback from users. With an average rating of 4.9/5, here are some of the things people have said at americanbarbell.com.

Positive

• “Purchased a full set of the urethane pro plates (25,35,45,55). (Plus enough 45s to hit any PRs). Great color, vibrant. Seem well constructed and high quality. True to the advertised photos. Narrower than rubber plates so saves space on the bar. Very close in measured weight to listed weight. Tight fitting.”
• “These are the best bumper plates ever made. I’ve used both rubber and urethane plates from most if not all of the top manufacturers in the U.S., Europe, and Asia and I can confidently say that American Barbell’s are a cut above. The quality of the German urethane application cannot be matched by any other company. When you look closely at the urethane, you will see that the texturing is much smaller and finer than those of other brands, and it has a premium quality to it that no other urethane plate has. The U.S. made steel insert is perfectly crafted. The slight curve of the edge on the center hole is a minor detail, but it’s a small reflection of the master craftsmanship in American’s steel work throughout. I have a ton of respect for other American based companies such as Rogue Fitness, and while American Barbell may have a smaller total catalog of products, those they make are in another league. The same thing can be said for their barbells. The Elite stainless steel power bar is the most beautifully and tightly crafted barbell ever made. It is also worth noting that to my knowledge, American Barbell is the only company that makes urethane dumbbells in the United States and uses the same German urethane. Buy these plates, and anything else American Barbell offers, you will not be disappointed.”
• “American Barbell made the best plates that will ever be made. They used the highest quality material and delivered the best product on the market. If you do your research you’ll know what I mean. Urethane is the best!”
• “These urethane plates are well made, tough, and indestructible.”
• “I’m not sure a bumper plate can get any better than this. They have zero imperfections (which is what you would expect at this price point) and are a joy to use. The packaging was typical American Barbell style: Phenomenal. I love buying from AB b/c I never have to worry about the products getting damaged in shipping. They take the extra time to double wrap and use extra tape to protect the product and keep the box from opening prematurely. Smart. These urethane bumpers are awesome and still look new after over 6 months of use. You cannot say the same for rubber bumpers.”
• “These plates are excellent. Much better than rubber. The almost complete lack of smell alone is worth it if your gym is inside. They have a grippy texture which helps move them around and I noticed chalk and dirt does not stick to them as much. Bounce is low but not as low as my former rubber bumpers. They fit great on the Olympic and Powerlifting barbells and they look great.”

Critical

• “As with all urethane plates, a bit slippery (universal problem with the material). I chalk them a bit which fixes the issue.”
• “The only downside is they are only within 1% tolerance rather than the +/- 10g that can be achieved with rubber. The limitation is in the urethane manufacturing process and not American Barbell slacking on their quality.”

Garage Gym Lab Review

The American Barbell Urethane Bumper Plates were a winner in the Garage Gym Lab Best Weight Plate Awards and the Best Bumper Plate Awards. You can also read the full review here.

[letsreview postid=”3497″]

Other Options

The below plates were picked as alternatives to the American Barbell LB Urethane Pro Series Plates.