The top plates are 9 years old

I’ve been using Bulldog Gear (UK) bumper plates for several years and highly recommend them. I have a combo of their cheaper home and their nicer Hybrid 2.0 plates and have been buying and using them for at least over the last 9 years.

However, if I could, I’d sell all my plates and move to Watson Gym stainless steel plates, because they take up less space (and look amazing). However, Watson Gym plates are £20 per KG + VAT + Delivery. Whereas Bulldog are much more cost effective at between £4 – £6.50 depending on the size and whether you buy as a set.

I’ve never had a plate break or warp, but then I don’t drop my plates. And, I’ve never weighed them, because I don’t care about specific weights. But they’ve never been misbalanced on an Olympic bar.

When I first bought them (from Watson Gym as it happens) they were the Hybrid plate; effectively the home plates they sell now. They were and have been excellent. For the home-gym I would recommend the Hybrid 2.0 model for both the colour – for easier recognition – but also because of the contoured edges. It makes picking up the weights easier, and using them for exercises (I use them for ab twists). And again, it being me, they look so much better.

Hybrid 2.0 colours and contours help easily spot the weight you need and help in exercises too

The only downside I’ve found in recent years to the Bulldog Gear plates is availability. Whenever I’ve made the decision to get more weights in, they’re rarely always fully in stock. For example, the fractional plates I don’t think I’ve ever found them in stock. So that means I’ve either had to wait, or I’ve changed my approach for the exercise to then not need the weights.

Bulldog Gear as a company are pretty good. Good website, good service, and good delivery. They often bring in new products, often have sales or discounts available, and send good emails that aren’t spammy.

Overall, if you’re after Olympic plates are are trying to decide between all of the different brands, then as someone who has used them for many years I’d recommend their plates and them as a company. I also love their Olympic clamps (seem better than Amazon copies) and have gotten on very well with one of their Olympic bars.

Hope this helps.