Slater's True Logs

Name: Slater's True Logs
Brand: Rogue Fitness
Rating: 4.67 (5 reviews)

Slater’s True Logs are hand-built wooden strongman press logs made by Slater Strength Co. in Lancaster, Ohio – widely regarded in the strongman community as the benchmark for traditional wood implements, since a natural wood surface grips better for the clean than powder-coated steel and gives a more authentic feel for the lap-and-clean transition used in competition. Rogue Fitness carries the plate-loadable “Original” Pine version at 10” diameter, 48” body (68” including sleeve ends), 24” handle spacing, and a 60-100 lb weight range before adding plates; a non-loadable rope-wrapped Bootcamp version (60-80 lb) and a premium ash/oak hardwood version (100-120+ lb) are also available. Each log is individually balanced – the maker adds weighted shot to the lighter side so the log presses dead-level rather than listing – and orders are hand-built to order with a 4-6 week lead time.

Independent coverage is thin but consistent: GymRadar rates it 4.67/5 across 5 reviews, and an independent YouTube buyer who picked a log up in person from the maker came away impressed with the build tolerances and hands-on customer service. The one real tradeoff worth flagging, raised by an experienced competitor on a T-Nation forum thread who has used both Slater wood and Rogue steel logs in competition: wood can dry out and crack over years in an unconditioned garage, which steel doesn’t risk (in exchange for steel’s own rust concern). Buyers should weigh that against where the log will actually live.

Diameter	10" (all Rogue-carried models)
Loadable	Yes on Original and Premium versions; Bootcamp version is not plate-loadable
Material	Pine wood body (Original); ash or oak hardwood (Premium); 1" Manila rope wrap (Bootcamp, non-loadable)
Balancing	Each log individually weighted so it balances dead-center under load
Body length	48" (68" including sleeve ends on loadable models)
Manufacturer	Slater Strength Co. (Lancaster, Ohio); hand-built to order, 4-6 week lead time
Weight range	60-100 lb bare (Original Pine, plate-loadable); 60-80 lb (Bootcamp, non-loadable); 100-120+ lb (Premium ash/oak hardwood, plate-loadable)
Handle spacing	24" between handles

What is a Strongman?

Strongman equipment trains raw, functional strength through odd-object lifting, carrying, and loading — atlas stones, yokes, farmer’s handles, sleds, logs, and tires — rather than the fixed, balanced resistance of a barbell. It’s a fit for lifters who’ve plateaued on conventional strength training and want to build the grip, bracing, and full-body coordination that competition strongman and functional fitness demand, or who simply want the most direct training carryover to real-world lifting and carrying tasks. Most pieces are bulky and some (tires, natural stones) are sourced or repurposed rather than bought outright, so plan for storage space and, in a few cases, DIY sourcing as part of owning this equipment.

How it compares

	Slater's True Logs	Echo Strongman Sandbags	Circus Dumbbell - Custom/DIY	Strongman Log - Custom/DIY
GymRadar rating	4.67/5	4.67/5	4.67/5	4.67/5
Price	$749.00	$55.00
Diameter	10" (all Rogue-carried models)
Loadable	Yes on Original and Premium versions; Bootcamp version is not plate-loadable
Material	Pine wood body (Original); ash or oak hardwood (Premium); 1" Manila rope wrap (Bootcamp, non-loadable)	1000D MIL Spec Cordura, double-stitched reinforced seams
Balancing	Each log individually weighted so it balances dead-center under load
Body length	48" (68" including sleeve ends on loadable models)
Manufacturer	Slater Strength Co. (Lancaster, Ohio); hand-built to order, 4-6 week lead time	Rogue Fitness
Weight range	60-100 lb bare (Original Pine, plate-loadable); 60-80 lb (Bootcamp, non-loadable); 100-120+ lb (Premium ash/oak hardwood, plate-loadable)
Handle spacing	24" between handles

4.7/5 · 5 GymRadar reviews

Reviews by source

Expert	4.67/5	5 reviews
Retailer	5.0/5	1 reviews
Youtube	4.8/5	1 reviews

Slater’s True Logs are hand-built wooden strongman logs from Slater Strength Co. (Lancaster, Ohio), a maker widely regarded in the strongman community as the gold standard for traditional wood implements – GymRadar rates it 4.67/5 across 5 reviews, and an independent YouTube buyer who picked one up in person came away raving about the tight balancing tolerances and hands-on customer service. Functionality is the standout dimension: the natural wood surface is grippier than powder-coated steel for the clean, and each log is individually weighted to balance dead-center, closely simulating true competition feel. The weakest dimension is durability versus a steel alternative – a competitor who has used both a Slater and a Rogue log in competition on T-Nation’s forum cautioned that wood logs stored in an unconditioned garage can dry out and crack over years, a real tradeoff against steel’s rust risk that buyers should weigh based on where the log will live.

+Functionality: natural wood surface is noticeably grippier for the clean than a powder-coated steel log, and the 10" diameter matches true competition log girth (manufacturer, GymRadar)
+Build quality: each log is individually balanced at the center point (with lead shot added to the lighter side) so it presses dead-level rather than listing to one side (YouTube: The Farr Outpost)
+Value: responsive, hands-on customer service directly from makers Steve and Landon Slater, cited independently as a standout across a prior purchase and this one (YouTube: The Farr Outpost)
+Versatility: available in a non-loadable Bootcamp version and multiple plate-loadable weight ranges (60-120+ lb) across pine or ash/oak hardwood, covering both conditioning and max-strength training (manufacturer)
+Durability: an independent multi-year owner reported zero issues carried over from a prior Slater wood implement into this purchase (YouTube: The Farr Outpost)

−Durability: a competitor who has used both Slater wood and Rogue steel logs in competition recommends steel for training use, since wood logs can dry out and split over time -- a real concern for unconditioned-garage storage (T-Nation forum)
−Value: at $569-749+ depending on model, it runs above comparable steel logs from other makers, and the maker's own direct-sale pricing for equivalent specs is higher still (manufacturer, Slater Strength)
−Build quality: as an all-natural wood product it needs periodic care (sealing/monitoring for cracking) that a steel log doesn't require, per the maker's own care-sheet guidance (Slater Strength)
−Functionality: independent coverage is thin for a product at this price point -- GymRadar's 5-review sample and a single detailed YouTube account are the extent of it, so buyers have less third-party data to lean on than for higher-volume strongman gear (knowledge base coverage)

$749.00

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