When we first opened the gym at the start of 2013 I got in touch with Kieran and a number of other brands, I had done a lot of research into which company would be best for us and after each consult, Bulldog Gear was calling out. We are fully kitted out at CrossFit Pen Y Bont and I couldn’t be happier with the standard of equipment -the best is yet to come from Bulldog Gear!

Apart from being easy on the eyes the new Bulldog Gear flecked ballistic bumper plates are a great piece of kit. They come with individual color coded flecks so you can easily identify what plates are on the bar which isn’t so easy with all black bumpers. They are engineered in Britain and made of recycled rubber which makes the durability of the plates outstanding. 

Colour

The brightly coloured flecks in the plates makes them easy to identify from 5kg to 25kg. As the flecks are not stuck on or heat pressed on this means no how many times you use them they will always keep the consistency of their colour. From a beginners point of view the solid black bumper plates are confusing to the eye in large quantities, most CrossFit gyms have their bumper plates stacked up in a big black blur in one area of the box and asking a newbie to simply grab a few 10s could be a daunting task. Thanks to the solid green, yellow, blue and red flecks each plate is recognisable and easy to recognise each weight. 

Size & Weight

The Bulldog Gear plates are guaranteed to be accurate +/- 5 grams in weight, as an Olympic weightlifter this is extremely advantageous as to when I train the snatch and C+J. Weightlifting is a very precise sport and sometimes can come down the last kilo, I have full trust in the plates being accurate which reflects on my training. The plates are exactly 450mm, the same as standard Olympic lifting plates. This gives the option to using multiple styles of plate as there will not be difference in size. They are easily transferable off and on the bar thanks to the insert in the middle of the plate, often these come loose after multiple drops but the Bulldog Gear bumpers have yet to prove otherwise! The are made from ultra-dense rubber, which reduces the bounce when dropped over head - this has two major pros in my opinion; the first being less bounce, less damage. Every time the bar is dropped from height is affects both the bar and the bumpers, over time and after many uses the inserts of bumpers become worn and the bearings of the bar become loose. The reduced bounce secures solid movement and saves the insert from wearing away. Secondly, a lot of CF workouts require multiple use snatch, C+J and other barbell movements, the reduced bounce helps achieve this as the bar is easier to control when used at speed and multiple reps.

Pricing

The average 100kg set will cost around £230 - £350. What comes to mind when I think of anything as specialist as weightlifting plate is - ‘Buy cheap, buy twice.’ I’m more than confident in saying £399 for a 100kg set of Bulldog Gear ballistic bumper plates is well worth the money! If the difference is £50 or so then Bulldog Gear is the way to go, great, personal service with backed up and guaranteed products. 

Alex Evans

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