Neoprene dumbbells are a great tool for building muscle and adding resistance to your cardio workouts. Here’s a breakdown of the best neoprene dumbbells for at-home and on-the-go workouts.
Neoprene dumbbells are an excellent dumbbell for a variety of reasons.
? Moisture wicking. Fun fact: people sweat when they workout. Neoprene is a water-repelling fabric that retains grip while peeling off water. If you are a heavy sweater like me, this is something you can appreciate with your workout equipment.
? Excellent handling. When you are doing high intensity exercise, whether it’s a spin class or bouncing up and down on an aerobic stepper, you want a dumbbell that is going to stay where it’s supposed to be.
? Bright Colors. Dumbbells don’t usually get high points for aesthetics. Cast-iron dumbbells, for example, don’t lend a lot to the overall style of your home gym. Neoprene dumbbells often come with bright, bold colors.
Although neoprene dumbbells generally have the same shape, there are some subtle differences between brands.
Price is usually the most obvious one, but neoprene dumbbells come with differently shaped heads (hexagonal, circle, etc), in different colors, and are offered in singles, doubles and sets (sometimes with a rack, sometimes not).
In other words, there are lots out there to choose from. Which might leave you feeling overwhelmed about which ones are the best for you.
No worries. I’ve cut through the good ones and the lousy ones and listed out the top neoprene dumbbells for the money and for every kind of gymgoer.
Read on, find the best neoprene dumbbells for you and your workout goals, and let the gains fly!
CAP Barbell Neoprene Dumbbell Set with Rack
⭐ Best neoprene dumbbell set for most people
CAP Barbell makes some of the most popular home fitness equipment for lifters and people of all abilities. Whether it’s their lat pull down bar, Olympic E-Z curl bar, or flat workout bench, CAP Barbell consistently delivers on quality at an affordable price.
These black neoprene dumbbells simply look badass. Wrapped in black neoprene, and with just the weight (lbs) of the dumbbell adorning the end of the weights, they look great and work even better. The hex-shape of the weights means they won’t roll away when you put them down between sets and workouts, and the black tree rack CAP ships them with gives you storage between workouts.
[CAP Barbell also sells brightly colored versions of these dumbbells in singles and pairs, ranging from 3lb to 10lb. You can view them at Amazon here.]
Prices are a little bit all over the place with these dumbbells. As with most pieces of fitness equipment since Covid started, inventory has been inconsistent, but when Amazon does have them in the stock they sell the 20lb set and rack for around $52 (check Amazon for current stock and pricing).
Fitness Alley Neoprene Dumbbell Set with Steel Rack
A more complete set of neoprene dumbbells comes via Fitness Alley, who makes a wide range of dumbbell sets.
Their 5-pack of neoprene dumbbells are available in 3-12lb or 2-10lb, both in 2lb increments. The weights themselves are cast-iron and they are wrapped in neoprene, which helps wick away moisture and keeps them snug and secure in your hands in sweatiest of workouts.
I love the rack that Fitness Alley ships with the DBs, a steel A-frame rack that has five tiers and a footprint that is small enough that you don’t need a ton of floor space to store them.
Although a little pricier (both sets retail for around $300—check Amazon for today’s pricing and stock), they are well-built, very well reviewed by users, and will take everything you can throw at them.
Gaiam Neoprene Dumbbells (Singles)
Looking for just a single or pair of neoprene dumbbells, and don’t need the whole rack and set?
Gaiam makes an excellent range of multi-colored neoprene dumbbells that are available in singles. With thousands of 4+ star reviews, users love these weights, noting the comfort and slip-free experience that comes with using them.
Neoprene dumbbells are often offered in the higher weights, but Gaiam sells them in up to 15lb per dumbbell.
Price-wise, these things are very competitive, with a 3lb weight costing about $6 and the heavier weights, like 12lb and 15lb, ranging from $16-24. Pricing is a bit unpredictable as Amazon frequently gets cleaned out of these dumbbells (check here for current stock and pricing on Amazon).
Sunny Health Neoprene Dumbbell Set with Carry Case
⭐ Best neoprene dumbbells for people on the go
The Sunny Health Neoprene Dumbbell Set is an awesome little set of dumbbells that has one over-riding feature: a carry case that makes transporting these things a piece of cake.
The dumbbells have a cast-iron core and is wrapped with thick neoprene for the moisture-wicking and steady-grip benefits of this kind of dumbbell. Each set has three pairs of weights (2lb, 3lb, and 5lb pairs). The case is a foot wide and five inches thick, which means it’s also exceptionally small on space, perfect for people who workout at home but don’t want their exercise gear laying about.
In terms of cost, the Sunny Health set is on the low-cost side, costing me $50 (Canadian) when I purchased a set at the end of 2020.
The last time I checked Amazon had sold out of them, but if portability is a big concern for you and your workouts, keep the Sunny Health dumbbells at the top of your list.
Fitness Alley Neoprene Dumbbell Sets
⭐ Best heavy neoprene dumbbells
Another entry by Fitness Alley, and these ones are geared for people who are ready to take their lifting to the next level.
Fitness Alley is one of the few brands that make neoprene dumbbells in the higher weights (20lbs is about as heavy as you will ever see with this kind of dumbbell).
This particular set features pairs of 15lb, 17lb, and 20lb dumbbells. The outer shell is made of—you guessed it, neoprene—and the hexagonal shape of the ends of the dumbbell makes them easy to stack and store between workouts (they don’t ship with a rack, sadly).
Fitness Alley consistently delivers dumbbells that are very accurate in weight (you might be surprised to know that weights, especially cheaper cast-iron weights, are rarely exactly the weight listed), durable, and look good.
Amazon reviewers love them too, but note that the handles are larger than the smaller dumbbells (this should seem obvious, the heavier the dumbbell, they larger it has to become to distribute the weight).
Neoprene Dumbbells – Reasons to Buy
? Budget-friendly.
Gym equipment can get very expensive, very quickly. All you need to do is take at the wide range of prices on things like adjustable dumbbells and powerlifting barbells to see what I’m talkin’ about.
Fortunately, neoprene dumbbells are on the more budget-friendly side of things, with a pair costing from $12 to sets that can be as low as $50.
Neoprene dumbbells are super functional and versatile, ready and willing to target all of your favorite exercises, but they also won’t break the bank.
? Space-saving design.
Neoprene dumbbells stack exceptionally well thanks to the flat heads at the end of each shaft.
Although most lifters will never think twice about this, the design allows you to stack them easily (to save space) and it also keeps them from rolling away when you put them down on the ground (safety hazard).
The handles on neoprene dumbbells are also skinny enough that you can hang them underneath your seat on your favorite spin bike.
? Excellent grip.
Wrapped in neoprene, which is a synthetic rubber that is breathable moisture-wicking, these kinds of dumbbells provide excellent grip.
Compared to cast-iron dumbbells, which have knurled chrome or steel handle for grip, the neoprene is comfortable and slip-free. This makes neoprene dumbbells perfect for workouts where you are really pushing the pace and getting extra sweaty (like spin classes, for example).
Additionally, because they have what amounts to built-in padding and wrapping, you generally don’t need to wear weightlifting gloves when using them.
? Covered to protect your floors.
Neoprene dumbbells, despite their bright colors and soft neoprene covering, are still weights that can cause damage when dropped from height onto your feet, floor, or iPhone.
The neoprene casing does provide a moderate amount of protection to both the dumbbell and the environment compared to bare steel weights, but when choosing the right neoprene dumbbells for you and your exercise routine, consider purchasing one that comes with a dumbbell rack for easy storing and added safety.
Things to Look for When Picking Out the Best Neoprene Dumbbells for You
Neoprene dumbbells aren’t super complex pieces of workout gear.
Pick them up, put them down. Repeat.
But choosing the right ones for your home gym and workouts requires thinking about a couple of key things.
✔️ Pairs versus Sets.
Neoprene dumbbells come in singles, pairs, and sets.
Because shipping can get quite pricey with weights, look for the shipping discounts that come from buying in pairs and sets versus buying them individually.
✔️ Racks and holders.
Storing your dumbbells between workouts helps extend the life of them by keeping them off of the floor (where there is added moisture and dirt) and reduces tripping on them.
If buying multiple pairs, look for a set with a dumbbell rack for easy stowing.
✔️ Colors and styles.
One of the fun parts about neoprene dumbbells are the bright and vibrant color options.
Find one that matches your color tastes and your home gym.
✔️ Price point.
Of course, this is usually the big roadblock for most people when buying gym equipment—price!
Fortunately, neoprene dumbbells are very affordably priced, especially in sets.
✔️ Weight and size.
These types of dumbbells are almost universally sized (until you get into the heavier sizes).
Choose the weight that matches your goals and workouts.
The Final Rep
Ultimately, the neoprene dumbbells you end up picking up (and putting back down, har-har) for yourself comes down to your personal preferences, both in budget and functionality.
To recap:
For people looking for just one or two neoprene dumbbells, the Gaiam Neoprene Dumbbells are solid individually and in pairs at a very budget-friendly price point (starting at just $6 per dumbbell).
The CAP Barbell Dumbbell Set with Rack is a perfect choice for those looking for a simple-looking set of neoprene dumbbells that include a sturdy rack for easy storage between sweat sessions.
Fitness Alley’s Neoprene Dumbbell Sets provide the ultimate variety when it comes to heavier DBs, with weight options going up as high as 20lbs per dumbbell.
More Dumbbell Buyer’s Guides
Didn’t find the dumbbells you were looking for?
I’ve written a whole bunch of other in-depth guides on dumbbells here on this site.
Here are the most popular ones:
- 7 Best Dumbbells for Home Gyms. Looking for the best dumbbells for your home workouts? Get stronger and fitter with the best dumbbells for every budget and type of lifter.
- 6 Best Adjustable Dumbbells for Working Out at Home. Adjustable dumbbells have improved dramatically in recent years. Here’s a breakdown of the best ones on the market.
- 5 Best Cast-Iron Dumbbells. Go old-school with these excellent fixed adjustable cast-iron dumbbells for lifting at home.
- 5 Best Rubber Hex Dumbbells. Rubber hex dumbbells are my favorite DBs for home or garage gyms. Here is a full breakdown of the top DBs for working out at home.
