The Online Home for Strength Sports
Written by Tim HillUpdated by Ben Emminger on February 6th, 2024 Expert Verified By: Amanda Capritto, CPT, CES, CNC, CF-L1, CSNC Exercise Step Height
Looking to bolster your home gym with strength-training essentials? The best weight plates can be great for sprucing up your sets with a bit of added zest. That said, you’ll want plates that vibe with your at-home setup, i.e., ones that won’t damage your floors, throttle your barbells, or wake the neighbors. The best bumper plates offer a clang-less alternative to iron plates with their rubberized makeup and softer, more accommodating bounce.
As with any piece of workout equipment, there are a few things to consider when searching for your next set of bumper plates. Of course, you’ll want to pay attention to the listed mass for each profile, but other factors like bounce, weight tolerance, and (of course) price also play into the equation. To make your purchasing quest go as smoothly as an RPE 2 warm-up, we’ve gotten hands-on with multiple bumpers, compiled our notes, and discussed with our in-house experts to land on our favorite bumper plates available today.
This article has been reviewed by Amanda Capritto, CPT, CES, CNC, CF-L1, CSNC, a certified personal trainer and CrossFit Level 1 instructor. She reviewed the research we cite and the bumper plates we listed to help ensure we’re providing helpful, accurate descriptions and recommendations. She also tested several of the weight plates herself.
The BarBend team is made up of competitive athletes, certified personal trainers, and lifelong fitness enthusiasts. To determine the best bumper plates available today, we got hands-on with 20 different profiles from top brands, using a multi-point methodology to rate each profile on a scale of 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest) to determine our top picks. Below are the categories and components we looked at.
Bumper plates are popular for home gym use because their thicker rubber makeup can be easier on your floors and equipment than other metal options out there. They are designed to be dropped more often, and therefore require a good sense of durability across the design. We looked at bumper plates constructed from high-quality rubber and other materials, as these can be better suited for the use and abuse of regular training.
According to Amanda Capritto, a certified personal trainer, “Bumper plates are durable and can withstand repeated dropping. Many manufacturers actually drop-test their bumper plates to ensure they’re durable for their intended use. Good bumper plates have low bounce, which minimizes the risk that they ‘jump’ and injure someone or break something.”
Additionally, there are different types of bumper plates constructed from different rubbers. Virgin rubber and urethane can be higher quality, but often come with a higher cost. We did our best to include picks for each bumper plate type to give athletes a range of options.
[Related: Bumper Plates vs. Metal Plates]
Having a lower-bounce plate can be beneficial for athletes, as there’s less recoil from the plates when dropped, keeping everything safe on the platform. Plus, a low-bounce bumper can be ideal for softening the sound of a dropped barbell, which should help those who need to train quietly due to napping children or nosey neighbors.
The bounce of a bumper plate is measured with a durometer, which indicates the hardness of the rubber. When appropriate, we noted these ratings for each pick to give you a solid picture of each bumper’s performance. Some brands do not list the durometer rating of their plates, so first-hand experience was a major factor when determining the actual bounce on display.
Having a good quality bumper plate with sturdy components and low bounce is one thing, but one of the benefits of a home gym is that you can curate your equipment to match your style and taste. You’re not locked into a singular colorway or aesthetic, so you can find bumpers that align with your personality.
We looked for bumper plates offering designs from the simple black and white to the more elaborate. Color bumper plates were also considered for two reasons. First, the color-coded system aligns with competition regulations and makes for easier weight identification. Second, they just look cool.
Style and looks aside, we also noted which bumpers had textural features that added to their aesthetic from a use perspective. All of the plates included in this round-up boast a grippy outer layer for enhanced grip during transport or loading, or a raised lip around the edge for better plate control.
Given the sheer weight of bumper plates, they’re not the easiest items to ship. Depending on how careful your carrier handles your packaging, you could be receiving plates that look worse for wear before even hopping into your first lifting session. It’s vital, then, for brands to take the extra steps before shipping to encase the bumpers with good quality packaging and insulation.
As each of our testing samples arrived for trials, we made note of how secure the packaging was across the orders. Did the bumpers have enough cushioning and packaging insulation to survive the trek to our testing center, or did the boxes have some scuffs and scars from the journey? When shipping was less than ideal, we took note.
Of course, your experience in ordering bumper plates can be highly dependent on your carrier, too, but it’s nice to know that the brand is giving your equipment its best chance possible to land on your doorstep safe and sound.
Like a set of dumbbells for your home gym, you’ll likely need at least a pair of bumper plates to create the ideal barbell setup for lifts and movements. As such, we looked for bumpers that could be purchased as a paired set across different weight totals. If plates were sold individually, we still considered them based on performance, but included the caveat that these picks will likely be more expensive than paired options.
We also considered bumper plates that were available in bundled packages of set weight totals. While not an absolute must-have for some athletes, having the option to purchase a bundled weight set in one fell swoop can be a great, quick way to outfit your training space in an efficient manner.
These durable black bumper plates have steel inserts and low-bounce virgin rubber that may help reduce noise when dropped. They're ideal for traditional lifts, cross-training, and even Olympic Lifts.
If you’re looking for bumpers to outfit your garage gym, we feel these Black Bumper Plates from REP Fitness are some of the best. Each profile features a great sense of durability, and the black base with white lettering can be a great upgrade when it comes to aesthetics.
We rated these high-end bumpers at 5 out of 5 for durability due to their high-density rubber construction that marries nicely to the hooked steel inserts. Additionally, our tester, a certified personal trainer, appreciated the fact that the 10-pound plates are 1-inch thick, which can be ideal for dispersing forces when dropped and allow for extended use across heavy deadlifts or Olympic movements.
“On the flip side, I also like how the 45-pounders are designed to be thinner than most competitors at 2.83 inches. This allowed me to load more bumpers across the barbell sleeve for PRs and other heavy sessions in my home gym,” they added.
As far as performance, these bumpers performed exceptionally well in testing, earning a 4.5 out of 5 for ease of use. We had no issues when loading or unloading these plates from our barbells, and the low-bounce makeup left us with few hesitations when it came time to dump a loaded bar post-set. Unfortunately, though, REP doesn’t list the actual durometer rating for these bumpers, so you need to trust us when we say they’re low-bounce as opposed to relying on measured metrics.
There’s also a good sense of variety when it comes to ordering these bumpers for your personal training space. We rated the availability at 4 out of 5 thanks to REP offering these Black Bumper Plates in both paired sets and bundles. The available 160-, 190-, 230-, 250-, 260-, and 240-pound bundles can be excellent options for athletes wanting to outfit their home gym completely from the start.
That said, we do still recommend airing these weights out before getting them into position in your garage gym. According to our tester, there was an apparent rubbery odor during unboxing — a common dilemma associated with bumper plates. We attributed this to the “high-density” rubber used during construction as opposed to other silhouettes using virgin rubber. Thankfully, though, the smell will dissipate over time.
Read our full REP Bumper Plates Review.
In the need for budget-friendly bumpers? These impressive HD bumpers from Iron Bull start at just $60, and the high-density virgin rubber used across each silhouette creates a sturdy profile that’s low-bounce , low-noise, and overall a treat to train with.
Okay, so iron plates are traditionally the more budget-friendly option when deciding between weight plates. That said, there are still high-quality bumper plates that can be purchased for low costs — like the HD lineup of bumpers from Iron Bull. The brand offers these matte black profiles in weights from 10 to 45 pounds, with prices starting at $60 per pair. That’s roughly $10 cheaper than the average starting costs of other bumper plates, and enough for the Iron Bull HDs to score a 4 out of 5 for value from our tester.
We appreciate the performance of these bumpers, scoring the plates at 4 out of 5 for the category. These HD bumpers meet the plate standards set by the International Weightlifting Federation, which can be great for creating a training aesthetic that’s on-par with competition days. “I also enjoyed the high-quality, high-density rubber and steel inserts,” said our tester, a certified personal trainer. “There was minimal noise and bounce, and I felt like my gym floors were well protected during drops.”
The Iron Bull HD Bumper Plates are also covered by a 30-day money-back guarantee if you aren’t satisfied with your purchase, but we would like to see some extra coverage, as we think 30 days is a little premature to see if a plate will hold its own in training. Other brands typically showcase at least one year’s worth of coverage, but unfortunately, Iron Bull doesn’t have additional information on such services. For these reasons, we rated the warranty at 3 out of 5.
[Related: Reddit User Solves Our Bumper Plate Math Problems]
As far as looks are concerned, we enjoyed the minimalist vibe of these matte black bumper plates. The raised lettering and present lip around the edge also helped improve grip and control when loading these plates onto a barbell or weight rack. Naturally, though, we understand that some athletes may want a bumper plate set with more vibrant colors, or at least a set that’s coded to competition standards for easier weight identification.
Finally, these bumpers can be great for beginner home gym enthusiasts given their availability in bundled weight sets ranging from 160 to 350 pounds. This gives you more weight plates in a single order and can be great for outfitting your space with multiple bumpers at once rather than continuously ordering paired plates until you’ve hit your desired total.
These impressive bumper plates from Bells of Steel feature an anchored center hub that helps boost each profile’s durability and strength, making these excellent weights for deadlifts , Olympic lifts , and other movements often associated with drops.
Bumper plates can be a suitable option for deadlift enthusiasts given their minimal bounce, exceptional durability, and ability to be dropped without wreaking havoc on your home gym flooring or equipment. Thanks to their virgin rubber and anchored center hub, we recommend the Dead Stop Bumper Plates from Bells of Steel for these needs.
The anchored center hub was a major focal point of ours during testing and played heavily in our 4.5 out of 5 durability rating for these plates. This anchored hub creates a sturdy connection between bumper and barbell, resulting in little to no movement across the sleeve during deadlift drops and no signs of wear and tear after repeated sessions.
Additionally, we appreciate the use of virgin rubber across these bumpers, as this material is less prone to the “old tire” smell associated with plates that use rubbers of a lesser quality. The rubber also played a role in our bounce tests. According to our tester, a certified personal trainer, “I found the virgin rubber greatly reduced any bounce during lifts, and they were also quieter and much gentler on your home gym flooring.”
In terms of functionality, we also enjoyed how well these bumpers worked in non-deadlifting workouts, rating them at 5 out of 5 for the category. Naturally, we wouldn’t recommend putting every available weight through the wringer in a given session — the 10-pound profiles are just 0.7 inches thick, which limits their durability against drops.
These Bells of Steel bumper plates also earn some kudos thanks to their impressive style. You can purchase these plates in a matte black finish or opt for (our favorite) black plates with colorized lettering using the same hues found in competition bumper plates. This, in our opinion, provides a subtle sense of vibrancy that can really set your home gym apart from the others on your block. It also makes for easier weight identification, too, when loading up for a heavy pull or new PR.
One of our main concerns, though, with these plates lies in the packaging. According to our tester, the plates can arrive fairly tattered given the little cushioning present in the boxes. We rated these plates at 3.5 out of 5 for shipping, so don’t be surprised if your order arrives worse for wear.
These Nike plates are made with recycled rubber from Nike's manufacturing scrap, so they're environmentally-friendly. They also have a thick design with plenty of durability — just don't leave them out in the sun, as they may yellow.
According to Amanda Capritto, a certified personal trainer, “People who do any type of CrossFit-like exercise are the ideal customer for bumper plates. They are the only type of weight plate that is acceptable to drop, because the rubber absorbs shock that may otherwise damage the barbell or the gym flooring.” In our opinion, the best plates for this discipline come from a brand fairly new to the fitness equipment category — Nike. Unveiled late in 2023, the Grind Bumper Plates have surprised many with their moderate bounce, high durability, and pleasing aesthetics.
We rated these crumb rubber plates at 5 out of 5 for style due to their flecked makeup that’s made of recycled rubber from Nike’s other manufacturing process (read: shoe leftovers). This creates a sprinkled effect across each profile while also adding an aura of sustainability around your workout setup.
[Related: Nike Unveils ‘Nike Strength’ Brand, Will Produce Strength Training Equipment]
As far as performance is concerned, we enjoyed how well these bumpers performed in our HIIT workouts. The bounce carries a durometer rating of 65, indicated by a higher bounce than some dead-stop bumpers, but overall, our tester, a certified personal trainer, was pleased with the experience. That said, we did rate this plate at 3.5 out of 5 for ease of use given the oblong dimensions. Each plate is listed at 18 inches tall, meaning setups across a deadlift or off-ground pulls are higher than what you’d experience with calibrated Olympic bumper plates.
Despite the height difference, our tester really enjoyed how easily these plates slid onto a bar for training. “They slid onto the sleeve nicely, but firmly,” they stated. “Plus, these Nike bumpers didn’t go shooting off the sleeve when dropped. That’s a huge benefit when you’re not working out with collars at the end of your setup.”
The price point is also accommodating with these Nike bumpers, with paired sets starting as low as $38. That said, however, there are no bundled sets to choose from, so you’ll need to do some extra additions to your cart if you want your home gym solely equipped with these stylish plates.
Premium is almost an understatement with these IWF-certified training plates from Eleiko . The weight tolerance is extremely precise at ±0.5 percent and the proprietary SBR rubber composition practically eliminates all bounce.
If you’ve ever paid attention to the Olympic games — or just know your way around high-end strength training equipment — you’re aware of the brand Eleiko. Since its inception, the Swedish brand has been crafting some of the finest barbells, plates, and gear for lifting. These IWF-certified training plates can be great for competitive athletes looking for bumpers that blur the line between your home gym and the competition platform itself.
We like these bumper plates for Olympic lifting because of their impressive ±0.5-percent weight tolerance. This means that the stated weight of each bumper is highly accurate for more informed, precise training on your way to the podium. For reference, other bumper plates typically offer a less precise tolerance somewhere around ±1 percent. It may not seem like much, but when first place and fifth place at a weightlifting competition are separated by just a few pounds or kilograms, it makes all the difference.
[Related: How Any Kind of Athlete Can Incorporate Olympic Weightlifting and Powerlifting]
The Eleiko IWF Weightlifting Training Plates are also exceptionally durable thanks to their use of the brand’s proprietary SBR rubber. This material produces little to no bounce when dropped, which can help keep your setup from bouncing off the platform and thus wrecking your floors or equipment. We rated these bumpers at 5 out of 5 for bounce.
Naturally, though, because of the exquisite craftsmanship at play across these bumpers, you’ll need to pay a premium. We rated the price at 3 out of 5 for multiple reasons. For one, the starting price for the lightest bumper (10kg) sits at $235 — a cost more than double the average bumper plate. Additionally, these plates are sold individually, which can mean filling your home gym solely with Eleiko plates can drain your wallet in a hurry.
Still, there are few bumpers or plates that come close to Eleiko’s history and quality. If you can afford them, these bumpers can be a great addition to your setup.
Competitive weightlifters will appreciate the details of these plates. They're dialed in to be within 15 grams of the stated weight, are ultra durable, and have minimal bounce so you don't have to worry about where the weight goes after you hit that big lift in training.
Need a bumper plate for competitions? Consider these Rogue Fitness Color KG IWF Training Plates. These plates are IWF-certified, meaning they meet all the requirements set in place by the International Weightlifting Federation. “IWF Standard measurements include a 450-millimeter outside diameter and 50.4-millimeter collar opening,” added our tester, a certified personal trainer.
As far as durability is concerned, we have no insecurities about these bumpers. We rated them at 5 out of 5 for the category thanks to their lasting integrity through plenty of use and abuse. Additionally, we gave these plates a 5 out of 5 for bounce, as the virgin rubber used in the makeup responds excellently to drops with an 86 durometer rating. The higher the durometer rating, the more deadening the plates are upon impact (i.e. less bouncy off your platforms).
[Related: Rogue Bumper Plates vs. REP Bumper Plates]
We also appreciate how these plates continue to hold their color throughout the weeks and months, making for easy weight identification day in and day out. Other lesser bumpers can begin to fade over time, leaving you with a low-rent aesthetic that’s less ideal when putting on a competition of your own.
These Rogue plates come well-packaged, too, which eases any concerns we previously had about shipping debacles. That said, we did notice a slick coating that made getting these into our hands a bit of a challenge. As such, we recommend taking a microfiber towel or cleaning agent to these bumpers before routinely using them in your home gym.
Finally, the competition grade doesn’t come without a fee. These plates start at $185 per pair, which is higher than the $50 to $70 average bumper prices. If you have the money for these impressive weights, though, we doubt you’ll ever look elsewhere thanks to their quality construction, impressive performance, and overall appealing looks.
These bumper plates are made with extremely durably urethane, which won't bend or crack with use. The color-coding also makes it quicker to select your desired weight as you switch from one exercise to the next.
Urethane really is the gold standard for longevity. Unless you’re lifting non-stop and performing zero basic maintenance, your plates are going to be in excellent condition for a longer period than the 7 to 15 years you’d expect to see in virgin or recycled rubber plates. For our money, the Titan Fitness LB Color Urethane Bumper Plates are the best of the bunch due to their impressive durability, consistent coloring, and comfortable raised lip around the edge for easier grasping.
Kate Meier, BarBend editorial member and NASM-Certified Personal Trainer, raves about these Titan plates. “I absolutely love them. In my gym, we have other competition-grade bumpers where the center ring has broken over time, but not these,” she said. “I’d venture to say that these plates are the most used in our gym, and they look better than any other pair of plates in there.” For these reasons, we rated the durability at 5 out of 5.
[Related: Best Home Gym Equipment]
Additionally, the design of these Titan bumpers also earns a 5 out of 5 score from our testers. The lip along the edge of each profile isn’t a unique feature when it comes to weight plates, but the cutout does feel deeper than other silhouettes we’ve grabbed ahold of, making for a more comfortable, controllable profile when loading a barbell or getting weights back into a resting position across a squat rack.
Titan Fitness LB Color Urethane Bumper Plates also seem to hold their color well throughout extended use, which can be great for athletes that want to keep a clean, vibrant aesthetic day in and day out. But that consistent appearance and durability will cost you — these plates start out at roughly $100 for a pair of weights, which is well above the $50 to $70 you’d typically see listed for other bumper plates.
We’d also appreciate Titan supporting these bumpers with a more extensive warranty package. Granted, we know that urethane will be able to take more abuse than rubberized plates, but a one-year service agreement doesn’t leave much room for errant breaks or damage down the road. We rated the warranty package at 3.5 out of 5 — you can find more ensuring coverage with other brands and designs.
Iron Bull's virgin rubber bumper plates are durable and can withstand plenty of drops with zero cracks or scratches. These are available as single plates or in multiple sets if you're looking to set up a new home gym.
While urethane can be a premium option when it comes to bumper plates, rubber discs will likely be more available (and affordable) when searching for your ideal setup. Iron Bull’s BP Bumper Plates can be great for athletes thanks to their durable makeup, appealing design, and approachable price point.
According to our tester, a certified personal trainer, “I noticed a small bounce when these plates were dropped. However, they stayed on the bar with ease and were also easy to take off the bar, too. At no point did they seem to have weak spots when dropped.” As such, we rated these Iron Bull bumpers at 5 out of 5 for bounce.
Additionally, the noise across errant drops proved to be approachable, earning a 4 out of 5 for the category. Our tester noted that there are (obviously) some thuds when you drop a loaded barbell from a completed deadlift or snatch, but it’s definitely less audible than other profiles you may want to use in a home gym setting. This makes these Iron Bull profiles excellent for athletes with a family nearby, or those that want to appeal to any HOA restrictions on noise in a given workout.
The BP Bumper Plates are also relatively affordable, with a starting price of $75 for a 10-pound pair of bumpers. Yes, this is slightly more than the $50 to $70 average, but we feel the quality justifies the added $5. We do caution athletes that feel this purchase has a secure backing, though. We’ve yet to find any concrete information on a warranty package for these bumpers outside of the listed 30-day, money-back guarantee.
Finally, we appreciated the unboxing experience with these bumpers, as there weren’t any obnoxious fumes given off from the rubber itself. The virgin rubber stayed approachable for fewer “old tire” fumes, which can be ideal for athletes wanting to get their mail, load their barbell, and hit a session in the same day.
If you’re looking for a durable, affordable bumper plate set, these Milspec profiles from Fringe Sport can confidently get the job done. High-density virgin rubber retains its integrity drop after drop, and a curved stainless steel insert creates a strong silhouette regardless of the weights used.
If you’re looking for durable plates that can last session after session, the Milspec Bumper Plates from Fringe Sport should be on your radar. Across rigorous testing sessions and hard abuse, we’ve yet to find a weak point across the design. The curved stainless steel insert proved to be a major player in these results, creating a sturdy profile that showed no signs of bending or breaking.
“These bumpers are crazy durable,” said our tester, a certified personal trainer. “I’d have no hesitations about adding these to my home gym. I really think they’re built for the long haul.”
We rated the design of these impressive virgin rubber bumpers at 5 out of 5 due to their burly construction and grippable, stylish aesthetic. Additionally, we had no issues with any rubbery odors with these plates, although some customers have said that there is a present funk upon unboxing.
[Related: How to Clean Home Gym Equipment]
These Fringe Sport bumpers also offer up a good bit of variety across the weight range, even including a 55-pound profile for serious lifters. This can be great for strong athletes and competitive athletes alike, as this availability can allow individuals to better replicate their competition stage setup more so than they’d be able to with a standard 45-pound plate.
While we rated the aesthetics at 4 out of 5, we understand that others may want a more visual lettering experience across their strength training equipment. The lettering is raised, but the coloring is aligned to the base, which can blend in seamlessly when viewing these bumpers from a far-off distance.
While there’s nothing wrong with cast iron plates for your personal setup, we often recommend bumper plates over metal for home gyms given the benefits. Despite the heightened cost — cast iron plates are typically cheaper than bumpers — their use and performance is more aligned with an at-home environment. Below are some of the perks that make bumper plates a go-to when curating your own iron paradise.
Okay, so we’re fans of the classic “clang” of iron plates, but outside of a commercial gym, is that noise really welcome? Bumper plates, given their rubber makeup and thicker design, dampen the noise and impact when dropped from a raised position, eliminating that shrill bell ring and replacing it with a muted “thud.” This can be great for athletes that want to keep their workouts as quiet as possible, whether to appease a sleeping child, prevent housemates from running to Amazon for earplugs, or avoid pop-ins from nosey neighbors.
[Related: Barbell Etiquette: How to Keep Law and Order at the Gym]
The variety of workouts you can perform with bumper plates over older iron plates is vast thanks to the plate’s ability to be dropped from a raised height. With cast iron plates, you need to control the weight down to its resting position or else risk damaging your floors and equipment.
Bumpers, on the other hand, are designed to be dropped, giving you a better setup for exercises like deadlifts, overhead presses, and Olympic lifts like the snatch or clean and jerk. Stocking up on bumper plates may encourage you to practice more of these strength-training maneuvers, which research has shown can have mental and cardiovascular benefits in addition to increasing your physical performance. (1)
Your at-home workouts shouldn’t be to the dismay of your home. Metal weight plates can do damage when dropped from a raised height, potentially leading to cracked floors, damaged foundations, and even broken workout equipment.
Bumper plates can be great for home gyms thanks to their impact-deadening nature. The force of the drop is dispersed better across the rubberized design, leading to less audible feedback, less impact across your flooring, and less opportunity to stress your barbell and other equipment.
The deadening, low-bounce makeup of bumper plates also helps keep your setup on the platform, meaning when you drop your barbell, your setup won’t go flying toward a wall, squat rack, or even yourself. This can be helpful when working out in tight quarters, allowing you to stay in control of your gear throughout the entirety of your workout.
[Related: Best Home Gym Flooring]
Bumper plates will increase in price as they increase in weight, but we’ve broken them down by their starting price. As you can see in the below chart, the bumper plates on our list can start as low as $38 and get up to $235 for higher-end options. Factors such as construction, materials, functionality, and brand recognition can all factor into a plate’s overall cost.
As you can see from the wide range of available profiles, finding the right bumper plates for your home gym is more involved than simply picking your desired weight total and colorway. Below are a few components to think through when deciding between profiles for your home gym layout.
When choosing a proper bumper plate, a majority of options will be constructed from rubber. This material is what makes bumper plates more sound-deadening and less impactful across your floors and equipment. However, there are a few types of rubber to choose from when choosing a plate set for your own.
Virgin rubber is a commonly-used material for bumper plates because the rubber is brand new — or “virgin.” This can create a clean, polished look across the silhouette without that rubbery odor often associated with these weight plates. Recycled rubber, on the other hand, will oftentimes carry an “old tire” stench that may be off-putting at first. There is also a price difference between the two options that can range as high as $20, although we’d recommend opting for the cleaner virgin rubber whenever possible to alleviate any pre-training funk.
[Related: The Best Weight Racks for Dumbbells, Barbells, Weight Plates and More]
Urethane is also a common bumper plate material and heralded for its high durometer rating. This means that the material itself is harder than other rubbers, leading to less bounce when dropped and a rigid profile.
Additionally, we’ve found that urethane plates can hold their color more over time. That said, urethane plates are typically more expensive than rubber bumpers, sometimes $30 and $50 more, so you’ll need to consider your budget before going down this route.
In the end, there is no concrete right or wrong answer between the material options. Ultimately, you’ll want a bumper plate that has excellent durability, an appealing look, and an approachable price point.
Bumper plates are great for home gyms thanks to their ability to be dropped without causing damage to your barbell, gear, and flooring. However, the bounce of each plate depends highly on its makeup, so you’ll want to be on the lookout for the bumper’s durometer rating. This measurement is the international standard for the hardness of rubber, plastic and other non-metallic materials, with ratings ranging from 0 (soft and high bounce) to 100 (hard and no bounce).
For home gym use, you’ll want to look for a durometer rating above 80, as this can be a sweet spot for plates showcasing an efficient thud with minimal recoil. Other high-bounce plates below 80 are still worthwhile, but you’ll likely want a little extra room in your setup, just in case the bounce does send your barbell in an unwanted direction.
Of course, you can also mitigate the drop effects of your bumpers by lifting on a home lifting platform, but we understand that not every athlete has the space to accommodate such a setup (although it does make for a fun DIY project).
[Related: DIY: How to Build Your Own Deadlift/Olympic Lifting Platform]
In addition to the rubber makeup of your chosen bumper plates, you’ll also want to look for strong and sturdy center hubs. These components are what allow the connection between plate and barbell sleeve to stay rigid and firm during drops, keeping energy dispersal clean and uniform to alleviate unwanted stress across your setup.
You should look for center hubs that are composed of stainless steel, according to certified personal trainer Amanda Capritto, as this material can take loads of abuse without faltering.
If you’re a competitive athlete involved in strength sports, it can be beneficial to train with bumper plates that are as close to the calibrated plates you’ll find on comp day. There are many bumpers certified by the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF), as well as the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF). Typically, these governing agencies will have a stamped logo on the bumper plate for easier identification, but some simply list the certification in the product description.
If you aren’t a competitive athlete, certified plates can still be worthwhile as they carry a strict weight tolerance and diameter to better align with competition-grade equipment. Be mindful, though, that certified plates may be more expensive than others given the stricter regulations that need to be met.
[Related: What Are the Differences Between Powerlifting vs. Weightlifting?]
When it comes to buying bumper plates, most profiles come in between $50 and $70 for a starting pair. Naturally, the cost is directly related to the weight, but this is a typical foundation for most sets. However, the price can also be influenced by the material used (urethane plates are typically more expensive) and any certifications that the plate may hold. For example, Eleiko’s IWF-certified training plates cost over $230 for a single plate due to their high level of precision and IWF-certified makeup.
You can potentially save some money by purchasing bumper plates in a bundled package, meaning the variety of weight plates will add up to a gross number as opposed to ordering countless pairs for your home gym. This can also be a good way to outfit your space with a good range of weights for all your needs in one fell swoop.
In the end, be sure that your order fits within your budget, and remember, bumper plates are resilient and built for the long haul — about 7 to 15 years with proper care. You should get plenty of use out of your chosen bumpers before replacements are required (and there’s always room for expansion with future orders, too).
Bumper plates can be an excellent option for home gyms thanks to their less-damaging effect on your floors and equipment when dropped. Additionally, they can help you create a space that’s all your own through stylish aesthetics and unique colorways. While the price is higher than your typical metal plate option, we still think the perks are worth the premium when it comes to this weight plate style.
When looking for a set of bumper plates for your own setup, you’ll want to look for a profile that’s durable and low-bounce with a high-quality rubber construction and sturdy anchored center hub. Additionally, you’ll want to be mindful of any color preferences you may have, as well as if you’d like a plate certified by the IWF or other governing agency. Using this round-up as a guide, you can bolster your versatile workout potential with a proper set of bumpers in no time.
Bumper plates are more suited to home gyms because of their resilience against drops. Cast iron plates can cause damage to your floors and equipment when dropped from a raised position, which could lead to unwanted repairs or even injury. Bumpers, on the other hand, absorb the impact for a safer, less intense experience, making them a great option for Olympic lifters or athletes that tend to drop deadlifts or rows.
While the “best” bumper plates is a subjective term, we favor the Black Bumper Plates from REP Fitness due to their clean appearance, accurate ±1-percent weight tolerance, and affordable purchasing options that allow you to buy either paired plates or entire weight sets ranging from 160 to 340 pounds.
That really depends on your perspective. They are going to be larger than iron plates, so you’ll be able to load less weight on the bar and they are usually more expensive. They are, however, much more durable and can be dropped repeatedly with no issues.
No. A 45-pound bumper plate can provide the same resistance of a 45-pound cast iron plate. That said, bumper plates can be a more versatile pick for home gym enthusiasts, as they can be dropped without worry of damaging your gear and flooring. This, in turn, can open doors to new movements like overhead presses or snatches — two workouts that call for a barbell bail at the end that would otherwise wreak havoc on your setup with iron plates.
Tim is the Co-Founder of CrossFit Slash in Beijing, he has worked in the fitness industry for nearly a decade and has dipped his toe into just about every training modality there is. He enjoys playing with his 2 year old daughter and is currently working towards completing the Beast Tamer Challenge https://www.strongfirst.com/achieve/beast-tamer/
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