Rogue Rubber Hex Dumbbells Review

At first glance, most dumbbells may look very similar — after all, you simply lift them up and put them down. But the Rogue Rubber Hex Dumbbells stand out from the crowd thanks to their superior design and attention to detail in construction. They are incredibly versatile, exceptionally easy to use, and available in a variety of sizes to meet all your free weight needs. Rogue also has some of the best knurling and ergonomic features, making these weights our top choice for dumbbells.

Performance Comparison

Exercise Versatility

Rogue Dumbbells are extremely versatile, as we saw with many of the standard dumbbells we tested. Thanks to their rubber and steel construction and the absence of moving parts, there's no limit to how you can use these free weights other than your imagination. We put them through the paces during testing, assessing them with everything from a dumbbell bench press to bicep curls. We also tried them with more dynamic exercises like the snatch to see how they would hold up under more rigorous movement.

There were no noticeable issues with the Rogue weights during any exercise we tried. We ran them through a full range of motion and enjoyed the freedom to push, pull, swing, and even drop these dumbbells without hesitation. Though we wouldn't recommend making a habit of dropping your free weights, especially as your dumbbells get heavier, Rogue's design ensures they can survive a fall whenever you push your workout to the limit. While this is unlikely to be a concern for most exercises, dropping a dumbbell could be a more frequent occurrence if you're doing functional fitness or conditioning work.

Ease of Use

Given that most dumbbells have a very similar design and are all put to use in much the same fashion, it becomes the minor design features that determine which are the most user-friendly. Reviewing these variations in testing really helped us to nail down which dumbbells are easiest and most enjoyable to use. Across the board, we were impressed with how well the Rogue Rubber Hex Dumbbells performed.

The grip and knurling on the Rogue Rubber Hex are among the best in our test lineup. Each handle offers the perfect amount to let you grab the weight securely without tearing up your hands during a workout. The labeling of these dumbbells is also set up conveniently. The weight is listed in pounds and displayed numerically on each of the two dumbbell heads for easy assessment from any angle. The position of that label is also reversed on these opposing ends to guarantee there's no one “right side up” for reading them. The Rogue logo also appears on each head, just to the backside of the numeric label. While the logo placement doesn't detract from the dumbells' overall performance — the numbers are still easy to read upside down — it would be nicer to have the weight label featured in these two locations instead.

The handles of Rogue Dumbbells, like most brands, increase in diameter as each dumbbell grows in weight. This affords a better grip when picking up the heavier weight. On the lighter end of the spectrum, up to ten pounds, we found Rogue handles on the skinnier side at just 25 millimeters in diameter each. Although this didn't result in any issues during testing, these handles were notably narrower than the grips provided on their heavier options. All Rogue dumbbells of 12.5 pounds and larger come with 35-millimeter handles. We also noticed that the handle length on Rogue dumbbells is designed longer than what we saw on most other brands, a feature we liked. For anyone with larger hands, this extra room is great for improving grip comfort and ease of use. Even for those with smaller hands, this added length is appreciated, as it provides extra space for two-handed exercises.

Weight Options

Rogue Rubber Hex Dumbbells are available in an astonishing weight range, from 2.5 to 125 pounds. Within that, you can find options in 2.5-pound increments, increasing up to 30 pounds, and then in five-pound increments as they grow from there. This equates to 31 sets of available dumbbells and greatly benefits anyone looking for multiple sets of matching hand weights. It is also one of the largest selections of available options among all the types of dumbbells we've tested.

These Rogue weights are standard dumbbells sold as pairs versus a set with multiple weights. So, you will find other dumbbell options that can provide more flexibility or variety in a single purchase of your preferred weight range set. However, the price of such adjustable free weights or a complete set of multi-weight dumbbells increases to reflect that added convenience. If you have enough storage space to grow a collection, the range of weights available from Rogue dumbbells is attractive and will allow you to build your home gym over time.

Construction Quality

The Rogue Rubber Hex exceeded our every expectation for construction quality, garnering them one of the highest scores we've ever awarded in this category. As most dumbbells are built thickly and meant to last, this is not a rating we bestowed lightly. However, based on our side-by-side testing, we're confident you'll be pleased with the quality, durability, and attention to detail found in these dumbbells.

These Rogue Dumbbells are manufactured with a rubber-encased steel head. Our testing team has used the 35-pound and 50-pound versions for over three years and reports they still show no signs of wear or tear despite consistent use and abuse in the gym. No matter how we've moved, dropped, bounced, and even stood on these dumbbells, we have seen no visible degradation nor revealed flaws in their construction. On top of that, the rubber exterior reduces the bounce factor of these weights, which can prove valuable during high-paced workouts. The Rogue dumbbells measured two ounces less than their stated weight, a difference of just over 1%. For reference, two ounces is about the weight of a tennis ball.

Storage

A minor downside to Rogue Rubber Hex Dumbbells is their lengthy handles, which result in a slightly larger-than-average footprint, taking up precious space in small home gyms or workout areas. These weights do, however, fit on typical standard dumbbell racks. So, if you are looking to add to an existing set of workout equipment, you should have no problem fitting them in with others you already own.

With a hex-head design, storing these dumbbells is relatively straightforward. They can be stacked on top of each other easily, without fear of the weights rolling over or falling onto toes. They can also fit on most common standard dumbbell racks and flat-shelving models, provided your storage equipment is built to hold the total weight.

Should You Buy the Rogue Rubber Hex?

Rogue has been a familiar and respected name in the fitness industry for years. Their Rubber Hex Dumbbells are a great addition, or first purchase, for anyone looking to up their workout game. Whether you pick up the lightest weight or the heaviest, you can trust in their quality of construction. Every detail is well-thought-out and improves the overall experience of every workout. These impressive weights will provide you with a durable tool that can be used for any exercise you can think of. And, when you are ready to add to your collection or up your weight, a huge variety of additional sizes are available.

What Other Dumbbells Should You Consider?

If you're starting a home gym from scratch or simply want the option to have a few different weights on hand, the CAP Coated Hex Set with Rack is a solid choice for a mixed collection of dumbbells, and a value purchase, with the rack included. Do you just want a single dumbbell or prefer extra knurling? In that case, the Amazon Basics Rubber Encased Hex may be right up your alley. Another standard dumbbell set we highly recommend to anyone with a garage gym is the REP Rubber Coated Hex. These free weights are more compact than most other standard dumbbells and are completely encased with rubber, knurled handle and all. The benefit to garage gym owners is extra protection against rust, as well as some insulation for your fingers against the cold steel in the dead of winter. On the other hand, if you'd like to splurge on a full set of weights right off the bat, the Core Home Fitness Adjustable Set is our favorite adjustable dumbbell that saves floor space while still providing a variety of readily available weight ranges. Though the Core set is a significant upfront investment, it's no more expensive than buying a comparable number of individual dumbbells. The Titan Fitness Loadable Olympic Handles is another way to achieve adjustable weights in your home gym. They're a durable set of loadable handles that utilize Olympic plate weights to increase or decrease your load. Provided you have plenty of those on hand, they're a great option to expand your fitness equipment range.