Boulderbells are a new take on the versatile strength training tool known as the kettlebell. Traditionally, kettlebells are made from cast iron, stainless steel or concrete. Those materials must be mined, shipped to a facility for extensive processing, and shipped again to a distributor or end customer. Boulderbells achieves the same result using a simpler process: we find a rock, attach a handle to it and offer it for local pickup. Each hand crafted Boulderbell is built to last a lifetime, has a tiny carbon footprint and is certified Bad Ass!
Construction
A Boulderbell consists of a solid rock, a Baltic Birch handle with a durable finish, and a steel “U” which forms the core of the handle and is securely anchored into the rock. The handle is 1.4” in diameter, can fit two hands, and is perfectly centered over the rock’s center of mass – just like a mass-produced kettlebell. Unlike a mass-produced kettlebell, every Boulderbell is different. We do our best to pick rocks that are smooth, symmetric, flat-bottomed and which do not jut out where your forearm will make contact during snatches, cleans etc. We do not modify rocks to make them smoother or achieve precise weights (our weights are rounded to the nearest pound). If you need 100% uniformity, precision and lack of character, please look elsewhere!
Pricing and Features
Our goal is to continue providing affordable, basic kettlebells to folks who just want something functional to work out with; while also offering higher-priced options for those who want something that looks damn good. We choose the finish on each individual kettlebell based on what we think will suit the rock best. Here are our pricing guidelines (hover mouse over underlined text for more info):
| Base price (all kettlebells) | $60 |
| Weight | |
| 15-19 lbs | $5 |
| 20-39 lbs | $0 |
| 40-59 lbs | $10 |
| 60-74 lbs | $15 |
| 75+ lbs | $20 |
| Rock grade | |
| Grade A | $10 |
| Grade B | $5 |
| Grade C | $0 |
| Rock clear coat | $5 |
| Handle stain | $10 |
| Handle pins | |
| Internal wooden dowels | $0 |
| Brass pins | $20 |
| Handle coating | |
| 3x clear coat | $0 |
| 6x clear coat | $5 |
Other Resources
View a gallery of our work
View the Boulderbells Owner’s Guide
FAQ
How can I get notified when new Boulderbells become available?
Join our email list by filling out the contact form.
Are you sure the handle will not pull out from the rock?
Yes. The handle has a piece of steel rebar at its core, and the rebar is embedded at least 3 inches into the rock and cemented in place with a special expanding cement. This method of anchoring steel into masonry is common in structural building applications and it is incredibly strong. It would take many hundreds of pounds for either end of the rebar to begin to pull out. If they did start to pull out, it would take even more force to fully separate the handle because the rebar enters the rock at opposing angles.
The wood handle which encapsulates the rebar is composed of a superb quality plywood which contains many thin plies with orthogonal grain orientations, making it strong in every direction. The plies are laminated together with glue that is stronger than the wood itself.
The easiest way to break a Boulderbell would be to drop it from a height onto a hard surface, which we discourage (drop it on grass, dirt or a rubber mat instead). See our Owner’s Guide for more info.
We have plans to film a dramatic test-to-failure of a Boulderbell involving vehicles, ropes and trees for your viewing pleasure In the meantime, rest assured that no human can separate a Boulderbell from its handle.
Can you make a kettlebell to order with my specifications?
We started out making all kettlebells to order, but are moving away from that in order to streamline processes and make the business financially sustainable. That said, if you have a special request and are willing to pay a premium for it, feel free to make your request and name your price in the contact form.
Do you ship products?
No; we only offer local pickup in Boulder, Colorado. While we know some folks would be willing to pay for shipping, it would go against our goal of offering affordable kettlebells with a low carbon footprint.
We have dreams of helping “franchises” in other cities make Boulderbells (or SantaCruzbells? Bendbells?) from their local rocks, but first we need to get our act together here in Boulder!
Where is the pickup location?
We’re located in South Boulder near Broadway and Dartmouth. We’ll send you the address when your order is ready for pickup. You will be able to choose a pickup time window, and we are usually very flexible.
What payment methods do you accept?
We accept all credit/debit cards and Paypal. Paypal handles the checkout process whether you have a Paypal account or not; you’ll have an option to simply enter your card info without signing in.
What is your return policy?
If you don’t like your Boulderbell, we will take it back and issue a full refund within 30 days of when you pick it up.
Is there any warranty / what if it breaks?
If your kettlebell develops any sort of functional problem during normal use, we’ll either fix it or take it back and issue a full refund.
Normal use does NOT include dropping the kettlebell on a hard surface, letting the handle get impacted by rolling (including driving around with it in the trunk of your car), or leaving it out in the elements. If the handle finish wears down over time, you can either refinish it yourself or ask us to do it for a small fee. Please see our Boulderbell Owner’s Guide.