The 8 Finest Bumper Plates for Dwelling Gyms (2023)

Excessive-quality bumper plates are perfect for house gyms as a result of they’re versatile, much less more likely to harm your flooring, and quieter than forged iron plates. You possibly can’t drop steel weight plates, however you may drop bumper plates as a result of their rubber coverings take in shock. Bumper plates are dearer than most forged iron and metal plates since they’ve additional supplies and bear an extended manufacturing course of. Nevertheless, the advantages of bumper plates for house health club house owners usually outweigh the upper value.

Bumper plates are available numerous types and can be found in a variety of value factors. If you happen to really feel overwhelmed with all the choices, don’t fret — we used our expertise with completely different bumper plates and relied on the enter of our buddies within the health neighborhood to create a listing of the eight greatest bumper plates. Whether or not you’re a aggressive weightlifter otherwise you raise weights to remain sturdy and wholesome, you’ll find an possibility beneath that works for you.

Our High Picks for the Finest Bumper Plates

Finest Bumper Plates General: REP Health Black Bumper Plates

Professionals

• Should purchase them as pairs or in units of 160 to 340 kilos
• White numbers assist you to establish the weights simply
• Molded hooks on the metal inserts for enhanced sturdiness
• Examined to resist 12,000 drops from eight ft excessive

Cons

The REP Health Black Bumper Plates win our award for one of the best bumper plates general because of their high-quality construct, correct weights, and powerful efficiency.

They boast high-density rubber that ought to appear like new even after years of use. REP has examined the plates by dropping them 12,000 occasions from an eight-foot top. If they’ll face up to that a lot abuse, they’ll simply tolerate storage health club utilization.

The rubber has a matte end to assist make them simpler to grip in case your fingers are sweaty or moisture from humidity in your storage accumulates on them. Yet one more spectacular characteristic is the hooks on the metal inserts, which mildew into the plates to assist forestall them from popping off. REP hasn’t disclosed the plates’ Shore A Durometer score (how bouncy they’re) however claims they’ve a minimal bounce.

What’s particularly noteworthy is that the 10-pound plates are one inch thick in comparison with different 10-pound bumper plates which might be solely 0.8 inches thick. Most manufacturers advocate not dropping barbells loaded with solely 10-pound plates as a result of the plates can simply bend or crack. However because the REP Health 10-pound black bumper plates are thicker than most, you may drop them from overhead.

REP’s black bumper plates may be pricier than different manufacturers, particularly if you happen to purchase them in pairs as an alternative of a set. Nevertheless, as of this writing, REP gives free transport on all orders, which helps offset the upper value of the plates.

I haven’t personally used these weight plates, however they’re common amongst the neighborhood of Avenue Parking, the web useful health programming I observe. Avenue Parking members reward the plates’ sturdiness and converse extremely of REP’s customer support workforce. If you happen to’re available in the market for top-notch bumper plates that can final for years and don’t value an arm and a leg, the REP Health Black Bumper Plates might be for you.

RELATED: Best Barbells for Powerlifting, CrossFit, Olympic Weightlifting, and More

Finest Funds Bumper Plates: Titan Health Economic system Black Bumper Plates

Professionals

• Raised plate lip makes it simple to load and unload your barbell
• White lettering and pound markings for fast weight identification
• Should purchase them as pairs or singles or in units

Cons

• Increased weight tolerance
• Could also be coated in oil once you first get them

As I’ll focus on beneath, bumper plates have many advantages. What’s not all the time so nice about them is the value. As a result of there’s a lot additional materials, they value greater than forged iron plates. If you happen to’ve been looking for an inexpensive set of bumper plates so you may put more cash in direction of different high-quality home gym equipment, the Titan Health Economic system Bumper Plates would be the answer.

As of this writing, they value anyplace from $1.87 to $2.50 per pound. This value level is way decrease than different manufacturers, whose plates begin at round $4.00 per pound. Like extra premium bumper plates, the Titan Health Economic system Bumper Plates characteristic dense rubber and stainless-steel inserts. Many low-cost bumper plates have aluminum or brass inserts, which are inclined to pop off extra simply. It’s good to see that Titan managed to discover a stability between sturdiness and affordability.

Titan hasn’t supplied the durometer score for the Economic system Bumper Plates however states they’ve a medium bounce. This could assist put your thoughts comfy if you happen to don’t need your weights rebounding too excessive once you drop them.

The plates have a weight tolerance of three %, that means that every one has to weigh inside three % of the listed weight. For house health club house owners who practice for general well being and wellness, this isn’t a giant deal. Nevertheless, aggressive athletes preferring to be exact when monitoring their lifts could wish to think about another choice.

One other factor to notice is that the plates could arrive coated in a layer of grease. Producers generally coat their plates in oil throughout building, and the oil stays when the plates are packaged and shipped. In case your bumper plates arrive this fashion, you may wipe them with a rag and dish cleaning soap to take away among the grease.

Finest Bumper Plates for CrossFit: Rogue Health Echo Bumper Plates

Professionals

• Black and white distinction offers them a chic look
• Extra inexpensive than numerous different Rogue Health tools
• Accredited to be used for the Military Fight Health Take a look at (ACFT)
• Three-year guarantee on the 25- to 45-pound plates

Cons

• Can’t drop the 10-pound plates when used on their very own
• Can’t load the barbell with very heavy weight because of their thickness

I’ve been a member of a few completely different CrossFit packing containers, considered one of which used the Echo Bumper Plates, so I can attest to their high quality and talent to resist day by day, heavy use. Whether or not I used to be doing the Olympic lifts (the snatch and clean and jerk), the powerlifts (squats, deadlifts, and bench presses), or different widespread CrossFit actions like thrusters, they carried out properly. 

The raised lip permits for straightforward loading and unloading of the barbell, which is useful in CrossFit, the place you might have to vary weights shortly in the midst of a exercise. The plates additionally look aesthetically pleasing with the distinction of white lettering in opposition to the black rubber.

The Echo plates can be found in pairs of 10, 15, 25, 35, and 45 kilos, in addition to units of 160, 230, and 260 kilos. Their thickness ranges from 0.83 inches for the 10-pound plates to 2.4 inches for the 45-pound plates. Whereas the 45-pound plates are thinner than many different bumper plates available on the market, you may nonetheless solely match 4 to 5 of them on a barbell, relying on the sleeve size. These plates is probably not appropriate for tremendous heavy powerlifting exercises because the max weight you may load is lower than 500 kilos.

With a Shore A Durometer score of 88, these Rogue Health plates have a medium to low bounce. Nevertheless, because of their thinner diameter, you may’t drop a barbell loaded with solely 10-pound plates. Doing so might trigger the plates to crack or bend.

Rogue Health tools tends to be costly, however the Echo Bumper Plates are one of many model’s extra budget-friendly objects. The inexpensive value is a gorgeous characteristic for CrossFitters who wish to construct a house health club with out breaking the financial institution.

RELATED: Best Kettlebells for CrossFit, Beginners, and More

Finest Competitors Bumper Plates: Rogue Health KG Competitors Plates (IWF)

Professionals

• Vibrant colours
• Manufactured to Worldwide Weightlifting Federation (IWF) requirements
• Lifeless bounce
• Thinner than coaching bumper plates, so you may match extra weight on the bar
• Rubber flanges across the inserts shield the remainder of the plates from extra put on and tear

Cons

For aggressive Olympic weightlifters who could wish to practice with the identical tools utilized in weightlifting meets, the Rogue Health Competitors Bumper Plates are a stable selection. Their shiny colours conform to the worldwide color-coding system for weight plates. They’ve a 50.4-millimeter collar opening, so that they’ll match on any Olympic barbell and preserve their maintain on the sleeves — you gained’t have to fret about them sliding off if you happen to want to not use collars.

They boast a disc insert coated with onerous chrome that’s unlikely to pop off, even after lots of of drops. Rubber flanges encompass the inserts to stop metal-on-metal contact when the plates are loaded on a barbell or saved on a rack. The flanges additionally assist shield the inserts and raised lettering on the plates from scuffs and different harm. You possibly can relaxation assured that these plates will appear like new for a very long time.

They’re thinner than coaching plates, which permits elite lifters to suit extra plates on the barbell. They’ve a Shore A Durometer score of 94, that means the rubber is more durable and gives a lifeless bounce, so the barbell gained’t roll away from you or rebound excessive once you drop it. The low bounce additionally reduces friction and helps forestall the plate inserts from coming free.

Like all competitors bumper plates, these Olympic bumper plates are costly. They bear stricter manufacturing requirements to make sure they conform to IWF requirements. Plus, they’ve a 15-gram weight tolerance, that means they’re fairly darn near the said weights. That focus to element is nice for lifters who wish to be as exact as attainable with their weights when coaching, but it surely requires a better price ticket.

Nonetheless, if you would like a set of competitors bumper plates that may deal with frequent drops and high-volume coaching, you may’t go fallacious with these Rogue bumper plates.

Finest Urethane Bumper Plates: Titan Health Urethane Bumpers

Professionals

• Vivid colours with contrasting grey numbers
• Thinner than commonplace bumper plates to assist you to match extra plates on the barbell
• Textured floor and raised lip make them simple to hold round

Cons

• No 15-pound plate obtainable
• 10-pound plate is shorter than the heavier ones

Urethane is a sturdy sort of rubber recognized for its capability to resist publicity to climate and never crack when used on tough surfaces. Urethane bumper plates like those from Titan Health are a stable selection if you happen to practice exterior or work out with different individuals actually because they’ll deal with almost something you place them by.

One other benefit is that if you happen to get coloured urethane bumper plates, the colours ought to stay vibrant for years. Plus, the plates have a lifeless bounce since urethane is a more durable rubber. A minimal bounce will put much less put on and tear on the plates’ inserts, and the weights will make much less noise once you drop your barbell.

Many corporations promote urethane plates, together with common manufacturers like Rogue Health and American Barbell. Nevertheless, they get them from the identical few producers. The manufacturers then slap their logos on them and promote them at numerous costs. No matter who you purchase them from, they virtually all the time value greater than common bumper plates as a result of urethane is an costly materials.

That stated, Titan gives among the lowest costs on its urethane plates, and we advocate going with this model if you would like a lot of these weights. You’ll get the identical high quality and sturdiness as you’d from the dearer corporations.

Most Sturdy Bumper Plates: REP Health Hello-Temp Bumper Plates

Professionals

• Environmentally pleasant
• Made within the US
• Can be utilized indoors or open air
• Appropriate for high-traffic gyms

Cons

• Might have a robust odor once you first get them
• Can’t match many plates on the barbell
• Excessive and unpredictable bounces once you drop them

Like urethane plates, most health corporations that promote hi-temp plates get them from the identical manufacturing facility (the Hello-Temp manufacturing facility in Tuscumbia, AL), put their model’s brand on them, and promote them on to customers. We advocate buying hi-temp bumper plates from REP Health as a result of REP sells them for an inexpensive value — beginning at round $2.40 per pound — and gives free transport on all orders as of this writing. Free transport is a giant deal since different manufacturers could cost $50 or extra to ship their bumper plates, relying on the place you reside.

The REP Health hi-temp plates are among the most sturdy bumper plates you should purchase. They’ll final by frequent drops on concrete and heavy utilization in high-traffic gyms. Environmentally-conscious patrons can even respect that the plates are made with recycled rubber.

The plates have a number of disadvantages. For one, the recycled rubber is softer than the virgin rubber utilized in commonplace bumper plates. The plates bounce a lot greater and extra unpredictably, so you need to be extraordinarily cautious when dropping them in a small area. They’ll even have a robust rubber scent once you get them, and you might must air them out for a number of days earlier than you need to use them if the odor bothers you.

Nonetheless, shopping for hi-temp bumper plates from REP would be the proper determination if you happen to practice open air often and don’t wish to fear concerning the rubber deteriorating.

Most Correct Bumper Plates: Eleiko IWF Weightlifting Competitors Plate

Professionals

• IWF-certified
• Giant raised lip
• 10-year guarantee
• Skinny profile
• Examined to carry as much as 100,000 drops

Cons

• Costly
• Offered individually

If you wish to guarantee your weights are as exact as attainable, you gained’t discover extra correct plates than the Eleiko IWF Weightlifting Competitors Plates. They’ve a 0.05-percent weight tolerance, the bottom we’ve seen on any set of bumper plates.

One other factor that impresses us is their slim profile. The heaviest plate is 2.28 inches thick, virtually 70 % thinner than some common bumper plates available on the market. You possibly can load a 15-kilogram barbell with as much as 215 kilograms (473 kilos) and a 20-kilogram barbell with as much as 290 kilograms (638 kilos). In addition they have a bigger raised lip than different bumpers, so that you shouldn’t battle a lot when loading and unloading all of these plates.

These are high-end plates meant for severe weightlifters or elite coaching services. Eleiko sells them individually, and one plate begins at round $27 per kilogram. However they’re almost indestructible. They’re made with SBR, an artificial rubber recognized for its abrasion resistance and longevity. Eleiko examined them by dropping them 100,000 occasions, and the plates survived.

Moreover, to show that Eleiko stands behind its competitors plates, it gives an unmatched 10-year guarantee on them. When you have the funds obtainable and by no means wish to fear about changing your bumper plates, these plates could be a welcome addition to your health club.

Finest Crumb Rubber Bumper Plates: Bells of Metal Crumb Bumper Plates

Professionals

• Inserts have three anchor factors to stop them from coming off
• Should purchase in pairs or in units as much as 520 kilos
• Coloration flecks for straightforward weight identification
• Fairly priced

Cons

• Can’t drop the 10-pound plates on their very own
• Might have a robust rubber odor once you first get them

The Bells of Metal Crumb Bumper Plates are one other glorious possibility for individuals who practice open air. Fabricated from recycled rubber, they’re softer than different bumper plates however nonetheless fairly sturdy. You should buy them in pairs from 10 to 55 kilos or combine and match numerous pairs to create a customized set, which is useful if you understand the particular quantity of weight you want.

The Bells of Metal crumb bumpers are black however have coloration flecks that correspond to the worldwide color-coding system. The 55-pound plates have purple flecks, the 45-pound plates have blue flecks, and so forth. We additionally like that they’re slimmer than among the competitors. For instance, the 45-pound plate is simply 3.1 inches, not less than half an inch thinner than different crumb or hi-temp bumper plates of the identical weight. You’ll be capable of match extra plates on the bar earlier than you run out of room.

You possibly can’t drop the 10-pound plates in the event that they’re the one plates on the barbell as a result of they could bend and change into unusable. This isn’t a difficulty that’s distinctive to Bells of Metal, although. The plates may additionally have a robust rubber scent once they arrive. Nevertheless, it ought to dissipate after a number of days if you happen to depart them exterior to air out.

How We Selected the Finest Bumper Plates

There’s no scarcity of bumper plates available on the market, so we made it our mission to slender down the choices to the eight greatest merchandise. The bumper plates on the listing above embrace ones we’ve used ourselves or come extremely beneficial by different health lovers we all know. We additionally solely selected manufacturers we all know are respected, have good customer support, and stand behind their merchandise.

Elements similar to value, sturdiness, and coaching fashion additionally went into our decision-making. We acknowledge that everybody has completely different budgets and that most individuals can’t afford to exchange weight plates usually. Those on our listing ought to final for not less than a few years in house health club settings. Some merchandise could even final for years in industrial gyms, the place they take extra abuse. We additionally thought-about that everybody has completely different objectives and included bumper plates which might be appropriate for aggressive athletes, leisure lifters, CrossFitters, and extra.

Advantages of Bumper Plates for Dwelling Gyms

For nearly anybody who trains in a house health club, bumper plates are the best way to go. They’ve a number of benefits over metal or forged iron plates that make them a wonderful selection for house gyms:

• They’re quieter than steel plates. A barbell loaded with bumper plates gained’t be fully silent once you drop it, however it can make fewer clanging noises and trigger fewer vibrations than if you happen to had iron plates on it.
• They could trigger much less harm to your flooring. Bumper plates can forestall harm to your flooring as a result of the rubber absorbs shock and bounces once you drop them. I’ve used bumper plates on the cement flooring in my storage for years with nothing besides a ¼-inch thick mat masking the ground. I’ve been lucky to have by no means prompted any cracks within the storage flooring. Nevertheless, I ought to point out that the very best I drop my weight from is about knee top, and that’s solely once I know I’m not going to finish a deadlift rep. If I plan on dropping my weights from overhead, I take advantage of crash pads.
• They’re sturdy. The rubber surrounding a bumper plate’s core leaves little or no steel uncovered. They’ll face up to publicity to moisture and be dropped on concrete with out chipping. 
• They’ve the identical diameter, no matter weight. Bumper plates all have the identical diameter, typically 17.72 inches, whether or not they weigh 10 or 55 kilos. Conversely, iron plates have completely different diameters, with the lighter weights being a number of inches smaller than the heavier ones. Loading the bar with 10-pound steel plates means you’d should bend over additional to grip the bar for lifts like deadlifts or cleans, probably placing your decrease again in a compromising place. As a result of bumper plates have a uniform diameter, you gained’t should raise the barbell from a deficit even if you happen to load it with lighter weights.
• They’re safer to raise with once you don’t have a spotter. If you happen to work out at house, likelihood is that you simply practice by your self usually. Solo coaching could make you extra hesitant to try new PRs, particularly if you happen to use squat stands as an alternative of an influence rack. It’s possible you’ll really feel extra assured utilizing bumper plates understanding you may drop the load if wanted with out inflicting important harm to your flooring.

Are Bumper Plates Tougher to Carry?

Bumper plates aren’t more durable to raise — they’ll truly make your lifts really feel simpler! It’s not as a result of bumper plates are lighter, although. A forty five-pound steel plate and a 45-pound bumper plate weigh the identical. Nevertheless, bumper plates have extra quantity because of their rubber coverings. Subsequently, they take up more room on a barbell’s sleeves. This locations the load additional away out of your heart of gravity (on this case, your fingers) and permits for extra whip (bending of the bar) to happen, leading to a raise that feels lighter.

What To Look For When Shopping for Bumper Plates

Earlier than you leap on-line and begin trying to find bumper plates, think about the standards beneath to find out the proper ones on your wants.

Sort of Bumper Plate

One of many first issues it’s best to do when searching for a bumper plate set is to slender down which kind of bumper plate you need. Doing so will dictate a number of of the opposite necessary components mentioned beneath.

You’ll usually discover 4 various kinds of bumper plates available on the market:

• Customary bumper plates – Customary bumper plates normally made encompass all-black rubber. They’re widespread in industrial gyms, particularly CrossFit gyms, however many house health club house owners go for them as properly. Customary bumper plates vary in thickness from 0.75 to round 3.4 inches, with the thickness rising as the load goes up. They’ve a low to medium bounce.
• Competitors bumper plates – These are the plates you’ll see utilized in weightlifting competitions. The colour bumper plates permit judges, coaches, and viewers members to rely how a lot weight is on the bar when an athlete makes an attempt a raise. They’re usually calibrated to be inside 0.15 % of the listed weight. They’ve a lifeless bounce and are thinner than commonplace bumper plates, with the heaviest plate being as much as 2.15 inches thick. Thinner plates permit elite athletes to suit as a lot weight on the bar as attainable.
• Crumb bumper plates – Crumb bumper plates are also called hi-temp bumper plates. They’re comprised of softer, recycled rubber and bounce greater than another sort of bumper plate. Their thickness ranges from about 0.8 inches for 10-pound plates and may go as much as 4 inches for 55-pound plates. 
• Urethane bumper plates – Urethane is a extremely sturdy sort of rubber. It tends to bounce lower than common rubber, making urethane bumper plates best for individuals who practice in cramped areas. Nevertheless, they have an inclination to make extra noise when dropped since they don’t bounce as excessive. They’re even thinner than competitors plates, making them best for tremendous heavy squats or deadlifts, as you may match extra plates onto the barbell.

Value

Bumper plates vary in value from simply over $2.00 per pound to greater than $6.00 per pound. Urethane and competitors bumper plates are the costliest. Urethane is a premium materials that prices greater than common rubber, and competitors bumper plates have to fulfill strict requirements and have a low weight tolerance. Crumb bumper plates are extra inexpensive as a result of the rubber is much less dense and never as high-quality as urethane or virgin rubber.

Most manufacturers promote bumper plates in units, which may be less expensive than shopping for a number of pairs of plates. Nevertheless, you might not get the precise ones you need or want. The 160-pound set of REP Health Black Bumper Plates, for instance, contains one pair every of 10, 25, and 45-pound bumper plates. If you happen to needed two pairs of 10-pound plates, you’d have to purchase one pair individually.

Bounce

Bumper plates have completely different ranges of bounce, relying on the kind of rubber used and their supposed use. Crumb bumper plates, just like the Bells of Metal Crumb Bumper Plates, bounce a lot greater than competitors plates, for instance, as a result of the rubber is softer.

The bounce is necessary to think about, particularly in the case of defending your house and different health club tools. 

You possibly can decide how bouncy your required bumper plates are by looking the model’s web site for a Shore A Durometer score. A shore durometer is a tool that measures the hardness of a fabric on a scale of 0 to 100. The decrease the quantity, the softer the fabric.

The Shore A Durometer score for bumper plates typically falls between 70 and 95. I like to recommend a score of not less than 88 for many house gyms. The plates could have some bounce, which may also help shield your flooring from important harm. They could additionally produce much less noise once you drop the barbell, so that you gained’t irritate different individuals in your house. Nevertheless, they gained’t be so bouncy that you need to fear concerning the barbell rebounding too excessive and hitting you within the face.

That stated, hi-temp bumper plates with a durometer score of round 75 could also be higher for out of doors coaching. They are going to bounce greater however gained’t change into broken as shortly when used on concrete.

Supplies and Sturdiness

The supplies of bumper plates have an effect on their sturdiness. Bumper plates are encased in rubber, however as hinted above, the kind of rubber varies. You possibly can select from virgin rubber (which is what most traditional and competitors bumper plates are product of), crumb rubber (recycled rubber), or urethane (a really sturdy rubber).

Bumper plates made with virgin rubber are appropriate for many lifters who practice indoors. Athletes who practice open air usually could wish to go together with crumb bumpers as a result of they’ll face up to drops on tough surfaces, similar to concrete, higher than commonplace bumpers can. In addition they maintain up properly when uncovered to excessive climate circumstances, and their inexpensive value level is enticing to budget-conscious lifters.

For final sturdiness, you might wish to go together with urethane weight plates. Urethane is extra weatherproof and abrasion-resistant than different varieties of rubber, and if you happen to get coloured urethane plates, you may count on them to stay vibrant for a very long time.

Thickness

If you happen to’re set on shopping for bumper plates and may raise some severe weight, you’ll should be aware of the plates’ thickness. Forty-five or 55-pound plates may be greater than 4 inches thick, limiting the variety of plates you may match in your barbell. Competitors or urethane weight plates could also be higher choices as a result of even the heaviest plates are solely about two inches thick.

Guarantee

Bumper plates are sturdy however not indestructible. The inserts can change into free over time, or the rubber could crack. Search for manufacturers whose bumper plates include a guaranty of not less than one 12 months. It can save you a big sum of money by making the most of a guaranty in case your bumper plates change into broken because of producer defects.

Weight Tolerance

Weight tolerance refers to how correct the load of a bumper plate is to its said weight. Bumper plates supposed for house health club use typically have a three-percent weight tolerance. Which means a 45-pound plate could weigh 43.65 kilos.

For informal lifters, this excessive of a weight tolerance isn’t tremendous necessary. Nevertheless, aggressive weightlifters could wish to search for calibrated bumper plates with weight tolerances of 1 % or much less, just like the Rogue KG Competitors Bumper Plates. The weights utilized in coaching will really feel far more much like those utilized in competitors.

Colours

Most bumper plates are black rubber, although competitors plates are available numerous colours that point out their weight. They observe the identical color-coding system:

• Purple – 25 kilograms/55 kilos
• Blue – 20 kilograms/45 kilos
• Yellow – 15 kilograms/35 kilos
• Inexperienced – 10 kilograms/25 kilos

Black bumper plates are ample for many house gyms and can value lower than coloured bumpers. If you happen to’re a aggressive Olympic weightlifter, splurging on color-coded bumper plates could also be price it, as they’ll extra intently resemble the plates you’ll raise with at a weightlifting meet.

Last Ideas

Regardless that bumper plates value extra per pound than iron plates, they’ve benefits which will make them a better option for house health club house owners. They’re safer in your flooring if you need to drop your weight, and so they don’t make as a lot noise. They usually’re sturdy and may face up to issues like publicity to moisture — a plus in case your storage health club isn’t temperature-controlled otherwise you like to coach open air.

You have got a wide range of choices to select from, together with black vs. coloured bumper plates and virgin vs. recycled rubber. Use the information above to assist slender down your listing, and also you’ll be properly in your strategy to making beneficial properties from the consolation of your individual house.

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