Eleiko is the leading Weightlifting equipment brand. While they cater to the serious Olympic Weightlifter, they’ve branched into the fitness community with their equipment. But they still focus on high-quality bumper plates like their IWF Training Plates for the Weightlifter.
But how do these stack up against the other giants taking the bumper plate market by storm?
Eleiko IWF Training Plates Review
Material/Durability
Eleiko manufactures their IWF Training Plates from proprietary SBR rubber developed over decades of bumper plate creation. This means they have no smell, don’t bounce much, and have extreme durability.
Many other brands use urethane to reach the same quality, which is typically more expensive and harder, potentially causing damage to the flooring under your platform with long-term use.
Eleiko put their durability to the test, dropping plates 100,000 times onto a wooden platform with no damage from 2.3 m high, showing these plates' incredible quality.
Center Hole
I'm a stickler regarding the center hole. If it's a stainless-steel ring, it means it's lower quality. Typically, center rings don't fit as snug and detach with use. How Eleiko IWF Training Plates are made is the gold standard regarding center hole quality.
A zinc-coated steel hub bolted into the plate. It can withstand more drops than a center ring and doesn’t come loose with use. It has a diameter of 50.5 mm.
Diameter & Thickness
Eleiko IWF Training Plates are the standard 450 mm in diameter and are much thinner than previous versions. See my photo below comparing the most recent IWF Training Plate to the previous model, and you can see the new model is noticeably thinner.
Here’s the exact thickness for each plate:
This translates to loading 215 kg on a women’s bar and 290 kg on a men’s bar.
Weight Tolerance
Lower weight and diameter tolerance means a better calibrated and higher quality plate. Eleiko IWF Training Plates have one of the tightest tolerances of bumper plates since professional Weightlifters use them in training halls worldwide.
The center hole diameter, plate diameter, and weight have a ± 0.5% tolerance. Lower-quality plates typically have > ± 2% tolerance for comparison.
Bounce
The Shore Durometer Rating determines bumper plate bounce. It's a scale ranging from 65 to 100, with lower numbers indicating a softer plate with more bounce and a higher number indicating a harder plate with less bounce.
Eleiko IWF Training Plates have a durometer rating of 92 – 93, meaning they have very little bounce. I tested this for myself and dropped 20 kg bumper plates on soft rubber. You can see very little bounce, even on a bouncy platform.
This is great for lifting off blocks so they don’t bounce off them and damage your barbell.
Warranty
Because Eleiko has thoroughly tested their bumper plates, they offer the longest warranty on the market of 10 years. However, this assumes you’re using them properly and not dropping them directly on concrete.
Who Are Eleiko IWF Training Plates For?
If you are a recreational lifter looking for plates for your garage gym, I wouldn't recommend choosing these plates. It doesn't make sense to spend $1000's on plates and not use them as they are intended.
However, if you're a Weightlifter, especially a competitive Weightlifter, Eleiko is the crème de la crème of bumper plates. They last forever, so you'll never need to replace them. I've used decades-old Eleiko plates that are in great shape and dropped multiple times daily.
It’s why these are ranked our #1 best bumper plates. If you're a CrossFit athlete, you don't need Eleiko plates, and since you'll be competing with Rogue equipment, it makes sense to train with the same equipment.
Frequently Asked Eleiko IWF Training Plates Questions
Why Are IWF Training Plates So Expensive?
The manufacturing process, extensive testing, tight weight and diameter tolerances, and materials make Eleiko IWF Training Plates so expensive. You're paying for the highest quality bumper plates available.
Are Eleiko Plates Made In China Or Sweden?
Eleiko plates are made in Sweden. Most companies import their bumper plates from China and slap their logo on them. It's why Eleiko can stand by a 10-year warranty on their bumper plates.
Summary
Eleiko IWF Training Plates are top-of-the-line and perfect for the competitive Weightlifter. These bumper plates will last you for life in your garage gym, so buy nice, don't buy twice.