TITAN Safety Squat Bar vs Rogue Freedom bar [Article, Video]
This is a comparison of the TITAN Safety squat bar and the Rogue freedom bar. Follow the links for more details.
Rogue fitness vs TITAN fitness
Rogue Fitness is the current market leader when it comes to a functional home gym and commercial gym equipment. They have one of the widest portfolios including racks, barbells, benches, dumbbells, and apparel for the weekend warrior and dedicated athlete. The biggest downside of Rogue Fitness is their comparatively high prices to the competition.
TITAN Fitness is the clear cost leader when you want to build a home gym on a budget that is still similar to what Rogue offers in function, look, and feel. While you will save about half on the sticker price you will run a higher risk of inconsistencies in quality compared to a purchase from Rogue. The equipment will be safe but is more likely to have blemishes, quality issues with welds or that pieces will not easily fit into place. That makes TITAN a good option for a DIY enthusiast who does not mind tinkering with their equipment, but not the first choice to get the best equipment and treat yourself.
Overview and review of the Rogue Freedom bar
This overview of the Rogue freedom 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 Freedom bar
The
rogue freedom bar is a special version of the
Ohio bar which bears the American red white and blue. It weighs in at 20kg and has a diameter of 28.5mm. The sleeves are made of chrome and are connected via bushing to the shaft. The shaft coating is
cerakote and the loadable sleeve length comes in at 16.40.
There is no
centre knurl and it withstands 190K PSI tensile strength with a good whip. The knurling is less aggressive than with
powerlifting and weightlifting bars.
Pros of the rogue freedom bar
The
freedom bar is based on the workhorse
Ohio bar, one of the bars which
Rogue produces for the longest time. You can rest assured that
Rogue knows what they are doing when handling the shaft for this one. The
cerakote finish is a new addition to the
Rogue portfolio which has been adapted from the weapons industry. This enables better protection against corrosion while providing nicer finishes.
The pricing is also moving closer to the
295$ mid-range Ohio bar, which makes this a good
bar for home gyms, small groups or as a replacement for one the retired barbells in your gym.
Cons of the rogue freedom bar
If you do not like the design, there is no point in getting this barbell. Especially for commercial uses, you have to consider whether a more neutral design might be the better choice for you. While Cerakote is great against corrosion it is less able to take a beating from plates and banging of other metals. The chrome sleeves will be fine, but take care to avoid banging of the shaft of other things.
Conclusion
If you want to show that you are proud to be American this is the bar for you. It builds on a solid base from years of experience from the Rogue Ohio bar and adds the necessary red, white and blue beautifully.
Overview and review of the TITAN Safety Squat bar
The Titan Safety squat bar will put you back about $200 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 Safety squat bar
A s
afety squat bar is a good tool to help with the development of your lower back strength. Strongman like it as a bar to prepare for the squat events in strongman competitions where the weight usually sits a bit lower from the bar based on the contraption they are using. If you want to take your squat to the next öevel and make it easier on your lower back, a
safety bar is a good alternative to a straight barbell. Here are the features and specifications for the
TITAN safety Squat bar:
Safety squat bar details
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Shoulder and arm pads for a comfortable lift
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5" drop keeps the weight plates lower for a stabilized center of gravity and better balance
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6" hand grips for control when needed.
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Extra thick pad comes in one piece to prevent sliding on the bar while squatting.
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Capacity: 1500 LB
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Weight: 61 LB
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Overall length: 90.5”
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Handle Spacing: 12.75”
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Shoulder Pad Spacing: 8"
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Bar Diameter: 1.5”
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Loadable Sleeve Length: 16”
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Camber Drop: 5”
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Handle Angle: 22 Degrees
This is a good edition for dedicated athletes or gyms who want to specialize into tailoring to strongmen.
Pros of the Safety squat bar
It is an extra tool in your belt to get stronger and bring up your lower back strength. It is easier to hold on to bigger weights and less taxing on the back. Some also like it to do good mornings with. TITAN also has a pretty good deal on this compared to the competition in the market.
Cons of the Safety squat bar
The cons of the
safety squat bar are its single-purpose use, that it is cumbersome and that you buy it from TITAN. You can only use it for squats, not for bench pressing,
Olympic lifting or powerlifting. TITAN is also known to cut corners on welding and finish of their products which is important for
safety bars, as they are usually assembled by hand.
Alternatives to the Safety Squat bar
The TITAN Bison bar is curved to ease the strain on your back when you are squatting. This bar can also be used for bench presses as well as squats. The downside is that it does not have as big as a capacity and might be a little tight for very big athletes.
The
camber bar works with a very similar concept as the
safety bar but without the handles in front. This makes the
camber usually a little less expensive and a good choice in combination with handles for very deep squats.
The
TITAN log bar is a great addition to your setup if you want to go for strongman competitions. For a proper strongman gym, you will want to have a
log bar,
safety bar, farmer's walk bars and some tires to flip.
Summary for the TITAN Safety bar
The TITAN
safety bar is a low-cost
Safety bar compared to other options in the market. With the savings, you might even be able to pick up another strongman item. The downside is that the finish might be not up to par.
