Wood V's Metal Rings

I am just in the process of getting started and setting up a home gym, and would like to know what peoples thoughts are on the pro's and con's of wood v metal rings?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks, Ads

Support Coach and buy his rings, IMO!!!

trianglechoke7 said:

Support Coach and buy his rings, IMO!!!

Same here, i bought a pair even though i had the 'other' brand already. Being an ex-engineer, i can attest to the fact that are built to last forever, and they feel good.

Cheers .... are the Coach's plastic??

Adsy said:

Cheers .... are the Coach's plastic??

Yes with a fairly bury texture for grip and holding chalk. They feel really solid.

There actually some sort of composite. The texture is really nice and mine kept chalk well until I let my friend borrow him at his box and there wasn't any chalk on them anymore. With my guys and I using them, they typically always have chalk in texture.

Besides the texture for whatever reason is much better than any of the other composite rings texture. From the cheapo chinese ebay rings toward the other companies. Well, I haven't tried the Agatsu but they are in Canada.

Blairbob said:

There actually some sort of composite.

high impact polycarbonate resin = the same stuff they use to make bullet proof glass!

Way back i was on a project where we used the same stuff to make the worlds first plastic pool light. Another application where failure could potentially mean death. We did months of extensive testing to insure it wouldn't break even with exposure to pool chemicals and sunlight.

Its an amazing material.

Appreciate the response.... Thanks

Any wooden ones I have seen cost a fortune.

I was under the same impression, but i found this..

Sorry Coach.....

Thread edited. I know about these, but well it is a competitor's product on a forum provided by a website that sells rings already.

Fair enough....

I have PVC rings with a metal chain run through them which I wrapped with athletic tape, they work just fine!

They aren't completely circles, more like ovals, but oh well. That's just me and my need to build something cheap rather than buy a better version

my gym has old wooden rings, and they are good although they are opening a bit, but i think you should go to coach rings as i found no reason to go to a expensive wooden rings. I personally have another rings (not the ones of coach because i bought theme before this forum was created), and a friend forum member have Xtreme ones, and now i would go without hesitate to coach ones because they feel really more solid and still light if you take them with you.

There is something to be said that they should be able to stand all the elements if need be.

Wood and metal don't fair this way as much in this regard. Steel should be just about fine in most regards except temperature due to heat or cold. I doubt most will rust and that can be dealt with by steel composition or treatment.

Wood however will expand or contract and won't take water well. They are great if you are inside.

Athletic tape over pvc is ok, but I need to try them for muscle-ups since I've yet to.

I was leaning towards the wood, but there are some very valid points that have been said.. that being of the weight for the transport and that of the elements...

Looks like the PVC or the plastic composite will be the way to go, for my purpose anyway!

Rings that are too light feel funny.

With the composites, they shouldn't really break-ever. I have seen older models of fitness rings by other manufacturers break. Those weren't the composite material that the GB rings use. Something else. Sometimes they will break, when hitting the ground from a height.

Over on the CF forum, someone noted if you use wood rings, you might want to treat them with a wood oil. Makes sense as we used to oil are staffs.

For my pvc rings, I used chain. Gives them some weight. I didn't try it with rope, though I've heard of people using that.

Wood or composite rings seem to weigh about the same.

I will note, when taken to an airport, they searched my bags because the x-ray gave them a weird image. They asked me, "what are these circular objects".

Another point is steel rings may be more useful if you happen to need an improvised self defense tool. I was on public transport one time, and it came to mind as there was an altercation.

On using the chain, was there any trouble with "kinking" the chain ie. with the chain twisting when carring out muscle ups etc?

Blairbob said:

Another point is steel rings may be more useful if you happen to need an improvised self defense tool. I was on public transport one time, and it came to mind as there was an altercation.

LOL! See, that's why I keep a few heavy spring clips on my keychain. You never know when a high-speed steel object will help you.

Adsy, I've had the chain pinch my skin on the forearm or arm if they touch. Not particularly pleasant. It doesn't bother me, but I imagine it would bother children and other people training on them.