IMPORTANT: As always, when I create my videos, they are filmed in one take with no edits. It is always possible that I might say something that is incorrect/inaccurate or that I unintentionally leave out important info. You can always find my corrections in the video description or pinned here in the comments. With that in mind, I should clarify what I said at 16:50 and 18:40 in this video. Due to the way the cast iron plates are nested/dovetailed into each other as well as buttressed against an inner iron plate, I believe the type of potential damage I describe at 16:50 is very unlikely. I do not believe a drop would force the telescoping rods inward such that they strip the internal rifling. The plates should/would prevent that from happening. This is definitely something worth verifying in a future drop test if I have the time. Damage of the type described at 18:40 is realistic, but I suspect that it would require considerable force or repeated drops over time. Again, this is something worth verifying as part of a drop test in the future. Overall, I'm of the opinion that this is a well-built dumbbell that should not fail under ordinary use. I hope that they will introduce an expandable version in the future, perhaps a 30lb base weight with expansion up to 80 or 90lbs.
Thank you sir, for making this informational video that is clear and compact. It's almost criminal that the major influencers haven't reviewed SNODE AD series or compared them to the other top tier adjustable dumbbells yet. You are a hero for filling this important gap.
My pleasure, Iserlon. I could be wrong, but I'm guessing that they just aren't yet aware these exist. I didn't know about Snode until a few months ago when a subscriber asked me if I plan to tear one down. So, hopefully you'll see more reviews pop up this year.
Awesome, me too. That box has been sitting here mocking me for the past few weeks while I work on some of my 2023 product designs. I've been up to my eyeballs. But I will get to it asap for all of you. Thank you for staying tuned!
The quality of your content is crazy high. Plaese maintain your style, youtube is truly laking these type of reviews... most reviews feels like commercials or surface level "i feel"... this video reminded me of the crazy good AvE vitamix review.
Thank you very much for your kind words Nicolo. I'm glad you like the way I've been making these videos. No frills for sure. I don't know how all these content creators find the time to shoot from several angles, script it, edit, intros, outros, drone footage...I just don't have the time for any of it. I admire that they can pull it off, but it's just not for me. I'm way further behind on new content than I thought I'd be by March, but I do have a Core tear down, a Nuobell tear down part 2, and a Snode AD80 tear down in the pipeline. I hope to drop the first of the videos before the end of the month, time-permitting. I hope you'll stay tuned! Cheers, Joe
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC perfect, btw have you got any other interest apart from gym stuff that you are considering including in your next videos? like work tools/gear, appliances, cnc or 3d printers?
So I bought the AD80 on black friday after watching your video and a few others, the version I received, my telescopic rod is aluminum, but the adjustment ring and gears inside are still plastic. I asked their customer service, and they said that these are "POM", which is more accurate and the adjustment will be more smoother then metal. I think is quite reasonable. The few times I've used it so far it's been great and I don't think it's going to be a problem with the plastic inside. But we will see. Nice video BTW!
Thank you for taking the time to comment, Yanlin. I plan to do a tear down of the AD80 hopefully before the end of February so that others may see what you're talking about as well. And I plan to do drop test comparisons between at least some of the brands to see how they hold up. The AD80 is out of stock apparently, so the earliest I can get my hands on one is some time in late Feb. I'm of the mind that the plastics in the design *should* hold up. We'll see. Snode confirmed that they would honor a warranty replacement for damage due to a drop within the first year of ownership. That was nice to hear. And they also mentioned that they'd provide replacement parts. So I've put that to the test and asked them to pretend mine is broken and that I need parts. They agreed to send a couple key parts so I can experience the time it takes to get replacements. I hope to be able to report those results in a follow-up to this video in the near future. Cheers, Joe
Damn, that's a sweet deal, John. I mean crazy good. Even with all the dumbbells I already own I wouldn't be able to resist it. LOL. Awesome man. Expect to see a Snode AD80 tear down and part replacement video, a Core dumbbell tear down, and (I hope) a Nuobell assembly/disassembly video over the next two-ish months. And, just so you all don't have to risk your own dumbbells, I'm cooking up a drop test comparison as well once I'm done with all the tear down videos. I hope you'll check back in man and let us know how those are doing for you.
Awesome, thanks for watching Andrew. Supposedly the AD80s are on their way and should arrive late this month. And in the meantime, I'm getting ready to film a Core dumbbell tear down too. Better built, internally, than Nuobell in my opinion, but not without its own fairly significant weakness.
Great video. This along with your Nuobell video certainly shows a strong contrast in built quality as well as a bit of misleading advertising from Snode which I was under the impression was all metal as well after watching their product videos. After looking at both products I think neither may not be a good long term investment and instead getting something more like a core adjustable set might be the way to go, if only for the fact that if it breaks you are only out half as much as either of these choices. Thanks for putting these videos together.
Hi SS, I completely missed this comment from you a few months ago. Sorry about that. I am glad you found it helpful. I did mention the 3D animation video to them and I recommended that they consider rendering it without gears that appear to be metal. Due to the cost, they may not re-do it. We shall see. I did just post a Core Home Fitness dumbbell tear down a couple days ago, and a Snode AD80 tear down today. They're a bit lengthy but I hope you'll skim them for the highlights when you have some time. Cheers, Joe
Snode AD80 tear down and comparison coming (hopefully) by late Feb, along with a part repair/replacement video if the parts arrive too. Thanks for letting us all know about using MG plates with these, D. Cheers, Joe
Are you using 2x 2.5lb micro gainz? Do they work alright? I looked at the magnetic end caps but you'd have to remove them before returning to the cradle and that seems to add an unnecessary step.
@@gbmcgeeberson Yes, I'm using the 2.5lb micro gainz adjustable plates on the Snodes. They work just fine for my hands. So I can make the 5lb jumps with my Snodes from 25lbs up to 85lbs.
Great review Average Joe! This seals the deal. SNODE has a better build quality while also allowing people to fix it themselves, assuming you can fiind the parts.
Thanks man, I'm glad you liked the vid. I will definitely let you all know the moment I find out more about the part situation for 2023. I'd really like to get them to commit to providing the parts through a formal process. Where we can just go online to a "parts" section of their site and order what we need. Preferably with some inventory readily available within days rather than a several week wait from overseas. Stay tuned! Happy Holidays!
Thank you for taking the time to produce this video. I’m thinking of investing in an adjustable dumbbell and want to make sure I make a wise investments. The Snode model look much more durable than the Nuobell. Can’t invest a large amount of money into something that would be difficult to repair/replace.
I'm glad you found it helpful, Chris. Snode definitely has the advantage as far as potential repair-ability for 2 reasons. First, the brand seems hungry to increase its market share. I suspect they'll make parts available one way or another in the years ahead. And second, Snode is ridiculously easy to disassemble/reassemble with just a couple simple tools. There are a couple important reassembly tips that I didn't cover in the video, but I'll go over those in a future video. Cheers, Joe
Thank you so much! This was the breakdown video I was waiting for. I watched this entire video and have to say that you are insanely talented with your hands and with speaking as well. Given the build quality of these as well as the supposed improved quality of the 80's I decided that I would like to purchase the 80's instead of the PowerBlocks. However, now a new problem presented itself. Right when I was going to make the Snode 80's purchase, in the craziest timing ever, I just received an email that the Ironmasters came back in stock and can confirm that they are in stock on their site! What decision do you think I should make between the Ironmasters and the Snodes? The site says they received a lot of inventory, but they will likely sell out within a week.
Sorry about the delayed reply, Josh. I've been up to my eyeballs with work here. I hope you haven't missed out on anything as a result. Snode and Ironmasters are, at their core, a different experience. There are two general types of adjustable dumbbell. The first is a traditional bar with separate plates and collars. And the second is a more complex design with integrated plates and "collars". The first group includes Ironmaster, Badass, Pepin and others. A traditional experience of lifting, organizing and rearranging plates on or against a separate bar/handle. All of them use some variation of a separate collar or pin to retain the plates. The main difference between these designs and the inexpensive dumbbells found at any department store, is that they don't have a fixed length handle that sticks out at each end beyond the plates and collar. Their widths vary with the weight and their ends tend to be wide and flat. Hypothetically speaking, you could adjust the weight of these dumbbells anywhere, any time without returning the handles to a base. The second group includes nearly all of the other brands on the market today. The designs are more complex and made up of many more components. They all require the use of a base and some mechanism (e.g. twist grips, dials, slides, pins, etc) in order to change the weight. Most use some percentage of plastic in their designs. Many such as Bowflex, Ativafit, Merax, Flybird, etc have fixed-width handles. Others such as Nuobell and Snode have handle widths that vary with weight. Some of them offer wide/flat ends while others have ends that can be uncomfortable to stage on your thighs before bench exercises. Powerblock sits at somewhat of an intersection between these two groups. It doesn't need a base to change weight like the second group, but the handle is far from traditional. The sliding pin is attached to the handle by an elastic cord, not integrated into it as a mechanism. Much like the first group, it can be awkward sometimes to change weights on soft surfaces such as a thick rug. At the end of the day, it really comes down to how you see yourself using these dumbbells. Would you prefer a self-contained dumbbell or one with separate plates and collars that you manually add and remove between sets? One that can expand to very heavy weights well beyond 80lbs, or is 80 plenty for you? These are the sort of questions only you can answer. I don't own Ironmasters, so I have no direct experience with them. I'm not a bar/plate/collar dumbbell kind of guy for no other reasons than speed and personal preference. I hope this was helpful. Happy Holidays!
The SNODE ad is so misleading. The ad (which shows the Snode being taking apart in a well constructed animation that looks real) shows all metal gears and an all metal inner telescoping bar rather than the white plastic. I'm on the fence now whether to get the Snodes. Thanks for the "reveal" video. Super informative!!
Hey DJ, I was definitely more than a little disappointed when I removed the inner cover and it didn't look like what I had recalled from that animated "exploded view" marketing video. Not to say that some plastics can't be incredibly strong and durable. We may discover that the plastics used on these Snodes perform very well over time. Still, I thought I was about to see the first adjustable with mostly metal internals, just because of that video. So it was a bit of a letdown. One of my subscribers reached out a couple weeks back to confirm that the AD80 telescoping rods appear to be steel, which I was happy to hear especially for Snode's heaviest model. Again, a tough plastic may be plenty. It's just difficult to say at the moment without first conducting some tests. Other than that, much of the rest of the AD80 was similar to the 28. I plan to do a Part 2 video soon that covers what I learned from him about his AD80 tear down. And I hope to have another conversation with the manufacturer early in 2023 to see if they'll share any sort of product roadmap to give us some idea of what we could expect from them. Until then, Happy Holidays to you and yours!
Got a pair of 80lbs Snode Dumbbells. Love them! Hope they last. Your video helped me make an informed decision as to what I was getting with no surprises so thanks! Also, only a slight sag at 80lbs. No sag 70lbs or less. Also got 4 Platemates 2.5lbs for 2.5 to 5lbs increments rather than 10lbs.
@@dammitjim9131 Hiya DJ. Awesome. I hope so too. Glad to hear there's virtually no sage on your pair. By the way, Snode reached out to me with a bunch of answers earlier this week and offered to send parts ( as if I am a customer in need of replacements) so I can experience that part of their process. I'll be doing an AD80 tear down around late February as well and some drop testing. So you'll see another couple Snode-related vids in the near future.
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC It's awesome Snode reaches out to you. It means they are on their toes to make the best product the can given what they think is within reason. Their 1 year warranty is the only thing that concerns me a little. Other than that, the Snodes seem second to none at their price point.
Thanks for the explanation on why the knurling is so passive, TIL. Do you think it's feasible as a manufacturing process to insert a metal rod within the hollow handle, to provide better structural integrity for a deeper knurl?
Hi Gene, I think they'd have to redesign the tube grip to be thicker than it currently is to allow for a deeper knurl. And as you mentioned, they'd need a way to reinforce the tube while it is being knurled. I believe a solid rod might get crushed/trapped inside the grip. Instead, imagine something along the lines of a pipe expander or bladder that can be enlarged to support the walls of the grip tube during knurling, then deflated/retracted to withdraw from inside the tube. I should mention that I am just guessing about why the knurling is so passive. It is entirely possible that the design team chose a mild knurl for a completely different reason.
Thanks James. Snode and a couple of current AD80 owners also confirmed that with me. The outer tube in which the rods rotate is still plastic. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. Snode AD80 tear down and comparison coming (hopefully) by late Feb, along with a part repair/replacement video if the parts arrive too. I'm also planning a Core dumbbell tear down thanks to another viewer who was nice enough to send me two of his broken Core handles. No timelines yet, but figure within the next several weeks. I'm toying with the idea of doing a drop test comparison to determine durability/survivability once I get through all the different tear downs. First lets get through these tear downs. Cheers, Joe
About halfway through the video, you discuss the potential for the tube & extenders to break due to shearing or force from a cantilever force. At the beginning of the video, however, you show that the tube is only there as a lock because the plates interlock. Since the tube doesn't really appear to carry much of the load (by design), I wonder how much of the weight is actually carried by the tube when they're in use.
Hiya A.T. In the pinned comment for this video I shared a few more thoughts about what I mentioned in the video. Typically when I film these vids I don't script anything in advance, so you'll always find any sort of corrections/amendments/additional thoughts either in the video description or in a pinned comment. The dovetails play an interesting role in the design. If I have some time this week I'll post a quick video with a demonstration that I believe will help you understand why the load on the telescoping rods varies with the orientation of the dumbbell. Depending on the orientation, the rods go from carrying the full load to carrying almost no load at all.
Very cool and interesting break down👍 I’ve tried both AD50 and AD80, and the 80 are very nice, thicker handle and more aggressive knurling👌 Using magnetic weights works well with them in regards to fixing the big 10lb increments (just wished they included them in the price 🙂).
Hi Danes. In the time since I published this video, someone reached out to confirm that the AD80 does indeed have metal telescoping rods. He was inspired by my video to tear down his AD80 and went into quite a lot of detail about the differences. I asked him for permission to use that info and I plan to publish a Snode Part 2 soon. I hope you'll check it out.
Thanks for the comprehensive breakdown of the Snodes! I currently have Iron Masters which I love except for changing weight quickly. Would love to see your input on the Pepin Fast series. How do you think they would hold up durability wise compared to Iron Masters?
Hiya Branden. Gut instinct tells me that both would hold up well thanks to the simplicity of the designs and choice of materials. That's not to suggest that customers should be dropping them or anything like that. I think both would potentially suffer from repeated drops. The screws on the Ironmasters and the slides on the Pepin. But under normal use and in environments that aren't high humidity, I'm willing to bet both could last decades with few, if any, issues. . Still, I would like to get my hands on both at some point just to see how well they hold up to a little deliberate abuse. If I get that opportunity, I'll share the results here on TH-cam.
Hi, Hugh. I'd love to get my hands on one or both. But they'd likely be two of the fastest and most boring tear downs you'll ever see. They have very few parts by comparison which also happens to work in their favor as far as durability. What I'd really like to do is drop test them versus other less expensive options. I'm seriously considering crowdsourcing to fund a proper drop test of all the most popular brands to see how they live up to claims/expectations. If I do that later this year, I'll announce it on my website and email notification list. Cheers, Joe
Hi, Jeremy. I do, I do. I own a pair of Core so I know them well. And as luck would have it, a subscriber was nice enough to send two broken Core dumbbell handles (not the plates, just the handles) to me for a tear down and review. I just finished tearing one down. Mostly very impressed with the internals compared to Nuobell. More about Core, and a look inside, in an upcoming video. Stay tuned!
Can you check out "Snode AD80 plate sag" youtube video. It's shows a weird sagging of the plates/bar when picking up. Wondering if yours are like that too or if the guy just got a bad batch.
I just checked it out and left a comment for the person who made the video, Randall. I added it to my list of discussion topics for my next conversation with Snode. Thank you for making me aware of it.
Seems like the sag video has been taking down! I can’t find it anywhere? I just got my ad80s and have the same sag I would say the handle comes up at least a 1/4” before last plate lifts off the cradle
Thank you, thank you, Jessica. I have a couple Snode follow-up videos planned. An AD80 tear-down (hopefully late Feb), a drop test comparison after that, and a Q&A with information directly from Snode in response to a series of questions I submitted. I hope you'll check back in when those go live.
Thank you for your video Mr Joe! I just bought a pair of ad80s and the telescopic rod is plastic 😢 I'm pretty sure it's the latest edition from the shape of the last plate. Is this normal?
Hi Xi! I wonder if yours are NOS (new old stock) as they cleared out old inventory. Did you buy it directly from Snode? Nancy in customer support mentioned that they switched to the aluminum shafts late last year, and the AD80 that arrived here earlier this year definitely came equipped with aluminum shafts. You can see them in my latest video: th-cam.com/video/pE1ridBICYM/w-d-xo.html. I sent an email to Nancy this morning to ask if customers with older AD80s can install the new aluminum shafts. I suspect the answer is yes. As soon as she replies, I will let you know. But, as I mention in the video, I don't think they'll be necessary. I won't know for sure until I begin drop testing the dumbbells later this year.
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC thanks so much for your reply! I live in Canada so I bought it from a retailer who sells them. I've had a lot of trouble with them, so I'll be bringing them back tomorrow. Plates on one side of the dumbells are really loose. th-cam.com/users/shorts7ikJtxtE7A8?feature=share Maybe not a big deal but it's really bothering me lol. I'll check to see if they have any new stock editions.
@@xilau6280 Hi Xi, thanks for letting me know. What you demonstrated in the video is basically thanks to the +/- tolerances of manufacturing. Cast metals aren't high tolerance (they aren't precision). In extreme cases, when multiple castings are all at the edge of their +/- range, we can get parts that are more tight or loose then average. In your case, it looks like 3 of the stacks were ok, and one was more loose. Did you happen to reach out to Snode to see if they'd replace that stack just to give you something that better matches the rest? Luckily mine are like your other 3 stacks. Thank you for making that video. Let me know if they get your squared away. Cheers, Joe
Glad you found it helpful, Rodrigo. Snode AD80 tear down and comparison coming (hopefully) by late Feb, along with a part repair/replacement video if the parts arrive too. Stay tuned man!
This is my kind of video. Thanks for doing this. I'm looking for an adjustable dumbell that will last forever. Looks like this isn't it, but it's so close. Check out Pepin Dumbells Fast Series.
My pleasure. I have a Core dumbbell tear down coming out soon, and a Snode AD80 tear down soon after. I've not had a chance to check out Pepin's Fast yet, but several subscribers have mentioned them and I hope to include them in testing/tear downs later this year. It's a pretty straightforward design with only two moving parts per dumbbell that I can tell. Technically speaking, most modern adjustable dumbbells aren't designed for the same amount of abuse that can be endured by rack dumbbells. They're not fastened into a single solid unit the way that rack dumbbells are manufactured. That's understandable, since the intent is adjust-ability. If I had to take a guess at Pepin Fast's main "weakness" - and I feel like I'm nitpicking here - it may be the asymmetric arrangement of its locking mechanisms. The slides look to be sturdy, but each side of the dumbbell relies entirely on the strength of a single slide when lifted from the base. In this orientation, the slides bear most of the weight. The further out the slides are extended, the easier it may be to accidentally tweak the slide's frame if the dumbbells are dropped. Only when you flip the dumbbells upside down will the interlocking plate dovetails bear pretty much the entire load. At that point the slide is basically unloaded, with the innermost plates responsible for holding as much as 50lbs each hanging off their dovetails. Looking (in the videos) at the bolts that they use to secure their dovetails to the plates, they *could* hold much more than 50lbs without breaking a sweat. If Pepin Fast's are cared for and never dropped, I cannot imagine them ever having issues. And the advertised lifetime warranty is a bonus. I suspect they don't plan on having many warranty claims. I'm looking forward to testing one at some point.
is it possible to flip the number ring? i would like to see the numbers while picking up and pressing the dumbells, the way its set up now the numbers are under your wrists when picking up, you cant see the weight your pushing.
Great question, David. Off the cuff, I believe the answer is no. We'd need to flip all of the internal gearing in order to sync the rotation of the ring numbers with extension/retraction. When the AD80 arrives and I have them both apart, I'll confirm this for everyone. Thanks for posing the question.
I bought a pair of Snode AD85s (europe version i think), and as you mentioned the telescopic rod on yours are the same on atleast the 85s, but would be weird if it also isnt on the 80s. Some form of nylon covered cast iron rod. Bit dissapointing when it specifically stated a full cast iron telescopic rod, but dont think it will ever be an issue
Very interesting, Mads. Especially given recent information I received from someone who was inspired to take apart his AD80 after seeing my video. I can confirm that the AD80 has what appear to be solid steel rods. The inner tube/sleeve that houses the rods still appears to be plastic. After seeing his photos, I decided that I would make a quick Snode Teardown Part II video with some additional information about that AD80. I hope to do that within the next several days. Strange that the AD85 does not share the 80's steel telescoping rod. I'd love to find out the reasoning behind that too. My gut on this one tells me that these Snodes should hold up well over time. Still, I plan to have a follow up conversation with the company rep to see if I can get a firm commitment to support consumers with readily available replacement parts. If they commit to that (or it's already in the works anyway), it seems this will be another solid dumbbell option for home users.
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC Looking forward to the video! But a different thing on the dumbbells im noticing, is they have quite alot of bend when using heavy weight, like the plates on the end are almost sagging in a way. Other videoes showing the dumbbells appear to have the same thing. The thing is, its not just give from the plates not being completely tight. Since, when u look through the telescoping rod while lifting it you can tell thats its the rod itself bending under the weight. I have no idea if its part of the drop proof design or just that the rod itself isnt designed to completely hold the weight of the dumbbell. Interested in your thoughts on this :)
@@BrandonSchwartz1 Yeah, but another strange thing is if you roll the dumbbells so theyre upside down and lift them theres no visible bending/sagging at all, so i have no idea what part of the design that makes it happen. I assume it isnt the actual rods bending tho but more it moving and sitting a little bit loose inside the handle somehow. Apart from these strange things about them, they do work really quite well, and i dont have any fear of dropping them a little
Hi John. I just finished filming the AD80 teardown and plan to publish it by or before tomorrow night. The inner roads are solid aluminum, but still in a nylon outer sleeve which I believe is ok for the application.
I got a pair of these (the 80lbs model) and on one of them I had this problem where the little locking button doesn't pop back up to locking position after rotating the adjustment ring to a different weight. The weight still won't come off ofcourse unless you accidentally turn the adjustment ring (which the locking button is supposed to prevent while lifted out of the base), but is there a good way to fix that problem?
Hi James, great question. I know my answer will not help you today, but AD80s are on their way to me and arriving later this month. I plan to tear one down and compare it to the AD28. I've seen internal photos and they look similar but not identical. The button portion is a very simple mechanism. I wonder on yours if there is some sort of deformation of the pin or spring such that it may be binding inside the recess. That could be a very simple fix. It might be worth opening it up and taking a look at it. If you don't feel comfortable doing that, I understand. When I make my AD80 video I'll pay some attention to that pin and take a closer look at potential issues with it.
Absolutely agree there. By the way, in the AD80 teardown that I just completed, I discovered that they did away with those screws entirely. Now they use small nylon shafts. I plan to publish the AD80 teardown by or before tomorrow night. I hope you'll have time to check it out.
Hey Joe, I know Nuo bells stand is sold seperately. On the website for these, I couldn’t seem to find if these came with the stand or atleast just with the cradle?
Hi Javier, Snodes have their own cradles. The cradle/base is necessary for the operation of the dumbbell. It's the only way to change weight. They do advertise a stand, but I don't think it is shipping until some time in 2023. It appears to be cast iron too which would set it apart from most other stands: www.snodesport.com/products/adjustable-dumbbell-iron-flexbell-stand
Absolutely. I think it's totally doable. The gears aren't under any significant loads. You could even mess around with tooth count and gear diameters. Heck, you could design your own adjustment ring too. It doesn't need to be ribbed like the OEM ring. It's a great little project. I haven't had time to mess around with it, but if I do I'll definitely let you all know.
Hey Joe! I stumbled upon your work while looking for adjustable dumbbells cause I had some concern with the plastic discs of the bowflex that I want to buy. I am living in Germany and was wondering If it would be possible to get the disc kit shipped here?
Hi Marv, and greetings from across the Atlantic. I've shipped quite a few kits to Germany and the rest of Europe. If you email your shipping address to me at joe@averagejoeinnovations.com I can quote precise shipping options and fees for you. Cheers
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC I would love to know how much extra cost I have to expect. I will send you an email! Thank you very much for this really fast reply! Stay safe!
Can you tell me how you get ahold of Snode? I have emailed both the info and support emails several times and also tried the chat function three times. I am on the fence about these and just want to ask about the sagging, metal versus plastic construction, etc. Thanks in advance.
Hi SM, I would give them at least several days to get back to you. Chinese New Year/Spring Festival began earlier this month and the sole person with whom I have spoken (goes by the name Nancy) handles all inquiries made through chat and email. She's likely on holiday through at least the end of the month. Some of these factories shut down 2-4 weeks and support goes dormant until they return. One of the things I've mentioned to her is establishing some Stateside support. I'm currently waiting for them to ship an AD80 and some test parts to me when they return from holiday. Based on my AD28 tear down, and the results from a couple of viewers who have since taken apart their AD80s to look inside, I can pretty accurately answer your metal v plastic questions. I'm also planning an AD80 tear down video once it arrives. That sagging effect does not appear to be an issue on every handle, and it's currently unclear if that has any impact on performance beyond the aesthetics. Later this year I hope to conduct some actual real world drop tests to see how some of these brands hold up under the higher forces. Keeping in mind that they pretty much all universally recommend that we not drop their dumbbells.
These seem to be much better built than Nuobells, from the bases to the ease of repair. Shame they only have 10 pound increments and may not be able to provide replacement parts. Powerblock and Ironmaster have their flaws but they are still the undisputed leaders if you want your expensive dumbbells to last for decades.
They're definitely a solid new contender with room for improvement. The challenge with the design in its current form is that the increments can only ever be fixed in sequence. Meaning they would have to alternate thick and thin plates in sequence on the base in order to provide smaller increments. In contrast, Core and Nuobell get around this limitation by picking up their half size inner plates on every other click of the weight setting. That, in turn, adds a lot to the complexity of the internal components of their designs. So what you gain in convenience, you lose with increased complexity and potential points of failure. Following my conversation with the rep from Snode, I feel fairly confident they'd find a way to accommodate providing parts to customers. It's just unproven at the moment since they aren't far enough along the adoption curve for it to become an issue yet. Oftentimes it is difficult to beat simplicity. Brands like Powerblock and Ironmaster may not have the most appealing form factors or the fastest mechanisms for weight change, but they do have the fewest moving parts that rely on simple mechanical principles. Still, like so many things in life, they lack universal appeal.
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC I guess when I think about it, using magnetic plates for the five pound increments is not any more cumbersome than Powerblock adder weights. I do wish these were hex or at least had a flat bottom. Makes them more useful for floor exercises and also keeps them in the upright orientation that they need to be in to put them back in the cradles.
Oh man, Eric, thanks for the info. The plot thickens. So you have an AD80 pair with plastic telescoping rods? And someone else has a pair with metal telescoping rods (they emailed photos to me). I've already emailed the Snode rep a list of follow-up questions. I'll inquire about this new discrepancy as well once I hear from them. Thanks for letting me know.
@@ericbrideau8142 Yep, so your earlier observation is correct. Yours are like the ones on my AD28. Whereas another AD80 owner has solid metal rods. As soon as I hear from Snode I plan to make a part 2 video with additional information. I'm hoping they can clarify this new revelation for us.
@@ericbrideau8142 Yours and mine aren't. But it appears that some unknown percentage of AD80 telescoping rods are all-metal, unlike ours. I only know this because someone who watched my video decided to disassemble his AD80s to see for himself. He then sent detailed photos of all of the differences (including the all-metal rods). I'll cover all of the differences in a follow up video after I hear from Snode.
Although it's entirely possible, I find that the springs in adjustable dumbbells (that I own) aren't taxed in any significant way. For example, I own several pairs of Bowflex SelectTech dumbbells. A few well over a decade old. Each pair requires 12 springs and I haven't had a failure due to a spring. Worst case, the springs in the Snode, like the springs in my SelectTech and Core dumbbells, are easily replaced with something similar enough found at a local hardware store. The key is that they're easily accessed so they can be easily replaced.
Given a choice between only Snode and Nuobell, my preference today would be the Snode AD80 (preferably on sale). At Snode's current price one pair costs about $1k. I think for many people that may be a bit hard to swallow. Even Nuobell's $750 price tag may sting. Technically, there are a number of decent alternatives well below the price of both Snode and Nuobell. Based entirely off of my teardowns, and not on long-term use of either pair, I believe Snodes will outlast the current generation of Nuobell with long-term reliability, durability and most of all, DIY repair-ability. But take all of that with a grain of salt since it's purely an educated guess and not backed by any hard data. So my opinion comes loaded with caveats. Will Snode make it easy to obtain parts if ever they're needed? Will those parts be affordable? Will Nuobell eventually fix the cam follower issue? Will either brand ever introduce expandable models? Etc, etc.
Hiya Matt, I'm not sure if we exchanged emails about this already. I can't recall. I figured I'd answer this just in case. At the moment, Snode would have my vote. It's not without drawbacks (the increments are 10lbs) but overall the construction is arguably better, less complicated, and significantly easier to DIY repair if the need arises. AD80s are headed my way in February for a tear down. So expect to see me compare its construction to its lighter siblings as well as Nuobell and Core. Snode is also going to send various parts so I can do a "repair". I hope you'll check in when I publish those.
IMPORTANT: As always, when I create my videos, they are filmed in one take with no edits. It is always possible that I might say something that is incorrect/inaccurate or that I unintentionally leave out important info. You can always find my corrections in the video description or pinned here in the comments. With that in mind, I should clarify what I said at 16:50 and 18:40 in this video. Due to the way the cast iron plates are nested/dovetailed into each other as well as buttressed against an inner iron plate, I believe the type of potential damage I describe at 16:50 is very unlikely. I do not believe a drop would force the telescoping rods inward such that they strip the internal rifling. The plates should/would prevent that from happening. This is definitely something worth verifying in a future drop test if I have the time.
Damage of the type described at 18:40 is realistic, but I suspect that it would require considerable force or repeated drops over time. Again, this is something worth verifying as part of a drop test in the future. Overall, I'm of the opinion that this is a well-built dumbbell that should not fail under ordinary use. I hope that they will introduce an expandable version in the future, perhaps a 30lb base weight with expansion up to 80 or 90lbs.
No worries I got the nuobell really like them so far. But I will check out your video review of the snode
Thank you sir, for making this informational video that is clear and compact. It's almost criminal that the major influencers haven't reviewed SNODE AD series or compared them to the other top tier adjustable dumbbells yet. You are a hero for filling this important gap.
My pleasure, Iserlon. I could be wrong, but I'm guessing that they just aren't yet aware these exist. I didn't know about Snode until a few months ago when a subscriber asked me if I plan to tear one down. So, hopefully you'll see more reviews pop up this year.
Looking forward for the AD80 tear down. I want to watch the tear down first. Can’t wait!!!!
Awesome, me too. That box has been sitting here mocking me for the past few weeks while I work on some of my 2023 product designs. I've been up to my eyeballs. But I will get to it asap for all of you. Thank you for staying tuned!
Yes! I'm waiting, myself..
The quality of your content is crazy high.
Plaese maintain your style, youtube is truly laking these type of reviews... most reviews feels like commercials or surface level "i feel"...
this video reminded me of the crazy good AvE vitamix review.
Thank you very much for your kind words Nicolo. I'm glad you like the way I've been making these videos. No frills for sure. I don't know how all these content creators find the time to shoot from several angles, script it, edit, intros, outros, drone footage...I just don't have the time for any of it. I admire that they can pull it off, but it's just not for me.
I'm way further behind on new content than I thought I'd be by March, but I do have a Core tear down, a Nuobell tear down part 2, and a Snode AD80 tear down in the pipeline. I hope to drop the first of the videos before the end of the month, time-permitting. I hope you'll stay tuned! Cheers, Joe
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC
perfect, btw have you got any other interest apart from gym stuff that you are considering including in your next videos? like work tools/gear, appliances, cnc or 3d printers?
So I bought the AD80 on black friday after watching your video and a few others, the version I received, my telescopic rod is aluminum, but the adjustment ring and gears inside are still plastic. I asked their customer service, and they said that these are "POM", which is more accurate and the adjustment will be more smoother then metal. I think is quite reasonable. The few times I've used it so far it's been great and I don't think it's going to be a problem with the plastic inside. But we will see. Nice video BTW!
Thank you for taking the time to comment, Yanlin. I plan to do a tear down of the AD80 hopefully before the end of February so that others may see what you're talking about as well. And I plan to do drop test comparisons between at least some of the brands to see how they hold up. The AD80 is out of stock apparently, so the earliest I can get my hands on one is some time in late Feb.
I'm of the mind that the plastics in the design *should* hold up. We'll see. Snode confirmed that they would honor a warranty replacement for damage due to a drop within the first year of ownership. That was nice to hear. And they also mentioned that they'd provide replacement parts. So I've put that to the test and asked them to pretend mine is broken and that I need parts. They agreed to send a couple key parts so I can experience the time it takes to get replacements. I hope to be able to report those results in a follow-up to this video in the near future. Cheers, Joe
I just found a used set of these 50lbs for $150 had to get them. so far I love them, great video keep up the great work.
Damn, that's a sweet deal, John. I mean crazy good. Even with all the dumbbells I already own I wouldn't be able to resist it. LOL. Awesome man. Expect to see a Snode AD80 tear down and part replacement video, a Core dumbbell tear down, and (I hope) a Nuobell assembly/disassembly video over the next two-ish months. And, just so you all don't have to risk your own dumbbells, I'm cooking up a drop test comparison as well once I'm done with all the tear down videos. I hope you'll check back in man and let us know how those are doing for you.
I had to drive 2+ hours to get them but we’ll worth it. Looking forward to future videos.
Great review! Looking forward to Snode part 2! Thanks a lot!
Awesome, thanks for watching Andrew. Supposedly the AD80s are on their way and should arrive late this month. And in the meantime, I'm getting ready to film a Core dumbbell tear down too. Better built, internally, than Nuobell in my opinion, but not without its own fairly significant weakness.
Great video. This along with your Nuobell video certainly shows a strong contrast in built quality as well as a bit of misleading advertising from Snode which I was under the impression was all metal as well after watching their product videos. After looking at both products I think neither may not be a good long term investment and instead getting something more like a core adjustable set might be the way to go, if only for the fact that if it breaks you are only out half as much as either of these choices. Thanks for putting these videos together.
Hi SS, I completely missed this comment from you a few months ago. Sorry about that. I am glad you found it helpful. I did mention the 3D animation video to them and I recommended that they consider rendering it without gears that appear to be metal. Due to the cost, they may not re-do it. We shall see.
I did just post a Core Home Fitness dumbbell tear down a couple days ago, and a Snode AD80 tear down today. They're a bit lengthy but I hope you'll skim them for the highlights when you have some time. Cheers, Joe
Thanks for the tear down. I bought the Snode 80 on Black Friday. Using the Micro Gainz adjustable snap-on plates to go in between the 10lb jumps.
Snode AD80 tear down and comparison coming (hopefully) by late Feb, along with a part repair/replacement video if the parts arrive too. Thanks for letting us all know about using MG plates with these, D. Cheers, Joe
Are you using 2x 2.5lb micro gainz? Do they work alright? I looked at the magnetic end caps but you'd have to remove them before returning to the cradle and that seems to add an unnecessary step.
@@gbmcgeeberson Yes, I'm using the 2.5lb micro gainz adjustable plates on the Snodes. They work just fine for my hands. So I can make the 5lb jumps with my Snodes from 25lbs up to 85lbs.
@@Fathom555 Is there anyway you could measure the width of your hands for me hahaha
Great review Average Joe! This seals the deal. SNODE has a better build quality while also allowing people to fix it themselves, assuming you can fiind the parts.
Thanks man, I'm glad you liked the vid. I will definitely let you all know the moment I find out more about the part situation for 2023. I'd really like to get them to commit to providing the parts through a formal process. Where we can just go online to a "parts" section of their site and order what we need. Preferably with some inventory readily available within days rather than a several week wait from overseas. Stay tuned! Happy Holidays!
Thank you for taking the time to produce this video. I’m thinking of investing in an adjustable dumbbell and want to make sure I make a wise investments. The Snode model look much more durable than the Nuobell. Can’t invest a large amount of money into something that would be difficult to repair/replace.
I'm glad you found it helpful, Chris. Snode definitely has the advantage as far as potential repair-ability for 2 reasons. First, the brand seems hungry to increase its market share. I suspect they'll make parts available one way or another in the years ahead. And second, Snode is ridiculously easy to disassemble/reassemble with just a couple simple tools. There are a couple important reassembly tips that I didn't cover in the video, but I'll go over those in a future video. Cheers, Joe
Thank you so much! This was the breakdown video I was waiting for. I watched this entire video and have to say that you are insanely talented with your hands and with speaking as well. Given the build quality of these as well as the supposed improved quality of the 80's I decided that I would like to purchase the 80's instead of the PowerBlocks. However, now a new problem presented itself. Right when I was going to make the Snode 80's purchase, in the craziest timing ever, I just received an email that the Ironmasters came back in stock and can confirm that they are in stock on their site! What decision do you think I should make between the Ironmasters and the Snodes? The site says they received a lot of inventory, but they will likely sell out within a week.
Sorry about the delayed reply, Josh. I've been up to my eyeballs with work here. I hope you haven't missed out on anything as a result. Snode and Ironmasters are, at their core, a different experience. There are two general types of adjustable dumbbell. The first is a traditional bar with separate plates and collars. And the second is a more complex design with integrated plates and "collars".
The first group includes Ironmaster, Badass, Pepin and others. A traditional experience of lifting, organizing and rearranging plates on or against a separate bar/handle. All of them use some variation of a separate collar or pin to retain the plates. The main difference between these designs and the inexpensive dumbbells found at any department store, is that they don't have a fixed length handle that sticks out at each end beyond the plates and collar. Their widths vary with the weight and their ends tend to be wide and flat. Hypothetically speaking, you could adjust the weight of these dumbbells anywhere, any time without returning the handles to a base.
The second group includes nearly all of the other brands on the market today. The designs are more complex and made up of many more components. They all require the use of a base and some mechanism (e.g. twist grips, dials, slides, pins, etc) in order to change the weight. Most use some percentage of plastic in their designs. Many such as Bowflex, Ativafit, Merax, Flybird, etc have fixed-width handles. Others such as Nuobell and Snode have handle widths that vary with weight. Some of them offer wide/flat ends while others have ends that can be uncomfortable to stage on your thighs before bench exercises.
Powerblock sits at somewhat of an intersection between these two groups. It doesn't need a base to change weight like the second group, but the handle is far from traditional. The sliding pin is attached to the handle by an elastic cord, not integrated into it as a mechanism. Much like the first group, it can be awkward sometimes to change weights on soft surfaces such as a thick rug.
At the end of the day, it really comes down to how you see yourself using these dumbbells. Would you prefer a self-contained dumbbell or one with separate plates and collars that you manually add and remove between sets? One that can expand to very heavy weights well beyond 80lbs, or is 80 plenty for you? These are the sort of questions only you can answer. I don't own Ironmasters, so I have no direct experience with them. I'm not a bar/plate/collar dumbbell kind of guy for no other reasons than speed and personal preference. I hope this was helpful. Happy Holidays!
The SNODE ad is so misleading. The ad (which shows the Snode being taking apart in a well constructed animation that looks real) shows all metal gears and an all metal inner telescoping bar rather than the white plastic. I'm on the fence now whether to get the Snodes. Thanks for the "reveal" video. Super informative!!
Hey DJ, I was definitely more than a little disappointed when I removed the inner cover and it didn't look like what I had recalled from that animated "exploded view" marketing video. Not to say that some plastics can't be incredibly strong and durable. We may discover that the plastics used on these Snodes perform very well over time. Still, I thought I was about to see the first adjustable with mostly metal internals, just because of that video. So it was a bit of a letdown.
One of my subscribers reached out a couple weeks back to confirm that the AD80 telescoping rods appear to be steel, which I was happy to hear especially for Snode's heaviest model. Again, a tough plastic may be plenty. It's just difficult to say at the moment without first conducting some tests.
Other than that, much of the rest of the AD80 was similar to the 28. I plan to do a Part 2 video soon that covers what I learned from him about his AD80 tear down. And I hope to have another conversation with the manufacturer early in 2023 to see if they'll share any sort of product roadmap to give us some idea of what we could expect from them. Until then, Happy Holidays to you and yours!
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC Thanks for this write up. Informative as well! Looking forward to any info on the AD80.
Got a pair of 80lbs Snode Dumbbells. Love them! Hope they last. Your video helped me make an informed decision as to what I was getting with no surprises so thanks! Also, only a slight sag at 80lbs. No sag 70lbs or less. Also got 4 Platemates 2.5lbs for 2.5 to 5lbs increments rather than 10lbs.
@@dammitjim9131 Hiya DJ. Awesome. I hope so too. Glad to hear there's virtually no sage on your pair. By the way, Snode reached out to me with a bunch of answers earlier this week and offered to send parts ( as if I am a customer in need of replacements) so I can experience that part of their process. I'll be doing an AD80 tear down around late February as well and some drop testing. So you'll see another couple Snode-related vids in the near future.
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC It's awesome Snode reaches out to you. It means they are on their toes to make the best product the can given what they think is within reason. Their 1 year warranty is the only thing that concerns me a little. Other than that, the Snodes seem second to none at their price point.
Thanks for the explanation on why the knurling is so passive, TIL. Do you think it's feasible as a manufacturing process to insert a metal rod within the hollow handle, to provide better structural integrity for a deeper knurl?
Hi Gene, I think they'd have to redesign the tube grip to be thicker than it currently is to allow for a deeper knurl. And as you mentioned, they'd need a way to reinforce the tube while it is being knurled.
I believe a solid rod might get crushed/trapped inside the grip. Instead, imagine something along the lines of a pipe expander or bladder that can be enlarged to support the walls of the grip tube during knurling, then deflated/retracted to withdraw from inside the tube.
I should mention that I am just guessing about why the knurling is so passive. It is entirely possible that the design team chose a mild knurl for a completely different reason.
FYI that I contacted Snode support regarding the AD80 telescoping rod and they confirmed that it’s been upgraded to all aluminum and NO plastic.
Thanks James. Snode and a couple of current AD80 owners also confirmed that with me. The outer tube in which the rods rotate is still plastic. But that's not necessarily a bad thing.
Snode AD80 tear down and comparison coming (hopefully) by late Feb, along with a part repair/replacement video if the parts arrive too. I'm also planning a Core dumbbell tear down thanks to another viewer who was nice enough to send me two of his broken Core handles. No timelines yet, but figure within the next several weeks.
I'm toying with the idea of doing a drop test comparison to determine durability/survivability once I get through all the different tear downs. First lets get through these tear downs. Cheers, Joe
Thank you
About halfway through the video, you discuss the potential for the tube & extenders to break due to shearing or force from a cantilever force. At the beginning of the video, however, you show that the tube is only there as a lock because the plates interlock.
Since the tube doesn't really appear to carry much of the load (by design), I wonder how much of the weight is actually carried by the tube when they're in use.
Hiya A.T. In the pinned comment for this video I shared a few more thoughts about what I mentioned in the video. Typically when I film these vids I don't script anything in advance, so you'll always find any sort of corrections/amendments/additional thoughts either in the video description or in a pinned comment.
The dovetails play an interesting role in the design. If I have some time this week I'll post a quick video with a demonstration that I believe will help you understand why the load on the telescoping rods varies with the orientation of the dumbbell. Depending on the orientation, the rods go from carrying the full load to carrying almost no load at all.
Very cool and interesting break down👍 I’ve tried both AD50 and AD80, and the 80 are very nice, thicker handle and more aggressive knurling👌 Using magnetic weights works well with them in regards to fixing the big 10lb increments (just wished they included them in the price 🙂).
Hi Danes. In the time since I published this video, someone reached out to confirm that the AD80 does indeed have metal telescoping rods. He was inspired by my video to tear down his AD80 and went into quite a lot of detail about the differences. I asked him for permission to use that info and I plan to publish a Snode Part 2 soon. I hope you'll check it out.
Thanks for the comprehensive breakdown of the Snodes!
I currently have Iron Masters which I love except for changing weight quickly. Would love to see your input on the Pepin Fast series. How do you think they would hold up durability wise compared to Iron Masters?
Hiya Branden. Gut instinct tells me that both would hold up well thanks to the simplicity of the designs and choice of materials. That's not to suggest that customers should be dropping them or anything like that. I think both would potentially suffer from repeated drops. The screws on the Ironmasters and the slides on the Pepin. But under normal use and in environments that aren't high humidity, I'm willing to bet both could last decades with few, if any, issues.
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Still, I would like to get my hands on both at some point just to see how well they hold up to a little deliberate abuse. If I get that opportunity, I'll share the results here on TH-cam.
Would love to see a a Baadass or Pepin dumbbell teardown
Hi, Hugh. I'd love to get my hands on one or both. But they'd likely be two of the fastest and most boring tear downs you'll ever see. They have very few parts by comparison which also happens to work in their favor as far as durability. What I'd really like to do is drop test them versus other less expensive options. I'm seriously considering crowdsourcing to fund a proper drop test of all the most popular brands to see how they live up to claims/expectations. If I do that later this year, I'll announce it on my website and email notification list.
Cheers,
Joe
Have you any experience with the Core Fitness adjustable DBs?
Hi, Jeremy. I do, I do. I own a pair of Core so I know them well. And as luck would have it, a subscriber was nice enough to send two broken Core dumbbell handles (not the plates, just the handles) to me for a tear down and review. I just finished tearing one down. Mostly very impressed with the internals compared to Nuobell. More about Core, and a look inside, in an upcoming video. Stay tuned!
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC awesome! Look forward to the video
Can you check out "Snode AD80 plate sag" youtube video. It's shows a weird sagging of the plates/bar when picking up. Wondering if yours are like that too or if the guy just got a bad batch.
I just checked it out and left a comment for the person who made the video, Randall. I added it to my list of discussion topics for my next conversation with Snode. Thank you for making me aware of it.
Seems like the sag video has been taking down! I can’t find it anywhere? I just got my ad80s and have the same sag I would say the handle comes up at least a 1/4” before last plate lifts off the cradle
Great job Joe
Thank you, thank you, Jessica. I have a couple Snode follow-up videos planned. An AD80 tear-down (hopefully late Feb), a drop test comparison after that, and a Q&A with information directly from Snode in response to a series of questions I submitted. I hope you'll check back in when those go live.
Thank you for your video Mr Joe! I just bought a pair of ad80s and the telescopic rod is plastic 😢 I'm pretty sure it's the latest edition from the shape of the last plate. Is this normal?
Hi Xi! I wonder if yours are NOS (new old stock) as they cleared out old inventory. Did you buy it directly from Snode? Nancy in customer support mentioned that they switched to the aluminum shafts late last year, and the AD80 that arrived here earlier this year definitely came equipped with aluminum shafts. You can see them in my latest video: th-cam.com/video/pE1ridBICYM/w-d-xo.html.
I sent an email to Nancy this morning to ask if customers with older AD80s can install the new aluminum shafts. I suspect the answer is yes. As soon as she replies, I will let you know. But, as I mention in the video, I don't think they'll be necessary. I won't know for sure until I begin drop testing the dumbbells later this year.
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC thanks so much for your reply!
I live in Canada so I bought it from a retailer who sells them. I've had a lot of trouble with them, so I'll be bringing them back tomorrow. Plates on one side of the dumbells are really loose. th-cam.com/users/shorts7ikJtxtE7A8?feature=share
Maybe not a big deal but it's really bothering me lol. I'll check to see if they have any new stock editions.
@@xilau6280 Hi Xi, thanks for letting me know. What you demonstrated in the video is basically thanks to the +/- tolerances of manufacturing. Cast metals aren't high tolerance (they aren't precision). In extreme cases, when multiple castings are all at the edge of their +/- range, we can get parts that are more tight or loose then average. In your case, it looks like 3 of the stacks were ok, and one was more loose. Did you happen to reach out to Snode to see if they'd replace that stack just to give you something that better matches the rest? Luckily mine are like your other 3 stacks. Thank you for making that video. Let me know if they get your squared away. Cheers, Joe
Super helpful review
Glad you found it helpful, Rodrigo. Snode AD80 tear down and comparison coming (hopefully) by late Feb, along with a part repair/replacement video if the parts arrive too. Stay tuned man!
This is my kind of video. Thanks for doing this. I'm looking for an adjustable dumbell that will last forever. Looks like this isn't it, but it's so close.
Check out Pepin Dumbells Fast Series.
My pleasure. I have a Core dumbbell tear down coming out soon, and a Snode AD80 tear down soon after.
I've not had a chance to check out Pepin's Fast yet, but several subscribers have mentioned them and I hope to include them in testing/tear downs later this year. It's a pretty straightforward design with only two moving parts per dumbbell that I can tell.
Technically speaking, most modern adjustable dumbbells aren't designed for the same amount of abuse that can be endured by rack dumbbells. They're not fastened into a single solid unit the way that rack dumbbells are manufactured. That's understandable, since the intent is adjust-ability.
If I had to take a guess at Pepin Fast's main "weakness" - and I feel like I'm nitpicking here - it may be the asymmetric arrangement of its locking mechanisms. The slides look to be sturdy, but each side of the dumbbell relies entirely on the strength of a single slide when lifted from the base. In this orientation, the slides bear most of the weight. The further out the slides are extended, the easier it may be to accidentally tweak the slide's frame if the dumbbells are dropped.
Only when you flip the dumbbells upside down will the interlocking plate dovetails bear pretty much the entire load. At that point the slide is basically unloaded, with the innermost plates responsible for holding as much as 50lbs each hanging off their dovetails. Looking (in the videos) at the bolts that they use to secure their dovetails to the plates, they *could* hold much more than 50lbs without breaking a sweat.
If Pepin Fast's are cared for and never dropped, I cannot imagine them ever having issues. And the advertised lifetime warranty is a bonus. I suspect they don't plan on having many warranty claims. I'm looking forward to testing one at some point.
is it possible to flip the number ring? i would like to see the numbers while picking up and pressing the dumbells, the way its set up now the numbers are under your wrists when picking up, you cant see the weight your pushing.
Great question, David. Off the cuff, I believe the answer is no. We'd need to flip all of the internal gearing in order to sync the rotation of the ring numbers with extension/retraction. When the AD80 arrives and I have them both apart, I'll confirm this for everyone. Thanks for posing the question.
I bought a pair of Snode AD85s (europe version i think), and as you mentioned the telescopic rod on yours are the same on atleast the 85s, but would be weird if it also isnt on the 80s. Some form of nylon covered cast iron rod. Bit dissapointing when it specifically stated a full cast iron telescopic rod, but dont think it will ever be an issue
Very interesting, Mads. Especially given recent information I received from someone who was inspired to take apart his AD80 after seeing my video. I can confirm that the AD80 has what appear to be solid steel rods. The inner tube/sleeve that houses the rods still appears to be plastic. After seeing his photos, I decided that I would make a quick Snode Teardown Part II video with some additional information about that AD80. I hope to do that within the next several days. Strange that the AD85 does not share the 80's steel telescoping rod. I'd love to find out the reasoning behind that too.
My gut on this one tells me that these Snodes should hold up well over time. Still, I plan to have a follow up conversation with the company rep to see if I can get a firm commitment to support consumers with readily available replacement parts. If they commit to that (or it's already in the works anyway), it seems this will be another solid dumbbell option for home users.
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC Looking forward to the video! But a different thing on the dumbbells im noticing, is they have quite alot of bend when using heavy weight, like the plates on the end are almost sagging in a way. Other videoes showing the dumbbells appear to have the same thing. The thing is, its not just give from the plates not being completely tight. Since, when u look through the telescoping rod while lifting it you can tell thats its the rod itself bending under the weight. I have no idea if its part of the drop proof design or just that the rod itself isnt designed to completely hold the weight of the dumbbell. Interested in your thoughts on this :)
@@madsschmidt04 well that’s concerning… 😅
@@BrandonSchwartz1 Yeah, but another strange thing is if you roll the dumbbells so theyre upside down and lift them theres no visible bending/sagging at all, so i have no idea what part of the design that makes it happen. I assume it isnt the actual rods bending tho but more it moving and sitting a little bit loose inside the handle somehow. Apart from these strange things about them, they do work really quite well, and i dont have any fear of dropping them a little
There website shows an aluminum inner rod AD 80. I don't know if the other tube is nylon.
Edit for spelling
Hi John. I just finished filming the AD80 teardown and plan to publish it by or before tomorrow night. The inner roads are solid aluminum, but still in a nylon outer sleeve which I believe is ok for the application.
I got a pair of these (the 80lbs model) and on one of them I had this problem where the little locking button doesn't pop back up to locking position after rotating the adjustment ring to a different weight. The weight still won't come off ofcourse unless you accidentally turn the adjustment ring (which the locking button is supposed to prevent while lifted out of the base), but is there a good way to fix that problem?
Hi James, great question. I know my answer will not help you today, but AD80s are on their way to me and arriving later this month. I plan to tear one down and compare it to the AD28. I've seen internal photos and they look similar but not identical. The button portion is a very simple mechanism. I wonder on yours if there is some sort of deformation of the pin or spring such that it may be binding inside the recess. That could be a very simple fix. It might be worth opening it up and taking a look at it. If you don't feel comfortable doing that, I understand. When I make my AD80 video I'll pay some attention to that pin and take a closer look at potential issues with it.
Suggestion for reinstalling the small gears: put them on the screw and thread the screw in slightly, then the gear should line up perfectly.
Absolutely agree there. By the way, in the AD80 teardown that I just completed, I discovered that they did away with those screws entirely. Now they use small nylon shafts. I plan to publish the AD80 teardown by or before tomorrow night. I hope you'll have time to check it out.
Hey Joe, I know Nuo bells stand is sold seperately. On the website for these, I couldn’t seem to find if these came with the stand or atleast just with the cradle?
Hi Javier, Snodes have their own cradles. The cradle/base is necessary for the operation of the dumbbell. It's the only way to change weight.
They do advertise a stand, but I don't think it is shipping until some time in 2023. It appears to be cast iron too which would set it apart from most other stands:
www.snodesport.com/products/adjustable-dumbbell-iron-flexbell-stand
Is there a way that these gears could be 3D printed? Seems like an ideal solution.
Absolutely. I think it's totally doable. The gears aren't under any significant loads. You could even mess around with tooth count and gear diameters. Heck, you could design your own adjustment ring too. It doesn't need to be ribbed like the OEM ring. It's a great little project. I haven't had time to mess around with it, but if I do I'll definitely let you all know.
Hey Joe!
I stumbled upon your work while looking for adjustable dumbbells cause I had some concern with the plastic discs of the bowflex that I want to buy. I am living in Germany and was wondering If it would be possible to get the disc kit shipped here?
Hi Marv, and greetings from across the Atlantic. I've shipped quite a few kits to Germany and the rest of Europe. If you email your shipping address to me at joe@averagejoeinnovations.com I can quote precise shipping options and fees for you. Cheers
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC I would love to know how much extra cost I have to expect. I will send you an email!
Thank you very much for this really fast reply!
Stay safe!
Can you tell me how you get ahold of Snode? I have emailed both the info and support emails several times and also tried the chat function three times. I am on the fence about these and just want to ask about the sagging, metal versus plastic construction, etc.
Thanks in advance.
Hi SM, I would give them at least several days to get back to you. Chinese New Year/Spring Festival began earlier this month and the sole person with whom I have spoken (goes by the name Nancy) handles all inquiries made through chat and email. She's likely on holiday through at least the end of the month. Some of these factories shut down 2-4 weeks and support goes dormant until they return. One of the things I've mentioned to her is establishing some Stateside support.
I'm currently waiting for them to ship an AD80 and some test parts to me when they return from holiday.
Based on my AD28 tear down, and the results from a couple of viewers who have since taken apart their AD80s to look inside, I can pretty accurately answer your metal v plastic questions. I'm also planning an AD80 tear down video once it arrives. That sagging effect does not appear to be an issue on every handle, and it's currently unclear if that has any impact on performance beyond the aesthetics.
Later this year I hope to conduct some actual real world drop tests to see how some of these brands hold up under the higher forces. Keeping in mind that they pretty much all universally recommend that we not drop their dumbbells.
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC is there a way I could speak with you?
@@sm4749 sure thing. Hit me up at joe@averagejoeinnovations.com and we can arrange a call or answer questions by email.
These seem to be much better built than Nuobells, from the bases to the ease of repair. Shame they only have 10 pound increments and may not be able to provide replacement parts. Powerblock and Ironmaster have their flaws but they are still the undisputed leaders if you want your expensive dumbbells to last for decades.
They're definitely a solid new contender with room for improvement. The challenge with the design in its current form is that the increments can only ever be fixed in sequence. Meaning they would have to alternate thick and thin plates in sequence on the base in order to provide smaller increments.
In contrast, Core and Nuobell get around this limitation by picking up their half size inner plates on every other click of the weight setting. That, in turn, adds a lot to the complexity of the internal components of their designs. So what you gain in convenience, you lose with increased complexity and potential points of failure.
Following my conversation with the rep from Snode, I feel fairly confident they'd find a way to accommodate providing parts to customers. It's just unproven at the moment since they aren't far enough along the adoption curve for it to become an issue yet.
Oftentimes it is difficult to beat simplicity. Brands like Powerblock and Ironmaster may not have the most appealing form factors or the fastest mechanisms for weight change, but they do have the fewest moving parts that rely on simple mechanical principles. Still, like so many things in life, they lack universal appeal.
@@AverageJoeInnovationsLLC I guess when I think about it, using magnetic plates for the five pound increments is not any more cumbersome than Powerblock adder weights. I do wish these were hex or at least had a flat bottom. Makes them more useful for floor exercises and also keeps them in the upright orientation that they need to be in to put them back in the cradles.
The ad80 shaft is the same as the one shown here
Oh man, Eric, thanks for the info. The plot thickens. So you have an AD80 pair with plastic telescoping rods? And someone else has a pair with metal telescoping rods (they emailed photos to me). I've already emailed the Snode rep a list of follow-up questions. I'll inquire about this new discrepancy as well once I hear from them. Thanks for letting me know.
Mine is like 2 shell , inside is metal like 1/16 wall and the outside is white nylon
@@ericbrideau8142 Yep, so your earlier observation is correct. Yours are like the ones on my AD28. Whereas another AD80 owner has solid metal rods. As soon as I hear from Snode I plan to make a part 2 video with additional information. I'm hoping they can clarify this new revelation for us.
It’s not all metal
@@ericbrideau8142 Yours and mine aren't. But it appears that some unknown percentage of AD80 telescoping rods are all-metal, unlike ours. I only know this because someone who watched my video decided to disassemble his AD80s to see for himself. He then sent detailed photos of all of the differences (including the all-metal rods). I'll cover all of the differences in a follow up video after I hear from Snode.
Those locking springs look like they could fatigue over time and fail to work as designed.
Although it's entirely possible, I find that the springs in adjustable dumbbells (that I own) aren't taxed in any significant way. For example, I own several pairs of Bowflex SelectTech dumbbells. A few well over a decade old. Each pair requires 12 springs and I haven't had a failure due to a spring. Worst case, the springs in the Snode, like the springs in my SelectTech and Core dumbbells, are easily replaced with something similar enough found at a local hardware store. The key is that they're easily accessed so they can be easily replaced.
So which is better lol
Given a choice between only Snode and Nuobell, my preference today would be the Snode AD80 (preferably on sale). At Snode's current price one pair costs about $1k. I think for many people that may be a bit hard to swallow. Even Nuobell's $750 price tag may sting. Technically, there are a number of decent alternatives well below the price of both Snode and Nuobell.
Based entirely off of my teardowns, and not on long-term use of either pair, I believe Snodes will outlast the current generation of Nuobell with long-term reliability, durability and most of all, DIY repair-ability. But take all of that with a grain of salt since it's purely an educated guess and not backed by any hard data.
So my opinion comes loaded with caveats. Will Snode make it easy to obtain parts if ever they're needed? Will those parts be affordable? Will Nuobell eventually fix the cam follower issue? Will either brand ever introduce expandable models? Etc, etc.
Nuobell or snode
Hiya Matt, I'm not sure if we exchanged emails about this already. I can't recall. I figured I'd answer this just in case. At the moment, Snode would have my vote. It's not without drawbacks (the increments are 10lbs) but overall the construction is arguably better, less complicated, and significantly easier to DIY repair if the need arises. AD80s are headed my way in February for a tear down. So expect to see me compare its construction to its lighter siblings as well as Nuobell and Core. Snode is also going to send various parts so I can do a "repair". I hope you'll check in when I publish those.