Valor Fitness 12” Strongman Log

This is a great entry level log. Slight knurling with just enough grip. Rubber gasket to protect your arms. Rubber stoppers in the sleeves to prevent metal on metal from the plates. It weighs 90lbs unloaded. Which is a great weight to learn log while being able to increase weight gradually while working on form. The lighter weight does come at a cost as the metal used is not going to be as thick as say a Rogue log. This thinner metal could allow for dents or maybe damage if dropped improperly (against manufactures recommendation to drop on pads or tires). The fit and finish is a lot nicer than I expected at the price point this log sells for. It has a nice even finish. I do have some glue drips from the gasket around the arm holes, but that’s not a huge deal. My log also came with some scuff marks that probably happened during shipping, but let’s face it. It’s a strongman log. It doesn’t have to be pretty, nor will it probably stay that way. The bolt on sleeves is the only thing that gave me pause, but after careful consideration I decided it’s just a risk I would take; Just to get me into a Strongman log without a higher price point. The sleeves are housed in a “interior sheath” that is welded on the end plate. This helps prevent excess stress on the bolt. While there is a little play, I don’t think it will be a major problem if dropped on pads. Especially since I probably won’t push it past its 500lb max weight capacity. Only time will tell I suppose. The bolt on sleeves do allow for a nice smooth surface to slide plates onto and allows for the use of Olympic collars without the need to buy a set of Axel collars. Overall, I’m very happy with this for my home gym. One thing I knew going into this purchase, but wasn't a dealbreaker, is it is slightly too small to be used within a rack on the safeties for pin presses. Not a huge deal, but would have been nice to be able to do. Again, it’s a great entry to intermediate log that doesn’t break the bank.

Came across these a few times. It's an okay log for home gym use but this wouldn't last very long in a strongman gym with heavy weights and hard drops

Very good first choice for log on a budget, the 12in option is 90 pounds empty and I was pretty excited to see some decent knurling on the handles. The metal used is definitely on the flimsy side but I’ve been using tires or crash pads and it holds up fine for the price. The finish on the metal is a bit smoother than expected so if you’re not using a grip shirt or a ton of chalk then the log may slip and slide on clothes more than expected.

The Valor Fitness log is a good budget log for for home gym users. It gets the job done and comes at about half the price of some other brands. Some of the cost savings seems to come from thinner materials so it's likely to dent easier and should only be used with crash pads. The rubber strips around the handles also feel like they will peel off, but that won't affect functionality. Overall, I'd recommend this for home gym owners looking for a decent log at a reasonable price.