Why our Bumper Plates are more expensive
We often get asked why our Bumper Weight Plates are more expensive than similar-looking bumpers that our competitors sell. Just like all the other gym equipment we sell, we always opt for the better quality version when we have a choice.
For starters, there are plenty of factories we could use in China, but a lot of them produce cheap rubbish. One day I will post some examples.
We have used the supplier for over 9 years now. They are more expensive than many other factories we have seen prices from, but we know that we get good, consistent quality. Plus, we know that this factory makes items for some well-known, international brands. So we are not the only ones who have figured out that this is a good factory to deal with.
High-Performance Bumper Plates
The other reason is we choose to get the better quality version of this style of bumper. You will notice that our bumpers have a bronze inner ring.
Nearly all the other bumper plates in this style will have stainless steel rings. To stop the steel ring from spinning, they need to weld the bar on both sides.
Not only does this look bodgy, but it also has its drawbacks, too. Sometimes this can distort the ring, so the plate won’t spin evenly. It can also wear unevenly under heavy use. Just like barbells utilise brass bushings for even wear and rotation, the same principle applies here.
Plus, from a manufacturing process, it is open to interpretation at the factory. They will use whatever scrap steel they have available, so the process can vary from batch to batch. Our supplier always wonders why we stick to the bronze, but we just prefer to have the security that the bumpers will be the same each batch.
Chinese factories are always trying to beat each other on price. Trust me, they don’t always take the hit to the back pocket. They meet this price by cutting corners. So we have found when there is a better-priced option, you get a better all-round finish and quality. We have found this with our Power Maxx weight plates, dumbbells and barbells. The same applies to the bumper plates.