Plates are plate, but these Troy VTX plates are truly premium grade. The casting is top notch; the design is top of the line and it has zero defects. What makes the design appealing are the handles you find in the 25, 35 and 45 lb plates. The smooth handles make it extremely easy to transfer these plates on/off the bar. These plates will add quality and style to your home gym.
Besides the plates, the set comes with a common 7' Olympic chrome bench bar (GOB-86). What I like most about this bar is the circular ridges on the sleeves, which gives the bar more traction for the plates than the smooth sleeves you find on some bars in the gym. Also, the ridges helps to give your collars more grip. Since this bar will be used for a home gym, I advocate higher safety precautions and suggest you use a lock jaw collar or even an Ivanko.
The maximum weight load is 500 lbs, which is more than sufficient for most home gyms. If you plan to squat or bench more than 500 lbs, then you should look into a bar with a higher stress-tension.
You will not be disappointed with this set. Enjoy!