A lot of folks are confused about which bumper weights are good and which ones are bad. Here's the deal - Bumper weights have two essential components to them. 1) The insert - In the past and still present some manufacturers use brass which is a very soft alloy. These will bend and break overtime so I would never buy a bumper plate with brass inserts. Now days most if not all manufacturers will use STAINLESS STEEL if the buyer (me in this case) requires them to. 2) Rubber Material - You have two types of rubber being used for bumper plates. The soft type which bounce high such as HI-TEMP, Crumb Rubber, and Endurance bumpers are made from a recycled rubber and will always have a rough look to them. These are the most durable bumpers on the market and they will continue to have the same rough look through their life. You want to use these outside or in places where you don't have a mat under the lifter. The other type of rubber is a solid hard rubber which have very little to no bounce. These will give you a solid thud sound when dropped. While the finish is much cleaner on these type bumpers, they will scuff up with time. These solid rubber shiny type of bumpers will not last as long as recycled rubber type.
Your decision should come down to product price, shipping price, and most importantly - WARRANTY. Obviously if you live near one of the suppliers and you can pickup you will save a ton of money. Warranty is probably the most important aspect in purchasing bumpers. Some will only warranty for 6 months or less. Others will do a one year on the 25's, 35's, and 45's and only 90 days on the 10's and 15's.