TITAN EZ Load hex bar vs Rogue chan bar [Article, Video]
This is a comparison of the TITAN EZ load hey bar and the Rogue chan bar. Follow the links for more details.
Overview and review of the Rogue chan bar
This overview of the Rogue Chan bar was originally published in my comprehensive guide on which Rogue barbell to buy. If you are currently considering to buy a Rogue barbell it is worth a read to get input on the latest models. I update the guide on a yearly basis depending on Rogue's new releases.
Price: 395$
What else to consider from Rogue
Overview of the Rogue Chan bar
The
Matt Chan bar was the first
Rogue barbell to be introduced with an athletes name.
Matt Chan and
Rogue have been working closely in the last few years. You can see this in the many equipment demos done by Matt.
Matt Chan is a former firefighter and finished multiple times in the top ten of the Crossfit games. Since
Rogue updated their Cerakote range they had another go at the
Chan bar design.
The
Chan bar is an
Ohio bar on steroids. You get a better design, a
centre knurl and a stainless steel shaft for 395$. If you want to spend the extra 100$ USD compared to the
Ohio bar this is the all-purpose
barbell to get. The design was created to fit Olympic and powerlifting needs alike.
The bar comes in at 20kg of weight, 200K tensile strength
and a Good whip. The diameter is 28.5mm and the sleeves spin via bushing.
Rogue offers two variations on the sleeves, one being
cerakote the other chrome. It seems that cerakote does not respond well to metal to metal contact. If you want to use
steel plates with the
chan bar maybe opt for the chrome sleéves. The loadable sleeve length is 16.5 which is a bit longer than the other standard bars.
Pros of the Chan bar
This bar has a lot of pros and only a few cons. You get a
stainless steel bar for 100$ USD less compared to the
oly options. The bit of extra knurling helps with front squats. This is
the best value for money bar you can get above 300USD from
rogue. In addition, you also get a cool design. If you want to do everything in your home gym, this is the one to go for.
Cons of the chan bar
If you have to fit out an entire gym with 10 - 20 barbells 100$ a piece does make a difference.
This bar is also too pretty to be used in military installations or with beginners. For these scenarios, you are probably better off buying the
Ohio,
Castro,
C-70 or
operator bar. The training bar might also be a better option if you only want to do Oly lifts, as it has a better whip at a lower price. The bushing might also not be ideal if you are a competitive weightlifter. The bars you will use in your competition have the bearing.
Conclusion
Matt Chan has been with Rogue barbell and CrossFit for years. If a bar is allowed to carry his name you can rest assured that it is the best you can get for CrossFit or all purpose barbell training. This bar is a good value for money option in the Rogue line up. If you have to buy in bulk there is always the Rogue Ohio bar.
Overview and review of the TITAN EZ Load Hex bar
The Titan EZ load hex bar will put you back about $150. TITAN is well known for their very good prices compared to their competition and will get you started on your home gym. This review was originally posted in “which barbell to get from TITAN”.
Overview of the EZ load hex bar
The
EZ load hex bar is a great tool for experienced athletes who want to train their grip or rehab patients who want to get into the deadlift to reap its benefits. The
EZ bar is raised from the floor which makes it easier to load plates. You stand inside the frame to lift the weight which makes it less taxing on your back. The features and specifics are:
EZ hex bar details:
-
raised plate holders for easy loading
-
-
3 different grip diameters, 1", 1.5", and 2" Just rotate to change grips!
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Knurled Handles.
-
10" of loadable sleeve length
-
Fits 2" Olympic Plates.
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Weight plates holders at 10" off the ground.
-
Weight: 54 LB
-
Length: 66.33"
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Width: 30.9"
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Height: 10"
-
Sleeve length: 10"
A great bar to experiment and develop different types of strength.
Pros of the EZ hex bar
The
EZ hex bar is an innovative concept you do not find in every gym. Different options to train your grip can be especially interesting for Strongman athletes. Additionally, also the easy load option, as they usually have to get a lot of plates on their bar. Beginners will struggle less and still get the benefits of a
hex bar.
Cons of the EZ hex bar
There are moving parts which means that it is more prone to break after heavy use. This means gym environments with 100s of reps a day by inexperienced lifters or very, very big guys and ladies. As TITAN is known for shortcuts on their welding and finish this is something to be mindful about with this item.
Alternatives to the TITAN EZ hex bar
The
Titan hex bar would be an option with fewer moving parts which makes it more robust and less prone to quality issues.
The
Rogue trap bar would be an alternative which costs more and has no options for different grips. In return, the finish of Rogue is usually more consistent in quality.
If you want an easy to load trap bar with an inbuilt jacking system and different grips go for the
Trap bar from Kabuki strength. This will be top-notch engineering which comes with a price tag to reflect the craftsmanship going into this bar.
Summary for the EZ hex bar
A great addition for your arsenal, but probably get a normal
hex bar first.