Rogue Dumbbells
Overall
User Review
( votes) Summary
Rogue Dumbbells offer an ergonomic design with a solid construction that’s hard to beat.
Pros
- Solid design.
- Low bounce.
- Excellent knurling.
- Great handle diameter
Cons
- A bit pricey.
Rogue Dumbbells are currently the product of choice in my garage gym. From 10 to 50 pounds, I have been using the company’s products for years, and they haven’t let me down.
When I started building my new home gym, I knew dumbbell workouts would be at the top of my daily exercise list, just as they were at commercial gyms. I also knew that Rogue makes a very large set with pairs sold in weights ranging from 2.5 pounds to 125 pounds.
So why did I choose expensive dumbbells? Ready my full Rogue Dumbbells review, and it will become apparent why I love this product.
Rogue Dumbbells Design
Rogue Dumbbells include a heavy-duty rubber head with an 88 durometer rating. Durometer ratings range from 0 to 100, with 100 equaling virtually no bounce.
I sometimes lift to the point of failure as I push for a new PR which forces me to abandon my weights. The bounce is relatively low whether I drop these dumbbells on my rubber flooring or my garage’s bare cement. Admittedly I’ve jumped back a few times, but I’ve never felt like the dumbbells were getting out of my control.
When I do happen to drop a dumbbell, the weights don’t hit with a thud, which my brand-new polyaspartic garage flooring surely appreciates.
If there’s one complaint I have with Rogue’s choice of rubber surface, it’s that the dumbbells were covered in so much oil when they arrived that I had to coat them in chalk before use.
In one case, a pair arrived with calcified spotting that required me to rub baby oil all over the weights, a suggestion by Rogue’s customer service team. Both of these points are slight annoyances but worth mentioning.
A few reviewers on the Rogue page for the dumbbells claimed that the smell upon arrival was awful. I had zero issues with smell, but your mileage may vary because sometimes rubber gym products manufactured in China can be overwhelming as they are off-gassing.
Regarding the actual design of the Rogue dumbbells, I like the traditional look of the hex pattern. My garage naturally slopes slightly towards the road, and these dumbbells don’t move when placed down. Rogue has set the gold standard in the space for perfectly flat surface cuts, and this product epitomizes that quality level.
The chrome-plated handles on the Rogue Dumbbells are my favorite feature. I like a medium knurl, and I’ve become quite acclimated to the knurling found on top-rated all-purpose Olympic bars.
Rogue has manufactured a medium knurl that feels comfortable, whether pushing for maximum reps or carrying my heaviest dumbbells during farmer carries.
The diameter on the dumbbells starts at a handle diameter of 25mm for the 10-pound option, while the heavier dumbbells expand to 35mm. The grip, regardless of size, feels great, and the handles are very ergonomic, which adds to the appeal of using them daily.
The handles are also wide enough to support someone with large hands but still a great size for my wife, who weighs 100 pounds and has tiny hands.
Regarding weight tolerance, Rogue Fitness claims a +/- 3% tolerance and my dumbbells are near perfect, from 10 to 50 pounds.
Rogue Dumbbells Construction: Head-To-Handle
Rogue has implemented a head-to-handle design that helps ensure the weights don’t fail. In nearly three years, I’ve had zero separation on my dumbbells, and they show no signs of falling apart in the near future.
My favorite part of Rogue dumbbells is the balance on each pair; with a solid design, the balance from end to end is perfect.
From a very nice grip to a decently low bounce and a solid general design, I have been very happy with my Rogue Dumbbells on all fronts and find them to be good bells all around.
Whether you own a garage gym or you want to give your athletes in a commercial gym a good set of bells to work out with, you can’t go wrong with a set of these weights.
Check out the excellent customer reviews on the Rogue Dumbbells product page.
