If you’re after a robust hex key type dumbbell collar then you couldn’t do much better than buying them from either the Watson Gym or the Strength Shop. Both are very good, but which one is best?
The features compared
Watson Gym | Strength Shop | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £60 + VAT + Delivery | £14.99 inc. VAT + Delivery |
| Total price | £87 for one set (two) | £18.98 for one set (two) |
| Order them | Watson Gym Dumbbell Collars | Strength Shop dumbbell handle collars |
| Weight | 175g each (inc. bolts) | 210g each (inc. bolts) |
| Width | 20mm | 23mm |
| Thickness | 7mm | 9mm |
| Bolts | 2 | 2 |
| Hex bolt size | 10mm | 8mm |
| Do they slip? | No | No * |
| How long to fit? | Seconds | Seconds |
| Do they leave marks? | Yes, a little | Yes, a little more than the Watson’s |
| Maintenance needed? | A smidge of grease on the thread once a year (for home gym use) | A smidge of grease on the thread once a year (for home gym use) |
| Best for | Absolute security | Excellent value |
* The Strength Shop collars seem to only really secure the weight with one bolt. As when you undo one bolt, you’ll find that the collar immediately is loose. So in operation if one bolt becomes loose then the collar is effectively useless. I’ve tried this with multiple sets. Whereas the Watson collar can hold the weights effectively with just one bolt.
The best hex key type dumbbell collars
Setting it straight, the Watson Gym dumbbell collars are the best. Better design, quicker and easier to use, and they do not budge. But is that worth 4 times + the cost of the Strength Shop collars?
My recommendation is to buy the Strength Shop collars and try them out. If they don’t work for your needs, they will work for something in the future or you can always sell them on. And then for the cost of a few pints you’ve proven that you need to get the best dumbbell collars you can get from Watson Gym. And of course, if they do work out, then you’ve got yourself a great value set of dumbbell collars that will last an age.
Hope this helps.
Simply Seanie 