Back widow vs Rogue dog bone pull up bar

This is a comparison between the back widow and Rogue dog bone pull up bar including pros, cons, and alternatives. It was published first under which grip strength tool to get from Rogue. Follow the links for more details.

Overview and review of the Rogue dog bone pull up bar

This is an overview of the Rogue dog bone pull up bar including pros, cons, and alternatives. It was published first under which grip strength tool to get from Rogue. Follow the links for more details.

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Overview of the Bone pull up bar

Price: $85.50

The rogue bone pull up bar is a thick little bar with a sphere at each end to hold on to. This makes it an interesting tool to attach to barbells, kettlebells, dumbbells, or your rack. You can use it for pull-ups and most other pulling motions. The full specifications of the rogue dog bone are:

Length: 19"
Height: 5"
5" diameter sphere on each end
3" diameter center section

This is a good tool that combines a sphere and a thick bar. If you want to save me eh and space it is a hood option for grip training.

Pros of the bone pull up bar

Pros of the bone pull up bar are:

Compact design
Low price
Good grip

As with all the steel products from rogue the dog bone is so one in its design and excellent in its execution. You get many grip variations on one compact surface to use in your home gym or commercial gym for a comparatively low price when you get the separate tools. As the finish is the same as for rogue kettlebells and other metal you will also have a good grip.

Cons of the bone pull up bar

Cons of the bone pull up bar are:

Small space for your hands
Not a sphere and not a fat bar
Only works as a single

As this design is very compact it is very easy to be on a part of the dog bone that is neither straight nor a sphere, but somewhere in between. Climbers might like this but for lifters, that is not really ideal. It will also be hard to use two Dog bones in two weights so the assumption is that you will always lift one weight with two hands. This limits options compared to cannonballs or pinch blocks considerably that come in free moving pairs.

Alternatives to the bone pull bar

Alternatives to the bone pull up bar are:

The crown pull up bar is pricier and also needs to be attached to the rack. So it assumes that you already have invested in a home gym whereas the dog bone also can work by itself. That being said, if your main interest is pull-ups and hanging holds, the Crown pull up bar is far superior to the dog bone. The distinction between bar and sphere is clearer. You also have different sized spheres and angled bars for a truckload if pull up variations. If you have a rack, spend the extra money, it’s worth it.

If you are looking into the dog bone to increase your grip strength rather than improving your pull-ups than the cannonball grips might be the better option. You get a pair of them for a lower price and they form perfect spheres. As you can order them with carabiners and steals you can hook them up with many different weights to vary your training. This makes your training more symmetrical and does not assume that you always have both hands on the weight like with the dog bone.

The monster lite pull up spheres are a compromise between the crib pull up bar and the dog bone. The spheres attach directly to a rack for pull-ups. They are cheaper than the dog bone and the crown pull up bar and are there a good option to buy in bulk for grip and pull up training for commercial gyms, as long as they fit your rack.

The conclusion to the bone pull up bar

The rogue bone pull-up bar is a great tool to get when you want to create a climbing area with your rack. Hang multiple grip tools like pinch blocks, spheres, and dog bones in there to create a little climbing park. That assumes you have a rig or some daisy-chained racks to climb around in. Home gym owners are in my opinion better off to invest in a set of cannonballs or pinch blocks for roughly the same price to train their grip.

Overview and review of the Back widow

This is an overview of the Back widow including pros, cons, and alternatives. It was published first under which grip strength tool to get from Rogue. Follow the links for more details.

Overview of the back widow

Price: $299

The back widow is a versatile handle that can be used as an attachment for cable pulls and attached to a barbell for landmine rows. This makes it a very versatile tool that can be used in many scenarios to improve grip and back strength. This is an ideal solution for a home gym where the user wants to save space and money for multiple applications. In bigger gym scenarios it might be a better approach to get multiple handles for the price of one back widow. The full specifications are:

Multi-Use Attachment for Back Workouts
15+ Adjustable Positions
Length: 5.5" (Lower Handles) / 4.25" (Upper Handles)
Diameter: 1.25" (Handles)
Weight: 9.25 LBS
Carabiner Slot for Attachments: 9/16” wide x 1” tall
Color: Black

This tool is definitely worth its money when you want to have a landmine handle and an attachment for your lat pull machine at home.

Pros of the back widow

The pros of the back widow are:

Versatility
High-quality build
Weight

This attachment for a pulley and to bars has many different configurations which will help you to build a bigger back and stronger grip. It can also mix up the work with a rowing machine or lat pull so that you can stay motivated and attack all different areas of your back. With its high-quality build, you can throw almost anything at the back widow without breaking it and even use it like a deadlift jack. The weight of this handle attributes for its high-quality design. You can see that professionally wanted to design something helpful for other professionals with the Back widow.

Cons of the Back widow

The cons of the back widow are:

Price
Weight
Only one handle

With a $price tag of $300 the back widow is not cheap. for that amount of money, you can get three stainless lat bars from a low price vendor or a big assortment of smaller handles. The weight itself is also not great when your home gym setup is a bit flimsy. If you combine it with the Spud Inc. pulley or similar self-made contraption, you will have problems with keeping a smooth feed through the rollers. This is best used with a stationary lat pull or rowing machines like the Rogue CT1 or the Rogue Monster Lat pull down. In a commercial gym setting, it is also better to get multiple handles rather than one handle. Most average joes will find the adjustments on the widow annoying rather than helpful for a quick workout and as a commercial gym owner you rather have three different handles for three different towers than one handle for three towers.

Alternatives to the back widow

Alternatives to the back widow are:

Rogue Multi-grip cable attachment is a massive handle that can be attached to cable pulleys. This is a great tool for any strongmen who want to work on their grip and pull work. This attachment simulates better when you do not get the best grip on a big weight because the handles are not in the most advantageous position. With $175 it also leaves room for handles to be bought against the same budget like the back widow. The only downside of this attachment is that it is very heavy.

The Rogue Stainless steel bar is a classic lat pull bar that is straight and curved at the ends for different grip variations. This is the standard option that most gyms go with for their towers. Compared to the Back widow you can almost get two of these for the same price. The only disadvantages are that it can be quite boring and that you might get this cheaper from a different vendor than from Rogue.

The Rogue tricep strap is the better partner for home gym pulley setups that are a little makeshift. Its lower weight makes it easier to maneuver and get a smooth ride in place. It is also quite a bit cheaper than a back widow or any of the other attachments. The disadvantage is that it is not suitable for big heavy pulls where you spread your arms wide.

Conclusion for the back widow

The back widow is a great tool for the home gym owner who has some extra cash to spend, likes high-quality products, and does not want too many handles flying about. Just have a hard look at your training routine if you actually do t bar rows and lat pulls already in your local gym or desperately miss out on them. This attachment is not just a gimmick like many others. For commercial gyms, I do not see the point as it is usually more practical to have a wall or bag full of a lot of attachments where people help themselves. The back widow would need some instructions and also the versatility does not really apply to the commercial scenario. The teenagers or your strongest hulk will probably hug this attachment for two hours. Better to have more handles for others who are waiting.