Provided that you’re deadlifting and rowing on a platform, will these plates do the trick? Or should a buyer spring for bumper plates (despite the room they take up)?
Those will work just fine.
How much money do you want to spend?
The only problem with those plates is that I read somewhere that someone called rogue and asked them what the accuracy tolerance was on them and they said +/- 5%.
I’ve decided to go for a power rack instead of a squat stand, so I don’t mind saving a bit of money (right now) and using less accurate plates. I’ve been training in commercial fitness center-style gyms for years, so that’s nothing new. The calibrated plates are what I’d like to pick up eventually - that is, if steel plates can withstand the beating of deadlifts and rows in a private garage gym. And I’d prefer to avoid bumper plates.
I don’t think you’ll have any issue using steel plates. I use the plates below to do rows and DL. I did make a DL platform per Alan Thralls youtube video which is where I DL and row.
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Yes, I’m making one a bit bigger using the same instructions. 6 feet long, 4 feet wide. I want to mount my power rack on it and squat on a platform.
York is cheaper for the same quality plates: https://yorkbarbell.com/product/2-in…olympic-plate/
They also have some better quality plates that are calibrated within 2% for not much more: https://yorkbarbell.com/product/lega…olympic-plate/
A calibrated steel plate is going to be much stronger and more accurate than a cast iron plate, which is what those rogues are. Having said that, Austin Baraki uses cast iron plates and he trains like a savage, so I think they’ll be fine. I forget where his are from… I don’t think they’re from rogue.
The shiny outer coating might flake off here and there, and the plates will have a bit of slop on the bar since they aren’t built to super tight tolerances. If you’ve got the money, I would get a solid pair of collars - they’ll help keep the weights in the same place during deadlifts when you set the bar down.
Have you looked into Troy HO plates? They are calibrated steel plates and they are on the less expensive side, though I can’t say how much.
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Thems the ones
Unless you’re performing Oly lifts or rowing and deadlifting like a bro, ie, slamming the weights against the floor to get the rebound, cast plates are fine. I’ve been using at home for years.
Invest your savings on decent bars and equipment.
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Those look awesome. What are you having to pay if you don’t mind me asking?
Regarding the Troy PO (black) /HO (silver) plates…
First, they’re awesome. I have found everything to be well within the 2% allowance. Generally, everything is within an ounce or two. Also, the fit on the barbell is super snug on all 45s and 25s. It’s a little looser on the 10s, 5s and 2.5s but that’s not a big deal. You really need the tight fit for deadlifts more than anything, so the smaller plates don’t matter as much.
Adamant Barbell had a Black Friday sale in 2016 for $1.15 / pound (shipping included). They didn’t run the same deal in 2017. Guessing he didn’t make out well enough to do it again.
I bought 770 pounds of Troy PO plates from dumbbellbuddy.com roughly one year ago for $1.15 per pound (no tax); however, I live in the general area of Houston, TX and picked them up myself from Troy to save about $125 on freight. But…I’d say a sizeable amount of weight would still get that same deal and paying $125 for freight isn’t that bad considering the weight. Of course, I wouldn’t expect much of a deal for a 255 lb set or even 350 lbs. Buy a lot at once to cover yourself for the long haul. Their website has standard sets, but they will do custom quotes (still for the same $1.15 / pound). I bought 12 45s, 4 25s, 8 10s, 8 5s and 4 2.5s. No need for 35s although their fine.
Don’t get me wrong. I still want KG calibrated discs someday, but the Troy plates are a huge step up in quality over 95% of standard plates and have roughly the same cost.