Rogue US-MIL Spec Bumper Plates

Rogue US-MIL Spec Bumper Plates

Rogue US-MIL Spec Bumper Plates are a USA-made crumb-bumper plate with a few benefits over the popular Hi-Temps. These plates are thinner, they have a higher durometer rating, they have Olympic-sized diameters, they have a better warranty, and they’re approved to be used in the Army Combat Fitness Test.

These plates are durable and they can be used indoors and outdoors, unlike many rubber bumper plate options.

These plates are ideal for CrossFit, general training, and ACFT preparation, although they can be used in other applications as well. Plate width and bounce will be the biggest limitations with Olympic weightlifting and powerlifting.

Read more for details.

Features & Highlights

• Recycled Rubber – US-MIL Spec Bumpers are constructed out of recycled crumb rubber which is environmentally-friendly, economically-priced, and suitable for indoor/outdoor use.
• Higher Bounce – These plates have a durometer rating of 80, which will generate a fair amount of bounce when dropped. The lower the rating, the softer the material and the higher the bounce. These, however, are not as bouncy as Hi-Temps, which carry a rating of 75. When dropping from overhead, you may find yourself following the bar around, but it won’t be as bouncy as Hi-Temps.
• Stainless Steel Center Ring – The center ring is made of stainless steel, which is very durable and protects nicely against oxidation. The ring itself measures ~50.6mm in diameter, which will accommodate Olympic-sized barbells. This diameter will also tend to sit marginally looser on the bar compared to something like a competition plate with a smaller diameter (~50.4mm). 
• Recessed Hub – One benefit of this center ring is that it’s recessed into the plate, which prevents it from hitting the center ring of other plates. Without metal-on-metal contact, it helps extend the life of the plates.
• Raised Flanges– The outer edges of the plates are raised to help when picking the plates up from a flat position or otherwise carry them.
• Weight Offerings – The Rogue US-MIL Spec Bumper Plates can be purchased from 10LB up to 45LB and they’re sold in pairs. They’re also available in sets ranging from 160LBS up to 1,000LBS. Pricing on sets includes shipping, whereas individual pairs do not.
• Plate Width – One of the drawbacks to crumb bumper plates is that they’re wider than any other plate, which can limit the amount of weight you have on the bar. The good news about the US-MIL Spec plates is that they’re thinner than Hi-Temps on 25LB+. They’re also slightly thicker on 10LB and 15LB plates, which will help with durability. Plate widths are as follows:
  • 10LB – 1.44″
  • 15LB – 1.88″
  • 25LB – 2.19″
  • 35LB – 3″
  • 45LB – 3.56″
• Olympic Diameter – Unlike Hi-Temps that have a 445mm diameter, US-MIL Spec bumpers have Olympic-sized 450mm diameters. This means you’ll be pulling from the same height as a competition plate and it also means that you won’t have any height discrepancies if you’re mixing plates on the bar.
• Durability – These plates have a fair/good reputation for being durable. Over time, things to look out for are the inserts loosening and the rubber chipping. In a commercial/CrossFit setting when the plates are being used a lot, this will be something to particularly look for. In a home gym setting, these plates should last you a very long time. You should not drop 10LB or 15LB plates by themselves, as these are the most susceptible to warping.
• Weight Tolerance – These plates have a weight tolerance of +/- 2%, which equates to less than a pound on 45LB plates.
• Aesthetics – These aren’t known to be the best-looking plates on the market. They have a black-on-black color scheme and they lack any type of “polish” that you would see on a higher-end plate.
• ACFT Approved – The US-MIL Spec Bumper Plates are approved to be used in the Army Combat Fitness Test.
• Warranty – The 10LB and 15LB plates are warrantied for 180 days while the 25LB+ plates are warrantied for 3 years. Compare this to 1 year on Hi-Temps. 
• Made in America – These plates are made in Tuscumbia, Alabama.

What They’re Saying at Roguefitness.com

Rogue US-MIL Spec Bumper Plates receive very positive feedback from users. With an average rating of 4.7/5, here are some of the things people have said at roguefitness.com.

Positive

• “I bought these bumpers 2 months ago and they’ve held up extremely well through loads of drops during Olympic lift form training. Would highly recommend for home gym use… especially if you need a little extra bounce.”
• “I love these bumper plates. Solid, durable and labelled on both sides (which might seem like a small thing but is so useful).The garage gym is always a few items short of completion (you can never have enough), but these bumper plates make up the bulk of the gym and perform perfectly.”
• “Love these bumpers, they’re super durable and don’t break the bank. I will say the bounce can catch you off guard sometimes with these, but once you get used to it they’re a really great bumper that will last forever.”
• “Nothing fancy, just great purpose built bumpers that are made in North America. Can’t ask for much better in my opinion.”
• “I’ve been using these for two months and they’re great. Easy to handle and they never damage anything. They are easily the best plates I’ve ever used.”
• “Very durable plates. Wide width as expected for a set of crumb rubber bumper plates. I use them a few times a week. Glad I purchased these. Would definitely purchase again!”

Critical

• “I purchased these plates about a month ago. I have noticed crumb rubber on the floor after use. Hopefully it’s just from the brand new rubber mold overfill and not the rubber crumb losing its adhesion.”
• “I would agree with what others have stated, these have imperfections in the finish and don’t have the polish of other rogue products. The edges of a majority of my plates have cracks and are uneven. Rubber is already flaking off just from use on stall mats. I would have concerns about the longevity of these plates being used outdoors on concrete.”

Garage Gym Lab Review

Garage Gym Lab has not yet reviewed these plates.

Other Options

The below plates were picked as alternatives to the Rogue US-MIL Spec Bumper Plates.