Should I get new dumbells?

[Jane P.]

I have the old fashioned gray dumbells, except for 3's and 5's where I have the shiny ones. My dumbells have been moved around a lot and they are all banged up and peeling. Little flecks of the stuff fall off. The 8 lb ones are scratched. The 10 lb ones are the worst. One of the 12 lb ones is banged up, the other not so much because I bought it at a later time. The 15 and 20 ones are somewhat scratched, but not too bad.

The question is, if I buy new ones, what kind should I buy? How expensive are the fancy ones with the rubber ends? What about the ones covered in neoprene or vinyl?

[Paine]

Jane P., finding the best dumbbells that feel comfortable to you is a personal decision. When I first started lifting weights, I bought some metal dumbbells that had groves/lines in the hand-grip and I could not stand how they felt in my hands and it was a distraction. The neoprene dumbbells feel most comfortable to me and they are not shiny/slippery to hold. I don't like vinyl coated dumbbells because they feel slippery to me especially if my hands start to sweat. My neoprene dumbbells are old but they look new and none of them have peeled. I also have tried my husband's adjustable dumbbells and those felt awkward because they are too long and cumbersome. I suggest you go to a sporting good store and try out various dumbbells to see what feels right to you. I have even bought dumbbells at Target and Walmart.

[wishiwasinhawaii]

I've had my neoprene dumbbells for many years and only one of them is peeling. Oddly enough, it's the one I rarely use (only 1 lb!). I agree with what Paine said that neoprene feel the most comfortable to me and are not slippery, but it really depends on what feels best for you. I have a pair of 10 lb weights that have a grip that's a bit too large for my hands, and I have long fingers, so be sure you try them out before you buy.

[Vantreesta]

I was going to mention that too about the grip size. My neoprene ones (8# and 12#) are on the larger size. I have small hands and prefer the circumference of the metal hex dumbbells, even though the neoprene is more comfortable to the skin.

[cjayd]

My .2 cents, I also find the grip on rubber coated ones to be too aggressive for my hands which makes my hands hurt but I like how they don’t chip and are quiet when putting them down.

I have two sets of rubber coated ends, 12 lbs and 35 lbs. The texture on the grip varies so definitely spend time lifting the different weights you’re interested in in the store if you decide to go that route. I’ve found some are more sharp to my palms than others kind of like how kettlebells can vary for smoothness. My 12 lbers grip are not as bad as the 35s but the weight might play a role there. My 35s have the label on the grip and I just left it on as a buffer for my palms which works. If it ever falls off I’ll probably tape the grip instead. You could also wear gloves but I hate trying to get those on and off so I’d rather use tape.

I also have one vinyl coated 8 kg (17 lb) and it has a really fat grip which isn’t my favorite either.

[txhsmom]

Agree about the grip size. Fat dumbbells are really uncomfortable in my small, arthritic hands.

Carol

[Jane P.]

The store where I originally bought my dumbells has since closed. The selection here is much more limited now, and I don't want to order anything. I will check Target and Walmart to see what's available. Thanks for suggestion about the grip feeling. That's an important issue.

[kat999]

Most of mine are neoprene, although I have a few sizes that are vinyl, and those are (as others said) slippery. Never had a problem with any of them peeling, and I've had most of them for 5+ years, some as long as 20+. I'm super weird and a while back got all sizes in 1-lb. increments from 1 to 10, because I'm fairly small and can tell a discrete difference, so I use them all for different muscle groups.

[cataddict]

Jane, I could have written your post. I bought most of my dumbbells at Sports Authority years ago and they mostly peeling. I did use some sandpaper to try to sand off the peeling parts with limited success. I looked at some of the options out there recently and at this point have dismissed the ones with the "fat grip." I have a couple that are neoprene and they work for light weights (2-5 lbs) but didn't care for how they felt with heavier weights.

Do you have a Dick's Sporting Goods store near you? That's another option.

I wear garden type gloves that cover my whole hand and fingers now and use those with my old dumbbells. That's my solution, at least temporarily.

Please keep us updated on what you find!

[Leonana]

I have neoprene for 8 pounds and under, and so far they aren't peeling. I have iron dumbbells for the 10 and 12's. I tried the rubber Hex dumbbells, and the grooves on the metal part were too rough on my hands. The 10 and 12 iron dumbbells are smaller than neoprene, but smooth on the handle, and don't bother my hands.