Escape Fitness STAKRBELLS

The first thing that caught my eye with the Escape Fitness STAKRBELLS was their unique, ultra-compact design, they almost look like they’ve been run over by a steamroller. Since I don’t have room for a full dumbbell rack, something modular and easy to store was essential. More importantly, I needed something I could tuck away from my toddler, the last thing I need is to make her stronger! A great feature is that the STAKRBELLS fit neatly into the Escape Deck 2.0 storage space without needing to disassemble them, which is a huge space and time saver.

When lifting with these, they feel solid, and the contoured handle offers a comfortable grip. They work well for standard exercises like presses, curls, and rows, though the shape took a little getting used to. That said, some movements actually felt more efficient, hammer curls, for example, it was easier to keep the weight close to my body without my boobs getting in the way.

The set includes two 2kg plates and two 3kg plates, allowing you to stack them for weights ranging from 2kg to 10kg. In theory, this is great, but in practice, wrapping my hands around all four stacked together wasn’t easy, even three plates didn’t feel particularly secure. They attach via small pins, making it super easy to adjust the weight. However, I’d love to see a locking mechanism because at certain angles, they can shift, making me a bit cautious about overhead lifts.

The space-saving design is the biggest win for me, I love that I can store them without cluttering my workout area. However, if you lift heavy, the weight range might be limiting, and the handle size becomes awkward at higher weights. While they won’t replace my traditional dumbbells, they’re great for dynamic movements and lighter sets. If they had a more secure locking system, they’d be a near-perfect solution for compact strength training. RRP £99

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