2.5 lb PlateMate Brick

Name: 2.5 lb PlateMate Brick
Brand: PlateMate
Rating: 4.33 (3 reviews)

The PlateMate 2.5 lb Brick is a magnetic microloading weight for selectorized gym machines and metal weight stacks. Rather than jumping a full 5, 10, or 15 lb increment, it lets you add a precise 2.5 lb on top of a machine’s existing plates, which matters most for smaller lifters and rehab/physical-therapy work where a big jump between stack pins is too large. Its patented magnetic surface clamps directly to bare iron or steel, and a protective coating keeps it from scratching the plates or the machine. It only works on exposed ferrous metal — it will not stick to rubber-coated, urethane, neoprene, or vinyl-coated plates — and it isn’t rated for dropped or ballistic training.

Buying guide

Best Weight Plates for Your Home Gym — July 2026 Bumper Plates or Iron Plates? How to Pick Your First Set — July 2026 Do You Need Calibrated or Competition Plates? — July 2026 How Much Do Weight Plates Cost Per Pound? — July 2026 What Weight Set Should a Beginner Buy? — July 2026 Will Dropping Weights Damage Your Floor? — July 2026

Weight	2.5 lb
Material	Steel body with protective coating, magnetic attachment
Quantity	Single brick
Dimensions	7/8" x 2 1/8" x 7 1/8"
Compatibility	Selectorized machines and bare steel or cast iron weight stacks only (not rubber, urethane, neoprene, or vinyl-coated surfaces)

What is a Weight Plate?

What weight plates are

Weight plates load your barbell — but “plate” covers two very different tools. Bumper plates are rubber discs around a steel hub, all the same ~450mm diameter, built to be dropped from overhead without damaging your floor or bar; they’re the default for Olympic lifting and CrossFit. Iron/steel plates are denser and thinner per pound, cheaper, and quieter to load, but most aren’t made to be dropped — better for slow, controlled powerlifting-style work.

What actually matters

Bumper vs. iron. Buy bumpers if the bar might hit the floor; iron (or rubber-coated iron) for controlled lifts and compact loading.
Weight tolerance. How far a plate strays from its stated weight (±1% is tight, ±3% loose). It barely matters for general training but adds up if you chase a specific total — which is why serious lifters add small change / fractional plates.
Collar fit & bounce. The center hole should fit your bar’s sleeve snugly; rubber durometer (around 88 Shore A) controls how “dead” a dropped plate lands.
Coating & set composition. Virgin rubber holds up and smells less than recycled crumb rubber; plan a starting set (usually a pair each of 45/25/10/5 lb plus change plates) around the lifts you actually do.

Who it’s for

Every barbell gym needs plates. Most home lifters should start with a bumper set, then add iron, change, or specialty plates as a second purchase once they know what their training is missing.

How it compares

	2.5 lb PlateMate Brick	VTX Colored Bumper Plates	BFCO Vintage Weight Plates	Chocolate & Vanilla 10lb Donut Plates
GymRadar rating	4.33/5	4.33/5	4.33/5	4.33/5
Price	$49.90	$127.00		$199.00
Weight	2.5 lb
Material	Steel body with protective coating, magnetic attachment
Quantity	Single brick
Dimensions	7/8" x 2 1/8" x 7 1/8"
Compatibility	Selectorized machines and bare steel or cast iron weight stacks only (not rubber, urethane, neoprene, or vinyl-coated surfaces)

4.3/5 · 3 GymRadar reviews

Reviews by source

Expert

4.33/5

3 reviews

The 2.5 lb PlateMate Brick does one job well: it closes the gap between a selectorized machine’s standard weight-stack increments with a strong magnetic attachment and a scratch-resistant coating over its steel body. Its biggest limitation is versatility — the magnet needs bare iron or steel to grip, so it won’t work on rubber-coated, urethane, neoprene, or vinyl-coated plates and dumbbells, ruling it out for most modern bumper-plate setups. Independent coverage of this exact SKU is thin (most reviews cover the PlateMate line generally rather than the 2.5 lb Brick specifically), so treat the strong verdicts here as directional rather than SKU-specific proof.

+Functionality: enables precise 2.5 lb micro-loading increments on selectorized machines and steel weight stacks, closing the gap between standard plate jumps (AllStrengthTraining, manufacturer)
+Functionality: strong magnetic attachment secures firmly to metal weight stacks without slipping (manufacturer, IronCompany)
+Build quality: protective coating over the magnetic steel body prevents scratching equipment during use and storage (IronCompany)
+Value: portable and reusable across machines — avoids buying a whole new plate/dumbbell set just to fill one increment gap (AllStrengthTraining)

−Versatility: only adheres to bare iron or steel — won't work on rubber-coated, urethane, neoprene, or vinyl-coated plates and dumbbells (manufacturer, IronCompany)
−Functionality: unsuitable for dropped/ballistic training or Olympic lifting drop zones (IronCompany)
−Value: $49.90 for a single 2.5 lb brick is a steep per-pound price for a niche accessory (manufacturer, IronCompany)
−Durability: little independent long-term durability data beyond retailer/manufacturer claims

$49.90

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