How Lookout Buffalo plans to make your workout more stylish

A new local company is working to reimagine the way we look at exercise equipment.

Lookout Buffalo has launched a direct-to-consumer line of sleek, colorful dumbbells and bar weights that are meant to function both as workout essentials and decorative accessories. The brand’s goal is to offer fitness tools that can be used and stored around the home without looking out of place.

“We wanted to design a dumbbell that didn’t look like a dumbbell,” says co-founder Cole Scego. “It’s something you can leave out and mix in with your home decor.”

Scego, along with fellow founders Sam Gumpenberger and Travis Prestidge, joined together to turn their idea into a company late last year. Lookout Buffalo now offers 3- and 5-pound Bison Bars that are each six inches long. There is also a 25-pound Peak Bar that measures 42.5 inches. All of the weights come in a variety of minimalist, cerakote colors like green, black, purple, copper, and nude. All of the weights are handcrafted and made locally.

Gumpenberger says the dumbbells can help improve grip strength, and are ideal for free weight home exercises, along with walking, yoga, Pilates, and other workouts.

“People have really responded well to them,” Gumpenberger says. “They like the feeling; these feel a little bit nicer on your hands than your traditional weight. People have said that they’re easy to grip. For women, the size also makes them a little bit easier to grip. Sometimes, you might have trouble with your nails digging into your hands when you grip traditional weights. So the easy of use seems to be a little bit better”

The size and cylindrical shape of the weights present other benefits. For people who don’t have home gyms, they’re easily storable. They can also be left out and not look out of place.

“This is our first product,” Scego says, “but we’re hoping to launch other products inside and outside of the fitness industry.”