Stone of Steel

Name: Stone of Steel
Brand: Mike Bartos PowerCenter
Rating: 4.62 (7 reviews)

The Stone of Steel is the first plate-loaded atlas stone, designed by Mike Bartos of MB PowerCenter – rather than a fixed-weight cast concrete stone, it’s a steel shell that opens on a bolt-through-hemisphere mechanism so lifters load it from 135 lb to 450+ lb with plates they already own. A multi-purpose handle threads into the top bolt to lift the upper hemisphere free, and included spacers center the plate stack on the internal shaft before it’s closed and bolted back together. It’s built in a 20” diameter (a 17” version has also been offered), finished in an anti-skid flat black powder coat, and made in the USA. The design trades off some of a traditional stone’s feel for space savings and per-competitor loading flexibility: because tacky isn’t used on the powder-coated steel, the pick demands more grip and bicep engagement than a comparable concrete stone, and most lifters move somewhat less total weight on it as a result.

Finish	Anti-skid flat black powder coat
Made in	USA
Diameter	20 in
Material	Steel
Manufacturer	Mike Bartos' PowerCenter (MBPC)
Loading mechanism	Bolt-through hemisphere with multi-purpose handle and centering spacers
Loadable weight range	135-450+ lb

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

	Stone of Steel	REP® Sandbags	Stone Sandbags	Replica Dinnie Stone Handles
GymRadar rating	4.62/5	4.62/5	4.58/5	4.58/5
Price		$44.99	$69.99	$219.99
Finish	Anti-skid flat black powder coat
Made in	USA
Diameter	20 in
Material	Steel		Heavy-duty fabric shell with triple-stitched seams	Laser-cut steel components, blacksmith hand-shaped handles
Manufacturer	Mike Bartos' PowerCenter (MBPC)		REP Fitness	CERBERUS Strength
Loading mechanism	Bolt-through hemisphere with multi-purpose handle and centering spacers
Loadable weight range	135-450+ lb

4.6/5 · 7 GymRadar reviews

Reviews by source

Expert

4.62/5

7 reviews

The Stone of Steel is the first plate-loaded atlas stone – a steel shell you load with plates you already own (135-450+lb) instead of casting or buying a series of fixed-weight concrete stones. Functionality is the standout: the bolt-through-hemisphere design with a multi-purpose handle makes loading straightforward and it saves real garage space versus a stone series. Value is the weakest dimension – it’s a several-times-the-price alternative to a DIY concrete stone, and the manufacturer currently only sells it in periodic pre-order batches rather than as a standing SKU. Independent coverage is thin (mostly a single BarBend technique comparison plus GymRadar’s user ratings), and that coverage flags a real usability trade-off: no tacky is allowed on the powder-coated steel, so it demands more grip and bicep engagement than a comparable concrete stone.

+Functionality: loads from 135lb to 450+lb using plates you already own, with a bolt-and-handle mechanism for opening/closing the shell (manufacturer)
+Functionality: available in 17" and 20" diameters, covering a range of grip/technique difficulty (manufacturer, elitefts)
+Versatility: far less mess and storage space than a series of concrete atlas stones -- no tacky, no casting (manufacturer, BarBend)
+Build quality: anti-skid flat black powder coat over steel, made in the USA (manufacturer)

−Value: several-times the cost of a DIY concrete stone, and sold only in periodic pre-order runs rather than as a standing in-stock SKU (manufacturer)
−Functionality: the slippery powder-coated steel (no tacky allowed) demands more grip and bicep engagement than a concrete stone, and most lifters move less total weight on it (BarBend)
−Durability: no independent long-term ownership reports found to confirm how the loading mechanism holds up over time
−Versatility: a competition-specific implement -- accessibility is limited since it's a recent, low-volume product versus widely available traditional stones (BarBend)