Skip to main content
Customer Review
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 March 2022
The 20's handle was 12.5cm in circumference at centre (the 16kg is 11cm and the 12 is 10.5cm).
The 20kg's inner handle width was 14.5cm against the 16's 13cm and the 12's, er 12cm. So plenty big enough for 2-handed swings with my very large hands.
I checked the actual weight of the 20 on reliable scales and it was 20.2kg, so no complaint there. I reckon the 0.2 excess was accounted for by the paint, which is the same thick and very dimpled Hammerite-type black that adorns my other KBs.
When the KB handle rotates in your grip that paint finish can hold on to the skin of your palms and fingers - the resulting pulling under load is uncomfortable to say the least. To reduce this, you can put (messy) chalk powder on your hands before you ["ahem"] go swinging. Or a wet lubricant, although you may find the KB then escapes your grasp altogether (unpopular with the wife) as well as lube being even more messy (end suspect!).
But my preferred option is to rub the KB handles down with abrasive, for which you really need a power tool because doing this by hand is hard work. I used a multi tool with sandpaper attachment (60 grade working down to 180). A belt-sander might be better and a file might help as well. See before and after photos.
Once the glaze is off and the dimples are gone the KB handle rolls nicely in your grip (any seam that may have been on the handle will be taken care of as well). You'll still get calluses, but you won't tear your hand open.
But best way to reduce those calluses is to change your grip for swings.... Hold your kettlebell where fingers meet palm, instead of lower down your palm. Simps.
NB. If you keep the sanded KB outside it will go rusty, but you can get away with that because light rust helps the handle rotate in your grip better.
If you like this review please vote it helpful!
Review of Amazon Basics kettlebell [ABKB] 20kg. I already had Basics KBs in 8, 12 & 16 Kg and wanted the 20. I pounced when the price dropped to just £35.67 - which as other reviewers have suggested, is amazing VFM for a big KB. The 20 arrived promptly in a well-sealed box, which was battered from its journey (the delivery guy struggled with the compact but very heavy package). An inner box contained the KB, which was pristine with no seams on the handle (a seam can damage your hands, especially when it's on the top or bottom of the handle).
The 20's handle was 12.5cm in circumference at centre (the 16kg is 11cm and the 12 is 10.5cm).
The 20kg's inner handle width was 14.5cm against the 16's 13cm and the 12's, er 12cm. So plenty big enough for 2-handed swings with my very large hands.
I checked the actual weight of the 20 on reliable scales and it was 20.2kg, so no complaint there. I reckon the 0.2 excess was accounted for by the paint, which is the same thick and very dimpled Hammerite-type black that adorns my other KBs.
When the KB handle rotates in your grip that paint finish can hold on to the skin of your palms and fingers - the resulting pulling under load is uncomfortable to say the least. To reduce this, you can put (messy) chalk powder on your hands before you ["ahem"] go swinging. Or a wet lubricant, although you may find the KB then escapes your grasp altogether (unpopular with the wife) as well as lube being even more messy (end suspect!).
But my preferred option is to rub the KB handles down with abrasive, for which you really need a power tool because doing this by hand is hard work. I used a multi tool with sandpaper attachment (60 grade working down to 180). A belt-sander might be better and a file might help as well. See before and after photos.
Once the glaze is off and the dimples are gone the KB handle rolls nicely in your grip (any seam that may have been on the handle will be taken care of as well). You'll still get calluses, but you won't tear your hand open.
But best way to reduce those calluses is to change your grip for swings.... Hold your kettlebell where fingers meet palm, instead of lower down your palm. Simps.
NB. If you keep the sanded KB outside it will go rusty, but you can get away with that because light rust helps the handle rotate in your grip better.
If you like this review please vote it helpful!
The 20's handle was 12.5cm in circumference at centre (the 16kg is 11cm and the 12 is 10.5cm).
The 20kg's inner handle width was 14.5cm against the 16's 13cm and the 12's, er 12cm. So plenty big enough for 2-handed swings with my very large hands.
I checked the actual weight of the 20 on reliable scales and it was 20.2kg, so no complaint there. I reckon the 0.2 excess was accounted for by the paint, which is the same thick and very dimpled Hammerite-type black that adorns my other KBs.
When the KB handle rotates in your grip that paint finish can hold on to the skin of your palms and fingers - the resulting pulling under load is uncomfortable to say the least. To reduce this, you can put (messy) chalk powder on your hands before you ["ahem"] go swinging. Or a wet lubricant, although you may find the KB then escapes your grasp altogether (unpopular with the wife) as well as lube being even more messy (end suspect!).
But my preferred option is to rub the KB handles down with abrasive, for which you really need a power tool because doing this by hand is hard work. I used a multi tool with sandpaper attachment (60 grade working down to 180). A belt-sander might be better and a file might help as well. See before and after photos.
Once the glaze is off and the dimples are gone the KB handle rolls nicely in your grip (any seam that may have been on the handle will be taken care of as well). You'll still get calluses, but you won't tear your hand open.
But best way to reduce those calluses is to change your grip for swings.... Hold your kettlebell where fingers meet palm, instead of lower down your palm. Simps.
NB. If you keep the sanded KB outside it will go rusty, but you can get away with that because light rust helps the handle rotate in your grip better.
If you like this review please vote it helpful!
Decent VFM item that could have been better finished
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 March 2022
Review of Amazon Basics kettlebell [ABKB] 20kg. I already had Basics KBs in 8, 12 & 16 Kg and wanted the 20. I pounced when the price dropped to just £35.67 - which as other reviewers have suggested, is amazing VFM for a big KB. The 20 arrived promptly in a well-sealed box, which was battered from its journey (the delivery guy struggled with the compact but very heavy package). An inner box contained the KB, which was pristine with no seams on the handle (a seam can damage your hands, especially when it's on the top or bottom of the handle).Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 March 2022
The 20's handle was 12.5cm in circumference at centre (the 16kg is 11cm and the 12 is 10.5cm).
The 20kg's inner handle width was 14.5cm against the 16's 13cm and the 12's, er 12cm. So plenty big enough for 2-handed swings with my very large hands.
I checked the actual weight of the 20 on reliable scales and it was 20.2kg, so no complaint there. I reckon the 0.2 excess was accounted for by the paint, which is the same thick and very dimpled Hammerite-type black that adorns my other KBs.
When the KB handle rotates in your grip that paint finish can hold on to the skin of your palms and fingers - the resulting pulling under load is uncomfortable to say the least. To reduce this, you can put (messy) chalk powder on your hands before you ["ahem"] go swinging. Or a wet lubricant, although you may find the KB then escapes your grasp altogether (unpopular with the wife) as well as lube being even more messy (end suspect!).
But my preferred option is to rub the KB handles down with abrasive, for which you really need a power tool because doing this by hand is hard work. I used a multi tool with sandpaper attachment (60 grade working down to 180). A belt-sander might be better and a file might help as well. See before and after photos.
Once the glaze is off and the dimples are gone the KB handle rolls nicely in your grip (any seam that may have been on the handle will be taken care of as well). You'll still get calluses, but you won't tear your hand open.
But best way to reduce those calluses is to change your grip for swings.... Hold your kettlebell where fingers meet palm, instead of lower down your palm. Simps.
NB. If you keep the sanded KB outside it will go rusty, but you can get away with that because light rust helps the handle rotate in your grip better.
If you like this review please vote it helpful!
Images in this review
