Weight Plate Sets

Which Weight Plates Do I Choose?

All Olympic weight plates have a 2" (50 mm) central hole and they are the backbone of any serious strength gym. Choosing between which type of plates you want will come down to a number of things. Consider how much you want to reduce noise and possible floor damage, how precise you need your weights to be, what you're willing to pay and also what "look" you want.

Cast Iron Plates

A flashback to an older time. The cast iron is a traditional workhorse and offers a cheap price per kilo and lasts decades with just some basic care. That makes it perfect for home setups and that 'old school' commercial gym look. There are some trade-offs including iron chips, peeling paint (potentially) and scratches. ALso when you drop them, they can damage your floors, matting or other equipment. 

Look for machined centres and a durable enamel or powder-coat finish that offers a sealing for the cast iron. This is best for controlled lifting with an Olympic bar including exercises like squats, presses and deadlifts (with drop pads or thick depth mats 40mm+).

Rubber Plates

Rubber plates include Olympic plates or Bumper Plates. Essentially the plates have a cast iron or premium options come with a machined steel core or steel insert discs. The rubber coating is then bonded or moulded around this core to provide protection and cut noise, but also to then ensure the accuracy of the weight. Please note that despite being a rubber 'skin' you can still crack or split them under repeated drops, especially with very thin rubber matting and a concrete subfloor. 

Full bumper plates go further: a solid rubber disc with a steel insert, designed to be dropped from overhead. 

You can buy crumb rubber plates. They're standard in Olympic weightlifting and CrossFit boxes, and they're the sensible pick for anyone training in a garage, flat, or shared space. Expect to pay considerably more, and note that thick bumpers reduce how much weight fits on the sleeve.

Urethane Plates

Urethane is the premium upgrade to rubber — denser, more abrasion-resistant, and far less prone to odour, chalking, or discolouration. It holds colour, resists cracking, and keeps a cleaner finish over years of daily use. That durability is why commercial gyms and high-volume facilities choose it despite the higher price per kilo. If you train almost every day and want plates that still look new in five years, urethane earns its cost.

Calibrated Steel Plates

Calibrated plates are machined to a tight tolerance — typically within 10 grams of stated weight — and colour-coded by kilo in the International Weightlifting Federation scheme. Powerlifters and competitors need this precision because small discrepancies matter at maximal loads, and consistent diameter and thickness keep the bar loaded predictably. They're expensive, often sold in pairs, and usually bare steel or lightly coated, so they demand careful handling and a platform.

Why Buyers Choose Each

• Cast iron — lowest cost, high durability, ideal for controlled barbell work.
• Rubber and bumpers — noise reduction, floor protection, safe for dropped lifts.
• Urethane — longevity and finish for frequent, heavy commercial use.
• Calibrated steel — competition accuracy and colour-coded consistency.

Whatever you choose, check sleeve diameter (50 mm), plate diameter, and collar fit before ordering, and buy pairs that match your bar's rating.