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As an Olympian in weightlifting, I may be a little biased, but it’s true: Weights are a staple in almost every home gym. An Olympic barbell and a set of weight plates can add a massive amount of versatility to your gym without taking up much floor space either.
The best weight plates may have a better grip, added durability, or just look sharp and aesthetically pleasing—but many deal with the same issue of not having smaller weight jumps. Unless you have several pairs of fractional weight plates, you’ll be subjected to 5- or 10-pound jumps at the minimum, which can be tough for more challenging upper-body exercises like a shoulder press.
Weight It Out has cleverly addressed this issue with a unique take on micro-loading plates. The Lock and Load Revolver Plates allow for as little as 1-pound increments on either side of your barbell and are designed to look like the chamber of a Colt revolver. However, does the unique design add to the product’s versatility, or is it mostly a neat look and nothing more?
Garage Gym Reviews founder Coop Mitchell took these micro plates for a spin, and in this Lock and Load Revolver Micro Loading Plates review, we’ll see how much value these plates bring to the table, as well as who is best suited for these micro-loading plates.
Fractional Plates Still Get a Whole Review
No matter how small the weight plate, it still deserves a complete and honest review—and that’s what we strive to do at Garage Gym Reviews. With combined decades of experience in the fitness industry, our team of certified personal trainers, nutrition coaches, and competitive athletes all have the knowledge to provide expert feedback on top gym equipment in the market.
Our product testers know what to look for when testing out fitness products, because we are also consumers of fitness equipment. Whether it’s a weight plate or a weight bench, we know which features are best for home gym users and provide honest insights to help inform your next purchase.
For the Weight It Out Revolver Micro Loading Plates, Coop took notes on the following aspects of these uniquely designed fractional plates, rating each category with a score from 1 to 5:
- Construction and durability
- Weight tolerances
- Design and ergonomics
- Weight set options
- Overall value
Lock and Load Revolver Plates
Weight It Out Lock and Load Revolver Micro Loading Plates
Product Highlights
1
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Unique design
- Great for drop sets
- Can micro-load weights
Cons
- Pricier set of change plates
- Low weight range
- Weight change isn’t as quick as marketing says
Bottom Line
The Weight It Out Lock and Load Revolver Micro-Loading Plates are a novelty item for home gym users, where a half-pound plate base can load up to six 1-pound “bullets” into its chambers, allowing for micro-loading. While it’s ideal for drop sets, the functionality of the plates don’t add much, and they’ll most likely be a neat item to add to your home gym collection.
A Quick Look at the Lock and Load Revolver Plates
In terms of interest, weight plates are one of the fastest growing pieces of fitness equipment for home gyms over the past decade, according to an in-house study1 of Google searches and trends. In it we found weight plates to have a Google Trend score increase of over 328% from 2011 to 2023.
The American-based company Weight It Out has created some of the most unique and durable weight plates on the market, using industrial steel to create some of the thinnest weight plates available, as covered in our Weight It Out Plates review. Since then, Weight It Out has also released a super-thin pair of 45-pound bumper plates—and now the Lock and Load Revolver Micro Loading Plates.
Made in the USA, the original design—which Coop tested and used—was a stainless steel 2-inch-thick plate with six holes that allowed for loading a circular 1-pound weight into each weight slot. With the design resembling a Smith & Wesson six-shooter, the micro-loading plates are cheekily called “caliber” plates. The plates could be screwed in, or you could purchase the weights without threads, at which they’d just slide out with a quick shake.
With its original design, the Revolver Plates have two major flaws—price and starting weight. The unit was $450 and the revolver plate itself started at 15 pounds, which isn’t an ideal starting weight for fractional plates. Weight It Out has redesigned the plate by constructing it out of heavy-duty plastic now (which Coop has also had his hands on). Now, the weight plate starts at a half-pound, and the price has been significantly reduced to $200; threaded weight “bullets” are the only option, as well.
Before You Buy
- The Revolver Plate set comes with six 1-lb micro weights, but you can add a set of 1.5- or 2-pound weights for an additional cost.
- Free shipping is available for orders over $500, so if you need more weight plates and other home gym equipment, this can be a great way to lower your cost.
- You can split your payment into four interest-free payments every two weeks through ShopPay.
Weight It Out Lock and Load Revolver Plates Video Review
Are the Lock and Load Revolver Plates Worth It?
Weight It Out says these plates started out as a fun design and concept, but quickly turned into a “game-changer,” but what do we think? Honestly, it is a cool design, but we’re not so sure if it’s a total game-changer.
The previous stainless steel version started at $450 and had a starting weight of 15 pounds, which eliminated most of its use as a micro-loading plate. “It’s usability is low,” Coop adds, “but its Instagram-ability (new word) is very high.”
With the new heavy-duty nylon version, it becomes much more functional, and the $200 price tag makes the cost much more bearable for home gym owners, too. Still, the unique function of these micro-loading plates isn’t a vital need for many users; not everyone needs to lower their barbell weight by 2 or 3 pounds quickly between sets.
“This is going to best be for the person who has some extra money to spend, and they really like cool home gym stuff,” Coop says, rating the value a 3.5 out of 5. This can be a cool addition to your home gym, but it’s not going to be a necessity for most people.
Great for:
- People who like unique home gym equipment
- Bodybuilders who perform a lot of drop sets
- Lifters who need small weight changes for certain exercises
Not recommended for:
- Garage gym owners still lacking home gym essentials
- Stronger athletes who don’t need smaller weight increments
- Fitness enthusiasts on a budget
Weight It Out Lock and Load Revolver Plates Specs
| Price | Starts at $200 |
| Material | Heavy-duty plastic, stainless steel micro weights |
| Dimensions | 2” x 6” |
| Insert | Fits 2” Olympic barbells |
| Weight set options | Plate base with 6 1-lb “bullets;” option to add on 1.5-lb or 2-lb “bullets” |
| Weight range | 1-13 lbs |
| Warranty | Lifetime (up to 20 years) |
Using the Lock and Load Revolver Plates
Since GGR founder Coop Mitchell has tested the Lock and Load Revolver Plates, Weight It Out has focused on a molded plastic plate base that uses threaded weights that twist into each revolver hole.
There was an unthreaded version that Coop tried as well, where the weights would eject simply from pulling on the base slightly (it had to be secured by a barbell collar). We’re not sure if Weight It Out will remake this version down the road, but for now, the threaded version is available.
“The plastic version of the plate base makes more sense to me,” Coop mentions. “It’s lighter, which makes it better for small weight changes and drop sets.” They move fairly quickly, although the threaded weights take a bit more time.
Ultimately, the utility of these plates are a bit lacking, although they can be a fun addition to a home gym. “The time it takes to unscrew each weight off and set them somewhere, I don’t know if you’re actually saving much time,” Coop adds. “It feels more like a novelty.”
Let’s look at more of the specs of the weight plates.
Durability and Construction
The newer design of the Revolver Plates is a plate base, constructed of a heavy-duty plastic. The thread-on “bullets” are made of steel with a plastic thread glued on the bottom. Although Coop questions the threads’ durability, he’s had no issues with them so far, rating the construction and durability a 4.5 out of 5.
The weight “bullets” come in 1-, 1.5-, or 2-pound sizes. The website doesn’t clarify any sort of weight tolerances for these weights, but we had no trouble with the weights, rating the tolerances a 4 out of 5.
Design and Ergonomics
The strength of these weight plates comes from their design, earning a 5 out of 5. The large base with revolver holes is a novel look, and can be a neat addition to your garage gym. The revolver design is made for quick changing, dropping a pound or two off your bench press or curl in a couple of quick twists, so it does function.
The lighter material of the plate base both adds to the functionality of the micro-loading plates, as well as cutting down the price. But let’s be real; most people who are buying these plates are buying them for the unique look and function. Traditional change plates work fine for most.
Weight Set Options
There’s not a lot of versatility in the options in which you can purchase the Revolver Micro Loading Plates. The plate base is sold as a pair and comes with a six-pack of 1-pound weights for each plate base.
You can also purchase 1.5-pound and 2-pound weights for the base, but those purchases are add-ons. You must buy the base and 1-pound plates; I’d like to see the plates available with the different options of weight “bullets” available, not simply as an add-on purchase. Because of this, we rate the set options a 3 out of 5.
Lock and Load Revolver Plates vs Rogue Change Plates
Rogue Change Plates
Rogue KG Change Plates
Product Highlights
- Kilogram change plates for micro-loading, personal records, and Olympic weightlifting
- Sold in pairs or as a full 25 kg set
- 50.40-mm collar opening
- Tolerance of +/- 10 g
- Rubber coating for stability and durability
- Matte finish
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Allows for micro-loading for Olympic lifting
- Color-coded
- Rubber coating for durability
Cons
- Shouldn't be used without bumper plates
- Somewhat expensive
Bottom Line
With a rubber coating for added stability and durability, Rogue Kilogram Change Plates range from 0.5 kilograms to 5 kilograms, allowing for as small of a change as 1 kilogram. These plates allow for micro-loading comparable to Olympic weightlifting competitions.
Let’s compare the Lock and Load plates to standard change plates from Rogue Fitness. I’m using the kilogram change plates in this comparison, as the weight increments are closer to the increments from the Weight It Out micro loading plates—a kilogram, or 2.2 pounds. If you’d rather not deal with kilograms, Rogue also offers change and fractional plates in pounds (as an Olympic weightlifter, though, I dabble in the metric system all the time in training and competition).
The Rogue KG Change Plates offer six different pairs of weights that allow users to make as little as a 1-kilogram (2.2-pound) jump in weight. These plates are used in weightlifting competitions and the weight tolerances are incredibly tight: plus or minus 10 grams.
RELATED: An Olympian’s Guide to Equipment for Olympic Weightlifting
The Lock and Load Revolver Plates are less expensive and have a similar weight jump of 2 pounds, but they max out at 13 pounds total. You have the option to use 2-pound weight “bullets,” but the weight still maxes out at 25 pounds on the barbell, which is less than half of the complete set of Rogue change plates—55 pounds.
The major difference comes in the utility of the two sets of weight plates. The Rogue plates are traditional weight plates that can be slid on and off of a bar. For most people, this is going to be a simple process and all you need for a full-body barbell workout.
The Lock and Load plates, on the other hand, can make quick weight drops with a quick unscrew of a weight “bullet.” This can be useful for drop sets, if bodybuilders want a quick weight change without taking up a lot of time. Still, the novelty of the micro-loading plates probably won’t outweigh the functionality of standard change plates.
| Lock and Load Revolver Plates | Rogue KG Change Plates | |
| Price | Starts at $200 | $256 for 25-kg weight set |
| Material | Heavy-duty plastic, stainless steel micro weights | Rubber-coated iron plates |
| Dimensions | 2” x 6” | Varies by weight |
| Insert | Fits 2” Olympic barbells | 50.4 mm |
| Weight set options | Pair of plate bases with 6 1-lb “bullets;” option to add on 1.5-lb or 2-lb “bullets” | Change plates sold in individual pairs, or as a complete set |
| Weight range | 1-13 lbs | 1-25 kg (2.2-55 lbs) |
| Warranty | Lifetime (up to 20 years) | Not disclosed |
Customer Experience
The company policies from Weight It Out are a bit of a mixed bag, with a solid warranty but a lackluster return policy. Weight It Out provides a lifetime warranty on all their products up to 20 years, which is a fantastic warranty—especially for their weight plates. However, they only provide a 15-day return policy, and after 10 days, the products can only be exchanged or refunded for store credit.
With its mixed policies, we rate the customer experience a 3.5 out of 5. Weight It Out can be contacted via phone or email, both listed on their website, as well as a website chat function.
Ordering the Lock and Load Revolver Plates
The Lock and Load Revolver Plates can be ordered online directly from the Weight It Out website; it’s currently on pre-order. Shipping costs will apply and are calculated at checkout.
Financing is available through ShopPay, where payment can be split up into four equal payments made every two weeks. This payment plan is interest-free and won’t impact your credit score when you apply.
Customer Reviews
At the time of this writing, there are no customer reviews for the Weight It Out Revolver Plates. We’ll update this section as reviews come in and let you know what others are thinking of these micro-loading plates.
Final Verdict of Our Lock and Load Revolver Micro Loading Plates Review
While we like the unique engineering behind the Lock and Load Revolver Micro Loading Plates, for most people, the ability to make quick micro weight changes won’t outweigh (pun intended) the affordability and utility of your typical change plates and fractional plates. “On a cool factor, this thing is pretty sick, though,” mentions Coop. Here are a couple of things to consider before purchasing:
- With a quick turn of each weight, the weight plate is best suited for drop sets and micro-adjustments needed to be done fast.
- At $200, the Lock and Load plates are more affordable than their original design; however, a set of change plates or fractional plates will come out cheaper.
- If you have the budget to splurge a bit, these plates still have a cool design and would be a unique addition to your home gym.
Full Rating
Weight It Out Lock and Load Revolver Plates
The Weight It Out Lock and Load Revolver Micro-Loading Plates are a novelty item for home gym users, where a half-pound plate base can load up to six 1-pound “bullets” into its chambers, allowing for micro-loading. While it’s ideal for drop sets, the functionality of the plates don’t add much, and they’ll most likely be a neat item to add to your home gym collection.
Product Brand: Weight It Out
Product Currency: $
Product Price: 200
Product In-Stock: InStock
3.9
Weight It Out Lock and Load Revolver Plates: FAQs
Are the Lock and Load Revolver Micro Loading Plates worth the investment for precision weight training?
These plates have a unique design and can be used for precision weight training; however, they’re more of a novelty purchase than a must-have for precise weights. Many change plates from companies like Rogue and REP Fitness have tight weight tolerances and are cheaper per pound than the Weight It Out Revolver Plates. Still, these can be a fun addition and add a unique look to your home gym and weight training—if you have a bit of money to splurge.
What are the best loadable dumbbells?
In a way, loadable dumbbells were the OG adjustable dumbbells, in that they were inexpensive and replaced multiple sets of dumbbells. If you have weights and change plates, loadable dumbbells can be a great addition to your garage gym.
Our favorite loadable dumbbells are the Titan Loadable Olympic Dumbbell Handles, as they are inexpensive, durable, and come in multiple starting weights and loadable sleeve lengths.
Which Bells of Steel weight plate should you buy?
The best weight plate for you will depend on your training goals and type of training you prefer. For example, we like the Bells of Steel Dead Bounce Bumper Plates for deadlifts, as solid, durable bumper plates can help protect both your equipment and gym flooring.
Check out our Bells of Steel weight plate review, where we go through the entire lineup of weight plates that the company has to offer.
References
- Garage Gym Reviews (2024, Feb 8). Data Study: Home Gym Equipment Trends In Strength and Cardio Equipment. https://www.garagegymreviews.com/home-gym-equipment-trends-2024
Further reading
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