Soft Kettlebells

Your browser does not support HTML5 video.  I bought this 8kg Sveltus kettlebell as an experiment, as it is halfway in construction between a full-metal competition kettlebell and some of the completely soft, sand-filled kettlebells on the market. I have several different designs of both to act as comparisons.- The great advantage and good design of the Sveltus range is that you get the solid, WIDE metal handle of a competition kettlebell. This is crucial, for you to be able to get your hand & wrist into the correct alignment with the bell (hand tucked into the right-angle corner of the handle). IMO this immediately puts the Sveltus design ahead of normal cast iron 'class' kettlebells, as they tend to have ridiculously small handles in equivalent weight ranges (4-10kgs). The 8kg Sveltus I bought has a similar handle size to a proper competition kettlebell, and is thus much more user-friendly: you can do hand switches behind the back and other changes of hands or positioning easily with this bell.The other advantage of this design is that the body of the bell is padded, so if you drop it in the home environment it is less likely to do damage to its owner, any pets that might get in the way, furniture or flooring! You should never deliberately drop a kettlebell, but sometimes while learning it may be necessary (from a safety perspective) to let go of it, rather than cause an injury. In this case the kettlebell should bounce relatively harmlessly unless the handle - which is metal - hits first.The overall feel of this kettlebell is very solid; the body is well-filled and has no give beyond the padding in the cover itself. It feels like a real competition kettlebell, rather than a second-rate 'fitness' kettlebell. In practise, this means you'll naturally want to use it more, as it's more comfortable and feels more natural to swing and catch. The padded outer also means you will avoid the dreaded beginner bruising on your wrists and forearms, which are typical if you are using metal kettlebells.The only downside of the design - and here I am comparing specifically with other sand-filled kettlebells - is that there is no easy way to empty the sand out of the kettlebell, so that it could be taken on holidays in a suitcase, for instance.Other models can be completely emptied - leaving only a lightweight shell which can be packed flat - and then refilled with beach sand, etc, at your destination.Even if the Sveltus could be emptied easily, the substantial metal handle would still add too much weight and bulk in your case. If travel is one of your main reasons for considering sand-filled kettlebells, look elsewhere (for instance, the GymBox models also available here on Amazon) - but you will have to put up with a soft handle as the main downside of this convenience.The Sveltus is therefore a 'serious' kettlebell, aimed specifically at the home or garage gym user, who is keen on developing the correct technique with a training tool that suits this environment particularly well. In meeting these particular needs they have done a very good job, and the kettlebell certainly feels expensive and professional, despite being reasonably priced.If you are a home gym user and are serious about getting into kettlebells - but the high price of buying a Competition set is putting you off - the Sveltus range would be a great place to start. I think they're very good value for money and are a much superior training tool to the standard, cast-iron 'class' or 'fitness' kettlebells out there on the market.Highly recommended.

I love the concept behind this kettlebell in that it reduces bruising and trauma to the wrist area whilst snatching/cleaning etc. It’s soft and padded with a great handle. Not too wide and smooth.However, due to its size it’s quite clumsy to hold or place in rack position.As a kettlebell instructor, these are not really suitable for most kettlebell movements, but good for teaching correct form of snatches.I wouldn’t recommend purely due to the size of the product.

Padded kettle bells are the way to go.Softens the blow when they land on parts of your anatomy.

Great product. Ideal size and love the softer outer shell. 5 stars!

Perfect

Very happy with this kettlebell. Ignore people saying it's bulky, this is pretty close to a regular, standard size one. The kettlebell is supprisingly solid, dispite it's "soft" construction.The handle is solid metal and sturdy, and solidly attached to the main body. You notice no movement when performing swings or Russian swings, and only a slight shift in the sand contents when doing more complex movements like GTOH etc, where you pivot it on the handle a lot.There is a sewn in base so it stands up, and the materials used throughout seem robust enough to take punishment. I will probably not scuff it on a concrete floor too much, as it is made of webbing and canvas, but I wouldn't be using cast iron on concrete eitherA competition kettlebell it's not. But it's perfect for CrossFit / Home Gym and garden workouts.Very impressed