The 9 Best Rubber Dumbbells
Special Honors
Ivanko Rubber Encased Pro-Style While many people may not be familiar with this company, competition lifters know they offer some of the highest-quality strength-training equipment out there. As expected though, they don't come cheap. They are available in pound and kilogram measurements, in 2.5-pound increments from 5 to 57.5 pounds, and in 5-pound increments thereafter up to 120 pounds. Plus, they are assembled in the U.S.A. to ensure quality control. ivankobarbell.com
Rogue Rubber Hex These come in three complete, standard sets: 5 to 50 pounds, 55 to 100 pounds, and 105 to 125 pounds, so whether you are a casual fitness enthusiasts or a competition lifter, there is one available for your needs. This also means that even if you are equipping a commercial gym and need to have something for all of your members, you can stick with the same type of dumbbells through the entire range. roguefitness.com
Editor's Notes
February 09, 2021:
At the time of this writing – likely due to cabin-fever-ridden gym rats that’ve been denied access to their favorite weight room, thanks to local quarantines – there appears to be a widespread shortage going on with all things workout-related. As a result, we came up against quite a lot of availability issues during this round of updates. With no real way to determine which issues were short-term (companies running low on inventory due to a pandemic-sparked spike in business) and which issues were long-term (companies that have discontinued offerings or shut down altogether since we last visited this list), we decided to play it safe and remove all suspect selections, recognizing that many of our users will be shopping in this space well before any of these issues get resolved.
The options we removed were the Body Solid GDR363-RFWS, J/fit Double Neoprene Coated, Body-Solid Round, Rep Fitness Rubber Hex Set and BalanceFrom GoFit All-Purpose.
Then, with quite a lot of real estate suddenly made available on this list, we also went ahead and added a few new inclusions. Some of our additions this update include the Hoist Fitness Black — a 10-pair set that weighs an accumulative 550 pounds, but doesn’t come with a weight rack; the WF Athletic Supply Cast-Iron — a notably expensive option with pairs available from three pounds all the way up to 115 pounds; and the T&R Sports Home Gym — a compact and versatile solution that offers both dumbbell and barbell options.
August 15, 2019:
As long as it is performed correctly, strength training is one of the best things you can do for your body. It builds muscle mass and bone density, helps burn calories, and provides a general sense of well-being. To help you get on your way to better health, we have comprised this list of the best rubber-coated dumbbells.
If you are just putting together your home gym, then you'll probably want to opt for a set that includes a variety of different weights and a stand to hold them. Those who have a lot of space for their equipment and are serious about their bodybuilding goals should consider the Body Solid GDR363-RFWS and Rep Fitness Rubber Hex Set. The former comes with dumbbell pairs starting at five pounds and topping out at fifty, and the latter comes in a few configurations, the most serious of which tops out with a pair of 100-pound dumbbells for the monster lifters out there.
If you have less space or aren't ready to lay out the kind of cash a large set requires, but still want to see some decent muscle growth, then you might want to look to the Cap Barbell SDRS-150R, which comes with five pairs of dumbbells, the heaviest of which has a weight of 25 pounds. This should be enough for most users to get started, and then you can simply buy a couple of heavier weight pairs to round out the collection as your strength increases.
Those who want some very low weight pairs to incorporate into aerobic exercise routines or to help rehab an injury can take a look at the J/fit Double Neoprene Coated. While it wouldn't be well-suited for the average man looking to see some increase in size, it is a good choice for women who are looking for a bit of toning, rather then a noticeable increase in muscle mass. Along with some exercise bands it should provide some good results in those areas.
All of the rest of the options on our list are available either as single dumbbells and/or in pairs. Of these, the Cap Barbell SDPU-035 are our favorite due to the variety of weights available, the practically unnoticeable rubber smell, and the slight padding on the handle to increase comfort. However, if you need something more than 50 pounds, then you'll have to skip that option and look to the Body-Solid Round or BalanceFrom GoFit All-Purpose instead.