Tri-Grip Vs Olympic Bumper Weight Plates: Which Is Best?

Whilst many gyms opt to keep their weight plates consistent and stick to the conventional bright colours of Olympic plates, more versatile alternatives such as tri-grip plates are often a better choice for home gyms by offering more workout options and quicker plate changes.

When you are ready to level up your home gym, buying a weight bench, barbell and plates is the best way to build yourself up to try competition lifts.

If you are used to the weight bench at your gym, you may want to stick with the rubber-coated bumper plates, but a home gym is a great opportunity to think about and actively fix the frustrations you may have about your existing routine.

If one of those issues comes when swapping plates, a set of tri-grip plates might be a better option for you, and the best way to find out why is to compare them to the competition standard.

What Are Tri-Grip Weight Plates?

Whilst standard weight plates are typically large discs you have to reach around to pick up, tri-grip plates have three separate grip handles you can use to pick up the plate and load it onto your barbell.

Other than this, they have the same sized holes as standard plates, can be loaded and screwed into a barbell in the same way and have a relatively similar centre of gravity. They can also be connected to any exercise machine which supports Olympic weight plates.

Because they have handles, they can be used as free weights for various exercises on their own as well, making them remarkably versatile even when not connected to a barbell.

Most modern tri-grip plates are also bumper plates; whilst older designs were made from cast iron, modern tri-grip plates have a rubber coating that allows them to land on the ground without as much risk to your floor and without making a huge noise.

Are Tri-Grip Plates Better Than Olympic Weight Plates?

In a lot of cases, tri-grip plates are easier to use, more comfortable, more versatile and allow you to get more out of your workout than a standard weight plate design. 

Here are three of the reasons we swear by tri-grip plates, especially for home gyms:

Easier To Load And Swap Plates

Whilst most weight plates have a slight ridge to help you get some kind of purchase on it, one of the most difficult parts of any barbell lift is often getting the plate from the rack and loading it onto the bar, to the point that you should treat it as part of your workout.

With a tri-grip plate and its comfortable rubberised grip handles, you can more easily get your bench set up, giving you more time and energy for the routine you want to do for your muscle groups.

It also means that larger dumbbell lifts are easier to prepare as you can easily grip, screw in, flip and load the dumbbell.

Standalone Equipment

You do not even need to use a barbell to exercise with a tri-grip plate; you can use one or two of them as part of standalone free weight exercises.

The farmer’s walk exercise, for example, is perfect for tri-grip plates due to the centre of gravity of the plates themselves, and it provides a unique alternative to using dumbbells or kettlebells.

Safer Lifts

Conventional weight plates rely on a lot of finger and wrist strength, particularly if you are trying to lift a plate that is lying flat on the floor.

There are fewer trapped fingers, fewer dropped weights and far fewer injuries during set-up and unloading.

Are Olympic Weight Plates Better Than Tri-Grip Plates? 

Tri-grip weights are an excellent and versatile option, but they are not always the best for every situation, and there is a reason why they have not superseded Olympic plates for competition reasons.

Here are some of the reasons why you should consider them for your home gym.

Required For Competition

If you are planning to lift competitively, you ideally should be lifting the types of weights you will find in the contest and get used to loading them yourself.

Tri-grip weights vary in design, construction and, most importantly, weight distribution, and whilst these effects tend to be subtle, they are perceptible and can be the difference between a victory and a bombout at higher levels.

Safer To Drop

Being primarily made of rubber with a metal stability ring, bumper plates are much safer to drop onto a gym floor without causing damage to it.

Many tri-grip weights are rubber-coated, and you can even find “Olympic tri-grip weights” with stronger rubber coatings if you actively look for them, but the best way to avoid damage is to use dedicated bumper plates.