Duffalo bar vs Rogue Fraser bar

This is a comparison of the Duffalo bar and the Rogue Fraser bar including pros, cons, and alternatives. Follow the links for more details

Overview and review Rogue Ohio Bar Fraser Edition

This overview of the Fraser 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 375$

Overview of the Fraser bar

This barbell is inspired by back to back Crossfit games champion Mat Fraser. After performing a long time in the shadow of the all-time greatest Crossfit athlete Rich Froning he finally managed to make it to the pinnacle of the sport after Froning retired from the individual competitions. He won the title in 2016 and 2017. This long wrestle to the top is ingrained in this bar with Mat Fraser's slogan "Hard work pays off.

The Fraser bar comes in at 20kg and a diameter of 28.5mm. The shaft and sleeves are Cerakote coated. The colour scheme is red and black. The Fraser bar withstands 190K PSI of tensile strength and has a loadable sleeve length of 16.40. The sleeves rotate via bushing. As the Fraser bar is based on the Ohio bar it is designed as an all-purpose bar with a good whip.

This is my personal favourite design from Rogue to date. I am harbouring between the Fraser bar and Chan bar as I prefer the design of this bar, but also know that the Chan bar as better value for money in terms of the material it is made of. I ultimately think I will end up buying the Chan bar as I already live and breathe the motto hard work pays off.

This Fraser bar is a great addition to any home gym. The inspirational slogan also makes it a more viable option to be bought in bulk than other designs from Rogue. It still makes about a 100$ USD a bar difference to the Ohio bar. If you do not like this design you might also want to consider the Froning bar.

Pros of the Fraser bar

The Fraser bar represents the concept of the underdog who overcomes adversity to rise to the challenge. When this inspires you, this is the bar to get. You will get a solid barbell which makes use of the most modern production techniques Rogue has to offer. If you like the red and black colours, even better. This is a well designed, reliable piece of equipment that will make you proud.

Cons of the Fraser bar

If you are a big fan of Rich Froning you might want to invest your money in his bar instead. As with the other updated versions of the Ohio Bar the sleeves only come with Cerakote coating. This leaves this bar more exposed wear and tear from metal to metal contact. Try to use bumper plates instead of metal plates to remedy this.

Conclusion

The Rogue Ohio bar Fraser Edition comes from a long line of solid barbells. The slogan "Hard work pays off" is priceless and if you look into the story of Matt Fraser you will agree that this is the barbell with the best story. If you are an underdog underground weekend warrior who is lying in wait to make it big, this is your barbell.

Learn more about the specs of the Rogue Fraser barbell and purchase on the Rogue website

Overview and review of the duffalo bar

The duffalo bar is probably the best bar in the market with a curve to make it easier on your shoulder and lower back for the bench and squat. Here are the pros and cons.

The duffalo barbell has been designed by renowned strength coach and powerlifter Chris Duffin. The single idea was too reduce strain for lifters on their shoulders and back for the squat and bench press by forcing the into better movement patterns. The duffalo is the best of this kind of barbell currently on the market and Rogue attests to that by not copying the original design but rather letting the manufacturer seeking it on their online shop. The specifications of the duffalo bar are:

Diameter: 32mm
Overall Length: 96”
Heat Treated and Cold Worked Alloy Steel – 195,000 KSI Tensile Strength
Unloaded Bar Weight: 55 LBS
Load Capacity: 1,500 LBS
Three Options: Clear Zinc, Black Oxide, Bright Nickel
Attachment point included for optional Band & Chain Handle Attachment*

Pros of the duffalo bar

The pros of the duffalo bar are:

Innovative, functional design
High-quality manufacturing from the US
Different colors

Kabuki strength is a real American dream come true. This is a well-executed piece of engineering that gets the highest marks in most reviews. It has been designed by a pro for pros to protect them from injury and bring up their exercise volume. If you are serious about strength, look into this bar.

Cons of the duffalo bar

The cons of the duffalo bar are:

Price
high specialization
Not relevant to competition

The price of the Duffalo bar is relatively high for a specialty barbell. It ranges in the realms of Eleiko and the top-line Rogue barbells. It is a good use piece of equipment but has fewer uses than these options in the gym.

The high specialization makes it almost exclusively interesting to powerlifters and strongman. It is definitely not the first buy for your home gym. Members of commercial gyms might even feel a little intimidated by this massive piece of steel.

Keep in mind that this bar will help to build volume in your training while doing less damage to yo ur body. You will still need to practice on a straight bar in your cycle to perform on stage.

Alternatives to the Duffalo bar

The camber bar has no curvage and places the weight for the squat closer to the center of your body. It also has a tendency to make the plates swing. If you want more activation in your squats this is a good bar but it is not for bench pressing like the duffalo bar.

The safety bar is the classic bar to have less strain on the spine for heavy lifting. The Duffalo bar is basically a combination of the ideas of safety and Olympic barbell. Compared to the duffalo bar you will save money. This is the better bar for a commercial gym. As an am I Tinnef home gym owner I would still go for the duffalo bar.

The earthquake bar is partly made of bamboo and okays with the idea of weights which shake uncontrollably when moved. While it can not take as much weight as the other bars and needs bands and kettlebells to function, this can be an interesting squat variation based on lovers of the west side method.

Summary of the duffalo bar

The duffalo bar is a very interesting second purchase of a barbell for very ambitious home gym owners who start to feel the pains of age but still lift very heavy.