Hybrid AthleticsProducer: Hybrid Athletics |
Slaters HardwareProducer: Slaters Hardware |
Let me start by saying that both of these molds are great and either one will help you make a great stone. I have used both the Slater's and Hybrid stone molds to make atlas stones for myself and other gyms. If you didn't know already, you can't simply go online and purchase a ready-to-lift atlas stone (the shipping alone would be prohibitively expensive). You have to get a mold, follow the instructions, and build one yourself if you want to get going with this effective method of strength training. With that said, there are some key differences between the available molds that will help you decide which product is best for you.
Atlas Stone Ease of Production
The Slater molds take more time to prep than the Hybrids. For example, with Slaters, you wipe down the inside of the mold making it smooth (the same applies to the Hybrids), however, when you place the two halves of the mold together, you end up having to use a roll of gorilla tape to make sure they’re secure. They have a ring on one half, but you still have to use the tape to make sure the two halves don’t come apart. Then you have to place the mold in the inside of a stiff tire or dig a hole in a sandpit before you can start pouring the concrete. The plastic isn’t as thick as the Hybrids, so you have to make sure that the mold doesn’t touch anything on the bottom or sides. If this happens, the stone will have a flat surface or leave an indentation on the stone. That is why you need to use a stiff tire in most cases. With the Hybrid molds, all you have to do is wipe down the inside and put the two halves together simply using zip ties to connect them. Put the mold on top of a five gallon bucket and they are ready to be filled.
Atlas Stone Smoothness
On the flip side, Hybrids seem to perform better when it comes to popping open the molds. The Slaters don’t leave a noticeable ring around the center like the Hybrids. With the Hybrids, I take a flat head screwdriver to chip off any extra concrete left around the edges of were the halves meet, and I also use sandpaper to go over the stones to create a smoother surface.
Customizing Your New Atlas Stone
The Hybrid stone mold it has their “H” logo stamped in the center, requiring all of your stones to have the logo. With Slaters, it has “Slaters Stones” on the inside, but you can take it off, allowing you to do custom lettering or logos on each mold. If you want a custom stone with your gym name or logo, Slaters will put it on for you.
Article Information:
This product review was featured in the December 2011 Issue of the My Mad Methods Magazine. "Product Comparison: Atlas Stone Molds" was written by Trent Bender. Learn more about the My Mad Methods Magazine by Clicking Here.
Contributor Information:
Trent Bender is the owner of the Underground Strength Gym, The Pit in Venice Beach, California. At “The Psychology of Strength,†our main emphasis is on the mental aspect of training. We believe that perseverance is a skill that can be learned. Our main focus is developing the ability to overcome adversity. This is true strength. We care less about how much our clients can bench press and more about how people can use the skills we teach to handle obstacles in their lives. Mental toughness is our primary goal. Find out more.
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written by Theprimalohioan, May 30, 2012
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