What Happened to Pendlay Bumper Plates?

The early days of the CrossFit movement seem like a distant memory.

Time really does fly. Of course, training methods and lifestyles such as CrossFit have stood the test of time and remain prevalent in the fitness world.

After all, it incorporates so many essential movements that help athletes develop a functional physique.

From burpees and pullups all the way to the power lifts and Olympic lifts, CrossFit incorporates every high-performance exercise imaginable.

Of course, CrossFit isn’t the only effective training philosophy around, but it’s essential to this story. Because, as was hinted at in the above paragraph, functional lifting has always been a part of CrossFit.

Since those core lifts were integral to the movement, so was the equipment utilized to perform the lifts. Namely, barbells and bumper plates became as much a part of any CrossFitter’s life as sleeping, breathing, and eating.'

Pendlay: The Original Bumper Plate of Choice

As all avid CrossFit enthusiasts would know, the benefits of bumper plates are plentiful. They can be slammed, dropped, and bounced without making a sound. With these plates, a lifter can complete even the most jaw-dropping personal record, and drop the weight, without disturbing anybody at the gym.

Beyond that, if an athlete is using light weights to perfect their form, the lighter plates have the same diameter as the heavier ones. Meaning, there’s no need to crouch lower into a starting position, which could cause a potential injury.

During the early days of CrossFit, the bumper plates most synonymous with the movement were Pendlay bumper plates.

The brand was technically a barbell brand, know as Hensley—but they were most renowned in the CrossFit community for bumper plates. Specifically, the affordable price and durability appealed most to athletes.

Pendlay Plates Are Now Extinct

In 2020, Pendlay bumper plates are virtually antiques. They had been purchased by a company called Muscle Driver that went under—making these classic plates collector’s items.

 Fortunately, thanks to Fringe Sport, there’s another (better) option:

Fringe Sport Bumper Plates Will Eclipse Pendlay Bumper Plates

Yes, Pendlay bumper plates have left quite the legacy behind. But that’s in the past.

Now, Fringe Sport offers bumper plates that are of superior quality and durability that athletes can rely upon for their functional strength training.

In many cases, in fact, Fringe Sport's bumper plates are even more affordable than Pendlay’s. So, athletes now have an upgrade in quality, coupled with an improvement in price.

Here's what to look for in bumper plates and our full selection of bumper plates.