WEIGHT PLATES
Weight plates… so many choices, so little time. Don’t worry though, choosing the right plate isn’t rocket science! Whether you’re looking for bumper plates, iron plates or specialty weight plates, we’ve got a style (and price) that you’ll love. Buy individual pairs of weight plates, or an entire set to outfit your gym and save even more!
- Ships from Calgary & Toronto
- Excellent Warranty
- Trusted Since 2010
- Need Help? 1-888-718-7997
WEIGHT PLATES
Weight plates… so many choices, so little time. Don’t worry though, choosing the right plate isn’t rocket science! Whether you’re looking for bumper plates, iron plates or specialty weight plates, we’ve got a style (and price) that you’ll love. Buy individual pairs of weight plates, or an entire set to outfit your gym and save even more!
Ships from Calgary & Toronto 
Excellent Warranty 
Need Help? 1-888-718-7997 
The Dead Bounce Bumper Weight Plates have a 100% virgin rubber construction, giving them the best rebound control out of all our Bells of Steel bumpers. They also feature thick steel bearing insert rings with a 3 anchor point system to avoid common bumper breakdowns.
Our middle-tier bumpers are the Conflict Bumper Weight Plates. These high-visibility plates have vibrant colors to provide instant weight identification. They have low-to-medium shock absorption for predictable control.
The Crumb Bumper Weight Plates are our most economical bumper. They’re made from 100% recycled rubber — resulting in significantly more bounce — but have a thick stainless steel hub with 3 anchor points to improve their lifespan.
The Mighty Grip Weight Plates are our most economical iron plate option. They are cast iron plates with a hammertone finish; a coating that prevents rust and helps to make the plate more aesthetically pleasing. They feature large, ergonomic holes that ease the process of loading and unloading plates on the bar and allow them to be used for a multitude of exercises like farmer’s carries, shrugs, and steering wheels.
The Machined Weight Plates are our middle-tier option. Equipped with the same hammertone finish, these plates have an extra-precise center hole to ensure a snug fit on your bar. Being slightly thinner, they allow for more plates to be loaded on your bar — putting them at a slightly higher price point.
Finally, our 0.5lb Fractional Weight Plate Set allows for better loading on your isolation exercises. Complete with 8 fractional plates weighing 0.5lbs each, you can choose to add 1-4 pounds to the barbell lift of your choice for easier PRs.
Need more info? Then check out Bumper Plates vs Iron Plates | Complete Rundown and Choosing Weight Plates for Your Home Gym.
Bumper Weight Plates vs Cast iron Weight Plates
Bumper plates are rubber coated, offering better protection to your equipment and flooring than traditional iron plates. This also makes them ideal for Olympic weightlifting, due to frequent drops from hip, shoulder and overhead positions.
Cast iron plates are more affordable due to their no-frills design. They’re also fairly thick, though the large handles make them easy to hold.
Bumper Weight Plates vs Machined Iron Weight Plates
Bumper plates are rubber coated, offering better protection to your equipment and flooring than traditional iron plates. This also makes them ideal for Olympic weightlifting, due to frequent drops from hip, shoulder and overhead positions.
Machined iron plates have a precision-cut center hole to ensure a tight fit on your barbell. Also, they’re thinner and more accurate than traditional iron plates.
Mighty Grip Cast Iron Weight Plates vs Machined Iron Weight plates
Both the Mighty Grip Cast Iron Plates and the Machined Iron Weight Plates are intended for powerlifting and general strength training. That said, neither of these plates are appropriate for the Olympic lifts — you’ll definitely want bumper plates for those.
Novices will be fine with cast iron plates. Intermediate and advanced lifters, powerlifters, and those who highly value precision will want to consider upgrading to more accurate weight plates.
Frequently Asked Questions
The average price for weight plates is $1.83/pound. Bumper plates are completely made out of rubber and cost $1.95/pound. Cast iron plates are the most affordable option as it only costs $1.42/pound on average. However, you’ll need good gym flooring to dampen the noise but also from banging.
There are generally three types of weight plates in the gym – standard plates, bumper plates, and iron plates. Bells of Steel offer two of these types which are the Olympic (bumper) plates and Iron (metal) plates. The reason for the variation stems from their roots in various sports. To learn more about our weight plate variations, check out our page specifically for Weight Plates.
A plate weighs between 1.25kg (2.75lbs) and 25kg (55lbs), with the most commonly referenced weight plate at the gym being 20kg (45lbs). On rare occasions, you may find plates as light as 500g (1.1lbs) used for micro loading.
Weight plates are expensive for a few reasons. They don’t really wear out. They might not look as good as they were new but as long as they’re not broken and are heavy, they’re good. Also, weight plates are heavy and require a lot of raw material production and because of their weight and size, the shipping, handling, and storage costs are high.
If you are a beginner a cast iron plate is good. It is versatile and can be used for pretty much anything – however, they are not as durable as the bumper plates and may break easily. You can perform any exercise or move with cast-iron plates. Check out our Bells Of Steel Mighty Grip Cast Iron Weight Plates and Machined Iron Weight Plates to learn more about these products.
The most obvious difference between Olympic weights and standard plates is hole size. Olympic plates have a 2-inch (50.6mm) center hole, while standard plates have a 1-inch (25.4mm) hole for the barbell to pass through. Olympic plates are slightly larger than standard plates of the same weight. They come in all kinds of thicknesses too.
You don’t need all sorts of expensive equipment to get started on weight training. You can start your strength or weight training journey using your own body weight and once you’re ready to invest in pieces of equipment – there are a variety of tools that can be used typically in the form of barbells, dumbbells, weight plates, kettlebells, medicine balls, sandbags, and even water-filled PVC pipes.
You don’t need all sorts of expensive equipment to get started on strength training. You can start your weight training journey using your own body weight and once you’re ready to invest in pieces of equipment – there are a variety of tools that can be used typically in the form of barbells, dumbbells, weight plates, kettlebells, medicine balls, sandbags, and even water-filled PVC pipes.
Bumper plates are only available in round shapes because these are often dropped. Another difference is that all weight sizes of bumper plates will have the same diameter, unlike iron weight plates, once again due to the dropping factor. Traditional plates sometimes come with built-in handles but bumper plates are always solid. Another very visible difference is colour. Bells of Steel bumper plates implement colour schemes based on the standards set by the IPF (International Powerlifting Federation).
Bumper plates are weight plates comprised of a steel core with a thick rubber protective coating. They are a standard diameter across all weights and are used in lifts (Olympic and CrossFit usually) where lifters are allowed to drop the weights from overhead without damaging the floor, plates, and bar. They are also quieter when dropped.