Whether you want to invest in a kettlebell lifting program for your gym, get fit at home with Kettlebell Sport training, or start participating in competitions, at some point you're going to buy a set of kettlebells. When you search the internet, you will discover there are numerous brands of competition kettlebells, which begs the question...

What brand of competition kettlebells should you buy?

Since I get asked this question a fair amount, I decided it was time to  put the thought and research into writing an article about the different competition kettlebell brands out there. (Keep in mind that I am most familiar with the brands used in the United States, but I did my best to research brands used in other countries as well.)

Consider what organization you plan to compete under.

If you are planning to compete in Kettlebell Sport, the biggest determining factor for which brand of kettlebell you should buy is what kettlebell organization you plan to compete under. The size of the kettlebell handle can affect your competition performance if you train with a larger or smaller handle than the one you will be using in competition.

For example, the standard kettlebell used for Orange Kettlebell Club (OKC) competitions is the Kettlebell Kings brand, which has a 35mm diameter handle. However, many of the American Kettlebell Alliance (AKA) competitions use a variety of kettlebells, many of which have 33mm diameter handles.

Buy high quality kettlebells.

If you are planning to train the high volume repetitions and long sets necessary to prepare for kettlebell competitions, you want to be sure you are buying a high-quality kettlebell that can take a beating and have handles that are easily chalked.

Investigate what kettlebell sizes the company sells.

Whether a brand offers all the kettlebell sizes, including half size kettlebells, is another consideration. Especially for those training for double kettlebell events, having half size kettlebells to train with is incredibly helpful. 8kg is a big jump to make - 4kg is a bit more manageable!

It's all about the Benjamins, baby.

The price of the kettlebells, including shipping costs, may also be a concern.If you are lucky enough to have a local company that makes kettlebells, they will often deliver for free if you buy enough merchandise. Other companies offer package deals when you buy an entire set of bells, which includes free shipping.

No need to do any research - I've done the work for you!

Maybe you have considered all of these factors already, and are still stuck on which company to buy from. To help you out, I've compiled stats on the top competition kettlebell brands (in no particular order) for comparison.