Onnit has been known for it’s high quality supplements and products in the industry for quite some time. Their kettlebells reflect well on their reputation they have created that goes with the brand they’ve built. Onnit kettlebells are made from a premium gravity cast molding process which is one of the most precise ways to create the perfect kettlebell. Other kettlebells can be cast by hand or machine, however, you end up running the risk of not having an accurate kettlebell as far as it being the same weight and size depending on if it was made at the beginning or end of the batch.

For us (the consumer), let's be honest, no one wants to test their luck of ordering two kettlebells from a company and receiving one that is bigger looking and a few pounds off.

Onnit did a huge makeover upgrading from the last edition of their kettlebells which looked great with the shiny glossy finish. The new edition of Onnit Kettlebells has a chip resistant durable even powder coat which is the same as their famous clubs and maces.

This is a perfect blend of being smooth enough not to destroy your hands (although we all know a kettlebell with knurling would be sick for farmers walks) and with enough texture to handle gym chalk while being easy to sanitize. Onnit also got away from having the circle center caps with the weight labeled on the front and now have them molded in the front of the kettlebell along with having them color coded. This upgrade serves a dual purpose in saving time from having to sort through kettlebells to find a matching set and so you don’t have to reglue the center caps back on if they fell off or broke off.

Onnit left no stone unturned in the designing of their kettlebells and that can be clearly seen with the designing of their handle. To most this can often be something overlooked in the buying process until they grip the handle and start doing a snatch, swings or pressing movements with them. The Onnit Kettlebell handle was specially ergonomically designed for performance and durability to optimize your workouts. The handles were made to fit monster hands like the Rock or Joe Rogan (I know some of us pretend to challenge him to a gorilla kettlebell swing contest in the garage) as well as smaller hands for petite women and kids (nothing is more fun than a family swinging kettlebells on a Saturday morning in the front yard.) The handle's width allows for both hands to be placed on it for explosive heavy kettlebell swings and for kettlebell flows when you need to switch it fast for a kettlebell squat. The sides of the handles are perfectly angled so that it doesn’t put as much stress on the wrist when you hold it in an upright position for a squat.

Rogue Kettlebells

(6 ratings & reviews)

Rogue Kettlebells begin as first run iron ore, not scrap, and are formed into a strong, balanced, single-piece casting with a flat wobble-free base. A clean, void-free surface and durable powder-coat finish give Rogue Kettlebells an unmatched feel. The Rogue Kettlebell was designed around these requirements. Premium Material: We started with the highest quality first run iron ore available, not scrap. Void free surface: We use a proprietary casting process so each bell can reach the highest quality and have the cleanest finish possible. This also allows us to have a smooth, comfortable handle. Single Piece Casting: The Rogue Kettlebell is cast in one solid piece, creating a stronger, more reliable handle and a void free surface. The Rogue Kettlebell does not use plastic caps, plugs, or patches like lower quality products. Wide Flat Machined Base: We chose to machine the base of our kettlebell flat (not leave it as a raw casting) so it sits perfectly on the floor and does not wobble. Finish: The Rogue Kettlebell has a matte black powder coat finish that has a great feel and will hold chalk. This feels more natural than a thick epoxy finish. Colors: We color coded the handles. By associating each kettlebell weight increment with a different color handle, it becomes much easier for gym owners and trainers to direct athletes to specific kettlebells on sight alone. 17 weight increments to choose from—ranging from 9LB to 203LB Weight Tolerance: +/- 3%

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The main question many want an answer to is which is the best kettlebell or how would the Onnit kettlebells stand compared to Rogue Kettlebells (see our Rogue Kettlebells Review here) which are some of the most popular in the industry. In creativity, Onnit wins hands down with their primal bells, zombie bells, or star wars bells. Doing kettlebell swings with a 72 lb Gorilla or 90 lb Bigfoot kettlebell will raise your testosterone levels faster than a kid on prom night. While some may think that doing a clean or snatch with any of the primal or zombie bells would hurt, Onnit specifically created the backside of the kettlebell to be semi-spherical shaped as the regular ones while having it perfectly balanced for the most optimal realistic looking bell.

From a function standpoint, the look of the kettlebell doesn’t change much of its use. However, having a piece of equipment that you enjoy looking at and using could lead to you using it more often, which is a huge benefit.

Rogues new kettlebells are manufactured in the United States which is a big factor for some that want to purchase American made equipment.The new Rogue kettlebells are also cast in ductile iron, making it tougher than standard iron used. I think the biggest plus for the new Rogue kettlebells is that they are approved for the US Army Combat Fitness Test. Unfortunately though, Rogue does not offer a military discount as they state they want to keep prices low for everyone. Onnit happens to offer a military and first responder discount as well as a points program for future purchases.

One of the other factors to consider is Rogue offers the ability to have some really heavy kettlebells, by heavy I’m talking 124, 150, 176 and a 203 lb kettlebell. If you're looking to get an entire set including the big boys then rogue would be a solid choice. 

Assuming the kettlebells function about the same, Onnit is known in the industry as the unbeaten champion for unconventional training. Another factor to consider when purchasing, especially for budget home gym owners, is what to do once it arrives! Onnit has a ton of articles with free content and workouts to perform with your kettlebells. This allows the users to be able to train with a kettlebell without having to purchase a coach or plan, or at least till you get accustomed to the kettlebell.

I do think Rogue offers a better value with their ductile iron, made in the USA kettlebells. However, Onnit Kettlebells are high quality and priced well.

Onnit Steel Clubs

(3 ratings & reviews)

Onnit's supreme quality 100% Steel Clubs are an excellent tool to enhance your primal fitness. Originally developed in ancient Persia as a means for conditioning soldiers and wrestlers, heavy clubs are particularly valuable for grip strength, shoulder work, and rotational core power. With a variety of movements and infinite possibilities, Steel Clubs can be used to train all aspects of fitness, including strength, conditioning, and balance. They are also an excellent addition to more traditional methodologies like barbell training, allowing you to enhance your functional capabilities through full body exercises. Onnit's Steel Clubs are unique in that they are made of a machined piece of steel, powder coated with a chip resistant matte finish. Steel is a heavier, more dense metal than iron and is highly resistant to rust and denting. The powder coated matte finish is very chip-resistant, and offers the right balance of glide and traction for gripping clubs deep into work sets. Our unique steel clubs are the most economically viable, impeccable quality heavy clubs on the market today. REHAB/PREHAB: Light Steel Clubs (5-10lbs) are particularly valuable in rehabbing joints, tendons, and small muscles, as well as preparing them for further intense workouts. The constant balancing of the weight will help your stabilizing muscles develop, helping to protect and strengthen key areas. GRIP STRENGTH: The weight displacement on the heavy Steel Clubs (15-45lbs) greatly enhances forearm and grip strength. The position of your grip on the club will enhance your ability to grasp an opponent's arm or gi in martial art competition. BALANCING ONE SIDED ATHLETICS: Tennis, Golf, Baseball, Volleyball, Basketball all require the use of one side of your body to a greater extent than the other. Clubs are an ideal way to help balance out the body by introducing similar motions to serving/swinging/shooting/throwing with your non-dominant hand. ROTATIONAL CORE POWER: Very few training implements offer rotational training the way that Steel Clubs can. By using the dozens of transverse plane movements offered with Steel Club training, your rotational power will increase dramatically. REAL WORLD STRENGTH: How many times do you find yourself needing to press three hundred pounds in a straight line off of your chest? Not very often. In the real world strength counts in your shoulders, core, and forearms,as well as with dynamic full body movements which inspired the ancient Persian wrestler and warrior elite to develop club and mace training.

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To kettlebell or steel club is the question (in my best Hamlet personation). Which unconventional tool is the best to utilize in your program? This will honestly come down to what equipment you have and what you're looking to use them for. A kettlebell is by far more popular than the steel clubs or mace even, however, you can get A LOT more out of your purchase with steel clubs. 

First we’ll look at the movements you can do with kettlebells. You can do snatchs, cleans, swings, windmill, squats, lunges, farmer walks, bottoms up kettlebell press,  bench press, pec flys, all rowing variations, just about any movement you can think of. If you haven’t tried putting your hand inside the kettlebell palming the round portion under the handle to do pressing or triceps with it’s a must as well as hanging kettlebells from the bar for bench and squat movements. Well with steel clubs you can do all those same movements and more! Onnit steel clubs are a great investment because they truly are one of the most versatile tools you can have in your bag, literally gym bag or travel bag. 

Here’s why, while most people look up steel club videos see it being used for the basic swings and flow movements, but steel clubs are great for everything including strength training and mobility/rolling as well. Rarely do I ever find someone that uses the steel club for everything it can be used for. You can use a steel club similar to a dumbbell in bench movements like Tate press, JM press, rolling tricep extensions and benching. One of the best aspects of the steel club is that it's basically an off set lever. With this you can grab a hold of the fat weighted part (similar to fat gripz) and use it for any movement (pressing and pulling movements are the best with this). Pro tip, You can also put it in your travel bag and use it as a small body tempering roller or for trigger point therapy without having to pay for a separate body tempering tool. You can also use 2 rolls of gorilla tape to tape the bottom ends of the kettlebells together to make another body tempering tool that Donnie Thompson calls the black betty.