Kettlebell Kings Adjustable Competition Kettlebell

I bought my first kettlebell in 2007- a cast iron MuscleDriver 16k. Since then, I’ve bought 25 kettlebells of various manufacture and design. I have pairs of competition kettlebells from MuscleDriver, Valery Fedorenko, Perform Better, and Kettlebells USA. I’ve been pleased with all of them, but my most recent purchase is truly the best kettlebell I have ever purchased. In 11 years of buying and lifting kettlebells, I’ve never been impressed enough to write a product review.

The Kettlebell Kings Adjustable Competition Kettlebell has the dimensions and feel of a standard competition kettlebell. A hex screw removes the bottom half of the globe, exposing a threaded bar onto which beveled plates are mounted to load the kettlebell to any weight from 14k to 32k in 1k increments. Plates are bolted into place with a large nut. Two wrenches are included. Overall construction is solid. The body of the kettlebell is thicker than I expected. The finish is matte black and very smooth. You can write on it with chalk if you need to mark the weight of the kettlebell.

The concept is simple: the weight of the kettlebell changes, but the shape remains the same. It’s been tried before, with varying degrees of success. I've stayed away from these for years because of customer reviews: they just don't feel right, or they don't hold together through high-rep sets. I think Kettlebell Kings has perfected the design. Changing plates is simple, and the product works.

To test the stability of the design, I loaded the kettlebell to 23k. Over a few days, I did two 30-minute sets of half-snatches totaling 490 reps. I did one session of 100 swings, and another session of 20 clean and presses. I’ve had the kettlebell overhead more than 500 times. It’s been snatched, dropped to the rack, and swung for hundreds of reps without adjustment. When I took it apart to change the weight, everything was as tight as when I assembled it. No rattles, nothing is loose.


What about weight precision? I have an old doctor’s office scale in my bathroom. I keep it calibrated with a 24k kettlebell. A few years ago I took this kettlebell to an AKA meet because I wanted to compete with my own bell. Yuri Petunovs weighed it on a digital scale: 24.0k. Perfect. I brought it home and used it to calibrate my bathroom scale. Every so often I check to make sure it’s still right. I brought the Kettlebell Kings adjustable bell to the bathroom loaded at 23k. It should weigh in at 50.6 lb. It registered at 50.4 lb., or 99.6% of the stated weight. That’s well within them margin of error, and probably as close to precision as it gets.


The best thing about the Kettlebell Kings Adjustable Competition Kettlebell is the handle. It’s a 35mm handle (remember the 33mm vs. 35 mm debate a few years ago?), and fits my hand perfectly. It’s the most comfortable competition kettlebell I own. The fit, texture, and shape are just right for me. I did hundreds of snatches with a brand new kettlebell over a three day period, and my hands are fine. I can do 30 minute sessions with no hotspots or torn callouses. There is a sharp seam where the two halves of the globe meet, but even without wraps, the seam does not touch my forearm at all. The way I rack the bell, it does not both my upper arm either. Your mileage may vary, but the seam does not bother me.


I sold my two 32k competition kettlebells to pay for this new kettlebell. It's much more expensive than any new single bell. Was it worth it? Without a doubt! I love the feel, finish, and quality of the kettlebell. And in one compact unit, I can lift 19 different weights, from warm-up and mobility work with a 12k, to serious lifting with a 32k.

My training these days is more minimalistic than ever: deadlifts, presses, pullups, and high rep kettlebell lifts for long sets. My training space is smaller than ever. I've been looking for a single kettlebell to replace the rack full of bells I've bought over the years. I think I've found it.

EDIT:

By request, I've included photos below of the adjustable kettlebell beside the various brands of competition kettlebells I own. These are some of the most popular kettlebells on the market today. I did not realize before I put them side-by-side that the Kettlebell Kings bell is larger than the others. The distance from the handle to the globe is longer, the globe circumference is larger, and in most cases, the handle is wider. In my opinion, this makes for a more comfortable kettlebell.

Kettlebells USA Paradigm Pro kettlebell

MuscleDriver MD Pro kettlebell. Muscledriver is out of business, but I'm sure someone is selling these bells. 

Fedorenko "Flat Spot" kettlebell. One of my favorite designs!

Perform Better Prograde kettlebell

MuscleDriver cast iron 40k. This kettlebell is closer to the dimensions of the Kettlebell Kings Adjustable Competition Kettlebell than any of the competition kettlebells from other makers.