Back widow vs Rogue Grandfather clock system

This is a comparison between the back widow and the Rogue grandfather clock system 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 Grandfather clock grip system

This is an overview of the Rogue Grandfather clock grip system 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 Grandfather Clock grip system

Price: $56.50

The grandfather clock grip system is part of the grip system of Rogue. This system includes the Pinch blocks, cannonballs grips, grandfather clock, and globe. The grandfather attachments are one of the easiest out of the line up to master whereas the pinch blocks and the globe are at the harder end of the spectrum. The full specifications of this item are:

Made in the USA
Length: 6"
Diameter: 1.875"
Steel tube with welded loop
Available to order with Rogue Grip System (straps and carabiners)
Color: Black
Knurling: None
Applications: Towel Grip Pull-Ups, Farmer’s Carries, and more

This is a great addition to any gym framed by the rogue grip system. Ideally, you get all components in the set.

Pros of the Grandfather clock grip system

Pros of the grandfather clock grip system:

Versatile
Easy to use
Cheap

Compared to other options to train your strength, the grandfather clock grip is relatively cheap. It can also be attached to various weights or racks using the strap and carabiner system from Rogue. This makes it easy to use, install, and transport. Not a lot you can do wrong with these.

Cons of the grandfather clock grip system

Cons of the grandfather clock grip system are:

Unstable
Shorter than a climbing rope
Easy to lose

The grandfather clock system is a great way to simulate rope climbs if you have low ceilings. Still, they are not a rope and therefore provide only a simulation and not the real thing. The grips will also be quite wobbly. If you don’t like this in your training go with an alternative that is attached to the rack like the spheres or the crown pull up bar. Apart from all of this, if you have a big gym, travel a lot, or have a lot of people using these grips, it is easy to lose them.

Alternatives to the grandfather clock grip system

Alternatives to the grandfather clock grip system are:

The Rogue climbing cross-member simulates a climbing wall on your rogue rack. A couple of these will work best when installed on a longer rig or daisy-chained racks. This setup is only minimally more expensive at $85 and provides stable grips which will be more challenging for your finger strength. This is the better option when you want to train for actual climbing and you do not want to get every tool under the sun.

A climbing rope is a classic tool to train grip and arm strength. A good rope climber always has a strong grip, too. When I used to do Judo semi-professionally we always ended the session with ten ropes in camp. They are a great tool as long as you have a high ceiling. If you do not have a high ceiling or want to avoid heights, then the grandfather grips are an alternative, but no replacement for the real thing.

The crown pull up bar is the best pull up attachment you can get for your rack. In terms of value for money, you get many different grip variations for only $225. If you were to buy all the attachments to get to the same amount of variety you would pay more. You will get narrow, wide, and neutral pull-up setups and two different sized spheres.

The cannonball and pinch blocks are better options if you already have a climbing rope and want to save money. I see the pinch blocks, cannonball grips, and grandfather as a whole to be bought together and not separately. However, that can bring the bill to $300 -$500, which not everyone is willing to pay. If you get the whole set for your home gym, you will not regret it as it is versatile and keeps grip training interesting.

Conclusion for the grandfather clock grip system

The grandfather clock grip system is the best option from rogue to compress rope climbing into a confined. Combined with the pinch blocks and cannonballs you get a powerful grip orchestra. If you have space, hang a rope from your high ceiling to get even better results.

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.