Vulcan Calibrated KG Steel Plates

Vulcan Calibrated KG Steel Plates

Vulcan Calibrated KG Steel Plates are ultra-thin, very accurate, and very well-reviewed powerlifting plates. If you’re a powerlifter, especially a competitive one, calibrated plates are an ideal choice for their accuracy, profile, and competition specificity.

These plates are IPF-spec’d (not approved) and USPA-approved.

Read more for details.

Features & Highlights

• Accuracy – Each plate is equipped with precise calibration plugs on the back to bring the tolerance to +/- 10 grams. These are some of the most accurate plates on the market.
• Weight Offerings – Vulcan Calibrated KG Steel Plates can be purchased from 0.25KG up to 25KG and they’re sold in pairs. They also have seven set options ranging from 159KG to 459KG.
• Width – These plates are very thin, as is expected with calibrated powerlifting plates. With the 25kg plate just over 1″ thick, you can load over 700KG on the bar. Plate widths as follows:
  • 0.25KG – 6mm (0.24″)
  • 0.5KG – 8mm (0.31″)
  • 1.25KG- 12mm (0.47″)
  • 2.5KG – 16mm (0.63″)
  • 5KG – 21mm (0.85″)
  • 10KG – 21mm (0.83″)
  • 15KG – 21mm (0.83″)
  • 20KG – 22mm (0.89″)
  • 25KG – 28mm (1.1″)
• Diameter – Plate diameter on calibrated plates will not be consistent except for 20KG and 25KG, which are both standard 450mm. Since most users of these plates will at least have a pair of 20KG on the bar, it shouldn’t be a problem, but keep in mind that pulling with anything less than 20KG will result in a less-than-standard height. Plate diameters as follows:
  • 0.25KG – 160mm or less
  • 0.5KG – 160mm or less
  • 1.25KG- 160mm or less
  • 2.5KG – 160mm or less
  • 5KG – 225mm
  • 10KG – 325mm
  • 15KG – 385mm
  • 20KG – 450mm
  • 25KG – 450mm
• Hole Size – Calibrated plates fit very snuggly on the bar with a 50.4mm diameter hole. It’s important to have a quality-spec’d barbell when using calibrated plates. Otherwise, the plates will be difficult or not even possible to slide onto the bar.
• Flanges – These plates do include flanges around the outer edge, but only on the front. This makes them great for grip strength, but not-so-great at picking up and handling. When these plates are lying flat on the floor, they’re difficult to grab.
• Powder Coated Finish – Vulcan Calibrated KG Steel Plates are some of the nicest-looking calibrated plates on the market. I love the minimalistic design with the eagle and singe weight callout. These are powder coated plates and, while the paint looks beautiful, they will chip and scrape over time. This is standard for all calibrated powerlifting plates, regardless of manufacturer.
• Durability – These are cast iron plates and overall durability is very good. As with any plate, durability will come down to frequency of use and how they’re used. These plates should last years and withstand a lot of abuse.

What They’re Saying at vulcanstrength.com

Vulcan Calibrated KG Steel 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 vulcanstrength.com.

Positive

• “I’ve recently purchased about 370 lbs of Alpha bumper weights, and a pair of the 55kg steel powerlifting discs. The Alpha bumpers are phenomenal – exactly what I needed, and the power lifting discs are gorgeous. The powder coat got chipped in a few places during shipping, but that’s not too surprising. Overall I’m very pleased with the high quality equipment I’ve received from Vulcan, and would not hesitate to recommend them or purchase more equipment from them in the future!”
• “The Vulcan calibrated plates are the best on the market. Better than Ivanko, better than Rogue. That’s amazing considering they’re far less expensive. True to size, dimensions and weight, with a flawless powder coating. They even packaged them in such a way they’re remain flawless. Very happy we went with Vulcan for our plates.”
• “I purchased five sets of the 1.25kg and one set of the 15kg plates; received on July 15, 2020; and am very satisfied with their quality, as well as how they were packaged for shipping. Although I am not competitive weight lifter, I decided to purchase these calibrated plates; expensive though they are; to know the exact amount of weight I am lifting; at least for some exercises. I subsequently purchased other kg weight plates from Vulcan Strength and will very likely make further purchases.”
• “Great calibrated plates. Love the coating.”
• “Just got a pair of the Steel 55’s. Gorgeous plates! After shipping across the country, they arrived with a few chips out of the powder coat, especially around the edges which was too bad, but hey — they’re good and heavy, and with that Vulcan logo in the middle, they look super badass. Call it 4.5 stars for the dings, but I’m still super happy to add these to my home gym!”

Critical

• “Only slight negative, the finish does seem to chip or scratch fairly easily. Just picking them up or placing them down.”

Garage Gym Lab Review

Garage Gym Lab has not yet reviewed these plates.

Other Options

The below plates were picked as alternatives to the Vulcan Calibrated KG Steel Plates.