How strong are bumper plates?

[toonttm]

I think I read somewhere about not dropping a bar when it only has smaller bumper plates on it as the bumper plates could get damaged?

Is it ok to drop a bar with a 10kg bumper plate at each end?

What about if there was another 10kg metal plate on each side? (smaller diameter)

(I just bought 2 x 10kg and 2 x 25kg bumper plates so trying to work out how to load the bar)

[Tom Campitelli]

Is it ok to drop a bar with a 10kg bumper plate at each end?

Provided they are good quality bumpers plates, yes.

What about if there was another 10kg metal plate on each side? (smaller diameter)

That will obviously put more stress on the bumpers, but I bet you could probably get away with it for a good long time without causing a problem. A pair of 20 kg bumpers would be better, but if you are the only one using the weights I think you will be fine.

[Bluefan75]

the gym I go to has 15, 25 and 45 lbs, and he asks not to drop them if the 15s are the only ones on there. Which is fair enough, imho.

[Corrie]

I have 10lb cheapo bumper plates and they will bend with more than 15lbs or so of iron on either side.

My recommendation: get stronger so you don't have to use 10's

[Mr_Rogers]

I have 10kg and 20kg Rogue competition bumpers and 10lb Hi-temp bumpers. I've loaded additional weight with all bumpers, but the 10kg and 20kg handle the additional weight much better.

I drop the bar with the 10kg's and additional weight on it all the time when I snatch. It doesn't bother the bar at all. I've dropped the bar loaded with the 10kg plates up to 56kgs (total including bar) and both the plates and bar are still fine. Watch out for cheap metal plates though. The ones I had didn't fit the bar nearly as well and they left little nicks on the sleeves. I've since bought some kg change plates which don't move when the bar is dropped.

edit:

I used some Eleiko competition bumpers and change plates yesterday and they were fine. The guy has had the set for 10+ years and the bar and bumpers were in excellent condition except for some paint wearing off the metal plates and the numbers fading on the bumpers.

[Dastardly]

I have only had experience with elieko 10kg plates, and even with these I would not recommend adding more than a 5kg plate on each side; and this is if you are working on a rubber platform.