REP fitness Deep Knurl power bar vs Gladiator MX bar

This is a comparison between the REP fitness deep knurl power bar and the REP fitness Gladiator MX bar. Follow the links for more details.

Overview and review of the REP fitness Gladiator MX bar

This is an overview of the REP fitness Gladiator MX barbell including the pros, cons, and alternatives. This article was originally posted in which barbell to buy from REP Fitness. Follow the links for more information.

Rep Gladiator MX $299

The REP Gladiator MX barbell is REP fitness's premium barbell to tailor to the masses. This barbell decides to be a bit thicker in diameter than a regular weightlifting barbell while still having bearing sleeves. This makes it a good hybrid across powerlifting, weightlifting, and CrossFit. The full specifications are:

28.5mm diameter
Length: 87.4"
20 kg (45lb)
1500 lb static rating
5 needle bearings
Hard Chrome coating - most rust-resistant available
Ribbed sleeves to keep weights from sliding while training
No Center Knurl - Ideal for doing high rep clean workouts without tearing up your neck
MildDepth Knurl
Single Knurl Markings - Weightlifting - move faster on lifts
230k tensile, 200k yield
5-year warranty

This is a solid design to cover all you could possibly need in a home gym or professional gym. The only drawback is that this bar is not stainless steel. But there is an option if that is what you wish for from REP fitness.

Pros of the Rep Gladiator MX

The Pros of the GLadiator MX barbell are:

Clear "one size fits all" design
Reasonable price

This is a clear design for all purposes which is well thought out. If you are looking for a balanced barbell for your home gym without being cheap, look no further. This is the right choice for you from REP fitness.

Cons of the Rep Gladiator MX

The cons of the Gladiator MX barbell are:

Not 29mm
Not 28mm
No Aggressive knurling
Imported
No color options
No stainless steel

When you decide to make a design that is tailoring to all needs, you will not cover the specific needs of the subsets. A powerlifting bar would ideally be 29mm and have aggressive knurling. A weightlifting barbell would ideally be 28mm and also have a center knurl. These options are also out there, just not the approach of the MX

To get bearing at this price point from REP fitness you are giving up stainless steel as a material. You can upgrade to the Gladiator Stainless steel barbell if you want both for a higher price.

The biggest cons of the Gladiator MX are the limited color options and that the barbells are produced and shipped from China. That is, of course, only if you are strictly patriotic and want to keep your dollars in the USA.

Alternatives to the Rep Gladiator MX

Alternatives to the Gladiator MX bar are:

The REP Gladiator Stainless steel model has the same specifications as the Gladiator MX with one exception. You are upgrading the material of the barbell to stainless steel for higher longevity and fewer problems with rust for some extra cash.

The REP Gladiator WL is very similar in price to the Gladiator MX with a few exceptions. The diameter is 28mm which complies with weightlifting standards. You will also get a center knurl for more grip when performing front squats or clean and jerks. In return for the center knurl the sleeves are a mix of bushing and bearing to keep the cost of this barbell under $300. A solid choice for the home gym warrior who will mainly do Oly lifts.

The Rogue Chan bar is in my opinion the best all-around barbell you can get from Rogue. It works for oly lifts and powerlifting while also giving you a more interesting design which you currently can not get out of the REP fitness portfolio. If you want to feel badass and do everything, I think the Rogue Chan bar is absolutely worth a look before checking out at REP fitness.

The TITAN blues city weightlifting barbell is the approach of the low-cost provider TITAN to a weightlifting barbell. If you want to keep as many of your hard-earned dollars as possible while building a home gym, TITAN fitness is a good address. Just be prepared that minor quality issues a lot more likely to happen with TITAN than with REP fitness or Rogue.

Conclusion for the Rep Gladiator MX

The REP Gladiator MX barbell is a solid mixed barbell and therefore does what it says on the tin. If you want something nice for your home gym and you are doing everything this is a great barbell to get. Also good for buying in bulk for a commercial gym, unless you want to keep the cost down as low as possible. Then the sabre bar might be a better choice for you.

Overview and review of the REP fitness Deep Knurl power bar

This is an overview of the REP fitness Deep knurl power bar including the pros, cons, and alternatives. This article was originally posted in which barbell to buy from REP Fitness. Follow the links for more information.

Rep Deep knurl power bar EX $399

The REP deep knurl power bar is the upper end of the spectrum in Olympic barbells which you can get from REP fitness. The main distinguishing features of this bar are its aggressive knurling and the full stainless steel construction covering the sleeves and the bar itself. The full specifications are:

29mm diameter.
Knurl Markings: Powerlifting - 32" between markings.
Knurl Depth: 75% deeper than any standard offering
Tensile Strength: 200k
Bushing design with snap rings.
Shaft: Stainless Steel.
Sleeves: Stainless Steel.
Bushing design with snap rings for optimal Powerlifting performance.
Warranty: Lifetime*

This is a great barbell for the serious powerlifter who does not mind getting calluses on their hands. For most commercial gms this barbell might be a bit too much in price per item and the uncompromising design.

Pros of the Rep Deep knurl power bar EX

The pros of the REP deep knurl power bar are:

Deep knurling
Full stainless steel construction
29mm shaft

This bar is great if you mainly train the squat, bench press, and deadlift and you know that you are serious about it. With this bar you go uncompromising for the next record on your total to provide maximum grip to your hands. Even at the cost of tearing the skin.

Cons of the Rep Deep knurl power bar EX

The cons of the REP deep knurl bar are:

Imported
Pricing
Color options
Knurling
No bearing
No Whip

This barbell comes imported from overseas to save costs. That being said I am personally surprised at the price point of $400 for this barbell. This is not enough of an advantage to make me want to switch from Rogue Fitness who on top of that produces locally in the US. If you are looking at a rack and plates also you can make some considerable savings, but if it is just between the Rogue Ohio power bar and the Deep Knurl from REP I am not convinced.

Stainless steel is not available from most vendors to be powder coated with some other color. Why ruin the high-quality steel with some kind of spray-on tan? Compared to other vendors REP fitness still has a noticeable lack of colored barbells, which they will probably fix once their overseas producer figures at how to get cerakote on the barbells. I think that is only a matter of time, but for now, the only colored option in the REP fitness lineup is the Black sabre bar.

The knurling on this bar is aggressive which rules it out for most commercial uses. If you have a cheap rack with cheap J Cups I would also recommend an upgrade as this bar will quickly eat into inferior metal and rubber.

If you are looking for a barbell for your home gym/garage gym or commercial establishment this is not the bar to get. It does not provide any whip and also has no bearing. This bar is high priced and only good for powerlifting, so buy it as such. Otherwise, opt for the all-round Sabre bar, or for the Gladiator series if your focus is on Olympic weightlifting.

Alternatives to the Rep Deep knurl power bar EX

Alternatives to the REP Deep knurl bar are:

The Rogue Ohio power bar in the stainless steel version is currently hailed as the Ferrari amongst the powerlifting barbells. There are some other barbells from Kabuki strength and EliteFTS that specifically pander to the powerlifting community, but these are more niche. As the price gap is not that noticeable I personally would go with the Ohio power bar instead of the deep knurl unless your entire gym is already REP fitness-themed.

The Blues city power bar is TITAN fitness's approach to the world of powerlifting bars with heavy knurling. TITAN is known for minor quality issues in return for the lowest prices amongst their competitors. As you are specifically buying this barbell for their knurling I would watch out for TITAN, as this is exactly the kind of detail that lower standard quality procedures would give a pass when they should not.

If you are into stainless steel but like Olympic weightlifting a lot better than powerlifting, then you should go for the REP fitness Gladiator stainless steel bar. This bar provides more whip, has a less aggressive knurl, ad the sleeves rotate on bearing. This makes this bar netter suited for Olympic weightlifting than powerlifting.

Conclusion for the Rep Deep knurl power bar EX

This is the top bar to get from REP fitness when you are into powerlifting. There is not a lot you can do wrong with this so be confident and move ahead if you have the money. The only reconsideration would be if you are planning on having one brand scheme rather than multiple brands in your gym. Then a decision between TITAN, Rep fitness, and Rogue fitness would need to be made before loading up the shopping cart.