Hex Dumbbells UK (2026): Rubber, Urethane or Neoprene?

Hex dumbbells are dumbbells with six-sided heads, and the shape has one job: the dumbbell stays where you put it. That makes them the right choice for any home gym, PT studio or class floor where weights go down on the floor mid-set, from renegade rows to push-ups on the handles.

The short answer: buy rubber hex if you want the best value per kilo, urethane hex if you want individual pairs or a coating that resists oil and hard cleaning, and neoprene hex for light, colour-coded class work. At Pro Gym Essentials, the JORDAN Hex Rubber Dumbbell Set costs £825 for 10 pairs from 2.5kg to 25kg, urethane hex pairs start at £13, and neoprene studio pairs start at £4.

What are hex dumbbells and why are they hexagonal?

A hex dumbbell is a fixed-weight dumbbell whose two heads are six-sided rather than round. The flat faces mean it settles on the floor instead of rolling, which is the whole reason the format exists.

That matters most for exercises where the dumbbell is part of your base. Renegade rows, push-ups on the handles, devil presses and dumbbell burpees all load the dumbbell while it sits on the floor. A round head can roll out from under your hand; a hex head stays put.

The flat faces help on a busy floor too. A hex dumbbell put down between sets does not drift under a rack or into a walkway, and the heads stack and store flat on trays.

JORDAN Hex Rubber Dumbbell Set£825 – £3,150View product →JORDAN HEX Dumbbells - Urethane£13 – £2,084View product →

Are hex dumbbells better than round dumbbells?

Neither shape is better for lifting. A 20kg hex dumbbell and a 20kg round dumbbell load your muscles the same way; the difference is what happens when the weight is not in your hand.

Choose round if the dumbbells live on a rack and go from rack to hand to rack, or if you need pairs above 50kg. Choose hex for everything that touches the floor. Our guide to choosing a dumbbell set that lasts compares every format, including chrome.

Rubber, urethane or neoprene: which hex dumbbell coating should you buy?

The coating decides price, feel and how the dumbbell copes with drops and cleaning. PGE sells all three in hex form from JORDAN.

Rubber hex is the workhorse. The JORDAN set uses virgin rubber over the heads with contoured hard-chromed handles, and it is the cheapest way to buy a full range.

Urethane hex costs more but resists oil and grease, so it suits a zone beside machines or a floor that is cleaned hard. It is also the only hex range here sold as individual pairs from 1kg to 30kg.

Neoprene hex is for classes. The colour-coding lets members grab the right pair mid-circuit without reading a number, and the full sets ship with a steel rack.

JORDAN Neoprene Studio Hex Dumbbells & Sets£4 – £1,938View product →All DumbbellsFrom £4View range →

Which hex dumbbell set gives the best value?

On cost per kilo, rubber wins at every size. Each JORDAN Hex Rubber set works out at £3.00 per kilo, so the decision is only about how heavy you need to go.

Total weight counts both dumbbells in every pair. Like-for-like, the urethane 2.5–25kg set costs £652 more than the rubber equivalent; that premium buys oil resistance and a different finish, not more weight.

The 2.5–25kg rubber set covers most home and PT training. The 2.5–30kg set adds the two heavier pairs that stronger lifters reach for on rows and lunges, and the 2.5–50kg set belongs on a commercial floor where the heavy end will be used.

What weight hex dumbbell set do you need?

Enough range to work every major muscle group to near-failure in 8–12 reps. The NHS strength guidance recommends 8 to 12 repetitions per set, at least 2 sets, working to the point where another rep would be hard without help.

That is why a set beats a single pair. Your legs and back need much heavier dumbbells than your shoulders and arms, so one pair is too heavy for some exercises and too light for others.

• Beginners and general fitness: a 1–10kg urethane set (£708) or a handful of individual pairs.
• Most home lifters: the 2.5–25kg rubber set (£825) covers pressing, rowing, squatting and lunging.
• Stronger lifters: the 2.5–30kg rubber set (£1,170) leaves room to progress for longer.
• Commercial free-weight areas: the 2.5–50kg rubber set (£3,150).

For starting weights by exercise, see our guide on how heavy your dumbbells should be.

How often should you train with dumbbells?

At least twice a week. The UK Chief Medical Officers' physical activity guidelines say adults should do muscle-strengthening activities on at least 2 days a week, alongside at least 150 minutes of moderate activity.

Most adults fall short. In a 2022 PLOS ONE study of 253,423 English adults, Sandercock, Moran and Cohen found that just 7.3% of men and 4.1% of women met the strengthening recommendations by the guideline definition.

A hex dumbbell set at home removes the usual barriers of travel and waiting for kit. For a programme to follow, our functional training equipment guide shows where dumbbells fit alongside kettlebells and slam balls.

How should you store a hex dumbbell set?

On flat trays or shelves. Saddle racks are shaped to cradle round heads, so a hex head sits on two edges instead of a flat face: it rocks when knocked, can slide out under vibration and wears the coating at the corners.

The JORDAN 12 Pair, 3 Tier Hex Dumbbell Rack with Trays (£552) is built for hex heads and has space for 12 pairs. The neoprene studio sets include their own rack.

Our dumbbell rack and gym storage guide covers vertical racks for tighter rooms.

JORDAN 12 Pair, 3 Tier Hex Dumbbell Rack with Trays£552View product →Dumbbell StorageFrom £330View range →

Is hex the right shape for a commercial gym or PT studio?

Yes, especially on functional and class floors, where dumbbells go down mid-set and a rolling weight is a trip hazard. Round dumbbells still suit a rack-based free-weight area where heavy pairs above 50kg are needed.

When specifying for a facility, ISO 20957-1:2024 is the useful reference: it separates equipment for domestic use (class H) from equipment for training areas in clubs, studios, schools and hotels. For a full fit-out, see our commercial gym equipment list, and our Jordan dumbbells guide compares the full JORDAN range.

How are hex dumbbell sets delivered?

Free UK delivery on every hex dumbbell set and on the hex rack. Orders are dispatched within 5 working days, with tracking emailed within 24 hours of dispatch, and delivered across UK mainland by our delivery partners.

Individual urethane and neoprene pairs are £20 to deliver on orders below £250, and free on orders of £250 or more, so ordering the pairs you need together usually clears the threshold.

Frequently asked questions

Why are some dumbbells hexagonal? So they do not roll. The six flat faces let the dumbbell sit still on the floor, which keeps a training area safer and makes floor-based exercises such as renegade rows and push-ups on the handles possible. The shape does not change how the weight feels when you lift it.

Can you buy single pairs rather than a set? Yes, in two ranges. JORDAN HEX Dumbbells - Urethane are sold as pairs from 1kg (£13) to 30kg (£329), and JORDAN Neoprene Studio Hex pairs run from 0.5kg (£4) to 10kg (£88). The JORDAN Hex Rubber range is sold as complete sets only.

What is the heaviest hex dumbbell Pro Gym Essentials sells? 50kg, in the JORDAN Hex Rubber 2.5–50kg set of 20 pairs (£3,150). Urethane hex pairs go to 30kg. If you need heavier single dumbbells, round JORDAN Urethane dumbbells go to 75kg.

Will hex dumbbells damage my floor? Rubber, urethane and neoprene coatings all protect the floor better than bare iron. On a home floor, lay rubber gym flooring in the lifting area anyway; it protects the subfloor and the dumbbells and cuts noise.

Is a rubber or urethane hex dumbbell set better value? Rubber, on price. Every JORDAN Hex Rubber set costs £3.00 per kilo, against about £5.34–£5.37 per kilo for the 2.5–25kg and 2.5–30kg urethane sets. Urethane is worth the extra where oil and grease resistance matters, or where you want to buy pairs individually.

Can a hex dumbbell go on a normal saddle rack? They are better on flat trays. Saddle racks are shaped for round heads, so hex heads rest on two edges, rock when knocked and wear at the corners. The JORDAN 12 Pair, 3 Tier Hex Dumbbell Rack with Trays (£552) is designed for them.

Pro Gym Essentials — premium home and commercial gym equipment, delivered across UK mainland. Prices taken from our live product pages, 26 October 2026; training guidance checked against the NHS and UK Chief Medical Officers' guidelines, 26 October 2026.