Rogue Echo Weight Vest Plates – Our Review

There is one question that keeps me up at night:

“What is the difference between ‘weight vest plates’ and ‘ruck plates’?”

I’m sure the answer is pretty easy to look up, but the thing that follow-up question that really throws me for a loop is “what makes a good ruck (or weight vest!) plate?”

I know a lot of people would argue that the least expensive option is undoubtedly the best option. This is evident by the sheer number of “Just grab some bricks!” responses that inevitably come up whenever someone inquires.

Depending on how you view the world, you’ll be happy (or not so happy) to learn that these people are (very) wrong.

For what will likely, in the grand scheme of things, amount to a nominal investment, a properly-fitting ruck or weight vest plate has a yuge impact on the quality of your rucking or training session.

With that being said, you don’t have to get crazy and purchase some gold or adamantium-coated plates to get the job done. You can opt for the happy medium: good and not-to-pricy.

Like the Rogue Echo Weight Vest Plates.

In just a short period of time, these compact pieces of E-coated ore have become my favorite weight vest/ruck plates. They fit perfectly, they’re not too expensive, and you get two (2!) of ’em.

I know I’m fighting an uphill battle trying to convince the brick, Yes4All, and textbook enthusiasts, but read along and maybe you’ll see the light!

Rucking

Ruck plates are kind of like football referees (or, I guess, refs in any sport); they’re at their best when you don’t notice them. This fact makes it difficult to really “praise” good ruck plates, but if a large, heavy piece of metal is able to make itself go unnoticed in my bag, I’m willing to give it its due props.

In my experience, the Rogue Echo Weight Vest Plates do just that. All I notice about them is that they’re…ya know…added weight in my bags.

To be fair, what sets these plates apart from many others isn’t their “superior” coating or “Rogue quality” or anything like that. When it really comes down to it, having plates that fit properly into my bags’ respective ruck plate pockets is what matters the most.

These plates’ dimensions (11.3″ Length x 9.3″ width) are pretty close to perfect for my “standard”-sized ruck plate pockets and I have not experienced any jostling or movement from these, even when doing more of a shuffle, moving at a faster-than-normal pace.

As you can probably imagine, it’s hard to talk about ruck/vest plates for too long in each section so I’m not gonna go into that much more detail here. Just a quick rant to finish the section off:

If you’re reading this and thinking “what a dummy! My Yes4All (long!) plates work just fine in my ruck!” (I know you are, btw) do yourself a favor and get some properly-sized plates. I don’t care if they’re Rogue plates, GORUCK plates, or something you made in your garage. If you’re actually serious about rucking, doesn’t it make sense to spend a little more to enhance your comfort (and overall longevity).

One important thing to note: if your bag has a dedicated ruck plate pocket (a very precise, velcro-enclosing entity, like you would find on the Rucker 4.0 or Rucker – Long Range) it’s pretty much impossible to double up these plates. There simply isn’t enough space in these specific pockets.

That caveat aside, spending an extra ~$50 (one time!) for something that will enhance an activity you participate in for 5-10 hours per week (or more) is the most logical decision you could ever make.

Rucking: 95

Dynamic Movements

Given the name of these plates, it should come as no surprise that they are marketed as (and likely geared towards) this type of activity more than anything else.

Also, at the end of the day, Rogue was forged in the furnaces of CrossFit…not rucking. In all likelihood, if you’re reading this, you want to know how these bad boys feel in your weighted vest (or, in select cases, in your plate carrier).

The first thing to note is that vests that accommodate “standard”-sized plates, these fit just fine. Actually, that’s a bit of an understatement: these fit, perfectly.

I harp on the “fit” of rucks and plates a lot, but, in my experience, this really makes a difference.

I recently completed the following workout for the “GYMNASTICS STRENGTH” version of my training. As you can see, the first 90 seconds involved max weighted (20 pounds) pull-ups.

Granted this isn’t a yuge amount of time and I, like most people, broke multiple times. However, I broke because I started to fatigue…not because the weight felt awkward or jostled around in my vest.

If you’re doing a single set of something like 3-8 reps, you can use awkwardly fitting weights and you probably won’t have any problems. However, as the reps begin to pile up, fatigue sets in, and form starts to break down, any plate shifting is going to compromise you. This is completely avoidable and, in my experience with the Echo Weight Vest Plates, I do avoid it.

(In case you’re wondering, I got 22 reps of weighted pull-ups and 121 total reps in that workout…fight me)

Now, as much of an advantage properly fitting plates like these provide in relatively straightforward sets, imagine what their stability provides during something a lot more dynamic.

I’ve run, squatted, and pushed(?)-up(?) with these plates loaded and I’m confident that they’ll be my plates of choice when Memorial Day Murph rolls around again. If I noticed improved stability over 90 seconds of weighted pull-ups, imagine how much more efficient they’ll help me perform over 2 miles of running, 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, and 300 squats (all weighted).

One last thing to note (and something we’ll highlight in further detail in the next section) is that these plates are slightly curved. I haven’t really noticed or experienced the benefits (or downsides, I guess) of this design, but this is supposed to take some pressure off the body.

Overall, the Echo Weight Vest Plates are excellent options for those looking to fill out their vests and plate carriers and knock out some weighted (likely standard “bodyweight”) movements.

Dynamic Movements: 100

Compatibility

The Rogue Echo Weight Vest plates aren’t the most universally compatible weight vest plates/ruck plates on the market…but they’re pretty good. Depending on the type of bag you have (and what you’re used to), they may even feel interchangeable with the “gold standard” GORUCK ruck plates.

There is a slight (and I mean slight) variance between the three different plates sizes with the 5-pound plates being ~5/100 of an inch taller and wider. The larger sizes are each 11.25 inches high and 9.25 inches wide.

Compared to the GORUCK plates, these are slightly (.25 inches) wider and shorter (.25 inches shorter). Thankfully, that extra .25 doesn’t blow out the sides of the ruck plate pocket and I actually think these fit a little more snug in GORUCK plate pockets.

These “fit” in “long” ruck plate pockets about as well as any “standard”-sized ruck plate: they move around a bit and aren’t ideal, but they work well enough (better than the converse of trying to stick a “long” plate into a “standard”-sized pocket).

One thing to reiterate is that the Echo Vest Plates don’t sit perfectly flat. They’re slightly curved.

I have found that these still fit into pockets just fine and for rucks, there is no discernible difference in how they feel. However, in the GORUCK Plate Carrier, not having the metal directly against the lumbar padding feels a little “different”.

Not “bad” persay…but different. Truth be told, some people really prefer the feel (the plate not sitting directly on the body when placed in a vest).

Also, as previously mentioned, you can’t double these up in “dedicated” ruck plate pockets which drops the plates’ score here (if you have these plates and one of these bags, you’ll have to stick additional plates outside the pocket if you want to use over 20 pounds).

Overall, I’d advise you to purchase these with confidence, especially if you have a GORUCK bag or something with a similarly-sized internal pocket/sleeve.

Compatibility: 90

Coating

I know that there will probably be some (many?) people who disagree with my take here, but I’m of the mind that Rogue Echo Weight Vest Plates’ black E-coat coating is superior to just about any other coating option. Many would advocate in favor of powder coating, which does have plenty of advantages…but I disagree that it’s ideal.

Powder-coated plates are generally easier to grip and are more chip and cracking resilient. This makes powder-coated pull-ups bars great for…ya know…pull-ups and powder-coated kettlebells good for dropping and generally withstanding abuse.

Company’s market these please with those top and bottom handles as if people are actually going to use them for curls and carries and other random movements outside of their vest or ruck. I would argue that these take place 1 time out of ever 50 times someone rucks or runs with their plate.

With this in mind, the main advantages of powder coating are essentially negated, if not made completely irrelevant.

In contrast, the more universal overall durability of E-coated gear as well as its better resistance to corrosion makes ensures you’ll get greater longevity from the Echo Weight Vest Plates than other options which should be your highest priority.

The E-coating on these plates may not look quite as…I don’t know…”nice” as powder-coated plates (although I think they do look “sleeker”), but they will be providing you with more of what matters most.

Coating: 95

Price

When it comes to weight vest/ruck plates, price is kind of a tricky topic. It’s obviously an important one, as well, but plate price tags seem to be all over the place.

On one hand, there are your “premium” weights that perfectly are perfectly calibrated to their associated gear items (ex. the Rogue Echo Weight Vest Plates perfectly fit the Rogue Echo Weight Vest) while also generally being constructed and finished with higher-quality materials.

On the other hand, there are your cheap, but oftentimes perfectly suitable hunks of iron that are more or less shaped to kinda fit into most plate pockets.

Interestingly enough, the Echo Weight Vest Plates pretty much fall right in the middle.

An quasi-appealing quality of these plates is that they are sold in pairs (they are designed for front-and-back-loading weight vests, after all). This is good and bad as it makes the initial sticker shock much more palatable, but also adds a superfluous plate for those opting for a classic rucksack or back-loading ruck plate carrier).

While there isn’t a ton of value to be had at the $55 pair of 5-pound plates, the $75 and $140 pairs of 10-pound and 20-pound plates (respectively) run a bit cheaper than GORUCK’s ruck plate offerings or Rogue’s more premium vest plates.

There are certainly less expensive options out there, although these will generally require an internal discussion debating the “price-to-proper fit” ratio.

As it is, the Echo Weight Vest Plates are certainly not the cheapest, but are priced in a solidly palpable manner.

Price: 80

Customer Reviews

People who have opted for the Rogue Echo Weight Vest Plates appear to be pretty satisfied with their purchases. Currently, the sport a collective 4.9 out of 5 out of 80 total reviews.

What’s even more impressive is that out of these 80 reviews, there are only 3, 4-star reviews and only 1, 3-star review. The other 76 reviews are all 5-star reviews.

Looking at the “problem” reviews (if you can really consider 3 and 4-star reviews as “bad”) there isn’t really any common theme to indicate problems people have had with the plates. A couple of people have mentioned that the finish wasn’t perfect on their plates, but other than this, no running themes.

One thing I should mention is that all of these reviews are found on the official Rogue.com website; there aren’t any other retail sites with a significant number of reviews for Rogue gear.

I don’t think this is a major issue, but make of this what you will.

Overall, it is hard to deny that the people really love their Rogue Echo Weight Vest Plates; how can 98 people out of 100 (averaging things out) be wrong…?

Customer Reviews: 98

Customer Service***

One thing I need to say before I get into this category is that my experiences with Rogue, specifically in the context of ordering these plates, have exclusively been with their EU branch. As such, your experiences with the US-based Rogue personnel (or UK, Australia, etc.) may be a bit different.

For the most part, Rogue does a pretty good job of accepting orders, processing them, and getting them out. I’ve never had something get lost, for there to only be a partial shipment, nor have I experienced any serious issues with logistics or quality control.

However, when I placed this order, I’m pretty sure that it sat in the “label made, but we don’t yet have your product” screen on the UPS page for 4 or 5 days before it started moving…which was, coincidentally, right after I messaged Rogue for an order update.

I had a similar experience before and maybe this is just a coincidental (and, of course, anecdotal) circumstance. However, it is a bit of a bummer waiting longer for some items, only to be updated with “your item has been dispatched” after some attention has been directed to the situation.

To be fair, all of the customer service personnel I’ve dealt with have been quick and thorough in my communication with them, although I’d prefer a little more initiative on the front end. Overall, though, no major complaints.

Customer Service: 90

Who are Rogue Echo Weight Vest Plates really for?

As excellent as I think these plates are (and as wide of a group of ruck and weight vest-enthusiasts there are who would enjoy them), there are a few groups of people who would really appreciate them. Let’s take a look at who exactly they are:

Rogue Weight Vest Owners

If this wasn’t already completely obvious, those with the Rogue Echo Weight Vest or Rogue Plate Carrier will most appreciate these plates. The Echo Weight Vest Plates fit each of these items perfectly (as well as the non-branded 5.11 TacTec Plate Carrier).

GORUCK bag (and those w/similar plate pocket) owners

The next group is much larger than the first and this includes people with (standard ruck plate pocket-sized) GORUCK bags and any other bags with similarly-sized ruck plate pockets.

The Echo Weight Vest Plates will fit these pockets almost perfectly, run cheaper than the GORUCK Ruck Plates and are actually a bit more corrasion-resistant, ensuring better overall longevity.

However, remember that you won’t be able to “double up” (as in the picture below) in bags like the Rucker 4.0 or the Rucker – Long Range (their pockets are too precise).

Not for those with “long” plate pockets

Thankfully, most bags that have a dedicated “long” plate pocket usually have one to complement their “standard” plate pocket(s). As such, even if you’re picking up your first plate for your Rucker 4.0 or Rucker – Long Range, you’ll still be good to go.

With that being said, there are select bags that only take “long” plates and quite a few ruck plate carriers (like the GORUCK Plate Carrier “Long”) and weight vests that do the same.

Be sure to check the dimensions of your gear prior to purchasing Echo Weight Vest Plates (and, to be safe, any ruck/vest plates) to make sure they’ll fit your gear!

How we reviewed the Rogue Echo Weight Vest Plates

The best thing about reviewing vest and ruck plates is that all you really have to do is switch out your existing plate and get going. This is pretty much exactly what I did, immediately swapping out the weights in a couple of my plate carrier and bags with the Echo Weight Vest Plates.

From here, I started moving with them in my usual regimen of rucking and dynamic movements (pull-ups, rope climbs, push-ups, etc.) and have quickly been able to figure out exactly what these plates are all about.

Rogue Echo Weight Vest Plates Alternatives

The Echo Weight Vest Plates are going to be solid choices for anyone looking for a compact piece of ore to stash in their ruck or weight vest. However, let’s take a look at the best alternative options:

Frequently Asked Questions

You may or may not think these questions are interesting (some of them…aren’t as interesting to me…but you do you!) but you know somebody out there is wishing someone would ask. Let’s take a quick look at what’s on their mind:

Rogue Echo Weight Vest Plates…the best ruck/vest plates for your buck…?

I really like the look and feel of GORUCK’s ruck plates.

I also really appreciate Yes4All for putting out decent ruck plates that are really in expensive.

I know there are more obscure outliers that are to either extreme of these two, but these are the most well-known “expensive” and “cheap” ruck/vest plate providers out there.

The Rogue Echo Weight Vest Plates aren’t quite as aesthetically pleasing as GORUCK’s offering…but they’re a bit less expensive.

The Rogue Echo Weight Vest Plates aren’t as budget friendly as what Yes4All is putting out…but they fit standard gear a lot better.

I know you can see where I’m going with this and not to rehash this entire post again, but I think today’s subject provides the best bang for your buck in the wild and wonderful world of ruck/vest plates.

As much as I would prefer that they sold these in singles (and at heavier weights), these are probably the best options out there for ruckers and weighted vest enthusiasts, alike. Legit “buy and forget about it” items…which are pretty rare in the fitness gear and equipment space…