Nike Dumbbell Review: How Do They Stand Up Against Competition?

Dumbbells have long been a staple of any gym setup whether you’re a performance athlete, powerlifter, or recreational gym user. They have multiple benefits compared to other weight training equipment. 

With different designs, construction materials, and features, we’ve done one of the most detailed Nike dumbbell reviews to help you make the right choice for your home gym. 

Nike Dumbbells Review Quick Summary

After being founded in 1964, Nike quickly became a world-leading supplier of sports equipment and apparel. They recently brought out their Nike strength range which includes the dumbbells we’ve reviewed below.

The Nike dumbbells are constructed from cast iron with hexagonal rubber casing around the bells. The handles are made from chrome-plated steel with a knurled finish in the middle. The dumbbells offer a weight range from 5-100 lbs with a weight precision of +/- 3%. Nike offers cheaper shipping costs as you purchase more weight with each order.

Nike Dumbbell Review: The Main Characteristics and Features 

We’ve broken down the Nike dumbbells using the categories below. We believe these are the most important factors to consider when choosing a suitable pair for your home gym.

1. Design

The reason you see rubber hexagon dumbbells in most gyms is because they’ve stood the test of time. The rubber hexagon head design protects the core of the dumbbells and your home gym floor from repeated impact when using them. Besides, it keeps them from moving around when not in use to improve safety. 

2. Weight Range

In terms of weight, the Nike dumbbells have a decent range from 5-100 lbs, which is plenty for most normal gym usage. They also have a weight precision of +/- 3% — the standard as far as gym weights go.

They go up in 2.5 lbs increments until 25 lbs, where the increment increases to 5 lbs, providing plenty of weight choices for normal progression on smaller and larger dumbbell movements.

If you’re an elite-level athlete or super strong powerlifter who’s looking to shift some serious iron, the Nike dumbbells might not be the best choice for you. The max weight of 100 lbs probably won’t be challenging enough for most strength-based movements. 

3. Grip/Handle

The dumbbells use an ergonomic/straight handle depending on the weight amount improving grip comfort. The handles have knurling in the center alongside a knurling ring on the outside to help keep them secure during vigorous, high-intensity workouts where sweat tends to build up.

4. Coating

The hexagonal rubber coating on the ends of each dumbbell provides excellent protection. Whilst we don’t generally advise this, the dumbbells can be dropped if needed from time to time.

One thing to note is that no information is provided in terms of the handle finish, so we’re not sure whether it is weather-resistant. We would suggest that the dumbbells can be used outdoors but would need to be brought inside when not in use. 

5. Material

This is where the Nike dumbbells hit the mark nicely. The bell cores are made from heavy-duty cast iron using a single-piece construction and joined to a chrome-plated steel handle with a knurled finish.

As far as the standards for dumbbell materials go, each of these is the gold standard when it comes to dumbbell construction. Whilst the Nike dumbbells may be priced slightly above budget options, the extra cost is worth it in our opinion.

6. Durability

If you’re looking for a pair of durable dumbbells that can stand up to repeated heavy use, the ones from Nike get our approval. They use durable materials for the inner and outer elements of the dumbbell and have a proven track record for producing durable fitness equipment and apparel in other markets.

Who Are Nike Dumbbells For?

Dumbbells are usually first on the list when designing a home gym and for good reason. They are perhaps one of the most versatile pieces of gym equipment you can own, suitable for a wide range of double-handed and single-handed (unilateral) exercises. They can be used for compound or accessory exercises as part of a well-organized gym program to work on muscular imbalances, train smaller accessory/stabilizer muscles, or as a stand-alone compound movement for an additional challenge. 

The great thing about the Nike dumbbells is that you can tailor the difficulty accordingly, making them suitable for recreational beginners and elite-level performance athletes who are looking to add an extra percentage. Suitable population groups include

• recreational beginners;
• general gym goers wanting to improve their strength and conditioning;
• anyone looking to work on muscular imbalances;
• sports performance athletes of all abilities;
• powerlifters and weightlifters looking for improvements in performance (bigger weights may be needed.

Multiple strength-based exercises and functional movement patterns can be performed, with several muscle groups needed to keep the dumbbells under control. The list of exercises below highlights some of the most common ones dumbbells can be used for:

• Pressing movements (chest, shoulders)
• Pulling movements (back)
• Goblet Squats
• Dumbbell deadlift variations
• Dumbbell cleans
• Dumbbell snatches
• Arm exercises (curls, extensions, skull crushers)
• Dumbbell lunges
• Dumbbell ab exercises (twists, crutches, wood choppers)

Nike Dumbbell Alternatives

Multiple types of dumbbells exist and vary in design and suitable uses. We’ve compared the Nike and Rogue dumbbells below as two similar choices.

Nike Dumbbells vs Rogue Dumbbells

In terms of design, the Nike and Rogue Dumbbells are very similar. They are both constructed from heavy-duty cast iron with chrome-plated steel handles and rubber encasing around the dumbbell heads. They also feature the same knurling pattern and have the weight clearly stamped into each side.

Weight range and increments is where the two start to differ. The Nike dumbbells go up in 2.5 lbs increments until 25 lbs before the increment increases to 5 lbs, while the Rogue’s 2.5 lbs increment goes up to 30 lbs. Additionally, the Rogue dumbbells offer a slightly higher max dumbbell weight at 125 lbs, which is 25 lbs more than the Nike ones.

FAQ

How Many Kgs Are Nike Dumbbells?

The Nike dumbbells go from 5 lbs to 100 lbs in different increments: 2.5 lbs increment from 5 lbs to 25 lbs and 5 lbs increment from 25 lbs to 100 lbs. Thus, they provide plenty of weight options for a decent range of user abilities and uses.

What Are Nike Dumbbells Made Of?

The Nike dumbbells are constructed using a cast iron core with the dumbbell heads encased in protective rubber. The handles are constructed from chrome plated stainless steel and finished with knurling in the middle. Each dumbbell has the weight clearly stamped at each side. 

Conclusion

The Nike dumbbells are built to last, using a combination of materials seen as the gold standard for commercial weights. 

Compared to the competition, the Nike dumbbells stack up pretty well. They’re nicely designed, possess a good range of weight options, and offer great value for money at a similar price point to the established competitors. In our option, they are worth the investment!

What do you think of the Nike Dumbbells? What do you think could be improved? Let’s discuss them below!

Also read:

• Nike Kettlebell Reviews
• Nike Squat Rack Review
• Best Nike Barbell

References 

1. Josh Bryant, “The Seven Advantages of Dumbbell Training,” Muscle and Fitness, https://www.muscleandfitness.com/workouts/workout-tips/7-advantages-dumbbell-training/ (Accessed November 28, 2023).
2. Kate Neudecker, Robert Hicks, Andrew Tracey, “28 Best Dumbbell Exercises for Building Muscle,” Men's Health, https://www.menshealth.com/uk/building-muscle/a755117/the-10-best-dumbbell-exercises/ (Accessed November 28, 2023).