Name: Micro Gainz
Brand: Micro Gainz
Rating: 4.78 (3 reviews)

Micro Gainz’s Steel Olympic Weight Plates are 7” diameter change plates precision laser cut from 1/4” hot-rolled American steel, sold in 2.5 lb, 5 lb, and 10 lb pairs (and combined sets) for narrowing the standard 5 lb jump on a barbell. Each plate is held to +/-0.05 lb of its stated weight, finished in a matte black powder coat, and fits standard 2” Olympic sleeves – the manufacturer confirms fit on a Rogue Bar 2.0. GymRadar owners rate the line 4.83/5 across 4 reviews, consistently praising the thin, well-made construction, though one reviewer found the increased diameter (versus a standard fractional plate) a poor fit for loadable dumbbells despite working fine as barbell change plates. Made in the U.S.A. and backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.

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

Finish	Matte black powder coat
Origin	Made in the U.S.A.
Diameter	7"
Material	Hot rolled 1/4" American steel
Warranty	30-day money-back guarantee
Sleeve size	2" Olympic standard (tested on Rogue Bar 2.0)
Manufacturer	Micro Gainz
Weight accuracy	+/-0.05 lb per plate
Available weights	2.5 lb pair, 5 lb pair, 10 lb pair, and combined 2.5+5 lb / 2.5+5+10 lb sets

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

	Micro Gainz	Black Training LB Plates	Cast Iron Machined 45lb And Calibrated Solid Steel Weight Plates	Thor Barbell Vintage Weight Plates
GymRadar rating	4.78/5	4.78/5	4.78/5	4.8/5
Price	$29.99	$225.00	$534.99
Finish	Matte black powder coat	Gloss-matte-gloss black with color-coded stripe and raised lettering
Origin	Made in the U.S.A.			Canada
Diameter	7"	450mm (17.72 in), IWF standard
Material	Hot rolled 1/4" American steel			Cast iron
Warranty	30-day money-back guarantee
Sleeve size	2" Olympic standard (tested on Rogue Bar 2.0)
Manufacturer	Micro Gainz		Weight It Out
Weight accuracy	+/-0.05 lb per plate
Available weights	2.5 lb pair, 5 lb pair, 10 lb pair, and combined 2.5+5 lb / 2.5+5+10 lb sets

4.8/5 · 3 GymRadar reviews

Reviews by source

Expert

4.78/5

3 reviews

Micro Gainz’s 7” steel Olympic change plates deliver on their core promise: precision-laser-cut 1/4” American steel held to +/-0.05 lb accuracy, sold in 2.5/5/10 lb pairs for narrowing barbell jumps. Build quality is the standout – GymRadar owners rate construction a perfect 5.00/5, describing the plates as “very thin and well made.” Independent coverage is thin, though: the only rating on record is a 4-review GymRadar sample, and one of those reviewers found the plates’ diameter a poor fit for loadable dumbbells even though it works fine as barbell change plates – versatility is the weakest dimension. Durability past a year or two of ownership has no independent track record yet.

+Build quality: precision laser-cut 1/4" American steel holds +/-0.05 lb accuracy, and GymRadar owners rate build quality a perfect 5.00/5, calling them "very thin and well made" (GymRadar; manufacturer)
+Functionality: sold in 2.5, 5, and 10 lb pairs/sets for narrowing barbell weight jumps, with fit confirmed on a Rogue Bar 2.0 sleeve (manufacturer)
+Value: GymRadar reviewers rate value a perfect 5.00/5, with one owner calling scratch-and-dent sale pricing "a no brainer" (GymRadar)
+Versatility: works well as barbell change plates, and thin enough to leave permanently on a bar without adding much bulk (GymRadar)

−Versatility: the 7" diameter that suits a barbell is a poor fit for loadable dumbbells -- one owner switched away from using them that way (GymRadar)
−Functionality: featureless flat discs with no grip cutout or handle, unlike some rivals' finger-hole change plates (GymRadar)
−Durability: no independent long-term wear testing surfaced; the only multi-year anecdote is about dumbbell fit, not failure (GymRadar)
−Value: at $29.99 for a 2.5 lb pair, one reviewer noted retail cost (versus sale pricing) runs "a little spendy" per pound (GymRadar)

$29.99

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