WHO NEEDS BUMPERS? 

It’s true my wife parks her F150 in the garage. But I noticed the truck doesn’t lay directly on the concrete, it rests on these large round rubber discs, suspiciously similar to bumpers.

Your arguments sound so logical but most of my lifting will still be done with bumpers. I train early in the morning and the difference in the noise is considerable. I also agree with another contributor about the reduced jarring when grounding weights after a deadlift or farmer carry. My wife prefers the bumpers because they are easy to roll in and out of the toaster rack storage (on the floor).

I have a garden gym and it rains a lot in my country. I can leave the bumper plates outside and they still look great after 2.5 years.

I prefer cast iron plates because of the aesthetic and the beautiful sound they make. There's something beautiful about putting a cast iron plate on a barbell.

I would agree and disagree. I agree if you're lifting a ton of weight and need the bar space. But honestly, how many people are lifting that much weight that they need the bar space? Less than 1% of people? And I also agree that it doesn't matter what you get if you're not doing Olympic lifts. But disagree with most other points. I literally just bought a set of bumpers. I paid $1/lb for the bumpers. And that's shipped to my house! I also disagree with the noise. Iron is definitely louder. As for your car analogy, yes your car weighs a lot, but that is static weight and guess what? It's sitting on rubber wheels to absorb the shock and there's 4 of them to spread the weight. When you slam down iron plates it's the instant force that's the issue. I mean, I'm pretty sure I can take a 8lb sledge hammer to my garage floor and break it up. It's not the total weight that's the issue, it's the striking force when it slams into the floor. Bumpers and stall mats help absorb that force so the vibrations don't travel to the flooring. I also think this is a very biased review since the op is literally selling irons and makes his sales pitch a few times throughout the video. But I'll bite, since one of the main issues is price, can you ship your set of iron plates to my door for $1/lb? I doubt it.

One thing I think is being overlooked here is that bumpers reduce the amount of shock that travels into your body when doing deadlifts. A few weeks ago at the gym, the bumpers were in use so I just loaded some regular weight plates onto the bar and started deadlifting. I used the same techniques and set up as always and am usually fine, but the heavier the bar got, the more my back hurt. I believe this is because the solid, non-lined plates were sending the shock of each drop straight up into my body, which I could honestly feel with every rep. Went back to rubber-lined bumpers as usual after that and felt like I could drop the bar all day if I wanted.

When you compare the damage caused by a car rolling over the garage and the weight drop from the air, stress is the determining factor. Impulse force must also be considered from there because the weight is not statically applied. Stress = F/ A, and F x t = m x v. If you think the Impulse force of the weight drop from above the ground and the contact area is relatively small, momentarily, the stress applied by the weight on the floor is not necessary less then the stress applied by the rolling car.

I just bought bumper plates because I am an apartment dweller, and, due to my work schedule, I can lift only early in the morning. I have crash pads, but those do nothing to reduce the noise caused by the clanking together of plates on the barbell, which, even though being not as intrusive as the thud of a loaded barbell striking the floor, still is an encroachment on the serenity of my closest neighbors.

Agree on all points but the noise, dropping a deadlift with iron plates sounds like a gunshot. I Strength co plates which are awesome but I also have one pair of 45lb bumpers i use on the inside for deadlifts.

This is the exact video I needed, thanks!

Good video. I workout in basically a big shed. I like the bumpers, it does lessen the impact and vibration. Especially as you add the incremental weights for the set, I also have kids training, it’s nice for them. I also managed to get 45’s for $60 shipped, hard to pass that up. 45s are thick and handling is not as easy.

Some cheap horse stall mats from Tractor Supply are a lot cheaper than bumper plates.

ALL true.I have trained in a gym that had bumper plates, with something like 150 kg and there was no place in the barbell...Very good vídeo.

Great video! I got pulled into the “bumper world” and now that I’ve been in my garage gym 6 months realize I could have stayed all Iron. Argh. May see if I can sell-off in the spring. And will certainly be looking to Strength Co. Merry Christmas.

Put on one bumper plate and the rest cast iron. the extra radius of the bumper plate also makes it easier to load the bar on the floor. You can do whatever you want...so long as you have enough money...

Great video and I love your plates.

I kept missing my intensity day squats at my crossfit gym post 190kg and couldn't work out why i had such an easier time at home with my metal plates. The whip in the bar makes a HUGE difference. Apparently deadlifting with rubber plates in contrast is easier because of said whip meaning the weight does not all leave the floor at once.

We bought bunpers because cast were out of stock during the pandemic. Bumpers stank for two months, but that stopped. I like them. Very silent.

I have both and like both

Got both - bumpers for cleans and CrossFit stuff and Iron for my powerlifts😊

Wish I had watched this 2 years ago. I wouldn't have bought bumpers. But, now I have a mix. I don't mind bumpers. But, I've learned that I prefer iron.

I never thought about rack pulls thank you

3/4” plywood with horse stall mats on top, no issues. LOVE our Strength Co plates!

I bought bumper plates for 2 reasons: no rust, and resale down the line. Bumper plates hold their value and are always desirable, should I migrate weight up. standard iron plates you can’t give them away, and value drops to almost zero - and most of the time they covered in orange rust.

I’ve had great results with shake weights

On board with all this except handling being hard. Are we really worried about a slightly more awkward 45 pounds? If you’re struggling to handle a bumper plate should you even be using plates at all? Strength should translate to functionality. If someone can’t handle a bumper plate because it’s “too awkward” then their strength program needs work.

Hi Grant, are bumper plates more likely to be calibrated (I always prefer cast iron plates for the thinner profile) ?

I own a physical therapy clinic. It's a moisture rich environment. Constantly fighting rust. Also I have to carry business insurance. People are in pain. The noise from clanking of iron weights both patients. Plus thst ever so elusive 2 1/2 pound plate on the new of the bar hidden by the 45. Eventually hits your foot. So colored bumper plate are a must . I have 25 -45 iron plates from a closed golds gym. I save those for Saturdays and leg work. Iron rusts.

I have a smith machine and the plates never hit the ground. But the bumpers are awesome looking and hype me to lift.

In my case the steel sleeve and rubber on the bumper plates makes things quieter. This is a necessity as my kids rooms are right above my basement home gym. I have tried cast/machined plates and they are way too loud especially when loading the barbell. If the cast/machined plates had a more rounded inner sleeve they would definitely be a better option imo. On handling, just look at it as some extra grip strength training lol.

100% Agree. I made the mistake of buying bumpers. 405 with iron and 405 with bumpers is completely different.

This video came out two days after I received my first pair of bumpers. C'est la vie.

Are there spacers that can be place to reduce the clanging?

I got bumper plates and miss the noise from iron.

Comparing a car with rubber tyres rolling onto a garage floor with naked iron crashing onto the floor from above. Ehhhhhhh…. weak first argument.

Great video! Great content in this new phase of the channel! Congrats Broggi, and thank you!

I kinda want to sell my Eleiko bumper set and buy a Strength Co iron set, but it's just so hard to give them up!

I only liked bumper plates because the ones at my old gym had a slightly larger diameter. So with one pair of bumper plates on the rest of the iron 45s slid on without have to mess with the bar. It's funny how lazy we can be while working out.

Mats will protect the flooring yea (at least concrete and stuff). Without a mat, 500 pounds of impact in a tiny area is something a car just doesn't do. I can't have all that clanging. I lift indoors with drop pads, so it's just the clanging part of the noise equation that I'm trying to avoid. Very irritating for me the lifter personally, and it would be awful for anyone else inside. If they can hear the clanging, and also get the bass, they're going to greatly appreciate if at least one of those 2 things isn't happening. Plus I'm trying to protect my hearing. I struggle to hear certain sounds and stuff, so I'm careful with it. There's also aesthetics, if one cares. Especially for indoor gyms in very visible areas. Plus, colours are a bit more convenient. They are harder to grab, yea. They are comfier to carry when having the side of the plate sit on top of the palms, though. Also price wasn't mentioned. Definitely more costly. Also sometimes they can have a strong rubber smell, which is really terrible for people who are sensitive to it. Also for some people it just never goes away and is a big problem. I personally started with some iron clangers, and I instantly just hated it. I'm insanely happy with my bumper plates, I can now lift in silence (including the thud, with my drop pads). I also have extra long sleeves, not that I plan to be lifting THAT much weight lol. But anyway, yea cast iron is the far better decision for a whole lot of people.

Not convincing

I didn't have any plans of buying bumpers, but I am considering it now because the landlord has become a bit contentious with the weights. He's a DYEL who doesn't know how to make real gains, but has a giant ego and thinks he's super strong. I have the opportunity to buy eight 25 kg plates for like $360 right now. They would fit, along with one pair of rubber-coated iron 20 kg plates, on my 20 kg rogue ohio power bar, along with a few more small steel eleiko plates. So it could be like 600 lbs. My current PB is 410. That should last me until I can live somewhere else where this isn't a problem and I can use whatever plates I want.

Do I need Strength Co bumpers?

I, too, was fooled by Big Bumper in my past.

I think if I was starting from scratch, I'd buy cast iron (Strength Co. plates, of course, because they love America). But honestly, the bumpers have worked just fine -- they are just weight on the bar. Yeah, if I was an advanced lifter (and I could lift something over 500 pounds), details such as whip and mass near my body might make a difference. But at the end of the day, it's just weight on the bar -- WWRT? (What would Rippetoe think?)

The sound of steel plates clanking is what a weight room sounds like! Otherwise, it's not a weight room!

I really only bought bumpers because they were significantly cheaper than iron plates. 45 pounds is 45 pounds and long as it’s accurate, I don’t care who im getting it from.

I prefer iron plates, but I also have bumpers. Bumpers aren’t so hard to handle, so I don’t buy that argument. For most lifters, it really doesn’t matter unless you’re loading 5 plates or more.

You literally convinced me in less than 60 sec

I use rubber coated plates but not bumpers. I can not stand the clanking noise.

I regret buying my rep fitness bumper plates. Lol theybare too thick and have bo grip. Now I want some that have a grip and are thinner but don't know if I should get the once made from iron or the once coated with rubber? I may get a squat max md so bumperr plates are too bulky for my needs. I want some that are smaller in diameter and thinner. I was looking at some good looking color grip new french fintess plates. Also do I really need 35's. It looks like they are not popular, what about 55's?

Grant's been drinking that Basement Brandon coolaid :) Not mad at those Strength CO plates though....

I wish I had seen this video back before I bought all these bumper plates.

Unless you plan to do Weightlifting/CrossFit at home, it is probably fine to get the iron plates.

Last section should be volume, not mass. Awesome vid, and I will be visiting your warehouse soon.

Wish you shipped to Asia.

It's true. All of it.

Ain’t no iron like strength co iron

Best bet is buy a cheap bumper 55 and 45. The rest buy iron plates…if you don’t Olympic lift

Looking at the comments I see that I'm not the only one that just likes my bumper plates.

I hate bumpers because they suck at being changed … hard to change so hard…

Bumpers do nothing for the sound of the bar hitting the steel inserts. That's the loudest part for me. I was suckered into thinking bumpers were the best. I'm having to buy more weights as my lifts go up and I'm buying iron

For me Rogue Color LB Training 2.0 Plates are sexy AF, and easy to see what you're lifting with color code :)

I don’t think the car example should’ve been in the video cuz that’s baisically a like the balloon on nails

I’ve got like 400 in bumper plates and my wife is gonna murder me when I tell her I need to replace them for cast iron because the bar is maxed out lol

I dont know how much weight these guys with bumpers are lifting. But even a 405lb deadlift with bumpers is kinda ridiculous. Theres only like 3 inches left on the sleeve. And if people are saying they will never dead more than 405, Id say they need to reevaluate their goals cuz 4 plates aint that much.

Dropping weight on floor

Came here just to say, don't tell me how to live my life. Lol

You reminds me castleberry with...fake weights

I buy premium bumper brand plates!😊

Is this going to be like 35s though? Against it, until its in your shop... ;)

He’s selling his own thing sigh

🤔

Never. Comp plates all the way!

Jeez. Why did I ever buy them? Guess resell them at a premium to some CrossFit sucka on OfferUp.

Actually no I don’t. The plates are super loud and my wife works from home.

Best solution: buy the Strength Co. plates because they’re the best metal plate and Fringe Sport Savage Bumper plates because they look sick!! :) Problem solved.

I broke my floor with bumpers and a rubber mat. Thank god I’m a cement mason I ripped out a 10 foot section and poured a 8 inch thick slab. I’m adding steel to my bar with bumpers now because my deadlift is way over bumper 485 max.

He’s really trying to seek those plates not even that special just like every other plate I’ve seen

This video made my IQ drop by about fifty points

This video didn’t age well.

This guy doesn't know what he's talking about

I may or may not of bought bumper plates. It can’t be confirmed or denied.