We test and review fitness products based on an independent, multi-point methodology. If you use our links to purchase something, we may earn a commission. Read our disclosures.
The Rogue Dumbbell Bumper Plates are a cool innovation for strength training. As with anything made by Rogue Fitness, they are very well done and can be just as effective in training. If you do a lot of dynamic dumbbell work and want to easily interchange weight, these are a great option. However, they are not designed to be dropped overhead.
Rogue Fitness
Rogue Dumbbell Bumper Plates
Product Highlights
- Patent Pending
- Bumper-Cylinders for Use with Rogue Loadable Barbell
- Weight increments range between 10 – 55 lbs
Pros & Cons
Bottom Line
Why Dumbbell Bumper Plates
The Rogue Dumbbell Bumpers are not a necessary peice of equipment. However in saying that, it must be understood that most pieces of equipment are unnecessary. As we showed in our Ultimate Home Gym Guide, most people can get away with a squat rack, barbell, and plates. Based upon that definition, everything outside of that is unnecessary and even those things could be viewed as unnecessary. There are many who are stronger than you or I who gained their strength through lifting stones and logs.
I hear many comments that say ‘X’ piece of equipment is unnecessary; here’s the reality though, if you have a home gym, you have unnecessary things.
So, with that said, the reason dumbbell bumper plates are even a thing today is becausethey’re convenient. Ever since Rogue released their Loadable Dumbbell Handle, I was excited to see what they would innovate weights wise. The reason I say that is because you can’t use regular bumper plates or metal plates with the handle; they’re too awkward and way oversized. I actually bought twelve 10 lb plates so I could do dumbbell rows.
RELATED: Best adjustable dumbbells
The Dumbbell Bumpers allow you to drop the dumbbell from hip height or lower without damaging the floor or the plates and allow for easy weight changes. The same reason traditional plates come in different weights is the reason the Dumbbell Bumper Plates have different weights. Easier loading and exchanging of plates as well as the ability to put multiple plates on the bar that sit evenly.
Video Review
Unboxing
Once again, my UPS guy (his name’s Jason, we see each other a lot) showed up with a half friendly, half come get your heavy crap honk as he pulled up to my driveway. I ran out to the truck and was surprised to see the condition of the boxes.
We’ve reviewed a LOT of Rogue Fitness Equipment and a majority of the time; the outside boxes are often in just as good a condition as the contents.
Thankfully, despite the outside of the boxes looking less than excellent, what rested inside was safe and sound.
Rogue Dumbbell Bumper Plates Review
Rogue Fitness is known for introducing new, unexpected and innovative pieces of training equipment to market. Through their storied history that despite having such a large presence, is actually a very short one, Rogue has pushed the boundaries to help produce better athletes and healthier people through strength equipment.
You’d be hard-pressed to go through the comments section on any Rogue social media post and not see at least a couple of comments like the following:
- “Way overpriced!”
- “Who would ever even use that?”
- “Rogue just wants your money!”
Rogue Fitness
Rogue Dumbbell Bumper Plates
Product Highlights
- Patent Pending
- Bumper-Cylinders for Use with Rogue Loadable Barbell
- Weight increments range between 10 – 55 lbs
Pros & Cons
Bottom Line
Although these comments annoy me to no end, they’re always there. First off, if something is more than you want to pay, simply don’t buy it–it’s called voting with your dollars. The same goes for whether you would use it or not; just because you wouldn’t use it, that doesn’t mean nobody would use it. I say all of thisbecause I’ve seen more of these types of comments on posts involving the Dumbbell Bumpers than any others.
The Rogue Dumbbell Bumpers are not for everyone, but they are for someone and for the people who decide to use them, they will be more than satisfied.
In typical Rogue fashion, nothing about the Rogue Dumbbell Bumpers is underdone. From the rubber used to the unique cut-out in the hub, the Dumbbell Bumpers are high quality, effective, and to be honest, they’re just plain cool. For those like me that geek out over new equipment, this is one of the “coolest” pieces of strength training to be released in 2017.
As stated, the rubber used isn’t cheap. Granted, as with all Rogue Bumper Plates, they’re still being imported from most likely China, but that fact doesn’t mean they’re not high quality.
The way you achieve a stable bumper is through the use of a high-density rubber, as measured through a durometer rating, as well as a large center hub. The width of the Dumbbell Bumpers also plays a role in its stability as there is more contact of the bumper plate with the ground.
The durometer rating, being a measure of rubber density, tells quite a bit about how the bumper plate will perform over time. The lower durometer rating a bumper plate has, the softer it is, and therefore the more likely (often times) it is to break down. A lower durometer rating will also indicate a higher bouncing rubber; if you think of durometer ratings in terms of things outside of strength training, a bouncy ball would likely have a very low durometer rating while a horse stall mat would have a high durometer rating.
The durometer rating of the Rogue Dumbbell Bumpers is an 88. When we compare this to Rogue’s other bumper plates, it’s on the upper end regarding ratings. Their premier bumper plates are the Rogue Competition Plates which have a durometer rating of 94. The bumpers that are most like the Rogue Dumbbell Bumpers (I’d assume they use pretty much the same rubber) are the Rogue Color Training 2.0 Plates which have a durometer rating of 86.
I go into all of this detail to illustrate that the Rogue Dumbbell Bumpers aren’t just made to look cool, they’re also going to be very durable.
The inside of the Dumbbell Bumpers feature the same chrome-plated hub that’s used on Rogue’s Training Plates and should prove to provide good corrosion resistance, but also helps Rogue to remain within +/- 1% of the stated weight.
Everything about the Dumbbell Bumpers is pretty standard for bumpers, sans them being both wider and shorter. However, there is one part of the bumper plate that is honestly a pretty intelligent move on Rogue’s part. Instead of the Dumbbell Bumper sitting flush with the barbell/Loadable Dumbbell Handle collar, Rogue has cut out a piece of the bumper plate hub to allow it to encapsulate the sleeve collar. This was imperative for Rogue to keep the Dumbbell Bumpers the height they have them, while also allowing for a smooth place to rest your hand.
I decided to purchase the 10 lb, 25 lb, and 45 lb bumper plates thinking this would allow me to get the maximum weight combinations for my dollar. Due to the 10 lb bumper plate being so thin, they will fit on the bar along with the 25’s, while an OSO collar keeps them in place. What this means is there’s little need for the 35 lb dumbbell bumpers, because you can combine the 25 and 10 lb options to arrive at the same weight.
In use, the Dumbbell Bumper Plates along with the Loadable Dumbbell Handle are actually much more versatile than I was expecting. I thought they’d be great for dumbbell snatches and rows, but I’ve found myself throwing them into all sorts of workouts.
Here are a few different movements I’ve done with the Dumbbell Bumpers without much awkwardness or issue:
- Snatch
- Clean and Jerk
- Kroc Rows
- Lateral Raise
- Overhead Press
- Bench Press
- Curls (all angles (for the gainz))
- Turkish Get Ups
- Tricep Kickbacks (just kidding)
- Behind the Neck Tricep Extensions
I’m sure there are many more movements that can be done for those of you that like to get really creative as well.
To prevent the comments section from blowing up with whether you can drop the dumbbell bumpers or not, here’s my opinion. I have no problem dropping them from waist height. However, I would not advise dropping them from any higher than that. There’s no issue with the bumpers and handle taking the impact, but due to their size, they will land unevenly and fly all over the place.
The Rogue Dumbbell Bumpers are more than simply a cool toy; they’re useful and real piece of training equipment. If you do CrossFit, these are perfect for most movements involving a dumbbell, and if you own a training facility, these are sure to increase excitement in workouts (which does matter.)
Suggested Improvements
The Rogue Dumbbell Bumpers exceeded my expectations, but there are a couple of improvements I’d like to see.
The first one is a custom collar for the handles that will cause the end of the dumbbell handle to be the size of the bumper plates and smooth. This would allow you to rest the dumbbell on your knee without it digging into your skin.
The second improvement would be for Rogue to introduce all-metal versions of the bumpers. Most movements would be just fine with metal plates, and you could load even more weight on.
Full Rating
Rogue Dumbbell Bumpers
The Rogue Dumbbell Bumper Plates are a cool innovation for strength training. As with anything made by Rogue Fitness, they are very well done and can be just as effective in training. If you do a lot of dynamic dumbbell work and want to easily interchange weight, these are a great option. However, they are not designed to be dropped overhead.
Product Brand: Rogue Fitness
Product Currency: USD
Product Price: 52.50
Product In-Stock: InStock
4.3
Rogue Dumbbell Bumpers FAQs
Is bumper dumbbell good?
The Rogue Dumbbell Bumper Plates are a cool strength-training innovation. They’re well-crafted and may be just as useful in training as anything else manufactured by Rogue Fitness. These are a wonderful alternative if you perform a lot of dynamic dumbbell exercises and want to effortlessly switch weights.
Can you use bumper plates on dumbbells?
For lighter, more precise dumbbells, plates are preferable. Dumbbell bumpers allow you to pack a lot of weight into your dumbbell handles at a lower price. Of course, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that rubber change plates aren’t the only plates that may be used on dumbbell handles.
Can you use 25 lb plates on dumbbell?
Because prefab ones may be 80-90 pounds but have smaller ends, but placing two 25-pound plates on a loadable becomes awkward. Plate diameter, not weight, is the limiting element in both cases. Because of the way large diameter plates restrict forearm movement, they can’t be utilized for dumbbell workouts.
RELATED: Dumbbell Leg Workout
Where to Purchase
Rogue Fitness
Rogue Dumbbell Bumper Plates
Product Highlights
- Patent Pending
- Bumper-Cylinders for Use with Rogue Loadable Barbell
- Weight increments range between 10 – 55 lbs
Pros & Cons
Bottom Line
Further reading
Check out my NordicTrack FS10i review to see if this innovative 3-in-1 machine is all it claims to be. Read more
There are many rumored side effects of creatine, but it can be hard to tell which ones are true. Here, we answer one such question: does creatine cause acne? Read more
The Rogue Dumbbell Bumper Plates are a cool innovation for strength training. As with anything made by Rogue Fitness, they are very well done and can be just as effective in training. If you do a lot of dynamic dumbbell work and want to easily interchange weight, these are a great option. However, they are not designed to be dropped overhead. Rogue Fitness Rogue Dumbbell Bumper Plates Check Price Product Highlights Patent Pending Bumper-Cylinders for Use with Rogue Loadable Barbell Weight increments range between 10 – » Read more about: Rogue Dumbbell Bumpers In-Depth Review » Read more
Wondering if this popular greens powder is worth it? Learn everything you need to know in our Supergreen Tonik review. Read more