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Recommendations/Reviews/FS/WTB Kettlebells of choice

Products recommendations and reviews, items For Sale or Wanted To Buy
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Pnigro, thanks for the tip on REP Fitness. Just got my new 28kg from them and it is perfect. I still can't believe the price and free shipping. I am going to order 32, 36, and 40 next month. I figure that should keep me busy for a while. Awesome
 
Happy to hear that, Craig!

Unfortunately, I think the heaviest bells they have are 32kg.
 
I recommend DD first, Perform Better second, Rogue and Muscle Driver last.

I do not like Cap Bells unless the handle has been sanded! It is very slick!

You want to get good quality of bells that are single casted...rather then Welded handles.

 

Why I prefer DD first: the log of RKC is small and not very raised..I can clean it with out caring what side rests on my forearm.

The new Perform Better Bells have a LARGE logo. I prefer the old ones.... The logo takes up the entire face of the bell and when I clean a heavy bell like 40kg it hurts!

Muscle Driver are inexpensive but I have heard the handles are sometimes not very smooth (not personal experience but from clients)

 

Roque I have used once... I like the metal and handles... Logo is similar to Perform Better.
 
My three favorites are DD, Lifeline and Kettlebells USA.  I have one Muscle Driver and a bunch of Ader bells too.  I'd give away the MD bell for free, the coating and my skin don't work well together.  Unfortunately Lifeline no longer produces kettelbells.  They had a great product at a good price.  The Lifeline coating is my favorite.  For me, of the currently available, DD and K-USA are the best and equal in quality.  You'll leave them in your will to your kids.
 
I am looking to get back into kettlebell training, possibly doing some competitions, and recently sold some of my cast iron KBs and bought two Kettlebells USA competition bells.  I really like them.  Good quality, inexpensive, and free shipping (at least on ebay).  I personally like the way competition bells feel.  The way they are designed gives them better ballistic properties, IMO.  But the thinner handle gives less of a grip challenge.  A lot of this comes down to personal preference.
 
I was very pleased to discover recently that you can still get some sizes of the beautiful Lifeline made-in-USA bells from the site below.  Prices are not as nice as they were when Lifeline was selling them direct, but I really wanted a double for my 28 and so I sprang for it.

http://www.americanfitness.net/kettlebells.aspx
 
Thanks for the info Matt.  I too have a single Lifeline 28 kg bell.  A twin is now on the way.  As you said the price wasn't great but with the free shipping it was less than a 28 from DD.
 
I'm shocked there is no mention of Ader. From what I understand they are the best.

My order would be: Ader, then DD or Rogue (neither better, preference on material), and I haven't used Perform Better but if SF is saying go that way they can't be bad. I'm sure there was a financial deal there, though, so it doesn't mean they are the best or anything. I've also see the Rep ones lately online and they do look good but I have no personal experience. I like the little splash of color.

Here is my criteria:

1) no burrs/features on handles
2) thick diameter handle even on lighter bells
3) width on handle for 2-handed use down to lowest possible weights
4) absolutely flat bottom
5) outer final material that is durable

You guys should at least take a look at Ader. Sold via Rogue or a Texas place (which somehow has several names as you maneuver their website) where one name is "AderFitness". You used to be able to get volume deals on them at Rogue, but it does not seem like it anymore.

Ader comes in traditional kg or in 'even lb' weights (good for newbies and the lower weights), with vinyl or not, and competition as well. And they go very heavy (92 kg, possibly higher).

Cap imo is a great way to get started (and I can even find them locally! Crazy!) but they really aren't comparable to Ader/DD/Rogue. Definitely a step down. There is no problem with that - it might fit the need just great, and help get people started - especially if you can find them locally, but the top ones are in a different league.

I started with cheaper ones, and the renegade pushups are much harder (non-flat bottom), your hands do get thrashed, etc. But you still get a great workout! The good/expensive ones are for those who care about the details and are ready for the subtle differences, and in the end I don't know that it actually matters at all. Many have sanded down the handles of cheaper bells if that interests you. So no problem going medium or cheap.
 
HOLY F****** s***.

I just got my first ever iron kettlebells and they are miles better than the competition ones I have.

They are superior in every way.

Practically all the exercises feel much more comfortable and easy. Only the halo feels more natural with the competition bells.

I absolutely love the thicker handles and smaller balls.

I have discovered heaven.

My girlfriend has been doing S&S with a 16kg competition bell, but today she did almost the whole workout with the new iron 20kg with absolutely no problem at all.

I'm going to switch completely to iron cast bells. No way I'm going back now.

For those wondering, the brand I bought is Rep Fitness.

The quality is top notch. Very professional!

You can check them out <a title="here" href="Rep Fitness Kettlebells | Kettlebells for Sale">here</a>.

They are also available at Amazon <a title="Amazon" href="http://www.amazon.com/Rep-Fitness-K...20929&sr=8-1&keywords=rep+fitness+kettlebells">here</a>.

Very highly recommended brand.

Hi I'm thinking about buying REP fitness kettlebells to my club, can you please tell something about smoothness of handle and level of comfort while performing TGU, thank you!!! I need recommendations from someone who was using them for a while,
 
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I have several brands of Kettlebells. Lifeline, KettlebellUSA, MuscleDriver, Cap, Perform Better, GoFit, and Rep. Rep is by far my favorite brand. I have hand my 24 kg from there for about a year and recently purchased a 16 kg replace a crappy GoFit that i purchased when new to kettlebells. I would not by a different brand ever again. You can't beat the quality for that price and free shipping.
 
I got a 32kg rogue a couple of days ago to match the one I bought a couple of months ago. Second time doing double cleans today and some of the black finish is chipping off on both from banging together. Anyone else have this problem? Is it normal?
 
I got a 32kg rogue a couple of days ago to match the one I bought a couple of months ago. Second time doing double cleans today and some of the black finish is chipping off on both from banging together. Anyone else have this problem? Is it normal?

The finish on powdercoated bells, such as Rogue, will chip. I have some Rogue bells that all have chips from normal wear and tear. Since the finish is thin, the chips don't really affect performance in any way, even on the handles, although the metal will tend to corrode a bit where the finish is chipped (which also doesn't affect performance). With glossier painted finishes, the finish tends to be much thicker, so when it chips the surface is very uneven (especially bad news when the handles chip).

An E-coat finish like Kettlebells USA and Dragondoor use is much more durable, although it too will show wear. There isn't really a kettlebell finish I'm aware of that is impervious to wear. It's just a fact of life that banging together coated metal surfaces will scratch or chip the coating.
 
Can anyone comment on the Onnit Primal Bells? I already own 2x16/24/32/40/48 from Rogue and really like them, but I'd like to treat myself the primal bells once I start my fulltime job next year.
 
I don't need them, but I want them :D
Would replace the ones I own with them and sell my old bells to a friend who owns a crossfit box.
 
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